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Samovar Tea Lounge - Yerba Buena Gardens

About

  • 4.3 (36 reviews)
  • $$, $$$

Set amongst the stunning flora and fauna of the Yerba Buena Gardens, Samovar serves delicious, healthy, and creative food alongside our freshly freshly brewed chai, boba, matcha, and 30+ loose leaf teas. It is a true oasis in the center of busy San Francisco.

Day of the Week Opening Hours
Monday 9:00 - 20:00
Tuesday 9:00 - 20:00
Wednesday 9:00 - 21:30
Thursday 9:00 - 21:30
Friday 9:00 - 21:30
Saturday 9:00 - 21:30
Sunday 9:00 - 20:00

Cuisines

  • 🥗 Healthy
  • 🍷 Wine Bar
  • 🍣 Japanese Fusion

Dining Options

  • 💺 Seating
  • Wheelchair Accessible
  • 🍽️ Table service
  • 📅 Reservations
  • 🌳 Outdoor Seating
  • 🍱 Lunch
  • 🍽️ Dinner
  • 🍳 Breakfast

Recommended Reviews

5
58%
4
27%
3
2%
2
5%
1
5%
4.3
36 reviews
😍
Mike Braga
2018-11-08 on google

The food is spectacular! The view sublime. What more could one ask of an experience.

😀
rachael haugan
2018-09-19 on google

Great spot for some delicious cold breakfast! A little pricy, but considering it’s a Michelin star chef it’s totally worth it! Great gluten free options too! Grab a bite and some tea and then check out the beautiful words at the MLKJ memorial water feature.

😍
Emma Reed
2018-09-12 on google

Great location, ambiance, and views. Our waitress was friendly and offered excellent tea recommendations. Food was great and I'd definitely go again. I'd love to try more of their teas.

😍
Lizzy Wallin
2018-07-21 on google

Renewed my love for French toast, and their chai tea was really great too. Next time I'll have to get boba.

😍
joshua nunnally
2018-07-01 on google

Love this tea shop! Definetly try there Chai tea with oat milk. The pastries where fresh and delicious. The view of the park and skyline phenomenal! Will be back.

😀
Serge Toropov
2018-07-01 on google

Top notch food, well made, great looking and absolutely delicious! Absolutele 10 out of 10.Great view from the restaurant terrace as well!Good selection of tea as well.The only issue I had once with rude and inattentive staff.Overall, great place.

😀
Steven Lastname
2018-04-16 on google

You will love Samovar if you like eating in a garden with a beautiful view, aren’t price conscious and aren’t in a hurry. Pros: food is interesting, healthy, and there are many vegetarian options. The service, when it comes, is always good. And the atmosphere is very chill.Cons: The service can be slow, and you are paying for the location by slightly overpriced food.

😍
Jenny Xu
2018-02-15 on google

This place is so cute and in such a nice location that I would definitely come again! We had a party of 4 and were seated immediately at 3 pm on a Friday afternoon. Food: We got the iron goddess of mercy and the mochi platter and the scone platter. The tea pots are a good value because you can keep filling up the pot with hot water and it lasts the whole meal! The mochi platter was the star of the meal and definitely a really nice unique dish! It had a good amount to share for 4 people and a chewy flakey consistency. The scones were also good to share and the strawberry jam and honey were my favorite! Service: Definitely really good and the waiter kept coming around to refill our hot water! Ambiance: A really nice place to chill and catch up with friends! We liked the outdoor seating facing the water.Overall would come again!

😕
Johana Escudero
2018-02-07 on google

The first time we came, we ordered 2 cocktails and brunch food. Our brunch food made it out at different times, eventually one of us got their cocktail. I asked for mine multiple times and the staff was rude about helping me get it (it was always "not my problem" "not my table" "check with someone else"). I ate my meal slowly hoping my cocktail would get to me before I finished...it did not. Second experience, the waitress we got was nice but the drink selections were limited (alcohol permit issues). Not going back a third time.

