A killer date night stop! Incredible worldly teas that are properly prepared right in front of you! The ambiance is very cozy and comfortable and perfectly located right along 4th ave. For any tea lovers, this is a must see! read more

O5 Tea - Tea Rooms Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

This is tea heaven. First of all, the staff knows what they're doing. They're very knowledgeable and passionate about tea. Second, I love that the teas are responsibly sourced. The owner takes the time to meet the hardworking farmers and suppliers. Third, the teas are delicious, high quality, and hard to find. I really hate it when other tea brands flavor their teas with artificial flavors, or when they don't use whole leaves and leave you with twigs and who-knows-what. You won't run into these issues at O5. The flavors are complex, natural, and enjoyable. My favorites so far are the Lunar Eclipse (a jasmine white tea that is super smooth and delicate) and the High Mountain Black (a woody, spicy black tea that tastes great hot AND as kombucha). I advise you to take your time here. Make sure to put enough coins in your parking meter so that you spend at least an hour here. The teas are best enjoyed at the bar, where you can talk to the experts and watch them correctly prepare your tea. I personally like to try a flight of 3 teas, which allows you to compare and decide which one(s) you would like to purchase and take home. You can also compare how a tea tastes from the first infusion vs. the second or third. Take your time, sip your tea, and enjoy the experience. read more

The best kombucha in the city bar none. I've tried a lot of kombucha and 05 tea makes the most nuanced, subtle and delicious kombucha ever. It brings me back time and time again. Do yourself a favor, if you like kombucha come down and try their selection. read more

Got their Kirishima Matcha (the cheapest one) and it was great for matcha lattes. Compared to the matcha from David's tea I tried, it was way better. The price is worth it. Their Hojicha kombucha is amazing, the flavour is very delicate but rich. Must-try if you go. read more

This place is amazing. The staff was super nice and friendly and let me taste all of the kombuchas. They were all delicious. If I lived here, I'd be by regularly to fill and refill and refill a growler of it. These are some of the most unique kombuchas I've ever tasted. It's also a lovely, quiet ambience to do some work, or even have a date. read more

O5 Tea - Tea Rooms Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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*shimmy shimmy shimmy* *high kick* *slow motion lunge + fist pump to disguise the fact I just threw something out trying to high kick* *jazz hands* That's how I feel about O5's kombucha. Ok. So I've already lost about half of the Yelp readership simply by uttering the word "kombucha". I see you rolling your eyes but if you'll stick with me for a few sentences, i'll tell you why O5 makes fermented tea fabulous. For the other half that nodded along with me, go re-read those first four lines - they are also directed at you, followed by a hearty high five for kombucha love. Ok skeptical readers... answer me this: do you like cocktails? Yes? How about citrus based cocktails? Still with me? Does your heart skip a beat when someone fiddles with a fancy bitter? Perhaps lime bitters? Yes? I hate to break it to you, but you're going to LOVE kombucha. I don't know how they do it, but this house brewed fermented whatnot is one of the tastiest things i've had in awhile. Unlike that scary, "things floating about in it" kombucha you grab at the store, this is clean, tangy, a tad sweet and ridiculously smooth. Try the golden curls and tell me i'm wrong - I dare you. For those who aren't quite ready to bounce into the big boys, the green tea version (Jun) mixed with a teeny bit of lime and served over ice is over of the coolest mocktails i've had in a long while. Plus, bonus cool points awarded for the fact that this is the only place in town with the Jun culture... so it's a mocktail AND gloating rights afterwards when you too face the dreaded kombucha disbelievers. But perhaps the best thing about this brew is that the brewer, Rosie, not only works out of the store but may very well be there to be charming, bubbly and explain her masterpieces. If you were on the fence, one conversation with this lady and her sheer passion & enthusiasm will have you hooked. I have not had anything else here - though I happily noted they have some pretty nifty events every day of the week, most of which are free to attend (UYE anyone?) - but the damn fine fermentation and impeccable service made this an easy five stars. Take a friend. Take a date. Take a business meeting. Step out of your comfort zone and try something new... i'll see you at the bar once you get kombucha hooked. read more

