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Name: Imperial Tea Court
Address: 1511 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley, CA, 94709
Telephone: (510) 540-8888
Price range: Under $11
Rating: 3.68

Imperial Tea Court

1511 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley, CA, 94709

(510) 540-8888
Store is closed

Imperial Tea Court Menu

Black Tea

2012 Imperial Muscatel Darjeeling

Aged Hong Mei Mao Feng

Asian Paradise Blend

Earl Grey

Heritage Edition Lapsang Souchong (non Smoky)
Green Tea

2012 Harvest Imperial Dragon Well

2012 Spring Harvest Bi Luo Chun

Dancing Blossoms

Dragon Well

Everyday Jasmine
Herbal Teas

Autumn Herbal Potion

Chamomile Mint

Chrysanthemum Blossoms

Chrysanthemum Mint

Four Treasures
Imperial Teas

Imperial Yellow Tea - 2012 Harvest

2012 Imperial Muscatel Darjeeling

Imperial Breakfast

Imperial Chai

Imperial Golden Needle Jasmine
Puerh - Cake

2002 Collector's Reserve Bing Cha

2007 Pu Erh Bing Cha

2007 Spring Tip Pu Erh Bing Cha

2007 Vintage Organic Green Puerh Cake

2010 Dark Cake Puerh Cake

Healthy Meal suggestions for Imperial Tea Court

Black Tea

2012 Imperial Muscatel Darjeeling [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Aged Hong Mei Mao Feng [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Asian Paradise Blend [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Earl Grey [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Heritage Edition Lapsang Souchong (non Smoky) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Green Tea

2012 Harvest Imperial Dragon Well [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

2012 Spring Harvest Bi Luo Chun [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Dancing Blossoms [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Dragon Well [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Everyday Jasmine [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Herbal Teas

Autumn Herbal Potion [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chamomile Mint [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chrysanthemum Blossoms [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chrysanthemum Mint [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Four Treasures [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Imperial Teas

Imperial Yellow Tea - 2012 Harvest [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

2012 Imperial Muscatel Darjeeling [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Imperial Breakfast [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Imperial Chai [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Imperial Golden Needle Jasmine [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Puerh - Cake

2002 Collector's Reserve Bing Cha [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

2007 Pu Erh Bing Cha [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

2007 Spring Tip Pu Erh Bing Cha [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

2007 Vintage Organic Green Puerh Cake [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

2010 Dark Cake Puerh Cake [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

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Write An Anonymous Review

Javier C.

I can't believe I have never seen his gem before. I've been to the epicurious garden countless times and have seen businesses open and close but never stopped to really check this place out and boy was I pleasantly surprised (and so was my tummy). First time I ordered the hand pulled noodles with beef, it was so yummy I am having that again. Today is the garlic shrimp stir fry with some noodles (substituting the rice) they don't have this on the menu so you have to ask for it :) Pic is attached and it looks scrumptious
(5)
.Vanessa G.

This place really is a gem. Chill atmosphere and the food is great. I have been here a handful of times and have never had a bad meal. I normally come for "brunch" the dim sum platter ($14) hits the spot but I wish there were more. The hand pulled noodles (made to order, so don't come starving like I did) chewy/doughy and thick. Delish. The teas...there are many, I mainly get one of the oolong. . The ginger sodas (not house made, in the refrigerator ) are a tad sweet, just a warning. I cannot get over their chili oil (the tea leaves one) I probably have about 3 jars of it at home (one because I was supposed to ship to someone but got lazy, sorry Ross). I literally use it on everything!! The service, meh, ranges from ok to non-existent. For some reason I give this place slack. Its the food that always brings me back. That rhymes. :) 4 stars. $$.
(4)
Pooja M.

I really like the tea and the ambience of Imperial Tea Court. This tea house has pretty much any tea you could want and you can order a teapot and share with friends. You can also buy tea leaves and blossoms to take home to brew your own tea. The tea is a bit expensive for what it is, but it is a nice place to come once in a while, as it is right in the heart of Berkeley's Gourmet Ghetto. My favorite part of the tea house is actually its outdoor seating area which is very zen with its mini fountains, cute tables and benches, and plenty of flora and fauna. Definitely a relaxing place to hang out!
(4)
Julie E.

I thought the food was very good. Tried the dim sum sampler, yellow curry, and fried rice, as they were all tasty. I was also really impressed with the customer service. About $15 per meal. And of course, I can't leave out the amazing 'Monkey' Oolong tea! Essentially an endless pot.
(5)
Jonathan E.

Having grown up in LA and experienced quality northern Chinese food, I'd have to say this place is terrible. The ambiance is nice and reflects a restaurant that specializes in tea. I didn't get a chance to try the tea, but from the food I can say it was not good. The best thing going for this place is that they got the hand-pulled noodles right. The rice noodles, definitely not good. The dim sum sampler they had with shao mai pork dumplings along with the shrimp dumplings were not very good either. My first red flag was raised when I walked in and none of the workers were Chinese or even Asian. The lack of Chinese influence outside of the ambiance of the restaurant definitely showed up in their food quality. I was with a big group of people so I can say we sampled a fair amount of the menu. The curry was not good and kind of bland. The tomato/scrambled egg noodles were not good either (I'm used to the tomato cooked down more to make a sauce out of it. The green onion pancake was not bad and even pretty good. However, getting the green onion pancake correct isn't that hard. There were other items that I had but safe to say, this place isn't good at all.
(2)
Alice Z.

This place is a gem hidden on the outskirts of Gourmet Ghetto. I'm really surprised that it has taken me three years at UC Berkeley to find Imperial Tea Court. [Decor] This is probably my favorite part about the restaurant (the outside patio). It's designed like a Japanese Tea Garden and has a great ambience. The inside of the restaurant, however, is a little cliche with its hanging lanterns. It's mostly outdoor seating and there's a great patio area that overlooks Chez Panisse. However, the one complaint I had was that once it got busy, the staff will ask you to leave if you're just there sipping tea or doing homework on your computer. Some policy they apparently have. [Food] The noodles were handmade and delicious. I had the beef stew will hand-pulled noodles. It's authentic and I noticed the cooks in the back seemed to be from mainland China. The broth was not heavy at all and I would definitely recommend this dish. I'm definitely looking forward to coming back here. [Tea] I had the "Blossoming Tea of Prosperity". It was a very pretty tea that opened up as we drank it. It took about two or three rounds of water to truly get the flavor of the tea out, but I really enjoyed sipping the tea and sitting outside in the warm weather. They have a wonderful selection of teas that I am definitely looking forward to trying. [Service] Again, the only reason I took a star off was because I was asked to leave with my computer and homework when seating filled up. I realize that they probably wanted to serve more customers, but I felt like they could have been a little more clear about this in the beginning. Overall, I would definitely recommend Imperial Tea Court to anyone who is in the Philz/Chez Panisse area. It's hidden away in the back and is a little obscure, but it's definitely worth a visit.
(4)
Brian L.

I've been trying really hard to like this place. That is not to say that the food or tea is terrible or anything. When you enter the Epicurious Garden, the place that stands out the most is the Zen Garden-like seating outside of Imperial Tea Court. It's easily one of the more tranquil places in the city of Berkeley barring the gardens, but in terms of atmosphere, Imperial Tea Court has it spot on. Walk into the restaurant, and it's exactly what you would expect from a fancy tea place that isn't too fancy to be unapproachable. Rather, it feels like a restaurant that's not too quiet that it's awkward and not too loud that you'd rather just order take-out. It's just about right. Now, onto the food. Their hand-pulled noodles are great. It's spot on, and honestly, Imperial Tea Court is my go-to place if I want good noodles without going all the way to Oakland. However, the price with regards to the portion size leaves much to be desired. I am willing to binge once in a while, however. What really gets at me though is the tea. Their tea is great, as would be expected from a tea house. As an avid iced tea drinker, I like having a glass full of iced tea all throughout my meal. The tea here is more expensive, as to be expected. But no free refills? I understand that it's good tea, but with the expensive price and the half-price charge for a refill, coupled with the expensive prices in general, it's really busting my wallet to the point that there are other places I'd rather go for tea. It's a great place to go to once in a while, but the prices aren't very accommodating for making this a place worth coming to regularly. Also, service is terribly slow and the servers ignored me when I tried to flag them down. TIP: Hand pulled noodles and dragon well dumplings are spot on.
(3)
Laurel E.

This place is unreasonably good. Ambience is fine, service is fine, but the FOOD, goddamn. The dumplings are flavorful and delicate at the same time. The beef noodle soup is truly extraordinary: hand pulled noodles, deep rich broth with lots of star anise and ginger. The oil doesn't taste stale, and they use local/humane ('good alternative') meat. And if you don't trust me, one of my best friends studies China and has spent a lot of time there. Mostly he tells me I don't know shit about Chinese food, which I don't, but he also told me this is the best dim sum he's had in the Bay Area.
(5)
Maggie H.

