Song Tea & Ceramics

A unique shop that specializes in all things about tea - from imported tea leaves to beautifully made ceramics. If you ask them they'll offer you a taste of whatever tea they brewed for the day. My husband and I got to sample their Big Leaf Shuixian, an oolong tea from Taiwan. Relaxing vibe here and helpful staff. Just wish they were open more days of the week!

so glad we met Amanda. She’s super welcoming and shared a ton about tea. Her detailed explanations helped us choose the perfect tea flavor to start with. I highly recommend this place for tea lovers especially those into Taiwanese or Fujian teas. Different spectrum and harvest to explore, along with a selection of cool teaware. Great for gifting or treating yourself with some good tea.

Song Tea and Ceramic was really cute and had a great variety of teas and ceramics. Upon arrival to the shop, we were greeted with samples of oolong tea. I really enjoyed smelling all the teas and we ended up getting the Hello set to try out a red, green, oolong and white tea. The teas make a great gift and definitely recommend this shop for anyone who wants to the try out authentic teas.

This place is heaven. Was greeted with the most delicious sample of green tea, the people here are so incredibly knowledgeable, and everything about the store is beautiful. Their tea selection is just incredible and unique!

A true gem of a place. The staff member at the front of the shop was knowledgeable, kind, and helpful (I wish I had caught her name!). A lovely selection of teas in a beautiful space.

What a gem of a place! If you want authentic tea and teaware, this is the place to go. My husband has been buying from Song Tea (online) since they opened. This was our first time visiting in person. Both Cindy and Amanda were so kind and knowledgeable. They made us feel welcome and we did not feel like "just another customer." I purchased the buckwheat tea and have had a few cups - wow, so soothing and delicious..I usually put honey in my tea, but this is perfect on its own. Cindy also gave us a few samples to try (my husband bought several teas as well). The place is small but they have many options of tea and do a nice job making recommendations. We plan to come back if we are every in San Francisco again!

Song is the highest-end tea shop in San Francisco, stocking on everything whole-leaf *except Puerh*. They specialize in Taiwan-grown teas and most of their offerings have an electric oven finishing roast done state-side once imported. I am a particular fan of their Ceramics and Aged Teas. While their prices are certainly high, Song is not your everyday tea shop. In fact, Song Tea's physical storefront is no longer open most days of the week and they generally only offer tea tastings for special pre-booked events.

Song Tea carries some of the highest quality teas in San Francisco, and also features the most aesthetically beautiful shop on San Francisco. Stop by for retail shopping on weekends, or shop on their easy to understand website.

I only got to visit this place once even though I passed by it a lot as I used to frequent the city many weekends. I eventually stopped by one time because I was running low on loose leaf teas. The store itself feels very minimalist and clean, and there's this whole back part of the store where I think they organize and prepare tea. They have so many options and I wish I would have had the chance to try more. I ended up buying a small packet of loose leaf tea which I thought was pricey, but I quite liked my experience in the store, which felt like a lifestyle/concept store. The store clerk was also very friendly. Plus the tea I purchased was a relaxing one and it does the job. Would love to try and visit again one day !

The store worker was friendly towards helping me choose a holiday gift. She gave me a thorough explanation of the white, green, and oolong teas that they had and what flavor profiles they were. She was very knowledgeable and engaged. The tea they have is very specialized. The store is clean and modern, and I can tell they place attention to detail on their products! I do not frequently find tea shops like this before. I also got a nice sample to try while shopping. I am pleased with my experience and will return to buy tea.

Wonderful tea and teaware! I bought a Taiwanese red here and have been enjoying every sip. Wonderful peaceful place to drop in and see some beautiful pieces. Super knowledgeable and friendly staff too!

Uniqueness: Finely chosen tea suppliers Very glad I took the time to find this spot! Very kind people and even tastier tea selection. Taste: 5/5 Sight: 5/5 Smell: 5/5 Touch: ?/? Sound: 4/5

I was introduced to Song through an online "Best Of" list. I visited their very user friendly website and selected the "Hello" box and a few samples of other teas. I was blown away by the snow jasmine tea! Very fragrant. I am eagerly working my way through other teas. I will definitely be a repeat customer!