Love the options of kambucha tap here! Staff is vey friendly and they always answer your questions!! I have learnt a lot of tea on this place! Love itt!! read more

First time I walked by this place at night and peered inside as I passed my friend said to me "It looks like the future in there." I think he was right. The first thing that captures your eye is the sleek, modern and natural design buoyed by elegant and soft lighting. It's warm and welcoming. Enough that the next time I passed I had to go in and I ended up staying for awhile. Everything met my expectations and more. The tea samplings were delicious, each unfolding with a story about its origins. I sampled a tea from a 500 year old tree, harvested well-above the forest floor, served cold. I drank from beautifully sculpted clay bowls which seemed to speak to me with their every changing colours and textures. My uncle had had a tea shop in Copenhagen when I grew up and I savoured every detail shared with me here and now. From the 'future' I was now drawn to the past, a place where I was filled with excitement by stories of exotic places and grounded in the experience of sharing something so natural and pure with the earth and its elements. Coming here is so much more than just trying a cup of tea... I hope they continue to keep odd and sometimes late hours so I can continue to wander in when I feel the need to be transported momentarily from this urban jungle. read more

It was the first time I had ever tried kombucha tea. It was served as five different flavours/kinds. Each had a distinctive taste (they were cold because they were fermented). Both the tea and the atmosphere/decoration were amazing! They also sell some tea sets which are quite expensive. The menu has a wide variety of tea! One can come and try a different one each time. It was a nice experience! read more

O5 Tea - Tea Rooms Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Warning that this isn't your typical tea bar, especially in decor which is more modern than stylish, however, it works. A lot of wood tones and it is very dark. I first heard about this place as it appeared on the front page of Yelp. The place has an open concept bar feel making it feel sociable. It's a very relaxing experience, therefore, expect to just chill, talk tea and drink it all in for at least a good 60 - 90 minutes. They had nice relaxing music. The tea expert was very informative. I know lots about tea, however, I don't know everything about tea and learned something new. Plus points 'cause this place is open daily late which is a huge plus for the working social gal like me. This place is the most expensive tea place in the city. Since this was last minute (impromptu), funds were limited, therefore, I was holding onto the purse strings a little tight. They had some good menu items that I will be back for. I did the Explore Yunnan which was a sampling of Silver Needles, White Moonlight and Golden Curls. The tasting with tip was $20. P.S. I did talk to Pedro and I love his passion for tea. read more

2.5 stars. (Hey Yelp, please let us half star if we need to) beautiful teas, and I did learn a bit about tea brewing. but they are not quite hitting the mark i think they've set out. as other reviewers have said, cold, metal chairs, rounding yourself over the bar. no privacy so you cannot sit and chat with a close friend without the tea server 2 feet away. the place is really about them, not about the customer. we had to wait several times to get a refill as they want to do this the traditional way in a contemporary environment. didn't work. they also don't do take out, which i appreciate, but it is nice to take tea away. Also i don't understand the hot water in the champagne glasses. they staff were okay... but i can forgive being flustered with being busy, especially when there s a genuine desire to be helpful underneath the busi-ness. i do like, and seek out different things. i really wanted to learn more about oolong. but i really feel this place is awkward despite their beautiful stock of tea. they need to rethink how their space is used. and i think they might struggle in the meantime. read more

Came here more for the aesthetics than the tea. We got a Oolong, a Matcha, and a Black tea. Tea was good but didn't WOW me. I think I'd like it better if I had more time to spend there - we made a reservation at Raisu so we only had about 30mins from ordering to drinking tea. read more

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If you are a tea purist - this is the place for you. No milk or sugar on site. I recommend taking your time and trying one or two teas each visit. It's more about the experience and the knowledge of the staff at the bar that makes O5 enjoyable. I'll be back to get a traditional Matcha read more

This place is quite an experience. It's great if you come here alone, or if you want to have afternoon tea with a friend or a date, even after dinner. They are very knowledgeable about their teas, and you'll learn a few things from them. You can sit there for a long time if you wish, as a lot of the leaf teas can have many infusions, so you'll always have hot tea. Best of all, their teas are of highest quality around town. If you're thinking of buying some tea, you can try their tea flights. Always nice to try before you commit to buying a bag. What a gem of a place! read more