We drive all the way from Petaluma to go to Imperial Tea Court, probably six or seven times a year. The hand-pulled noodles are to die for. Also the steamed buns, steamed eggplant.... Everything is amazing. Worth the trip!
(5)
Kenneth R.

"Imperial Tea Court" does not begin to suggest the richness of the food menu at this teahouse/restaurant. I was fooled for years by the name and never gave this place a fair shake. My attitude changed when a Chinese friend told me that the noodles at ITC are totally authentic. I couldn't resist for long.... On our server's recommendation, I got the hand-pulled noodles with mandarin chicken. The noodles were just as good as described; the dish as a whole was excellent. I'll be back soon for the hand-pulled noodles with pork belly.
(4)
Beca P.

The service was extremely slow. It took forever to get our food and the restaurant was nearly empty. When we finally did get our food the dim sum was just awful. This was the worst dim sum I have ever had. The steamed buns tasted so old so I don't know why it took forever to come out. This dinner was pricey and we weren't happy with that horrible dim sum at all. The hand pulled noodles however were really good. It was shocking how good the noodles could be and how awful the dim sum was. If you're going to come here steer clear of the dim sum. Seriously. The interior is really nice as well as the area to sit outside. Its too bad the food was horrible.
(2)
Sheila N.

First time I came here, my sister and I ordered the dim sum sampler, the eggplant dish, a side of brown rice and hibiscus and lychee iced tea. We both fell in love with the vegetarian pot stickers and the steamed pork buns. Came here again last week and I ordered the vegetarian hand pulled noodles while my sister and bf both ordered the special : extreme garlic hand pulled noodles with spicy pork. We all loved the chewiness of the noodles and my only wish for the veggie pulled noodles was there to be more broth since noodle to broth ratio was a bit skewed. As garlic fanatics, we LOVE the extreme garlic noodles!!! So garlic-y, had a good amount of spice from the pork (though, we didn't expect the pork to be like a ragu-- we thought it would be like pork chashu or sliced pork). These noodles would be great as leftovers as well. I hope the special stays for a while because I'd love to order that again! Not five stars because service was pretty slow and they brought out our dishes at staggering times (mine came out ~10 min before the next, and then the next another 5 min later) so waiting before the other entrees to come out made mine cold.
(4)
John Z.

Wow, the overpriced Chinese food here is truly just north of terrible. I had the hand-pulled noodles with beef and the broth tasted like salted water. In taipei their noodle soup couldn't even pass for street vendor food, but I guess give it a quaint physical dining space (gourmet ghetto) and you can demand $15-20 for what amounts to basically chinese food made by people who have zero understanding of chinese culture.
(1)
Liza D.

What a wonderful surprise! Besides having delicious food they have amazing teas. Dont forget to try the BBQ pork steamed buns. The portions are large... Just an FYI.
(4)
Danielle L.

I liked it, though it cost just a little much for what you got. The service was okay, though varied and extremely slow. We thought about going somewhere else before we were served. They were able to accommodate my allergies, which made me happy. The place could be cleaner, as we went on a day when it was very slow, and tables, etc. had not been cleaned. My biggest concern was that the two people I went with who got the same thing fell ill shortly afterwards with stomach issues. Yah...it's nice in concept, but I am not certain it's worth going back for.
(2)
Hillary M.

GET THE PULLED NOODLES!! So so delicious. Also, Imperial Tea Court has a lovely ambiance. There is beautiful outdoor seating and lots of happy groups dining on weekends. The folks at the table next to us were playing board games, which was kinda cute, and not something you see too often. Just a super relaxed atmosphere.
(4)
T L.

Interesting Chinese garden wellness type setting with indoor/outdoor seating. We started off with the Dragon Well Dumplings and the Green Onion Pancakes for our apps. Nothing special with these two items, you can find much better at a Taiwan restaurant. Then our Hand Pulled Noodle soup with beef stew slid over to our table. This was the highlight of the meal. How can hand pulled noodles suck right? Especially when it's paired with tender beef stew and a warm flavourful broth. I'll definitely be back for this and maybe try one of their many teas.
(3)
Emily E.

I come here often, the food is really good. The tea is also really good. The atmosphere is very zen and calming. I recommend it highly!
(5)
Heather D.

The steamed eggplant appetizer is extraordinary and the gyoza are the best I've ever had -- fresh, light, and delicate, with very little oil in the flavorful sauce. The pancakes too are unusual and appealing. The Hong Kong curry is not as tasty. I always have the iced hibiscus tea. This is not the kind of big, noisy Chinese restaurant where you eat a lot of inexpensive food and feel too full afterwards. Here you will find moderate portions of delicious food. The location is peaceful and beautiful - either sitting inside in a tasteful tea house (reading an anthology of Chinese poems from their bookshelf) or sitting outside alongside a beautifully designed cascading stream. On my most recent visit (of about a dozen visits), there was a young man from Nepal working there who was especially efficient and friendly - he seemed to genuinely care that we enjoy our lunch.
(4)
Angela M.

In my previous review I was saddened by the changes to the Berkeley location. While I miss the old shop I can't deny the quality of the teas. Last weekend I picked up 3 to take home and they are all so good (Four Season Green Oolong, Jin Xuan "milky" oolong, and Yunnan Mao Feng). The kind girl at the counter mentioned the SF ferry building location has a larger selection of teas and tea ware available.
(4)
Rhoda B.

I had the prixe fixe menu which came with an entree and tea of my selection, egg rolls and cookies to finish. I decided on the prospering flower blossoming tea and the hand-pulled beef noodle soup. Everything was flavorful! So delicious! The broth in the noodle soup was unlike any I've ever had before! The tea was also delicious. I've never had that kind of tea. Seeing the flower blossom was just so cool. The atmosphere is cool too. Rating it 4/5 because what would make this place better was if it were in a closed and private room, rather than the loud marketplace.
(4)
S C.

How have I missed this place. We went to both locations in one weekend. Impromptu tea & dim sum after a run on the Embarcadero was the perfect way to start an urban hiking type of day in SF. As I sat enjoying the tea service & nibbling on yum yum dim sum, I couldn't believe all the tourists walking by and not trying a steamed bun. The second place is a hidden gem upstairs in the back across from Alice Waters pizza place. Loved the hand pulled noodles and the savory pork buns. Delish!
(4)
Felicia M.

I will definitely be coming back to this quiet little place! The green onion pancake and the Hong Kong Yellow Curry with tofu were stand outs. The curry was very mild, with a rich broth and perfectly done vegetables (not too soft). We paired everything with the Dragonwell tea, which had a nice, roasted flavor. Outdoor seating in a little garden area is a bonus, too! I look forward to trying some of the beef dishes everyone here recommends next time, though I was very happy with our vegetarian fare.
(4)
Joanne L.

Wow the dumplings are really tasty here flavored with tea leaves. The MUST have dish at this place is the beef noodles, yes hand pulled!!! The broth is delicious and the texture of the noodle is authentic. I have searched near and far for the perfect bowl of noodle soup and this is IT!
(5)
Amanda A.

I wasted my one hour lunch here, and this isn't my 1st time trying this place. I came here once before with my boyfriend (who loves Chinese food) and we were disappointed at that time... my co worker ordered the hand-pulled noodles while I was sitting with her in the outside courtyard area. It looked tasteful, so I decided to give it another try. 1) the broth was so oily you would think it would be tasty or have some type of flavor. But, unfortunately that was not true, and if you wanted to add to the soup using the condiments on the table. I warn you... they haven't been replaced or taken care of in a very long time. When I glanced at the other tables the condiments on everyone's tables looked very old & not replaced. 2) Service here is very slow, the food takes a very long time to come out. So my advice to those who are on lunch breaks, this may not be the place for you. They are not that attentive, and no one stays on the restaurant floor. 3) Make sure you look at your bill when it comes, because they will try to pull a fast one and give a explanation that doesn't make any sense. So you will have to debate for 5 min on what you will be paying for etc. This place is located in the Gourmet Ghetto, and you expect the best. But, this place is not the best or even close... don't waste your time or money.
(2)
Shoujit B.

The food itself is exceptional. My friend and I got the Dragon Well Dumplings (filled with green tea!) and the hand-pulled noodles with mandarin chicken. The noodles are cooked perfectly and the dish is very filling. Also, the chili sauce is very good and I recommend pouring it over the noodles and dumplings if you crave something hot and spicy. That being said, the service here is very poor. It took about thirty minutes for my friend and I to get our ginger ale, and our water glasses were never filled. The restaurant needs to either hire more waiting staff or train the current staff to be more efficient.
(3)
Holly S.