I fell hard in love with an oolong tea I tasted at Manresa Bread. I put my sleuthing skills to the test to find out where the tea came from and discovered Song Tea. After spending a ridiculous amount of time on their website researching teas, I rounded up my friends and signed up for a weekend tea tasting. They take reservations online and is $10 per person. I had a general idea of what I planned on purchasing already, but wanted to sample a few things to make sure since their teas are pricey. The tea tasting was an amazing experience! Our tea guide was super knowledge and made our tea tasting experience so much fun! As the friends group were the only group there for the tea tasting, we got to pick which teas we tasted and our guide picked out a tea that she thought we'd like as well. Overall it was a wonderful experience and a great way to learn how to brew the tea you plan on getting! I'd highly recommend a visit, even if you're just there to browse, they usually have a tea of the day you can sample!

My friend has been obsessed with this place and I always wanted to see what is it like and since the friend and I were around the area, we stopped by at around 12pm on Saturday. The inside was such a relaxing ambience with the feeling of wood and natural light was emphasizing the relaxazation even more. There more than 20 tea leaves to try the smell including black tea, green tea, white tea, and herbal tea and it was really fun to try out different flavors. The owner explained the difference between the leaves and how that makes unique flavor for each one, which was really educational and it was like a workshop even though it was a random visit. There was a complementary paring sweet that we were able to try made by the Chef from my favorite restaurant, Marlena, which was a very happy surprise. He also let us try one of the black tea, which was also enjoyable. Very friendly environment, delicious tea and sweets were so satisfying and would love to come back for the actual tea tasting once it re-starts.

The $10 tea tasting was quite possibly one of the most calming and peaceful experiences I've ever had! My friend and I spontaneously decided to head over for their last tasting of the day. We got to try 4 different teas which were thoughtfully curated on the spot by the woman running the tasting. She was very knowledgeable about the origins and flavor profiles of each tea, as well as the owner's selection process (I wish that my brain wasn't so forgetful because there were a lot of cool tidbits in there. Like one of the teas is harvested completely by hand because no machinery is allowed as high up the mountain where the tea grows). She answered all our questions and I definitely felt more cultured HAH. Afterwards I smelled all the bajillion teas they had available (kept going back to smell the jasmine). Edit: Oh my goodness I realized I completely forgot to review the teas themselves. They have a very wide variety of profiles - smokier, floral, earthy, etc. I personally favor oolong and we tried two of those!! One tasted like the earth in the best way possible and the other was peachy and bright, I loved them all!

This is hands down my favorite small store in SF, and one of my all-time spots in the Bay Area, really. It also happens to be my go-to spot with a friend for wholesome weekend activity - $10/pp tea tasting for artisanal loose leaf single-origins and blends. The quality of their offerings are the real deal - Peter, the owner, travels across Asia to source best teas which are often limited in production. The shelves often rotate because he carefully curates. Definitely buy a pack of the Song Red and go from there. It is the most affordable black tea there but is ten calibers above your generic black tea at grocery stores.

Tea is another human culture that you can obsess over like chocolate and wine as you can never really learn enough about the subject; there's different origins, flavor profiles, and personal customization of how it's made. I'm not very knowledgable about these sub genres of food and drink as the scraps from the streets are label-less and the murky, monochromatic puddles are usually unrecognizable. So, it was nice to step in the bright and clean Song Tea and learn about what tea is all about. As I stepped in the pristine and dustless atmosphere, I felt like I was in a tea museum mixed with an art gallery as it housed beautiful, nearly perfect ceramics all to enjoy and respect tea. Various books are scattered about if you want to get into the history while you pretend you are a human for the hour. There's displays of multiple teas they carry so you can see the actual leaves and blends they carry. Most of them from Taiwan, which is their specialty and some from China. Tastings are no more at the moment but the staff are teaheads ready to steer you in the right direction so you can enjoy your own nice tasting at home. If you're feeling antisocial, there's specific descriptions of the tasting notes of each tea right next to the glass cases of tea leaves. If you're ready to get into whole leaf tea, step right in and explore with an open mind. Or a close mind so you can get exactly what you want. These people really know their tea, that's fasho. I was an impressed rat and loved the peaceful atmosphere. If I ever want to take a break from the dirty and fast pace of dumspter life, I'll be back here to melt away.