🙂
Alexander Krause
2018-01-27 on google

Pricing to high compared to the quality. If ordering egg Benedict i do not expect that they are cold. Also no real smoked salmon even they said on menu. Just normal boiled one as i know from shops where u find it in the freezer.

😍
Benjamin Hoehn
2018-01-01 on google

Great rooftop patio for groups and small bites especially if you've been at a conference all day nearby. Refreshing tea collections & savory, healthy, vegan friendly options.

😍
sherry Fahey
2017-10-23 on google

Great turmeric tea and matcha crepe cake! Server was very patient with all our questions.

😍
Edwin A
2017-10-16 on google

Samovar is a hidden gem above the Yerba Buena center. It has a beautiful view and the inside is elegant and modern. Try to call ahead for sitting since it quickly fills up and you want to be sitting inside during the cold weather. They have various teas and the staff will be happy to explain the different teas and how they taste. In case you are hungry they also have small bites and wine to finish it off.

😍
Ingo Tews
2017-09-21 on google

Cool place, friend staff, delicious food but unfortunately no coffee 😊

😀
Kevin Jaskela
2017-09-16 on google

Get your tea on. Seriously, whether it's a hot summer day, or muggy San Francisco afternoon make sure to stop in and grab some cool or iced tea to satisfy your thirst. The bites are simple yet refined and pair well with your drink of choice. These guys are experts in the leaf world and know their stuff. Unless you're a tea expert, trust them to guide you along your taste bud journey.

😍
Meltem Ozcelebi
2017-08-27 on google

Great place to meet with friends and clients. Tables have enough distance among them. A bit pricier than a typical coffee place. Dress code: Anything goes yet you can dress up a bit if you want.

😍
Leslie Suarez
2017-08-27 on google

I took a date here and it was a pretty nice restaurant with great service.

😀
Mike Dilberman
2017-08-04 on google

We had an excellent brunch here a couple of weeks ago! Between the four of us I think we had every version of X Benedict available. Mine, with smoked salmon, was the winner... At least in my book. My wife and I are more about coffee than tea, but the couple we were with are very knowledgeable, and they were thrilled with their selections. And, even us to coffee drinkers enjoyed our tea! We sat outside, and it was a wonderful view. If I had one small quibble, it would be that the service was not super attentive. Having to ask her things to her three times, like that.But, not a big huge deal. We will definitely be back next time or in the city and have a free morning.

😍
Lisa Hazarika Das
2017-07-25 on google

Samovar is a beautiful location with some great options to dive into. Some friends visited this location on a Sunday morning. We had no reservations but we're seated right away. I had the avocado toast which I really liked. I wasn't a fan of the seaweed at the top which I just removed. My group had french toast and eggs Benedict which they loved and enjoyed. It was a bright and beautiful morning spent in a tastefully done place. Will surely come back to have the tower the next time.

😕
Mari Belfort
2017-07-02 on google

Poor service staff. Took my family to have some good tea, but apparently, if you're not planning on sitting down and dining, you're not worth serving. Been here before: Tea is good, but overpriced. Food is, at best, mediocre. Service is only applicable to those who dine in? We were asked, rather rudely, if we needed menus. There were five of us and we stood awkwardly at the counter while people who came in after us were served right away; I made eye contact a couple of times with a woman who appeared to be the one in charge but she blatantly ignored us (she was the one who asked us if we needed menus). The message in her tone and eyes was clear: If you're not spending $$$$, get lost. No problem, lady. We'll happily spend our money elsewhere.Not spending another penny at Samovar.

😍
Eric Bauer
2017-04-17 on google

Excellent oasis in the city with the largest tea selection I have seen! Certainly worth a stop if you are in the area

😀
Ondřej Švec
2017-04-14 on google

The food tasted good, but it was a little bit pricey for what it was.

😍
Yi-Hsin Lin
2017-04-01 on google

Great food but overpriced. I like the avocado eggs Benedict. Milk tea with bubbles is decent but not worth the $9.

😍
Sean Miller
2017-03-16 on google

Very upscale, modern & fancy vibe, with fantastic and unique food and an even better selection of teas and other beverages. Our server was also awesome! Be warned that prices are definitely on the higher side, but Samovar makes a perfect spot for a trendy tea & snacks place to impress your date or a lovely relaxing location for business meetings and afternoons with your coworkers.