A little Pricey but excellent food and great ambience, especially if you are lucky enough to get a table outside. Be sure to try the noodles.
(5)
Adrienne R.

My rating is only for the hand pulled noodles. EAT THEM THEY ARE AMAZING. The noodles are chewy and perfect, the meat is tender, broth is flavorful. You won't regret it. Other food I've gotten here has been only ok in my opinion so I don't even bother anymore. I make the trip just for the hand pulled noodles. Nice ambience as well.
(5)
Ken B.

Wow, what a gem of a place. Nice decor inside and garden setting outside. We had the garlic shrimp, pork belly with hand pulled noodles and and almond chicken. All were excellent dishes. Very tasty. The noodles were perfect!!!! However, pricey for the portion. You ask why only two stars when I said the food was excellent. The SERVICE WAS TERRIBLE AND HORRIBLE!!!! We walk into the place and hardly any welcome from the old man behind the counter. We picked our own table with benches. At first look the table looked ok. After being seated, we noticed the table was very dirty. We moved ourselves to another table instead. There were four of us but they gave us three plates, four pairs of chopsticks and two paper napkins. Just did not add up. Our server lacked enthusiasm and very inattentive. Our food was served one dish at a time. Not once did they come by after we got our food to ask if we needed anything or if we are liking our meal. We had to go up to the counter to ask for napkins. Not going back.
(2)
Justine M.

I'm so thankful for this place and its secluded/quiet outdoor patio. I come here many times a week to get reading done; it's a very peaceful place to do so. They do have free wifi, but there are zero outlets (well, there is a single outlet inside against the back wall), so if you need a place that will influence you away from computer-related distractions, this is your jam. The Tea Court is located in a little restaurant complex called Epicurious Garden, and there are a variety of foods you can get to bring up to the patio, which is incredibly convenient & nice ^.^ My only gripe with this place is its price. Clearly, they specialize in tea, and the tea is wonderful, but 3.50$ for something like 12oz of iced tea with no refills is a bit much for a full-time student on financial aid :( Still, I justify the expense with everything else I like about this place!
(4)
Christina N.

Green onion pancake is awesome also the hand pulled noodles, noodles are expensive though. We had the vegetable steamed buns and the dough is really good but the greens inside were bland. Try and sit outside if you can! Food gets four stars but minus one for price.
(3)
Alyssa J.

Great atmosphere, good tea, decent food. I love coming here on the weekends and chilling out by the waterfall. It's a little oasis in the gourmet ghetto. I'm not a tea expert, but we came here on a tour once and I tried a bunch of their teas, and i have to say the jasmine was my favorite. For the first time we ordered lunch here the other day. It was a bit pricey, and the portions were small, but they were delicious. We got the dim-sum sampler and as the hubby exclaimed: "these are definitely not the frozen kind!" We also tried the spicy pork hand pulled noodles but split between 3 people there wasn't much to try. Service is friendly and informative, they tell you how to best enjoy your tea without sounding pretentious. If you want to eat in the garden or on the terrace, you can order at the counter and they will bring everything to you. There are quite a few vegetarian items as well.
(4)
Stephanie C.

The hand pulled noodles are bomb. They are the perfect texture! The beef is extremely tender and flavorful. Good place for socializing over your meal, don't come here if you're in a hurry.
(5)
Sophie B.

I love the Imperial Tea Court so much! The staff there is always so kind and solicitous (but not too much - it doesn't get in the way of enjoying the space). The location is superb too - it's almost always sunny with a nice little breeze so the outdoor seating is just perfect and the food and tea are delicious :) Definitely try the green tea pot stickers!
(5)
Olivia T.

Lovely garden setting and good Jasmine pearl tea, but except for the hand pulled noodles, the food was only okay. For the amount of money they charged; I expected better! My dad ordered the almond chicken and couldn't eat the almonds in the chicken dish because they were "too tough"! Which After trying one of his discarded almonds, I found it to be chewy and somewhat Stale! Gee, if a dish is called Almond Chicken, the least you can do is make sure your ingredients are fresh?!! Fresh almonds are crunchy not chewy and hard to eat! Needless to say, I won't be back even for the good tea.
(2)
J B.

We stopped here for dim sum today for lunch. We ordered the combination which contained 3 soggy gross buns, 2 shrimp dumplings the size of a blueberry (literally), 2 shiu mai with the grossest filling and 2 potstickers the size of my thumb. They were all dried out and sick!!!!! By far the worst Asian food I have had in my entire life and I am Asian myself. Do NOT go here and get ripped off. It cost 15 bucks for this atrocity! The restaurant is also dim and dark and the wooden benches are hard to sit on.
(1)
Wendy L.

Thwap, thwap....the sound of hand-pulled noodles. We always order the beef hand-pulled noodles and the dim sum platter, but the hand-pulled noodles with beef is the clear winner. The thick chewy noodles are magnificent, the beef is so tender it melts in your mouth. I've had a limited number of items off of their daily specials menu, but everything I've ordered has been tasty. There are some tables outside, though the tables are for all of the Epicurious Garden, so there's something about them technically not being able to serve out there. But overall, friendly service and tasty food. I'd give this place a full five stars if it wasn't so pricey. Up until a couple of years ago, the hand-pulled noodles were a couple of bucks cheaper. It's tough for me to pay ~$15 for a bowl of noodles, so this place is more of a treat rather than an everyday meal.
(4)
Stephanie W.

I keep trying to like this place. I really want to. The ambiance is charming, both indoors and out; the teas are good quality; the food is usually pretty good. But they know nothing about service. When are they going to learn? First of all, service is slow and inattentive. Secondly, they don't bring entrees out at the same time. They bring them out whenever each one is ready. This is incredibly socially awkward. It means that if you want to eat together, you have to let one of your dishes get cold sitting right in front of you. Otherwise one of you eats while the other watches. WTF? Hasn't every other restaurant in the world learned how to time entree arrival? Also, when my date and I tried to order two things and split them, and asked for two extra plates, they brought tiny little side plates, forcing us to get messy, spooning tiny portions onto our plates. I guess I've been pretty forgiving in the past, but seeing how my date actually nearly lost his temper at the poor service, I felt I must say something this time. Management, are you reading? Can you please take in this feedback and learn from it?
(3)
Novalina N.

We came here in one very sunny and beautiful Sunday. Plus: - beautiful outdoor space, a lot of seatings in 2 levels - noodle texture is great Minus: - food is mediocre and expensive, they either taste salty or bland - service is sloppy: * I was about to eat the beef noodle dish and my spoon is about to touch the soup. The waiter suddenly grab the bowl and took it and said "your dish will come later". They served the noodle dish that I almost ate to another person.
(3)
George L.

Beef noodle was decent. It's probably a 3.5 stars. I wish Yelp had 0.5 stars feature.
(4)
Erin W.

The hand pulled noodles with beef and greens is one of my favorite dishes ever. I don't go for the tea. Only beef noodle. Bomb.
(5)
Nuri K.

It's not a perfect place, and a lot of elements bother me. I can complain all the way to Imperial Tea Court, pause to order, complain while my noodles are being prepared, pause to sip on my iced tea and munch on the little dim sum platter that I have again mistakenly ordered against my own seasoned advice that they're not worth it, and then complain about that, but when my bowl of hand-pulled noodles comes out with its craggy, lumpy, confetti-like ribbons of hand-crafted goodness, I trade in the complaints for humbled face-stuffing. It's simple, honest, and special in its uniqueness. But that's about it. I love the tranquility of the little garden that greets the patrons of Imperial Tea Court, but I am always rendered uncomfortable by the interior. There is something jarringly unwelcoming when I, a mere dabbler in the zen art of tea, deigns to show up in flip flops (and ironically they're Birkenstocks!) and a sundress rather than a pair of Chacos and something of an ethnic and artisanal nature. People stare. The waitstaff, surprisingly, is usually curt. And let me say, almost everything is criminally overpriced. Like the "dim sum", for example. The little baos and dumplings are so little that you wouldn't imagine there to be so much chewy dough and so little filling. The only sight I come to see, apart from that steaming heap of noodles in front of me, are the smiling Asian ladies who chitchat and coax gargantuan bundles of dough into these magically imperfect strings worthy of slurping and slopping. Oh, those noodles. They're almost a thinned-out manifestation of the Korean dumpling dish soo jae bi-- the dough is similar but stretched thin, with a toothsome texture. The broth is so clean and straightforward but hearty still, and the colors of the greens so evocative. I eat mine with a healthy dose of the chili oil. Bottom line: There's not much that's "imperial" about Imperial Tea Court, except perhaps its prices. And more often than not, the fare is too pedestrian to merit such a markup. But a bowl of hand-pulled noodles makes the silliness worthwhile. Get them. They might not quite fill you up if you've got a big appetite, but resist the urge to supplement the meal here and venture out somewhere else nearby.
(3)
Alex L.

