Red Blossom Tea Company is first and foremost a family owned tea shop in San Francisco's Chinatown, but we are also much more. We are direct importers, travelling thousands of miles in search of rare teas and artisan tea ware. We are educators, striving to bring the richness of traditional tea culture to our customers. And most importantly, we are tea lovers. We love to drink tea, talk tea, think tea and even obsess over tea.
About Our Teas
We specialize in traditionally crafted loose leaf teas and we're able to acquire the very best. Our teas trace back to the tea gardens and to the very hands that crafted them, often using time honored methods passed down from one generation to the next. If a particular tea is best grown at higher elevations, we'll find the highest mountain garden we can. If a particular tea is best roasted with charcoal, we'll not only find the roaster, but also insist on the exact fruitwood charcoal to use.
Yes, you could say we're a little obsessed, but we take pride in what we do, and we strive to do it well. So we'll save you the health pitch and the mystical tales. Instead, we just have really good teas.
History of the Shop
From the beginning, Red Blossom has been rooted in San Francisco's diverse Chinatown community. We were started over a quarter century ago as a neighborhood apothecary, the original name for the company was 'Yau Hing', meaning 'to flourish again'. The name was a nod to the community's immigrant background, and the opportunity we and many others were given to rebuild our lives in this country.
The first tea we imported was a pu-erh, but within a year from opening our selection had grown to nearly thirty teas. At the time, the tea containers were still labeled only in Chinese. We were still that 'little known secret' in Chinatown, a source for good quality teas ' if one was able to decipher the Chinese labels.
Today, we've made a few changes. We've redesigned the interior, added English descriptions to our canisters, and along the way, built this web site. The company has started to grow as well ' our selection of teas now tops 100 different types, and a few of them can be found in select restaurants, hotels and cafes across the country. One thing hasn't changed: our dedication to quality and staying true to the traditions and standards that have shaped Red Blossom Tea Company since its founding.
meet our staff!
Our Location
If you do make a trip out to San Francisco, stop by and share a cup of tea with us. We are just a few blocks from the famous Chinatown Gate in San Francisco:
831 Grant Avenue
San Francisco, California 94108
Phone: (415) 395-0868
Fax: (415) 362-8877
Our store hours are
Monday - Friday: 10am to 6.30pm
Saturday: 10am to 6.30pm
Sunday: 10am to 6pm
We will be closed on Christmas and New Year's Day.
directions
Directions from the East Bay (Berkeley/Oakland)
- Take I-80 West toward San Francisco
- Take the FREMONT ST exit.
- Turn LEFT onto FREMONT ST., FREMONT ST becomes FRONT ST.
- Turn LEFT onto PINE ST.
- Turn RIGHT onto GRANT AVE
Directions from the North Bay (Marin County)
- Take US-101 South over the GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE to SAN FRANCISCO
- Turn RIGHT onto VAN NESS BLVD
- Turn LEFT onto BROADWAY ST. and enter TUNNEL
- Turn RIGHT onto STOCKTON ST.
- Turn LEFT onto CLAY ST.
- Turn LEFT onto GRANT AVE.
Directions from South Bay (San Jose)
- Take US-101 North toward SAN FRANCISCO
- Take I-80 E split toward BAY BRIDGE/OAKLAND/SEVENTH STREET
- Take the FOURTH ST. exit toward EMBARCADERO
- Turn SLIGHT LEFT onto BRYANT STREET
- Turn LEFT onto THIRD STREET
- THIRD STREET becomes KEARNY STREET
- Turn LEFT onto PINE STREET
- Turn RIGHT onto GRANT AVE
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