A must try for tea lovers. Ceremonial tea experience: we had Japanese matcha (very high grade, you get to pick your own bowl) and Taiwanese Alishan (amazing floral and earthy notes). We couldn't have asked for more on Saturday afternoon: great environment, high quality product and knowledgeable staff who guided us through the steps. Spent there good two hours and will definitely be back. Thank you JoJo and Noriko for making our visit memorable! read more

O5 Tea - Tea Rooms Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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I got it. I can see why people are raving about O5. Totally unique, totally pleasurable experience for us three 50-80 year olds. Warm welcome acknowledging us when we walked in, yet gave us time to browse and savour the first impressions. Elegant yet calming interior design, with relaxing music that enabled us to chat and converse with owner Pedro and 'still learning' Kim. Their knowledge and passion of tea is more than impressive. Lovely tea service with teas personally selected by Pedro based on our flavour preferences. This was definitely a new taste experience for our palates. Amazing what real tea tastes like!! Perfect selection of tapas as we were a bit hungry too. My Pea Soup was incredible with its green apple, rosemary and secret infused tea. I could have had a few more bowls - man it was good. My friend loved her Panna Cotta and would have it again in a flash. O5 Rare Tea Bar is a very welcome addition to Kits and 4th Avenue. It's a cafe that is at cafe par with JJ Bean, Revolver, MatchStick, etc. Easy to find, only 4 or so doors west of Fir, on the south side of West 4th. read more

Before entering O5 we just exited another tea store that seemed like a gimmicky chain with its own brand of merchandise. Walking into O5 instantly put us at ease: no one shouting "Hello!", offering some monthly special tea flavor, or asking "do you need any help?!" at ungodly decibels. Instead we were treated to a sample of kombucha with candied ginger that was absolutely divine. Each tea has its own history and family pedigree, and the photos accompanying many of the teas are wonderful to behold. I need to return to Vancouver soon and experience a tea service featuring these amazing teas--thus the last star that remains for this truly wonderful shop. read more

O5 has quickly become my favourite place to have a conversation, read a book, or do some work at. Their kombuchas on tap (made with rare Pu'Er, hojicha, etc.) are seriously so good, as are their matchas. The lovely staff members prepare matches and other teas on the spot for you and the entire ambience just feels very special. Their teas come from remote villages and tell a whole heck of a story. O5 is 5 years strong and I hope they stay put in the Kits neighbourhood for years to come! read more

O5 Tea - nice atmosphere - Tea Rooms Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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If you are a true tea lover you would love this place. If you want to experience the true art of tea brewing you would love this place. If you want to have a magical and special experience with some friends of a date, this place is perfect. If you are looking for a unique and cozy place to relax, chill and/or catch up on some reading, this is the place!! First time here. They were out of the mochi which I really wanted to try. Next time would be. The tea selection is unlike other places in the city. Their matcha is AMAZING!! Costumer service is unbelievable. read more

So we came here for a private showing that would have lasted a couple hours if we had not decided to leave sooner. The event was supposed to be a sake and tea tasting activity - unfortunately it was lacking a lot of drinking and became more of a selling of TEA rarity and company background. "We have limited supply; you can never find this tea anywhere except here, right now!" "Once it's gone. Its gone." Don't get me wrong. Some of it was enjoyable - hearing about the different teas/saki and what makes them interesting ...up to the point someone started getting into the chemistry of koji rice fermentation and glucose levels. I sat there rolling my eyes thinking to myself I'm going to need another shot to get through this. Not how I want to spend my Sunday night. Nor should 30 people have to be obligated to sit and listen to these ridiculous questions. Staff were excellent, professional and friendly. However, the event lacked the entertainment factor I desperately needed. We decided to leave after an hour and grabbed some great sushi on broadway. read more