Like many of the other reviewers here, the hand-pulled noodles are really the star attraction. The beef stew noodles is especially good. The beef is so tender it's like biting into little pillows! Other great things: the tea they sell, and the hot sauce--you can buy the hot sauce in glass jars and take it home. Very tasty! I'm giving it 4 stars instead of 5 because their potstickers were uncharacteristically very disappointing. They were tiny, overcooked, and overpriced. This is a noodle house, not a dumpling place. If you want dumplings, I suggest going to Shandong in downtown Oakland.
(4)
jennifer b.

I love this place for lunch. The garlic shrimp with the yummy chewy homemade noodles are to die for. So is the spicy noodles with beef. The same chewy noodles, tender shortrib meat cooked with star anise. My 4 year old loves the fried rice made with brown rice.
(4)
Adrienne K.

My friend says, "Want to go get some tea?" I had no idea he was leading me to such a great little gem! We walked in past a waterfall in the garden patio, through a big, round, glass door with Chinese style geometric design, into this nice sized place with high ceilings, big Chinese lanterns hanging, beautiful wood furniture, jars of gorgeous teas with names like Four Treasures, and artisan flower teas, that open to a purple blossom in your cup. There are many shelves lining the walls, with a large variety of very nice tea pots etc for sale, but the best part is the tea service. You sit down and order from a large menu divided by herbals, green teas, black teas, etc. There is also a food menu which I didn't sample but has all kinds of noodle dishes and interesting items. The waitress (very nice) brought a tray to our table with a pot of hot water and cups in saucers that have a porcelain straining lid I've never witnessed before. The tea is loose leaf in your cup and you can pour it into another. It's all a very sweet experience. I've never gone someplace that felt like some kind of tea restaurant from a dream, where I could sit all night and enjoy cup after cup, for only $5. It's a peaceful place, great for conversations with friends, and is also kid friendly, not that that pertains to me. On your way out, there is a gourmet market row you can walk through that has a chocolatier, sorbet (?), a soup place, sushi counter, etc. This is my new favorite spot. Anyone looking for a gift for me would be wise to scope out their many many rich teas! Just had to throw that in.
(5)
K H.

The restaurant is beautiful. We had great service. And we really .enjoyed the tea. If that was the only thing we had, I'd give it another star. But the food was kind of a let down. We ordered the dim sum sampler and I think we only like 2 of the like 8 or 9 things on there. And for $12, you'd think it would have a better ratio. Eat one of the many better things, downstairs. , And just finish off, at the ITC, with the tea.
(3)
Rachel M.

Peaceful zen surroundings in the Gourmet Ghetto. Five of us went for lunch so I cannot comment on the tea service. I ordered the hand pulled noodles with Mandarin pork. Delicious. My friend ordered the noodles with beef which came with a broth and looked great. I can't wait to go back so I can try the beef noodles. The green onion pancake and dim sum sampler were also delicious.
(4)
Runnersworld R.

This place has fantastic organic Chinese food. I love their pot stickers and their hand pulled beef noodles. Their noodles are thick, chewy and made on site.
(5)
A K.

After finding out my lunch reservation was delayed an hour, I wandered around and found this little gem. The tea and sticky buns we ordered were amazing and they actually ruined my meal at a much more expensive restaurant down the street. But what can you say, great food, amazing tea and the kindest southern waiter, make for a good combo. I have been back twice in two weeks thereby breaking my routine of not leaving San Francisco. And I forgot the best part, we got to eat outside in the beautiful garden area. It takes 4 stars to get me to leave the city and 5 if I actually enjoy it.
(5)
Amira A.

I was recently turned on to this place and told to have the hand-pulled noodles. I was not disappointment! They were amazing. Really, like nothing I've ever had. (We got the veggie ones.) The first time we went we were also blown away by the chicken pot stickers. The second and third time we went, the noodles were still excellent but the pot stickers were just good, not mind-blowing. The other food we've ordered there has been good, but not that amazingly, want to tell everyone about it, kind of great. The first two times we got amazing recommendations for tea and really enjoyed the whole tea service experience. They are very knowledgeable about the tea and taught us a huge amount. The third time we went, we didn't have the tea. (Too much caffeine for me late for dinner.) Nice place to go with friends, good service, no wait.
(4)
Daniel A.

I went way too long without trying this place. I finally did, and now it's my new place to study. To be clear, if I were rating this as a tea joint only, and therefore comparing it to all cafes where one might bring one's books and pocket change to spend an afternoon, Imperial Tea Court would get five stars no question. It's beautiful and serene, open till 11pm on most days, and they have lots of teas to choose from. The teas take a long time to drink and you can always ask for more hot water, so you're always justified taking table space for long periods. And they have food that I'm actually happy eating, which is wayyyyyyy more than I can say about nearly anywhere else I might study. I'm just withholding this one star (and somewhat reluctantly) because it's kind of pricey if you really just want to eat and drink there. You can't get a meal's worth for less than $10. That aside, the food is kind of amazing. The hand pulled noodles are everything that the other reviews say they are. Blissfully elastically al-dente-ly chewy. And I think I agree about the dumplings being the best in Berkeley. I think it's always worth mentioning when writing a review results in me going to that place right after. Um, yeah. That's what's happening.
(4)
David G.

i loved the hand made noodles. very authentic. reminded me of my favorite tibetan noodle soup. great teas.imperial green. and dorje ling (my spelling) great ambiance inside and out. its my new favorite tea place.
(5)
Monica C.

I totally fell in love with this place over the weekend! The tea was delicious, and so were the steamed red bean buns. It was quiet and mellow. The staff was very friendly and didn't rush me. The garden patio outside was perfect for the warm weather. I didn't even feel disturbed when several small young children started running around.
(5)
Rachel H.

I think I spent 2 hours here?! Tea nerds rejoice, we have found our mecca. The staff is brilliant - incredibly knowledge, very passionate, and super friendly. After discovering the Imperial Puerh Gaiwan, an earthy, slightly musty fermented tea, I was in love. This unique aromatic sensation even helps reduce blood cholesterol. After my nutrition lesson, I decided to order the Lychee Blossom scented tea. The tea actually "blooms" before your eyes, a red lychee flower wrapped inside a surrounding flower of green tea. A truly magical tea court...$20 dollars later!
(4)
Michael B.

I bring on the five stars because of the quality and freshness of the food, the good selection of chinese tea, and the primeness of the location. The prices are a bit high but everything is made fresh right there and it is almost all organic. Tea is a premium product that requires endless care, a lot of processing, and a whole hell of a lot of shipping to get into my cup - all this considered, and if I keep steeping it and steeping it or share one with my friend(s), it isn't so bad after all. Not too many places even offer puerh and other high-quality oolong tea. I love having the selection. I just love the location. I absolutely love it and enjoy studying there when I can. Thank god it is in Berkeley.
(5)
Naomi E.

I bought a Townhog tea-tasting coupon. Pluses: - The price was ok. $25 for a tea-tasting for two with handmade tea cookies and a take home gift box. -Pretty blossoming art teas in lychee and jasmine. Deltas: - Incredibly disorganized staff. I called SIX times to make a reservation and was told that their times were different from what was stated on the Townhog coupon and their website, that I would be unable to use the coupon on certain dates, or that they did not do tea-tastings on certain dates (all of which would have been nice to know up front). - We waited 10 minutes, standing, when we arrived, for the "tea guy" to help us. We could have been seated or shown the menu. Something. Keeping customers waiting when there are plenty of empty tables while we block the aisle and other customers doesn't seem too smart. - Said tea guy finally appeared and seated us. We waited 10 more minutes for him fussing in the back. We sat twiddling our thumbs. No menu. No water. No explanation that he was preparing the tea-tasting tray in the back -- just 'hurry up and wait.' - He gave an incredibly thorough, detailed explanation of the different kind of teas -- in a very slooooow-paced voice. It took far too long to explain what was pretty simple (teas get their flavoring based on locale, firing process, storage, age, etc.) - He and the staff realized that they gave us the WRONG tea-tasting explanation having confused us with a LivingSocial reservation for half an hour later. Sigh. I was not surprised by the continued disorganization. - No tea cookies, but substituted a plate of almonds and raisins. Again, would have been nice to know this ahead of time. Overall, Imperial Tea Court did not compare to Teance, also in Berkeley, in terms of a tea-tasting experience. Although their ambiance aims for imperial China, I find that the emperor himself would have balked at the lack of organization and communication between staff and with customers. I enjoyed myself today, but because I was there with a friend, not because of the service or the tea (fairly mediocre -- we had the blossoming tea and an extra pu-erh tea).
(2)
Charles R.