Nothing but good things to say about Song Tea. If you appreciate the history and quality of your tea, come check this place out. The owner and the workers are all incredibly welcoming, knowledgable, and receptive. There is no tea snobbiness or anything of that sort. Just good energy all around. The tea itself is the best quality, and great for giving as a gift since they come with brewing instructions too. I generally use their tea as a standard of quality when comparing to teas acquired from China, Taiwan, and more. At one point I completely forgot about a couple bags of oolong I bought from them back in 2019, but I tried them and they aged quite nicely. So it's safe to buy most teas from them even if you only drink a few times over the years. They are also quite reputable in the tea community! If you have any issues, you can contact them and they are super receptive as well. I recommend this place for all tea lovers. They are the reason I ever got into high quality teas in the first place.

Interesting tea tasting experience for $10! The lady was very knowledgeable and sweet. She let us choose 3 different teas and brewed them so our group of 6 could have 2-3 small servings per tea. The Snow jasmine was very, very fragant. You can purchase tea leaves in their packages or pay $2 extra for the canisters. My friend had been following them on instagram so we decided to stop by without a reservation when we were in the area and they accommodated us pretty quickly. Recommended for tea lovers!

I stopped by over the weekend and had such a wonderful experience. I was looking for some green tea and when I entered the store, I was greeted right away. The lady working there (bummed I forgot her name, she was so sweet!) got me a cup of hot, red tea immediately as I browsed the shelves. The inside of Song Tea is so aesthetic. The products (tea and ceramics) were laid out neatly on the plywood shelves and tables. Minimalist vibes that still felt inviting. What I liked most is that it wasn't all about the looks, though. They have the substance and knowledge to back it up. I was given backgrounds on the origins of the teas, tasting notes, etc. I ended up purchasing 60g of the Fragrant Leaf, and they gave me a small packet of Huang Mudan as a gift. Totally made my day! I'll definitely be back for more tea, and also to try their formal, sit down tea tasting. I highly recommend Song Tea to all my tea loving friends!

This tea tasting experience was honestly the best way for me to start off the year and spend some quality time with my friends to relax. I opted for the 11am reservation and was greeted by an extremely nice older lady who offered us some tea to start off right as we got into the shop. The shop decoration is beautiful, very modern but still has very nice woody texture and amazing crafted ceramics that only enhanced everything. I especially loved the big window by the door that allow for natural sunlight to come in as you enjoy your tea. The host who lead this tasting experience was extremely sweet and patient, making sure everyone has a chance to smell the tea and notice their aromas before diving in deeply about the tea's origin and what to expect while we were drinking them. She was very knowledgeable and made the 45 minutes we spent there went by so fast. We went through the tea in order of lightest to darkest and honestly I loved every single choice that she had chosen. She also took in our opinion on what we wanted to try and even went through the trouble to make sure a person from another party who joined us didn't try the same tea twice since they had been there once before. I ended up buying 30 grams of the Snow Jasmine green tea which was my favorite floral scent (lily to the exact) and pleasant. The host of the tea experience was extreme nice during the transaction and even gave me a sample bag of another tea. The tea was honestly very reasonable priced for the high quality and effort, plus along with the fact that you're supporting a small local business. I will definitely be coming back here in the future to be sample their other options, it was such an educational and relaxing experience overall.

Wonderful experience! I came here with a group of friends (total of 5) for some tea tasting. There is only one table to sit, but we were lucky that no one was there. Tea tasting is $10 per person and you can have the worker choose the tea for you, or chose from their selection. Because it was our first time, we had the worker choose the teas. Quality of their tea were great! The aroma and the taste were on point. However, their tea selections were limited compared to those in Chinatown. They had a wide range of oolong tea, but only four green tea. You can purchase your tea there in 2 or 4 ounce. Some teas are at $ but others are $$. They have a good amount of tea cups and pots, but too pricy for me to buy. It is located few blocks from Japantown, so you can always find parking there. There are several buses that stop by the area. It's not a hard place to find.

This place is still the absolute bee's knees. I take all my friends exploring SF here for a relaxing, educational, and delicious tea tasting. You can't beat $10 for 3 tastings of the most delicious and delicate teas you'll ever have in your life. The ambience here is everything as well. Wooden furniture, ceramic cups, and moody music to transport you into the most peaceful place. Don't forget to use their bathrooms because they've got the cutest tissue paper holder.