This place is amazing! Went here with a friend as I bought tickets for Ozoni night. First off they know what they are doing, they tell you about the tea, how to best taste it, and let you explore the flavor over many seeps. The place is narrow but it doesn't lack in charm. The price is what you would expect for high quality rare tea. But since you can brew your tea more then once you get a great value in the end, I suggest bringing a friend relax and savor your tea, this isn't a grab and go place. Over all I will defiantly be going back. Sampled: Silver Needles (white tea), Chiran Shincha (green tea),'91 and '93 Oolong (think they are almost out of '91 need to double check that) read more

I love going to O5 for lunch when I worked on West 4th. It gave me a place to unwind and enjoy my lunch for half an hour. Especially during the hot summer afternoon and heading over for a perfectly whisked healthy bowl of sweet, frothy ceremonial grade Matcha made by Brian or Bryan is something that one could not ask for more during a lunch break. Also, its great that their ambience has a contemporary edge with bar stools. Yet, they are able to maintain the traditional Japanese tea ceremony style in terms of the height drinks are served on while guests are sitting at the bar. The height the table and stools also resemble drinking tea on a Taiwanese tea farm but with the comfort of being seated rather than kneeling. The pricing is in fact higher than the average tea. But considering I can taste the quality of the teas, I personally feel that the pricing is very reasonable. After all, a fine dining experience at a five diamond restaurant is often followed by second dinner at home. The great thing is that most of the teas here can go through multiple infusions. You can't really get multiple "good quality" extractions out of your single origin espresso. Big plus here! O5 definitely has some of the best teas in Vancouver, and as a Tea Sommelier in-training, this I can tell you for sure. It can't be compared to the David's Tea that's 40 meters away. It is like a wine shop that specializes strictly French reds and then comparing it to an Irish pub; so close yet so far. O5 is the place to unwind and relax at night when all else is closed on West 4th while remaining booze free so you can drive. read more

O5 Tea Bar brings a whole new meaning to the 'tea party.' I came here with a group of 8 on a Sunday afternoon as part of a birthday celebration. Upon entry, I felt calm and serene effect. A high ceiling, a long bar, white walls, and minimalistic decor with a projection screen at the end of the room. We were given some hibiscus tea to try, as well as some candied hibiscus tea leaves. It was a good welcome treat. Then we sat the steel stools along the bar, which were a bit uncomfortable to sit too long on. Then the tea tasting began. We were asked what teas we drink most. With the answer of green tea, they made us each a batch of Jaksoeul, a tea from Korea. The tea is served in a medium sized ceramic bowl. As we savoured our teas, they brought out some Darjeeling caramel. These were so good. Creamy and sweet with that hint of Darjeeling. I also noticed that they grind their own matcha so naturally my next tea was the matcha, which I really enjoyed. They also brought me a candied strawberry to balance out the slight bitterness of the matcha. I thoroughly enjoyed my experience here. It's a place to relax and try different kinds of rare teas from all over the world. I also heard from them that they're working towards developing some tea cocktails. Will definitely be back! read more

My friend has introduced me to the kombucha on tap. Hands down my favorite kombucha I have found thus far. You can get growlers at the bar, and they offer a bunch of really nice flavors! I love it! read more

I love this place - the teas are unique, the desserts are not too sweet and the staff are so knowledgeable. If you want the whole place to yourself, gather 20 friends and they'll shut the place down for the evening so you can do a tea tasting with appies and chocolate strawberries :) (gluten free is usually an available option for their appies and desserts) read more

You cannot ask for more from a tea & tapas bar. Pedro is one of my favourite people in the city because his passion for tea and hospitality is infectious. He provides a thorough experience beginning with the design of the location, to the serving ware, to packaging, and his many trips around the world to meet farmers and source products. Every member of the O5 staff is top notch and well educated about each tea's preparation and origin. This dedication to quality is evident in every sip. It's pricey but fully justified in the calibre of product and service. It's a great location for a meeting, a date, or an afternoon of tea history and education. Pick up some of their hibiscus before you leave. Be sure to eat a salted caramel. Try the shaved ice in the summer and enjoy an infusion of Kale & Nori bitters when you arrive! Update: Their new Kombucha (as of Feb 2014) is absolutely delicious! read more