OMG Dee-Lishus Wish I had more time to write the review this place deserves. Yum. We keep coming back to this charming & elegant little tea garden for Sunday lunch because the food is consistently fresh and good (the shrimp dumplings are just perfect, that's all), the tea is first-rate, top quality... and the service is friendly, low-key, authentic and mostly on-the-ball. My promise to you: You will not be disappointed
(4)
George S.

This hidden treasure was certainly a delight. The atmosphere was nice, with the small water garden which was certainly enjoyable during this heatwave. The sound of the trickling water helped in bring a sense of tranquility. I ordered the hand pulled noodles. It was a delight. My friend ordered the stir fry chicken. It was delicious. I'll have to try the beef next time. I certainly would go back again. The teas were nice as well, though drinking it in the traditional fashion was definitely challenging (don't try this one handed). I'll also have to go back to try their assortment of loose-leaf teas. I certainly would recommend this place to others looking for nice place to get away and enjoy a light dinner.
(4)
Audrey L.

The tea is unbelievably over-priced. Frankly, its a complete rip-off. And they have turned more into a restaurant than their original tea house experience in Chinatown. Essentially Fong has turned his tea house into a tacky mass-produced experience with EXTREMELY OVERPRICED teas. I'm not going to spend $160/pound for white tea with no explanation or description of where it comes from, how its produced, or which farm it has been sourced from when I can purchase artesenal small-farm tea where I know the source for HALF THE PRICE. I mean its unbelievable they get away with this. Never eaten here so can't comment on the food...
(1)
Sarah D.

Okay, so I've never actually had the tea here. But nevertheless, the Tea Court is deserving of praise for being a sweet little somewhat out-of-the-way gem with a kind staff and delectable munchies. I crave the hand-pulled noodles-- chewy toothsome (and spicy!) goodness that can't be found anywhere else. (Note-- order them vegetarian. The beef isn't nearly as tasty. And you're better off asking for shrimp in the noodles, rather than ordering the shrimp dish ON the noodles, because the latter is served sans spice. Or else ask them to make the shrimp dish spicy. You understand.) And the pork dumplings are flavorful and perhaps--dare I say it?-- the best in Berkeley?? Plus, they have this amazing yellow tea set that looks really complicated. I would have absolutely no clue how to use it, but I still covet it beyond belief and someday when I'm settled and responsible enough to have highly breakable display items, I plan to buy it and give it a place of honor in my home.
(4)
sue m.

Great place to hit on a cold day after a hike. Lovely hand pulled noodles and yes they are hand pulled, if pulling with ones hands constitutes hand pulled. I've seen them do it with my very own eyes! The green onion pancakes are fab as are other dishes. I agree that some of the dishes can be bland but having been there a number of times, we don't order them. If you're a newbie, you can't go wrong with the pulled noodles (I like the vegetarian) or the pancakes. This is a tea house and the teas are amazing, especially with the gaiwan presentation (I love the tradition and history behind it)! They've got everything going for them but are remarkably empty a lot of the time. I really hope they can hang in there and don't go out of business!! Yikes! I've never been to their restaurant in the Ferry Building because we always eat at Boulette's Larder or Slanted Door but that location seems mysteriously quiet too?!
(4)
Phillipe C.

This is my favorite restaurant in the Bay area...The hand pulled noodles (made in front of you) with organic beef, is the best dish in Northern California! I come back for this dish alone...the broth is orgasmic and noodles exquisite! I know this because, whenever I think, what would i want to eat if i could go anywhere, it's always this dish, rich in flavor, complex in spice and seasoning, perfectly balanced and the best part...i always feel so nourished and satisfied.....mmmmmm. The Pumpkin yellow curry with chicken is super yummy too, and we often pair them. If you are a tea connoissuer, you cannot find a better selection, especially the greens! The service is always lovely, even when you have to wait for awhile...It seems a bit pricey and I always balk at that...until i am eating, then i realize it's sooo worth it! Ive been putting off writing this review for a year...but after the last meal, I cannot put it off any more...LOVE IT.
(5)
Crystal B.

Hand pulled noodles with beef! OK, got that out. While the teas are amazing, and I do love my tea, the hand pulled noodles with beef are the reason I can't stay away. Tender, yet chewy, thick noodles in with tender chunks of beef in a delicous broth. Ask my friends, I go on and on about this dish. When people ask me about my favorite places to eat in Palo Alto, this is in the Top 3, along with pizza from the Cheeseboard and Chez Panisee.
(4)
Johnny V.

I went here with a friend while fasting, so I can only speak for the tea. The tea selections were well above what you'd expect to find at many other local businesses, and the interesting ritual involved with the drinking of the tea made it one-of-a-kind. This is a great place to take friends or dates for an interesting experience with some interesting teas.
(5)
george c.

My first time at this restaurant this past week and my impressions: 1. I like the ambience and setup, but that will be as far as I go for compliments. 2. They have an impressive selection of teas, but charge way too much for a cup of jasmine, oolong, etc. $3.50 in my opinion is overkill for tea that costs pennies to serve 3. Foodwise, they are so, so...I was definitely not impressed by their style of cooking, their flavors, portion size for the price...of course, you can get much better Asian food at Berkeley, but you are paying for the ambience etc. 4. This place caters to people who have no clue as to what good Chinese food is all about...,but, I guess if one doesn't mind paying extra for atmosphere, and the novelty of outrages tea prices, that's fine. As for myself, it is not "my cup of tea".
(3)
Ritz S.

High prices, small portions; mediocre quality. You're basically paying extra for the outdoor ambiance.
(1)
Lynn L.

I had a great time here recently. I thought the space was nice and airy, yet cozy on a rainy night. We ordered jasmine tea, onion cake and chicken soup over the hand pulled noodles. I loved the food and the tea. Although, the water for the tea should have been hotter. The onion cake was really good, with plenty of onion (hate when I order onion cake and there are two little slivers of onion inside). Loved the soup. Very filling and flavorful (contrary to other reviews who called it bland). The hand-pulled noodles were such a great texture. My beef was with the spotty service. While friendly, there were just weird things that happened: like if you don't know to order one tea with an extra cup, they will charge you for two, and the wait person just seemed really spaced out when we tried to ask questions. Nothing got screwed up, but she seemed disengaged and not available when we needed something. Because it's on the pricier side for this type of food, I would expect a little bit better service.
(3)
Lora C.

Phenomenal location. The outdoor landscape and deck sitting areas are beautiful. Highly recommend ordering a cup of tea and sit there reading a book or newspaper and enjoy the surroundings. Note! Order your tea inside. They will not come and take your order. (As we were rudely informed of.) The tea and the outdoor seating are the highlights. Do not waste your time with the food. There are a hundred better places fro dim sum than here. It was borderline terrible.
(3)
siying z.

Not worth the money.
(2)
Huei D.

Maybe I was expecting too much before I go there. Just read all the wonderful review and think this might be the place. Oh well, it turns out just ok. I came here for food so I can't speak anything for teas, so, sorry. I think the price might be a bit too high, if the price drop a bit I might give one more star, again, my palate might be too picky and didn't attract the food much..feel sad though, such a nice place.
(1)
Chase B.

The Imperial Tea Court has tremendous food. Authentic. Delicious. Organic. Clean. Fresh. Hand pulled noodles (lamian) just like the Mainland. And all these compliments coming from an old China hand. When I returned to the US after living 8 years in Beijing, I tried hard to find Chinese food in the Bay Area that could compare to the incredible eats available in Beijing. I largely failed... until I happened upon the Imperial Tea Court. The owner is Lao Beijing Ren and his food is awesome. Just like Beijing. For delicious, wholesome, fresh, authentic Chinese food in the Bay Area I can't recommend it highly enough. The atmosphere is quite nice too, not to mention that there's outdoor seating in the Chinese landscaped garden as well. Am no longer a tea drinker, so can't comment on that aspect, but from the looks of it and in discussions with the staff I think its safe to say that it will be excellent as well.
(5)
Viv C.

This place feels like home to me. From the comfort Chinese food to the familiarly accented Mandarin spoken in the kitchen, I can't help but end up spending over an hour just hanging out here. My BF and I enjoy coming here for weekend brunch as the house-made noodle soup really does it for my BF. They really are damn good. Very simple broth, broccoli, chili peppers and the noodles! I wouldn't want anything else added in the mix. This filling bowl of noodles isn't too bad in price either. Especially for the quality you are getting. I always order the green onion pancakes as it brings me back to my childhood. My mother's will always be better but since I can't have that, these will have to do. I could eat these every day if I had it my way. Recently, I also ordered their wontons... Wow. The jasmine tea broth adds another dimension of flavor to the otherwise simple dish. Yum! As for the hot teas? Love it. Try the imperial green oolong. (Or any oolong for that matter.) There are so many to chose from, you can't pick wrong. Unless you order the green iced tea. My BF has the misfortune of ordering that last time as it looked good but didn't taste like much. He had to ask for sugar to make it palatable. Aww. Luckily for me, the server, looking out for her own kind, suggested I order the ice hibiscus tea. "Naturally sweet," she said. And it was delicious! For tea junkies like my BF and I, this is always a welcomed place to spend a weekend morning.
(5)
Dawn S.