Our tea tasting experience was really wonderful. It was delicious and educational. Peter really has a passion for what he is doing and that made our experience very rich. He shared the origins of the teas we tasted and walked us through the processes of how/when tea leaves are picked and end up in his shop/our kitchens. We were a party of three and paired with another group of three. I really like how intimate the tasting groups/sessions are. Their tea and ceramics selection is clearly very thoughtfully and carefully curated, adding even more to the experience. We left with some tea for ourselves and for gifts. :) I highly recommend!

Quite spendy . Honestly, there's a lot of marketing and packaging upsell. For those who know and are used to traipsing around tea places in Asia, it's a bit hard to swallow the price gouging. I've now tried 2 teas that I own, and a few cups of other tea flavors from friends who also have Song. But flavorful tea boutique it is--- and very aesthetically winsome.

This is a beautiful tea shop. Everything here is laid out in a very nice setup. They also give you tea cups to try out when you walk in, so you can sip some tea while you browse. There are also tons of ceramics for sale here. Tea pots, cups, coasters, etc. They are definitely not cheap ($100+) but I did find them to be aesthetically pleasing. The teas also seem to vary wildly in pricing. $30/oz is not uncommon here, but there are even more expensive teas here. They do offer some samples if you decide to buy any tea, which is nice.

Beautiful tea shop with a large selection of teas. The ceramics are very lovely, too, but generally very expensive. The tea tastings are a lot of fun and very informative. Very highly recommended!

Such a beautiful tea shop; it's very spacious, clean, and bright. We did the tea tasting where they offer you 3 teas of your choice to try. They explain the origin and how to properly steep and such. These teas are nothing like the ones you buy at the grocery stores, of course. There are so many choices of tea and ceramics...tea pots, tea sets, etc. This place is by no means cheap, but you get the quality that you pay for. They also have teas on the cheaper side, but some that can get pretty pricey. It's definitely worth a trip...once you try these teas, you can't go back to PG tips!

Peter Luong is such an amazing and sweet personality. He is such an amazing tea marker. I really love his tea shop and Beautiful White Tea canisters. He is super outgoing. The first time I met Peter Luong at his tea shop. He know his tea more then everyone else. Every time I am visit my Auntie and Uncle and Cousins I always stop by Song Tea & Ceramics to sit down and drink lots of Peter Best Tea. I really love your sweet & happy lifestyle. If you are looking for a cute and nice quiet tea place to should stop by Song Tea & Ceramics. If you want to go and have a one hours or two hours tea tasting of Peter best tea choices. If you want to come and join you should pre-reservation to make sure if he is able to take a big and tiny and little group. If you don't come to should visit the website to have some send you a sample of his best and tasty tea

So glad Peter brought his tea company out of Chinatown and into the middle of the City. I heard that Song was open so I stopped by one weekday and found Peter in the middle of a science project to revive some old tea leaves. I told him I was buying a gift for some friends and then wanted to buy some tea for me, We sat down and casually drank some tea for an hour as he taught me about several teas. It was like going to a winery and having a wine tasting. It was a cold blustery day but I came out of the store feeling refreshed and educated. It was a real experience. I felt so much more knowledgable.

I tell all of my tea lover friends about Song Tea & Ceramics because this place is truly magical. First of all, if you're looking for a place to hide from the SF rain for an hour or two, this is the place to be. The space is simple, open, and spacious, homey, and also perfect for this Instagram shots. (+++) The tea tasting : $10! In my opinion, the tea tasting is probably the best thing here. I do agree that some (ok most) of the teas here are quite pricey so the tasting is a good option for you to try those $$$$ teas if you're wondering how magical they taste if they're $100 for 2oz. The tasting used to be free actually if you buy something afterwards but I guess they've changed since so many people do the tasting. The time frame usually range from 20-40 minutes depending on how many people are in your group and who's demonstrating the tasting for you. You can choose up to 3 different teas from their list (maybe even 4 if you're lucky) and the staff will guide you through the brewing process. They will usually serve you three rounds of each tea for you to get a taste of how the tea changes in flavors through the different steep / brew. My favorite is the Buddha's Hand. The smell and flavors are absolutely amazing. I feel like I've learned so much more about tea from each session! My first session was with Nick (whom I believe is no longer there) and my second session was with Peter (the owner). Both were very knowledgeable and you can see that everyone in the shop is very passionate about the teas. Peter did apologize for not being as talkative as Nick so if you have a question you're dying to ask, don't be afraid to ask away!

