Japanese Tea Garden
Garden · Golden Gate Park ·
Historic garden offering tea, snacks, and fortune cookies
Historic garden offering tea, snacks, and fortune cookies
"A tranquil, cultivated garden located within the large urban park, offering picturesque plantings and serene landscaping that make it a peaceful place to visit after a hike or walk through nearby trails." - Opheli Garcia Lawler Opheli Garcia Lawler Opheli Garcia Lawler is a journalist with a decade of experience, half of which has been dedicated to covering the way we travel. From interviewing former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to digging into Amtrak customer complaint data, Opheli has developed a deep well of knowledge about what shapes our travel experiences. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines
"A historic fixture of Golden Gate Park, this exquisite garden also offers a small tea cafe. The green tea or matcha is accompanied by traditional Japanese snacks like dorayaki (red bean pancake), edamame, and arare (savory rice crackers), as well as afternoon tea staples like lemon bars and cookies. Every order comes with a fortune cookie, which was introduced to the U.S. right here (way back in the 1890s)." - Dianne de Guzman
"If you’re just visiting SF, you’re shelling out $16 just to get into the Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park (FYI—residents don’t pay). But locals know that plant and tea therapy is the best therapy, so just get here. Head straight to the small wooden structure near the entrance and order a hot hojicha tea, paired with perfectly soft green tea mochi before making your way to a bar stool overlooking the pond (the best seats in the house). There are also serviceable but not great snacks, like simple udon bowls and chicken karaage. So, stick to the tea, and reflect on life goals like how to make money and not work, before strolling around the zen garden." - ricky rodriguez, julia chen 1, lani conway, patrick wong
"If you’re just visiting SF, you’re shelling out $16 just to get into the Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park (FYI—residents don’t pay). But locals know that plant and tea therapy is the best therapy, so just get here. Head straight to the small wooden structure near the entrance and order a hot hojicha tea, paired with perfectly soft green tea mochi before making your way to a bar stool overlooking the pond (the best seats in the house). There are also serviceable but not great snacks, like simple udon bowls and chicken karaage (that aren’t crispy and taste a bit like a reheated-in-the-microwave situation). So, stick to the tea, and reflect on life goals like how to make money and not work, before strolling around the zen garden." - ricky rodriguez, julia chen 1, lani conway
"If you’re just visiting SF, you’re shelling out $16 just to get into the Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park (FYI—residents don’t pay). But locals know that plant and tea therapy is the best therapy, so just get here. Head straight to the small wooden structure near the entrance and order a hot hojicha tea, paired with perfectly soft green tea mochi before making your way to a bar stool overlooking the pond (the best seats in the house). There are also serviceable but not great snacks, like simple udon bowls and chicken karaage (that aren’t crispy and taste a bit like a reheated-in-the-microwave situation). So, stick to the tea, and reflect on life goals like how to make money and not work, before strolling around the zen garden. photo credit: Lani Conway" - Lani Conway