My favorite spot in Berkeley. So tasty. Must try the dim sum and hand pulled noodles. Authentic Chinese food and great teas. Plan to spend about $20 per person, which can be a lot for lunch- (but worth it to me!). Love!
(5)
PT-eater T.

I'm a fan of the hand-drawn noodles here. The noodles have a good mouth fill---chewy but not gummy and they stay al dente the entire time you're eating them. I've had the hand-drawn noodles with beef and the imperial spicy tea house noodles. The hand-drawn noodles are in a rich beef broth with tender pieces of beef. The noodles are the main attraction. They are the flat, roughly torn type. I can have this for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I've also had the imperial tea house noodles which is way better ordered vegetarin. In the mandarin pork version, the gravy-like pork sauce overwelmed the noodle taste and the pork flavor. For an asian noodle place, it's not cheap ($10-12 per bowl), but for really good noodles I would pay the extra few bucks). The portions aren't huge but they're filling and satisfying.
(4)
Liem L.

love the place, a little hideaway and great noodles and tea of course
(5)
Jeremiah G.

The food is a bit overpriced, but I don't know anywhere else that has real hand-pulled noodles. So it was worth it. They have a very good tea selection. Also, the tea leaves are pretty good quality, and they last a long time-- well worth your five dollars.
(4)
Zadie H.

Disappointed. Inconsistent food. We had the dragon well dumplings, it took about 25 minutes to get them and they were over boiled and some of the skins broke, big no no. Plus the taste was nothing special, and a tad on the salty side. The shrimp dumplings were really good, the glutinous skin was definitely house made and really fresh tasting. The shrimp, pure unadulterated shrimp was succulent and fresh and you could definitely tell the difference between farmed and the wild caught variety. They came out looking like little pink eyeballs. Despite the small size-the execution and flavor more than made up for it. We also had the pan fried tofu veggie and pork dumplings. Again super small compared to your more traditional dim sum places and the flavor was just okay. If i have to douse my dumplings with the black vinegar, chili oil and soy sauce which I had to here, that's not good sign. For entrees we had the garlic shrimp and opted for the hand pulled noodles instead of the brown rice. The shrimp is simply to die for, some of the freshest, sweetest, juiciest shrimp I've had. They definitely knock it out of park as far as sourcing their shrimp goes. The noodles were ehh. First of all, a minor annoyance, when I dug in with my chopsticks, I pulled out a matted clump resembling Medusa's nappy, dread headed cousin. Umm Helloooooo did someone forget to to stir the pot of boiling noodles? I get the whole rustic knife cut noodle thing, but my noodles were inconsistent in size and thickness. You would think knife cut would mean more quality control, not less. We also got the meatless hand pulled noodles. Again clumpy noodles in a broth that was underwhelming. Although the cabbage was pretty yummy swimming in the chili oil. I think the chili oil heat factor could have been cranked up a bit more, but that's just personal preference. For two people, we spent before tip a little over $70 for 4 dim sum dishes and 2 noodle dishes which is pretty pricey for a typical dim sum meal, and plus the wait was at least 20-25 minutes before we got our first dish. It seemed that everybody else in the restaurant was being served before we did. We noticed a pair of regulars sitting next to us that had placed their entire order by phone prior to coming in to dine and were served promptly. That should have been what we did, if we ever come back. Imperial Tea Court is worth checking out, but be prepared to wait a while for your food, pay more than in a typical Chinatown establishment, and have inconsistent food.
(3)
Angela C.

We had: 1. Scallion pancakes 2. veggie noodles 3. shrimp shumai 4. steamed pork buns. They handmade the noodles and the buns in front of our eyes and they were simply delicious. On top of our meal, we shared a pot of puerh tea - earthy, warm and served properly! The servings are just enough to leave you comfortably full with enough room for some gelato from next door. They also have a branch in the ferry building which I'm sure I'll be ducking into periodically for lunch, now! This place should really be 5 stars. I'm only giving it 4 because I wish they had more offerings - but that's just me being greedy!!
(4)
Brian B.

A great little oasis in the middle of Berkeley. Very knowledgeable staff and a great selection of teas.
(4)
Chris C.

Imperial Tea Court's Berkeley location opened up a little less than a year ago. It is a combination of restaurant and tea venue, often drawing the Berkeley yuppie crowd of the "Gourmet Ghetto". The food is good, if a bit pricey. The hand pulled noodles are delicious and a favorite for a cold day, or a night meal. All of the food has a fresh, clean taste to it, and lacks the usual oiliness associated with Chinese food. The dim sum dishes are more like tiny side orders, rather than the usual dim sum experience. Now, the tea. Imperial Tea Court still stands as one of the best tea vendors in the Bay Area, with a great variety of teas. While the tea is good, the atmosphere of the venue is knocked down a bit by the usual "eat and go" yuppie crowd, which makes it feel more hectic than is usually conducive for tea sipping. (Sadly, the Ferry Building location in San Francisco suffers this same problem, and the Powell location in Chinatown, which was best for this, closed last year). Overall, it's still one of my favorite tea houses, though I recommend trying to come outside of lunch/afternoon hours in order to avoid the crowd.
(4)
Mike S.

The pulled noodles were super yummy, and the rest was good too. Pretty vegetarian friendly. Will do a more extensive review after a few more visits.
(4)
Lindsay T.

i appreciate the tea selection here, it's not over ambitious, but well selected and for a good price. I'm not sure why they always present the teas in gaiwans without offering a decanting cup (so ask for a decanting cup if you don't want your tea overdone). Still, good teas! the food is phenomenal! All the delicious chinese snack food that chinese restaurants in the united states never sell. I love the hand-pulled noodles, the quality of which only compares to the ones in China. They also have really good vinegar and la jiao which make me pretty happy. The atmosphere here is really nice. a great place to eat, sip tea and either think or talk for hours.
(4)
Andrew S.

Me and my lady got hand pulled noodles and pork steamed buns. the hand pulled noodles were delicious. i got it with the beef on top. the buns were decent.
(4)
Sarah S.

Beautiful hidden garden ambiance, hand-made authentic Chinese dishes. Delish!
(5)
Kym P.

Let me start by saying this place would have been 4 stars - we called before heading out there and asked if there was a dim sum menu, we were told full dim sum served all day. Upon arriving we found a mixed menu with about 4 dim sum dishes and 8 entree dishes. The food was all amazing, but we wanted dim sum :( the teas were awesome bit pricy. I guess I'm just let down because we wanted something different. I do think you're better off going to Chinatown for tea if you're budget concious.
(3)
Penelope I.

Our first time there and we were pleasantly surprised. Dim sum was delicious and our servers were very attentive. Won't be our last time. Had the dim sum sampler plate, baked vegetarian spring rolls, the onion pancake thing and the pulled noodle soup with chicken. All yummy. Score!
(4)
M Q.

I had always thought this was just a tea tasting place. It's located in a great courtyard right in the heart of Gourmet Ghetto, across the street from the Cheeseboard. One day, as we were enjoying Cheeseboard pizza in the courtyard, my friend suggested I try Imperial Tea Court. They have the best Chinese food! They do?!? I didn't even know they served food! The following week, I went to try it with a friend. We had the pulled noodles with beef, green onion pancakes, pork buns, and veggie fried rice. It was the BEST fried rice I had ever had, the noodles were fresh and wide and chewy, the green onion pancakes stayed crisp even after I brought a couple home for the kids. The mint tea we had complimented our food well. If you like typical American greasy Chinese food, don't come here. You will be sorely disappointed. You will also be disappointed if you expect to be served food for 8 people when you order for only 3. But, if you like fresh, organic, delicious food that will fill you up without making you feel like you ate a pound of grease, come visit. Afterwards, make your way to the food court and try Lush's gelato for dessert!
(5)
Jen F.

This is my favorite spot to come on the weekend, read, enjoy a cup of tea and their fabulous veggie pot stickers. The spicy daikon special they have is quite excellent and crunchy. In the summer time they offer a few different ice tea options served with cute little ice rings. The garden outside cannot be beat and prices are excellent for the quality of food and the location. I love it here!
(5)
Michael M.

I came here with my lab for our end of the semester luncheon. Nice cozy atmosphere hidden on Shattuck. Obviously, this place is about the tea. They have a wide selection of teas to choose from (white, green, blends, etc). Then there's the various dishes of dim sum, noodles, etc. I'd recommend coming here for a serene environment and good food, though this place isn't cheap.
(4)
Klanerjane J.