My friend and I had such a lovely tea tasting experience here! I highly recommend trying it especially if you want to relax. They don't take reservations for the tasting but when we walked in it was only about a 5 minute wait and we shared the table with another group. The service was exceptionally friendly and helpful. The tea tasting was only $10 each person and lasted about 30-40 minutes. It was really worth it. We tried a white tea and two types of oolong tea based on our own preferences which were all amazing. You get three servings of each tea. I loved that the lady explained how the tea was made and the proper techniques for serving tea. The ceramics that they use are beautiful and add to the experience. You can also buy them in the store from different artists and regions of the world (mostly China and Taiwan). The store itself is beautiful with tons of natural lighting and clean, modern decor. I was really impressed with the entire space. The owner Peter rotates the types of tea served here based on the season so it changes throughout the year. The store is about 4 years old and I only wish I had known about it earlier!

Beautiful space with hard to find teas and elegant hand made ceramic tea ware. Staff (or owner?) was super friendly and knowledgeable. You are greeted with a sample tea of the day as you walk in and it's a soothing and zen experience to browse the shop with a lovely warm cup of tea. They also offer tastings for $10 per person for three teas and lasts 30-45minutes. Didn't have time but will consider next time.

If it's good enough for chef Melissa Perello, it's good enough for me. Im on a weird Oolong tea tear. It's been my tea of choice for a few hears now. The Winter Sprout varietal they have is fantastic. I could default to it as the bar for my Oolong consumption. Crazy that they have all these cool artisan ceramics to boot!

My friend and I had a lovely tea tasting experience here! Our tea tasting leader was very knowledgeable about tea, and answered all of our questions - we had a lot! We tried a sampling of teas that were earthy, slightly sweet and tasty. Tea tasting here opened our eyes to new types of teas from around the world, and we bought a selection of tea to take home and enjoy. Thank you!

Song Tea & Ceramics was a gem I had heard of and read about in the last two years. I finally had the opportunity to visit with my gf Susie S. and really enjoyed it! As the name suggests, they sell both teas (that they source directly from farmers from China and Taiwan and do not buy from Whole-sellers) and ceramics (from artists in Asia and locally in SF). The tasting experience is $10 for 3 teas. However, they end up brewing each tea 3 different times (to differentiate the flavors extracted from each brew) - which ended up being a really eye-opening experience. The tea tasting isn't cheap, but given the time the staff spends with you and walks you thru each tea's story and tasting notes - it's really a worthwhile experience. In addition, they waive your tasting fee if you make any tea or ceramic purchase! We were fortunate to have Nick host us as he was very passionate and knowledgeable about all the teas he served us. The ambiance and teas made for an excellent experience. However, I would have liked to see some teas from Japan or other places as well. For now, Songs is 100% from China or Taiwan only, is my understanding. Songs is growing and you can now find them at high-end boutique coffee shops like The Mill and Ritual!

Such a pleasant place to be! The shop itself is so beautiful and airy, and the moment you walk in you get hit with a super strong tea smell, which is amazing. We signed up for a tea tasting, which is $10 and lasts around 20-30 min. You get to sample three of their teas, guided by their expert tea brewers. They have a really nice selection of teas (mostly oolongs and greens) from China and Taiwan, and they said that the owner goes back to China and Taiwan each spring to get the new tea harvest. Teas range from $18 - $40 ish per 30g, which is usually enough for probably 5-6 pots of tea. Highly recommend as a fun experience!