We went for the tea flight tasting. What an amazing experience! We learned so much about Japanese teas and tasted some extraordinary varieties. The staff is incredibly helpful and knowledgeable. I highly recommend O5 teas. There aren't many places you can taste such exquisite teas in such a relaxing and cozy environment read more

Some serious tea culture is brewing at O5 Rare Tea Bar, in West 4th, Vancouver. It sure beats drinking burnt coffee. Owner, Pedro Villalón, who has come a long way from slanging tea from the back of his truck, has created something special out of his obsession and endless travel. His passion is quite infectious. All O5s teas are organic, sustainable and handled by loving hands. The very thought of mass treated plantations, untouched by the wild is unthinkable. Much like many forms of love, perfection is in imperfection. Each tea has its own story. Each cup and bite has its own taste. And each hour is its own experience. These are the things good stories are made of. I could rave about fragrant, roasted oocha, the purest of pure; hand-cranked macha; or those big oak barrels in the back ageing white tea. I could also go on about how each tea is served ceremoniously into your cup/glass. But the mystery is part of the fun. Besides, the teas are probably going to change over the next while any ways. O5 stock only 15-20 teas at a time-- an appropriate number for this eclectic importer to keep a careful watch over quality-- meaning the menu is basically an ever changing fresh sheet. All teas are fresh, unless they aren't suppose to be. Naturally, food pairings and tasting spoons change with the tea. This time I was treated to sugared hibiscus, ginger candy, and other genius stuff. It's a mystery what's in store for my next visit. Perhaps some herbs and spices? O5 is a far cry from those bus detours in China or corporate spin-offs in the strip malls. However, all this talk about tea does not do the whole O5 experience justice. An order of good quality tea can be re-steeped and enjoyed for hours. So O5 goes well with good people and a few stories. The large communal table puts your shoulder-to-shoulder with other appreciators-- stranger or friend. The tasty pairings and candied surprises offer ample conversation pieces--an initial excuse to cross gazes with your neighbours to share a primitive sign of delight. Among the new faces was Kirby, who was a good sport as I yanked her chain for a couple of hours. Ariane randomly showed me a thing or two about camera bags. (This lady knows her cameras.) Of course the center of attention is Pedro himself. There is a story to everything. After all the 'O' in O5 stands for origins. And Pedro's business is a product of the characters he surrounds himself with--whether it be an unnamed biker, who hocks ceramic bowls, mixologist, Lauren Mote, who supplies all the bitters. I personally would like to hear more about those loveable Asian farmers with the long pinky nail and the wooden beads. When a man travels far beyond civilization for tea, you know his stories will be incomparable. Impress a date, or come by your lonesome self. Maybe find out what the '5 means. Coffee, wine and cocktails have had their turn. Vancouver's tea scene has just got a pick-me-up. Discover something new and forever at O5 Tea. See the pictures at http://allyoucanlove.com/2013/01/tea-tastings-stories-o5-rare-tea-bar/ read more

This is an oasis of amazing high-end teas in Kits. They are very daring to be on 4th Avenue, since everyone and their yoga teacher seems to operate one in this area. A very minimalist decor pervades this place - one large, marble-esque table, piles of dark wood (accented by a really heavy door at the entrance), and the bare essentials for chairs. Some really cool heaters (those induction ones that look like kitchen scales) are also there, and some tea preparing paraphernalia. For their tea tastings, instead of standard cups, they use a glass kind of akin to a short champagne flute in the claim that it brings out more of the aroma. That probably is true (will be testing the teas I bought in cups here), but at least they haven't gone the full route in claiming you should have a full-bodied bowl shape and thus pass our pinot noir glasses. And the teas? They really do their homework on their teas and can cite some interesting anecdotes about where they get their teas. From trips to Taiwan, various mountains near Hangzhou, random chrysanthemum picking episodes, and other items, you will never be lacking in interesting conversation. The owner is also cool - I could've sworn he looked French or Quebecois and even spoke with an accent that was the part but apparently he's from Mexico! And is fluent in Mandarin! And he can tell you how to mix things with mezcal, vodka, and "how to impress a lady" with tea. It was like talking to some European hipster version of Anthony Bourdain who was drinking pu er from a tall glass. Which was pretty wacky, and given how great the teas were, pretty awesome. The prices are steep by any estimation (if you're not careful, you can spend $100 on three different loose teabags) but they are excellent all-around. This may be the holiday season but go give people a gift cert to Starbucks or something. Keep the good stuff for yourself! read more

