History
Far Leaves Tea has been serving single estate, hand processed tea at a small tea shop in Berkeley, California. We present a wide range of teas from herbals and exotic and delicious blends to excellent greens, oolongs, blacks and aged puers. Proprietor Donna Lo travels to Asia several times a year to locate and purchase the best green, oolong and black teas from China, Taiwan, Japan and India. She also brings in a wide selection of cups, pots and other handmade tea accessories that are needed to make tea in a Pacific Rim style. Basing its practice on the Chinese Gongfu style of having tea, Far Leaves has added Japanese, Russian, American and other tea style to its mixture. The store in West Berkeley adds art, music and people to round out a cultural offering of tea. They have also developed a line of tea cookies that are delicious and perfect with or without tea.
Specialties
Far Leaves Tea is about enjoying the process of making and serving tea with other people and leaving the outside world far behind. Having tea is an excellent human endeavor. While waiting for water to boil, strangers can become acquainted. While pouring, common courtesies can be afforded, and while savoring the tea, friendships begin. Anyone can become a tea master.