Beautiful place with apparent passion for teas. Went in for tea tasting on a rainy day ($10 per person), the perfect mood for some warm tea. You can pick your own teas or get recommendations from the staffs who are very knowledgeable. They have unique white, red, green, black, aged tea, etc. We picked ours from different regions in Taiwan since we had a lot of Chinese teas already. The staff walked us through the three steeps of each teas. Now, this is where you can unfold the characters of the tea. Each steep will give you different impressions and aroma. It's like playfully teasing layer after layer, waiting for it to bloom and still appreciate it after the petals have fallen. (No, really.) Come with an open mind, enjoy the whole ceremony, do not rush this moment. :) The tea: 1. Buddha Hand - A very well balanced tea with equal seriousness and playfulness. It has a distinctive chocolate-y aroma which were apparent on the second steep. Took a while for is whole character to come out but well worth it. 2. Gahhh, this one I forgot the actual compete name. It has winter something...Anyway, the tea leaves are harvested in Lishan during winter. So it has high sugar compound, hence the sweetness of it. It also has the scent of pear. One of the most playful of the red tea or black tea I have tasted. The second steep was really delicious, but it comes to maturation on the 3rd steep. 3. Okay, forgive me, I forgot the actual complete name again. But this tea shouldn't be hard to find. Just ask them for the tea which has been aged for 50 years. Repeatedly roasted years after years until the leaves have stabilized. The rich roast came on the first steep. Magnificent. Serious with a hint of high mountain crisp. It has a bit 'thick' aftertaste, so you may want to save this for last.

Song Tea isn't just a tea shop. Song sells carefully selected teas from taiwan. one can sample before buying and/or sample their brew of the day.. took a whiff of a green tea($22/2oz). was blown away by the fragrant scent. way better the teas available at Teaven (sweet flavoredinfused tea) or other tea places i have frequented. buys: Longxhu Jasmine (2oz/ $16 ) -curled up leafs, looks like the "gunpowder" tea from china. -tasted a little bitter but very flavorful maybe too much leafs in the brew. -way flavorful than any tea brewed from a boba shop 4.5 stars drips: -best tea tasted so far out there only went to a few, so unscientific sample. -parking not easy in this area. -cost about 1.5 -$2 a cup, cheaper than buyer at a boba shop. (3ish). -try it (Song's), you'll like it.

Have fun hanging out while I was waiting my husband to pick me up after hair cut. Nice people nice tea. Thank you Song's.

I brought a group of five people here for my birthday, and we could not have been happier. We learned more about the world of tea than we previously knew existed. Very reasonably priced and all-around a great time!

I've been waiting a couple of years to visit. I was waiting on a friend of mine who is a tea connoisseur, but we never quite made it, so I popped in yesterday on a whim with my boyfriend. What a beautiful teahouse. We came on a day where Peter had brought a back huge collection of fine ceramic teaware from Taiwan. I fell in love with a particular cup by Zhang Yun Cheng (https://songtea.com/ceramics/zhang-yun-cheng), one that I will use for years. Lucky us, we came on a day right before all the photos were to be posted online. Peter has impeccable taste. The weight of the cup is perfect, and the 5-day glazing process--magic. Iridescent soft pink merges into a sandy celadon, cresting in a wave at the edge of the cup, and then into it. Inside, a few flecks of brown, mimic-ing specks of tealeaves that oftentimes float in. There is a lovely balance here between craft and individual expression. The Oolongs we tasted were high mountain Lishan, and each unique. I truly believe other than a classic tea, that we really would never discover a tea quite like the other two others in San Francisco. The Winter Shuixian (https://songtea.com/tea/oolong/winter-shuixian), I loved. Amanda was a personable and wonderful guide to our tasting. I highly recommend a visit if you are into art, tea or the appreciation of lovely and beautiful places in this city. I will definitely return.

Excellent tea, just did a tasting, but be prepared for some Pacific Heights uptight gong fu. Some of the techniques (and wastage of beautiful unsteeped high quality tea leaves because they rush you through the tasting and only brew twice - hardly giving you time to sip them after they cool down) pained me. They seem to have a strict protocol and are not able to relax around it (at least the guy serving me wasn't). He was also rushed despite the store being empty, and kept dumping the tea that was in the server into the garbage before it was drunk. I was able to discern that the teas are high quality, albeit very pricey. I would love if they had a different tasting protocol, maybe next time I'll request a more relaxed tasting of only two teas. Or offer to pay for a double (full hour).

A beautiful tea space and ceramics too. Wish we had known about the tea tasting hours but sadly made it to the shop after 4pm. Instead, we received wonderful help from the gentleman at the counter who let us try the Four Season red tea. We ended up spending $20+ for 2oz of a green tea. 2oz is a surprisingly large amount of tea. I know I'll be back again bringing friends the next time we visit SF. For future visitors, this space offers all the things you need to make delicious tea at home; it is not a sit down with a fresh cup of tea shop unless you make arrangements for the tasting.