Ok.. caveat... friend works here... she's a sweetie... how can I give a bad review. I'm not huge on tea... my wife used to work at a tea shop... got me more tea than I thought I could handle, and now spoiled me for bags of tea (I just taste the damn paper of the bag the tea was in... grrr!). I'm more a coffee guy. That said... we did have some samples of some different teas... and I ordered a 'tea cocktail'. It was a chilled drink... and pretty tasty. The wife also ordered the pastry platter. It was two matcha shortbread cookies (pretty tasty), and a hibiscus tart (also pretty tasty). I'd go back... but it would probably be with the wife... read more

Excellent tea prepared in front of you. Initially I thought I was way too new to tea to really appreciate the experience but the staff are warm, friendly and deliver a wonderful experience (especially for a neophyte like me). Highly recommended for a date or just to experience good tea in good company. read more

I was so stoked to accidentally pass a real tea shop while visiting Vancouver. Though I had somewhere to be, I ended up spending over an hour talking and drinking tea. The space is lovely and the music is just right. Most importantly the tea is top notch, a good value, and served by very knowledgeable people. They had amazing tea ware, from all over Asia as well as BC. Places like this can be intimidating, but the shop does have tea to go and kombucha. I was really impressed with latter--I've never had kombucha that actually tasted like tea, rather than ginger and fruit juice. I can't wait to return! read more

The most beautiful tea I have ever seen. Is it costly? A bit, but it is THE best tea bar in the city or perhaps all of BC. Amazing specials on sale throughout the months so it's definitely worth signing up for the e-newsletter. Personalized customer service and genuine appreciation for tea and customers. read more

The experience, the ambience, the unique flavors and ideas that probably won't be found elsewhere. I go there for that and something called hospitality...beyond customer service. The zen decore matches their values. read more

O5 Tea - Pedro - Tea Rooms Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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Organized a Dishcrawl with Rosie and Pedro and it turned out wonderfully! All of the staff were great and I couldn't have asked for anything more. I'll be sure to be back soon as I can't wait to try more of their great teas as well as their new food menu! Personal favourite dish of the evening was the candied hibiscus which tasted almost like a cranberry or dried cherry, went perfect with the spice hibiscus tea! read more

Mixed customer service led to me being unable to try the product here, so I have to give it three stars. I am sure they have excellent product - everything I smelled, smelled amazing! - but I wanted a matcha to go. We walked in and clearly had no idea what to do - no one really greeted us. I finally asked a tall gentleman for help, and told him I wanted a matcha to go, and he said none of the matchas are good "to go" and then just ignored me. Didn't follow up with alternatives, or an explanation why, or anything. Eventually, the other employee working, a lady, attempted to help us but she also didn't help me come to any conclusion if I could actually get a tea "to go" or not. After about twenty minutes of just talking with no real answers, I left. I *saw* "to go" cups, so I am positive you can take out something, but I guess the $17 I was willing to spend on premium matcha is not something you can take with you! read more

We got the fruit and nuts with the three chocolates and a tea flat. We rolled out drunk. Our hearts are full.