😀
Anna Love
2017-02-10 on google

This cafe is seated on a corner street in Pasadena in a quaint neighborhood. Was my first time coming here and the staff and sitting area was nice. Definitely recommend the French toast or Avocado toast. Both very filling and worth your money. And if you're feeling a little frisky, order their iced chai tea latte.

😍
Christine Brynn Khalil
2017-01-03 on google

I love this Samovar. Beautiful garden views and seriously amazing food and tea pairings! It's a little pricey but I've had many a lovely outing here with loved ones and friends. Great place for a treat yoself day!

😐
Henry Miranda
2016-10-07 on google

Food for rabbits! Hated the menu selection there. I guess if you are into the vegan, tea hoohah dude hanging scene maybe this is the place. Not for me! Had a great waiter service but the food was dissapointing to me. Cesar salad with anchovies dressing and some grass thing that looked like shreded green paper. 🤢🤮

😍
Malabika Mishra
2016-09-10 on google

The ambience is so so good ! The food options are fantastic! My friend tried the bhakti burger and loved it ! I had the rice bowl, which had amazing salmon. I tried the masala chai boba tea but wasn't too fond of that, however as someone that comes from the land of masala chai I could be biased. All in all a great brunch place !

😀
Hugo Pelland
2016-09-02 on google

Great place for a quick bite with some delicious teas and snacks. Unfortunately, the last time we went there, we had a horrible experience with 2 of the staff. This one visit would yield a 1 star; that's how bad it was. However, I have been to Samovar a few times over the last few years and this was an exception. All other visits totally deserve a full 5-star rating, so I am putting this out there as a 4/5 given the bad experience...

😍
Tracey Kerstein
2016-08-25 on google

I have worked here twice for a private party and the staff and managers are some of the most professional individuals i have ever worked with.

😀
Hala Hana
2016-07-18 on google

Love this place for its ambience & mostly the location.I found the prices a bit higher than your average restaurant.The food was OK nothing great or Fantastic. Great to take business meetings or friends/family.Definitely want to try more of their teas & drinks than their food. Not too much options for vegans.

😍
Anna Winkler
2016-07-13 on google

Nice, attentive service. I was able to customize a dish per my allergies, and I appreciate the flexibility of the kitchen. Beautiful inside and out with views of the gardens. A fun tea menu too. A nice place to come for a snack or quick bite.

😐
Christina Hastenrath
2016-03-14 on google

Waiter would not let us sit outside atthe table that we wanted, because she did not want to walk that far to serve us. She literally said that. When pointing out that a couple was sitting next to that table her argument was that they had been there a long time but we could not sit there. We decided to go to the bar next door and sit outside there.

😍
Kevin Callanan
2016-02-16 on google

If you had told me a restaurant that pairs tea and food would be really great, I don't think I'd have believed you. I'm a convert now, though. Great food, fantastic tea, and thoughtful service

😀
Rebecca Liu
2016-02-12 on google

It is really to to be here to have a brunch during a sunny day. Sunshine make everything beautiful! We ordered a bunch of food! I tried the following:Smoked duck hash: really good, I love the combination of poached egg, potato, and smoked duck. For the bread, it is not crispy enough and not very flavorfulSquash dumpling: nice and cute dumpling, not good not bad. Can not taste much squash flavorShared cheese: I think this combination is really good for a group start. Love the honey comb

😍
Jasper H
2016-01-22 on google

I had the congee with duck and the masala chai boba. Both looked and tasted fantastic.

Questions & Answers

Yes!

We do not serve Turmeric Latte at the Yerba Buena Gardens Samovar at this time. We do serve Turmeric Golden Milk at 1910 Fillmore, and Turmeric Latte at 1910 Fillmore and 411 Valencia.

They're sold by the bagfull! There's shelves of them in the far right wall when you walk inside. I don't think they have the prices posted, so you'll have to ask a staff member.
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