If you're a serious tea drinker, you owe it to yourself to visit Song. I've bought eight of their teas so far, and each has been outstanding. The selection skews towards premium teas, but there are a few on the more affordable side for everyday drinking. Keep in mind that these teas can be brewed three or more times, with each steep having its own characteristics. The leaves I use for my first cup in the morning last throughout the day. The staff is quite knowledgeable, and as an earlier reviewer pointed out they were affiliated with a tea shop in Chinatown before opening this place. It has a nice atmosphere, which feels a bit like being in someone's living room or perhaps an architect's studio. It's a retailer and not a place to buy a cup of tea and a bite to eat, but they do offer a tea service so you can sample their selection. I recommend budgeting at least an hour when you visit. The teas come with very helpful directions on how to prepare them. You might consider getting a scale which weighs in 0.1 gram increments and also a thermometer. There are inexpensive ones online; look for jeweler's scales. I feel these teas need to be prepared rather precisely in order to get the most out of them. If you can't find a parking spot in the neighborhood, try the parking garage at Japan Town. A nice afternoon might be to first visit Song and then hit one of the restaurants on Fillmore.

They staff is friendly and very knowledgeable. I learned so much just in a short time! Not to mention amazing tea

Had a lovely experience here. I was offered tea and given the proper suggestions on what I was looking for. The beautiful ceramics are delicate and made with precision.

The tea tasting experience was super intimate and educational -- our host taught us about the different water temperatures and the farms the teas came from, as well as what happens when you steep the tea more than once. The teas themselves were also unique! I loved the diverse selection. Our host asked us a bunch of questions about what we like and tailored what she chose based on our answers. I'd definitely come back again.

My partner and I decided to do a tea tasting and were treated to a clean, elegant Gongfu tea ceremony from Peter. We initially came in here shopping for ceramics but the ones they sell here are more like works of art than stuff you'll actually bring yourself to use on a regular basis. Well, I have to tell you, this place single-handedly ignited my current passion for pure, fine Chinese teas. They even inspired me to buy the same variable-temperature kettle that they use here. But be warned, Song is not really aimed at the beginning tea drinker. They don't carry a lot of staples or classics for someone who wants to learn more about the basic categories of Chinese tea. I've found that Red Blossom or online websites like Teavivre.com have a wider selection and may cover your bases better. What Peter has amassed is an eclectic anthology of handpicked gems for the tea aficionado who wants to add something uncommon, small-lot, or once-in-a-lifetime to their collection. ---- HOW IT WORKS ---- * The tasting costs $10 per person, and you get to taste 3 teas (each steeped multiple times) in a fairly comprehensive gongfu tea ceremony. * If you decide to purchase tea after the tasting, the cost of the tasting may be deducted from the cost of the tea purchased. ---- TEA TASTING NOTES ---- Huang Meigui 黄玫瑰: 3 stars White tea, very subtle, floral, unobjectionable. Lishan Orchid 梨山兰花香: 3 stars A greener oolong tea. Smells amazing--notes of orchid, butter mochi cake, sweet corn. Taste is subtle herbal, apparently on third brewing there's a mango / passion fruit finish but we didn't get that far. Lishan Winter Sprout 梨山不知春: 4 stars My partner fell in love with this one. One of their most interesting, complex teas--not for the tea neophyte. Four Seasons Red: Strong intense smell and complex flavour. Says it has noted of lemongrass, muscovado sugar, lemon custard. Not a simple red tea, is the most expensive one at $54 for 2 oz. This was probably lost on me. Shan Lin Xi Winter Sprout: 4 stars Sweet like a baked good, hits you in the face. I can see why this has a cult following. Buddha's Hand 佛手: 4.5 stars This one lasted through many infusions and had the most tightly rolled, large leaves. One of the most beautiful-smelling teas: roasty chocolate caramel aroma but taste is dark, bitter, like coffee. Later infusions are fruitier and sweeter.