Being a tea fanatic, it is always exciting to try out tea shops that offer authentic brewing experience. Although David's Tea or Teavana offer a wide range of tea selection, the quality and the learning aspect of tasting tea experience are somewhat disappointing. O5 seemed like the obvious choice with its inviting environment and boasted 'rare tea' specialty. With 4 stars status on Yelp, I was excited and ready to give it a try. Unfortunately I was back to reality the moment they started brewing the tea and smashed to the ground when I paid the bill. Let's talk about what O5 does well and perhaps that is what many others are looking for. The staffs were friendly and, to me, it is always comforting to see some real tea pots. They also gave us a tasting of Kombucha (carbonated fermented tea and is a speciality at the store. The selection of tea was also quite broad covering everything from white to green to dark. Although I didn't find the types of tea on the menu to be considered "rare tea", which is what O5 promotes, I do have to give credit to the owner Pedro for searching and choosing them from all over the world. Overall, I do like the choices available. Tapas are also available making it accessible to everyone to experience. Personally (and me only), environment is second to the core of the tea shop: quality of tea, knowledge of staff, quality/price, and tea apparatus. I was so sad when O5 were a fail in all 4 categories. Charging 3X the price compare to David's Tea (just next door), I expected the tea quality to match the price. We had a tasting flight of Matcha shot (Japan), 1991 Oolong (Taiwan), and Balhyocha Saebyok (Korea). Matcha tasted watery with short and somewhat chalky finish. As for the 1991 Oolong, the staff mentioned that re-roasting of the tea was done prior to shipment. As much as I love an old aged Oolong, 1991 Oolong that I tasted did not have the exciting quality that I read about online (i.e. buttery, silky, sweet finish). 1991 Oolong was on the sour side and felt to be over fermented. Finally, I love ginseng infused green tea, such as Taiwan King's 403 green ginseng Oolong (Ten Ren), but Balhyocha Saebyok was overly powered with ginseng (possibly used during processing). I could easily think of tea that can match the flavours at 1/3 of the market price. To be fair, we do have access to some of the rarest tea in the world and we are fortunate enough to get a hold of some excellent tea. Having said that, rarity doesn't necessary translate into good quality and unfortunately applied here. As friendly as the staffs were, I did not feel that the staffs had enough knowledge about tea for this shop to be called a speciality tea shop. I didn't learn anything new from the experience. I wanted to hear more than just "unexpected taste" or "complex" or good". I wanted to learn the specific flavours, how the tea were fermented or what made them different. I didn't think this was too much to expect since O5 is a tea place that offers actual brewing experience. Perhaps I expected too much. If this is the case, then I was misguided by all the articles praising O5. Brewing and tea serving etiquette were also questionable. Serving the tea cup with your finger inside the cup is a "no no"! For the 1991 oolong, we were served with a glass jar as a tea cup. Sadly it was no better than a paper cup. Now comes my biggest pet peeve - hidden cost. We were charged extra for sharing a tasting flight. Now it is fine if we were informed beforehand, but this "extra charge" was not written on the menu (I have the picture of menu) nor informed by the staff. We also told them that we only wanted one shot of matcha but were given two shots and were charged for the extra shot...again without informing us. A 19 dollars tasting menu somehow turned into a 30 dollar disaster. Perhaps they are famous for their kombucha as mentioned by almost all of the Yelp reviewers below, but I didn't see anything more. On a positive note, they do have lots of events with some of them appear to be quite interesting, such as the rare tea club on every Wednesday. Possibly, I will change my mind after attending a couple of seminars. Until then, I will just have to stay home and drink my own tea. read more

This is a badly-needed indie establishment in the heart of what's becoming a part of town that's overrun with chains. Can't say enough good things, but I'll try: - Pedro (the owner) and Olivia (the chef) are awesome - they create a space where you can relax instantly and feel welcome in a "third place" (away from home and work) - They're knowledgeable and passionate, and happy to share what they know with you - The space and vibe encourage talking to strangers, which Vancouver needs waaay more of - They do for tea appreciation what so many other places do for coffee, which is a first in Vancouver - They're open late and don't cater to 25 year olds wanting to get wasted which - in Kits - is rare - The tea and tapas are insanely delicious and high quality - The teas have the name of the farmer and the lat + long of the farm it came from. Badass, and great marketing. Highly, highly recommended. Can't wait to go back. read more

I feel after going to O5 I have a newfound appreciation for tea. Noriko (so sorry if I spelled her name wrong) and Brian were very hospitable and knowledgeable about the tea they were serving. I usually don't hang out in Kits because I find the whole BMW driving yogi/shaman lifestyle to be a bit obnoxious but O5 is just a bunch of nice people having tea. I will be back. I really want to try this matcha morning shot thing. Sounds very stimulating! read more