Tea Time Hangouts

One of the things I must admit that Socal has over Norcal is the dine-in style tea places. Ever since Verdes Tea Cafe, located in Millbrae, closed down, I've been devastated because I lost one of the few places where I can sit down for a few hours and hang out with some good old friends and play cards. It's been hard finding another place like this around San Francisco and the East Bay because most places make drinks to-go. In spite of some seating, these places just don't accommodate waiting service. In Southern California, there are a few places that fit the description. I've been to a few and the tea and food are of decent quality. Tea station and Ten Ren's Tea Time are both standard examples of tea cafes you can find in Socal. Besides decent to good quality teas, they also have a wide variety of snacks, meals, and other dishes to choose from such as noodles, rice dishes, and shaved ice. Some of the popular dishes include popcorn chicken, shaved ice, and fried bread. I love coming to these kinds of places, but it's so limited in Norcal that I have to give props to Socal for having more tea shops.


Whenever you come to these places past dinnertime, there are usually groups of people hanging out and drinking tea while playing cards (which they sell in the shop). It's a very social and spacious environment. Plus, the serving cups and pots are really decorative. The service is generally decent and the waiters/waitresses are usually friendly. Pricing is of affordable range. On weekends, the place may be crowded, but it's a really nice alternative in going out and having a good time with friends. So, if you like drinking tea, snacking, and being around good company, these places are ideal options.

Ten Ren's Tea Time Locations:

1330 S Fullerton Rd
City Of Industry, CA 91748
Yelp Review

18423 E Colima Rd
Rowland Heights, CA 91748
Yelp Review

Tea Station
158 W Valley Blvd
San Gabriel, CA 91776
Yelp Review