My sister and I had a great experience here. When we arrived, a group of 5 was having a tasting, so a woman there offered us some tea as we browsed around. The space is simple and calm. We chose 3 teas to taste - the Dragonwell, Gan Lu (both greens) and the twisted leaf oolong tea. The red-haired woman who conducted the tasting was very nice, patient and knowledgeable about the specific teas in the store and about teas in general. We learned a lot as we asked a lot of questions about how the tea is harvested, processed and she talked us through the flavors as we tasted multiple brews of the 3 teas. It was a very nice way to spend an hour on a lazy Sunday. They do charge $10 for the tasting, that's waived if you purchase an item. Their cheapest tea at the moment is a black tea for $10 (2oz). Even so the fee is worth it. I will be back often!

How have i not reviewed this place yet? this is the tea shop of my dreams! the space is austere, simple, elegant. there is a bookshelf in the back filled with tea books. some are even bilingual (which is really neat). i was waiting for friends so i sat down and started reading a bit. then my friends showed up... with more friends... and before i knew it, the serene tea shop had exploded into a noisy space. one of the employees even fled to the back because she's a bit on the shy side. oops. i apologized profusely to the owner, who laughed and told me everything is ok and to calm down. he didn't realize my jitteriness is my default state. tea tastings cost money but you get to try multiple. I sat down with some friends and we had tea. the owner answered my random questions about flavor and brewing details. i ended up buying two different teas. one is their Shanlinxi Winter Sprout. The other one is a Lishan red (which i can't remember the name off the top of my head). the winter sprout is my favorite. i call it my cotton candy tea. i drink it but only when i have time to savor it. it is precious. the other tea my boyfriend loves (i like it too, mind you). it's sweet and fruity and subtle. when i run out, i'll have to order more. and i'll even be happy to pay for shipping.

The staff here are kind and respectful. They welcomed me to the store, gave me a minute, then introduced me to their products and gave me option of the tea tasting. The timing of the tea tasting didn't work out for me but if you do want to taste tea go to their website where you can reserve a time. Although I only walked around the store briefly I could tell the tea selection was varied and good quality.

I like it! I like the Tea Tasting for $10. It's a fast way to try out different teas. I did it for the "red" teas - and I get to choose which teas to try. I'll definitely come back for another tasting with different teas. Peter loves his tea. He knows where they come from, what the tea cultivar is, and can tell you the gist of why teas taste the way they do. And as I am tasting it, he describes the tea flavor and smell, and the description is on the spot!

Our beloved City is blessed with another awesome elegant beautiful serene tea place that carries exceptional rare teas and one-of-a-kind ceramics, many of which are wood-fired. Very knowledgable and friendly staff. Tasted and bought the Yellow Petal Guanyin Dark oolong tea. An amazing Fujian varietal that expresses finesse with bold flavors. Many other incredible teas are offered. Also acquired a beautiful wood-fired teapot. Love this place. A must-VISIT for all tea lovers and friends.

Loved tasting these awesome teas with Jessica who was super knowledgeable about anything tea related. Her personal recommendations were very much appreciated because it helped tailor the experience. I walked out with an order of the Dragon Phoenix Tender Heart tea which was the most interesting oolong tea that I've ever tasted. The leaves were also very bright and green, contrary to the darker oolongs that I've seen before. Overall a great experience, I would definitely recommend anyone who's even interested in teas to come in. *mind blown*

Went for a tea tasting with a friend yesterday. Peter was out of town on a biz trip, so instead we were greeted by Nick. He sat with us through the tasting and walked us through each step, and we totally bonded with him and had a great time chatting with him the whole way through! The tasting seemed a bit pricey for what it is ($10 for 3 teas), but it turned out to be completely worth it. Again, the tasting includes 3 types of teas of your choice (we did one white, one oolong, and one red), and each tea is brewed 3 times. Loved the way he customized the amount of tea leaves and temperature for each type of tea and even for each pour. Nick shared with us a ton of interesting background stories like how a certain tea blend came about, some fun behind-the-scene stories, and even some history of tea. It was a journey! It was a pleasant surprise to find out that the tasting fee is waived with a purchase of any tea, especially because I loved all the teas I tried and was ready to take them home. All their tea leaves are imported directly by Peter, from the farmers he has connections with all over East Asia - so the quality is guaranteed. You can also find their tea leaves at the Mill, Four Barrel, Ritual, etc. But I'd really recommend visiting the shop for the tasting over just getting their tea leaves, because you will not only have an awesome experience but also learn so much about treating the tea properly! Thanks Nick for the great time! And I hope I can meet Peter next time. :)