I LOVE that the ingredients are organic. It's rare to find a restaurant committed to organic rice and flour. The food is delicious!!
(5)
K G.

If you like noodle soups, then this is the place for you. They make fresh dough right there and the soup is amazing. The place is beautiful, traditional Chinese garden and many places to sit. I enjoyed coming for an early dinner actually, rather than tea time. The beef was wonderful in the soup, the vegetables very fresh. The beef was so tender it sorted of melted away in my mouth. Great flavor, just spicy enough for me.
(5)
Annie F.

I just went here for the first time over the summer and it's a beautiful place. The garden is a great place to eat outdoors. And the noodles, the shrimp dumplings, and tea are exceptional (and fresh!). Personally, I thought the staff was super nice and accommodating. So if you like organic-type, clean Chinese food that isn't super oily, then this is the lunch spot for you!
(4)
Kate M.

I have ALWAYS loved this place, until my last visit. The hand-pulled noodles are great- I love them. I like the food and have always enjoyed the service until last week. the man that helped me with the tea could have been on SNL as the non-customer service Server. I started feeling badly that I was asking to purchase YET another tea...he was so intensely bothered by my requests for him to get me tea that I could give him money for that it was ridiculous. Eventually we got through the painful process of him bagging me selections and we got to the cash register where he took my money and then walked away. I thought he had gone to get a bag for my teas but he started doing something else behind the counter. There was no indication that we were done with our transaction, in fact, I wasn't done and need a receipt which he gave me, again, without a word and walked away leaving my tea selections on the counter for me to gather up and put in my purse (I didn't have my own bag). Every other time I have been there the service was lovely. IF I go back and this slack is working I will turn around and leave.
(2)
Francis W.

Hand pulled noodles and green onion pancakes are amazing. Veg brown rice is good too. They have a nice selection of teas. The outdoor Japanese-style garden is a nice setting for an outdoor meal.
(4)
Jonah L.

I was stoked to find this place in Berkeley. I used to go to their original store on Powell before they moved to the Embarcadero and opened up in the east bay. My addictions began with the finer Chinese greens and has slowly devolved over the years into various shades of Oolong and recently into the muddy swamps of pu'er. I know of no other place that has so many teas and such a knowledgeable staff. The only minus which really isn't a minus is that they serve food now and is not strictly a tea joint. Regardless, this place is a staple for me. Lastly, there is nothing better to sip than a pu'er after a night of hitting the sauce. It will cure what ails you.
(4)
Orville J.

I recently went with my wife and her mother and aunt who were visiting from out of town and overall we had a good experience. I was originally a little hesitant because of the overpriced china and tea sets they have lining the walls. I was dreading a tirade from the in-laws about how expensive things are in the bay area, but it turned out to be a good choice. The place was a hit. It's pretty small, so there was a little trouble at first finding a place for all 4 of us but soon someone left one of the 2 larger tables and we sat down. We ordered the "Cup of Prosperity" tea for 4, dim sum shrimp dumplings, and scallion pancakes and the total came out to around $20 with tip or about $5/person. The tea and appetizers came fairly fast. The shrimp dumplings were above par. I thought the scallion pancakes were a little disappointing but still decent enough to those who've never had them in Chinatown Eatery in Boston. I think Tom L. must have just chosen poorly with the Imperial Green. The Cup of Prosperity is a Hibiscus based herbal tea, and it was one of the strongest and most flavorful herbal teas I've ever had. It even got a big thumbs up from the in-laws. My wife's mom can be pretty picky sometimes, but she loved the tea, the inside decor, and the little courtyard. I think Imperial Tea Court seems like the perfect place to meet up for a quick bite with colleague. I'm going to keep this one in my back pocket for when I need a meeting place in the neighborhood.
(4)
Jackie M.

Placed upstairs in the Epicurean garden, you forget about how busy it is out on the street in the sweet small restaurant. The tea selection is staggering but what I found to be even better is the time and attention our waiter put into helping us select our tea. I ended up trying a Puer tea (a type I had never heard of before) and it is now my new favorite. My friend and I both tried the hand pulled noodles, the menu said they were a must for noodle lovers, we were not disappointed. The green onion cakes were crisp and tasty. We sat for a long time catching up and never felt rushed along. Despite being a small place with an open kitchen it was never so loud that we had to raise our voices over normal speaking level. All in all, a delightful experience.
(4)
Tom L.

So I arrive here (a) looking for a way to kill half an hour before dinner, (b) still sort of recovering from a cold, (c) in need of some warm, restoring, yet mild liquid refreshment, (d) having wanted to check out the Imperial Tea Court in SF for awhile but never really getting around to it. Perfect. We gather around a lacquered faux-antique table and order the best green tea on the menu, Imperial Green. Now, I realize that probably trained monkeys picked this tea off of a misty slope high in mountains of China, and I don't know if it's because my expectations were just unreasonably high at this point or if my senses were impaired or what, but it tasted like... mildly fragrant lukewarm water. We literally were sticking our noses in our cups and sucking air through our nostrils just to get some kind of experience out of it. I'll probably go back and try a few more teas at the SF locations before passing final judgment, because I really *want* this to work. God, I hope those 3 tins I shipped off to mom for Christmas worked out better than this.
(3)
Jeanie S.

Hand pulled noodles with beef. Ah, heavenly! Our hippie tea server was very entertaining. Relaxing. Interesting people-watching.
(4)
Eat W.

The good: There are so many neat architectural features about this place. If you look up at the ceiling, you'll see rectangular boxes that first look like fluorescent lights, but they're actually sky lights. The tables, the lanterns, and the wall displays of expensive tea services reminded me of Beijing. Waiters are dressed in traditional Chinese shirts. Best of all is the round moon door. I'm definitely a big sucker for moon doors. And it's located in a very secluded place , away from traffic and pedestrians. This place gets 5 stars for a chill ambience. The food, the food, if it weren't so overpriced, I would be describing more than just a bowl of hand pulled noodles, 4 pork buns, and two teas. [for 2 people]. strictly tastewise, I absolutely loved the handpulled noodles..especially when you add their fragrant chili oil and the beef was very tender. pork buns were ok. And on the day i went, i had a headache, a toothache and a left earache, plus i felt groggy all day. the tea cleared all of that away and left me feeling alert, happy, and warm . the Bad: portions and prices. if only there were more buns and noodles, i wouldn't feel so bad about the prices. alas, the prices were steep and the portions were small. so, i left feeling hungry even after shelling out 35 bucks for not very much food.
(4)
Jennifer A.

I've been here twice and have plans to visit again this weekend. All of the menu items are simple, authentic and delicious. My only complaint would be the layout, there are several larger tables, but the average party size was 2 people, leaving a lot of unused space. Also there aren't very many tables, and both times I've been my boyfriend and I got the last table in the place (luckily!). When it isn't raining/cold there is some seating outside. So far I've tried the green onion pancakes (the best I've had outside of Taiwan), pork pot stickers, the hand pulled noodles with the spicy beef topping, the teahouse spicy noodles also with beef. The spicy noodles had essentially the same flavor as the hand pulled noodles (the same beef broth and tender beef chunks were used) with the hand pulled noodles being more thick and rustic and a few dollars more expensive. The hand pulled noodles were decent but the dish is really all about that beef flavor so I would recommend saving your money and just going for the traditional noodles. The green onion pancakes are a MUST, I just wished they were a little cheaper! The pot stickers were good, a very nice and thick handmade wrapper surrounding a savory and juicy pork filling cooked to perfection making every bite an explosion of flavor. In all two orders of noodles, an order of green onion pancake, and an order of pot stickers left my boyfriend and I very full and the price was decent. Normally these type of items would be much cheaper at any noodle place in Chinatown, but I am willing to pay the price for sustainable ingredients. Also they use tea oil to cook their food. Oh yeah, they have an extensive tea menu. The basic service is $5 per person, which seems pretty pricey to me (tea leaves in a cup). My boyfriend is a tea lover and enjoyed the tea he had. I don't know too much about them, so I didn't bother.
(5)
Marianne J.

i really adore this place. it's such a delight to get delicious chinese food that's not greasy and indistinguishable from one dish to the next. the onion pancakes, potstickers, noodles, and the tea service are superb. i only with the space was a bit cozier.
(4)
Michele O.

Only 4 stars because I've only purchased tea to take home, haven't had tea service or the food. The service I received was 5 star from a unintimidating young man who's easy on the eyes to boot. I am not a 'professional' tea drinker, knowing very little about different teas and their service, can't tolerate caffeine and was looking for some teas to try for me and an English tea drinking friend (very different from traditional Chinese tea service). The guy answered many questions, helped me select several teas in small quanitites and did not rush me although he was very busy. And, I must say, after drinking, his tea recommendations are spot - on. The variety of tea available is astounding and makes me want to learn and try more. I glanced at the menu and will go back for proper tea service and food. They use Niman Ranch meats and the food prices did not appear high to me as some reviewers mentioned, although I do not know the portion sizes. But, come on, Niman's always more... The atmosphese is lovely inside and out - go have some tea!
(4)
jen n.

Ever since I saw the Imperial Tea Court in the Ferry Building, I have been curious about it. So, we finally gave it a go last night for dinner. I was pleasantly surprised that they used health conscious ingredients...organic veggies and grains, and even Niman Ranch meats. Super. So we ordered the Dragon's Well Dumplings (minced pork and green tea), the steamed pork buns, the hand pulled noodles, and of course, tea. We opted for the Gaiwan presentation, which is a tea cup with a lid. I thought it was going to be something different. I don't know what I was expecting, but it was something other than a tea cup with a lid. You have to hold the lid a certain way so that the loose leaf tea doesn't infiltrate your mouth. The dumplings and the noodles are handmade, and I think the buns were too. The dumplings were good, kinda like pot stickers but steamed. The steamed pork buns were good, but I was expecting barbecue pork, not minced pork. It was like the same filling as the dumplings. Now, the hand pulled noodles....oh man, this is good stuff. It is simple, but good...and holy spicy! It has a nice salty broth, cabbage, onions, and chili flakes. It doesn't sound like much, but it was all gone by the time we left. I would definitely order the noodles again. The service is a little slow, but friendly. I think the place would do more business if you could actually see it from the street. It is set back behind the Epicurious Garden and up a level. But definitely worth a try. And if you are a tea head, you will be in heaven. They have a gazillion different teas, and some of them are organic. I wish I had some noodles now.
(4)
martin c.

I came because I was curious about the setting, which reminds me of old China.... and I love the garden too. The food is excellent, and seems healthy. I love the food and the tea... The only thing I wish is that they charge less for the tea. ($5 for a cup of tea is kinda expensive).
(4)
Leon C.

I love the outdoor seating that they have at this place. I came here on a nice sunny day and it was just wonderful just sitting on the outdoor and hanging out with friends. The food was not that great, okay, and a bit expensive for small dishes. Yes the prepare it traditional side and hand made, but it was as flavorable for my taste. But the outdoor seating is great!
(4)
Leila R.

It's heaven for any tea lover, with loads of different choices. It's got a decent menu, and the place it's located is absolutely heavenly, with a serene beauty to it. That being said, the food's a bit pricey for the taste and the portions. And although our waiter was nice, the service is slow and only so-so. It's worth a trip; but I wouldn't come back here more than twice.
(3)
Tom M.

Love the hand-pulled noodles. Tea seems a little pricey, but it's a great place to hang out and relax in.
(4)
Diana K.

You can easily linger for a long time here drinking cup after cup of tea in the company of good friends! The "Prosperity" tea blend is to be tried for sure if you drink herbal tea. It's a unique blend of hibiscus, mint, and a few other herbs. The scallion pancakes make a perfect afternoon snack and cost only three bucks!! The rest of the menu looks great too but I haven't tried it yet. The outdoor seating is perfect for a sunny day and the indoor seating is nice and warm on chilly or rainy days. I'd give this place five stars but the servers aren't exactly on top of it with promptness and one of the servers is always making personal phone calls when I walk in there. There are lots of bulk teas available for purchase ($$$!) as well as gaiwan sets and tea pots.
(4)
Andrew Z.

There are some items on the menu like the beef noodles and tea that are very good. The shu mai and other dumplings were good and no grease whatsoever (almost to a fault). The tofu dish I had was very bland. If you get the tea, and enjoy a nice environment, this is a good place. I can see someone ordering several items, and feeling like there is something missing with the food, but I've found a few items i really enjoy, and stick to them. It is very clean and well prepared fresh food which is so rare these days, it is hard not to give them four stars.
(4)
meg b.

LOVE the food!!! Hand pulled noodles, tea broth wantons, dim sum sampler, tea oil chicken... the list of incredible food just goes on and on. The food is organic, hand made, and tasty, so I never feel over full or greased-out. The only set backs? That they always seem to close just in time for dinner (especially Sundays) and that the service is pretty much absentee (watering plants and reading the paper rather than circulating amongst customers)... but the food more than compensates. Delish!
(4)
Katharine C.

This review comes with a warning: if you go here, you may become addicted. I routinely drive across the Bay from Marin to Berkeley to eat the hand pulled noodles with beef and greens. The pork buns are to die for as are the pumpkin xiao mai. And the tea... the tea! So good! You may find yourself taking some loose leaf tea home with you.
(5)
Viviana D.

This is some of the best chinese food I've ever had. The sauces are tasty, delicate and interesting and their selection of teas are wonderful. i wish them well.
(5)
Danthemilliondollarma n.

Incredible landscaping outside and nice atmosphere. Great tea selection, though in my opinion a bit pricey. A lot of the food is hand made (noodles & potstickers) and they try to make it tasty and healthy which I aprreciated. It's simple and definatly much better than the average, greasy chinese restaurant out there, but not amazing. I went there once with my girlfriend and fifty bucks later had a nice evening and brought some nice tea home. Though we haven't been inspired to go back since.
(4)
Chris D.

What bothers me most about Imperial Tea Court is the price-to-taste ratio. While none of the food is particularly bad, this place is way too pricey for the portions you get and the flavors you experience. You're better off going to your favorite Chinese restaurant if you want a more inexpensive (and authentic) experience. Two friends and I each ordered an entree and an appetizer: - 1 order shrimp dumplings - they tasted fresh, but I've had better har gow before. I thought the noodle wrapper was a bit too firm, to the point of being brittle when you bit into them. - 1 order pork dumplings - pretty good, with lots of ground pork in the middle. The skins were a bit too thick for me. - 1 green onion pancake - good when it was warm, but got hard as it cooled. The pancake was crisp and chewy, the way it's supposed to be. Not bad at all, but the $5 price tag for a thin, 7-inch pancake isn't my idea of value. - 2 orders of noodles (1 with stewed beef, the other with chicken) - I only tasted my friends'. The noodles were thick and chewy, and the broth was rich and yummy. But $12 for a small bowl of noodles? C'mon! - 1 order of beef stew over brown rice - this was my entree. The beef was tender and had a nice balance of soy sauce and anise. The sauce was really loose, though, and there were bits of anise that I had to watch out for as I ate the chunks of beef. Our total came out to a little under $60, which is far too much for a casual lunch. All of the food was good, but I wouldn't go back given the steep price for the food.
(2)
Debbie Y.

It was just what I was looking for....a unique place to chat with a friend and munch on some food. The tea selection is stellar although overpriced, the food isn't as up to par but rightly priced. The environment is a unique oldstyle traditional chinese setting by the amazing new garden landscape right outside. If only the gelato place was open for dessert after, but it was still OK because there were plenty of lovely dessert options nearby.
(4)
L. G.

I eat here or get food to go about once a week. Our usual picks include the Tea House noodles (my fave - all varieties are delicious and perfectly spicy), hand pulled noodles, veg fried rice, green onion pancakes, and pork shu mai. These dishes are consistently excellent. I appreciate that their food is made-to-order with organic and local ingredients -- and thankfully bears no resemblance to the greasy, fried, corn-syrup coated dishes with gristly meat found in a typical cheap Chinese joint. The noodle entrees are huge, and easily serve two or make great leftovers. With all that in mind, I'm mystified about complaints about portion sizes and prices. I think they suffer a bit from being hidden in the back of the Epicurious food garden, because with delicious, high-quality, reasonably priced food like this, there should be a line out the door every night.
(5)
Roy P.

looks like a very asian tea place and has some great seating inside and outside the little restaurant. their signature dish is the homemade noodles and it was great asian homemade noodles. The tea selection awesome...try the gunpower green tea...it was surprisingly great.
(4)
Koshin T.

this place has amazing hand pulled noodles. very good tea. nice decor, but incredibly slow, even when its only your table. why? i dont know... i like that there are only a few tables.
(3)
Christine K.

Their beef noodle soup is delicious! I added extra greens and loved it! Their broth was really delicious (not too oily or fatty tasting), I only wish there was more because there were so many noodles! The portion size was perfect, if not a little bit more than I should have eaten! It was my favorite beef noodle soup I've ever tried. I also love their green onion pancake, also my favorite that I've ever tried! Haven't tried anything else yet but someday I want to get their dumplings, since I think I could pretty much live on dumplings :)
(5)
Conor D.

I was quite skeptical about coming here because I saw this as more of a tea court and didn't expect anything great out of the food they served. We came in and I ordered the pork stir fry with garlic noodles. It was extremely good and I highly recommend this resturaunt to anyone in the Berkeley area. I will definitely be coming here again.
(5)
Esther Y.

TL;DR -- If you go here, for any reason, you MUST get the hand-pulled noodles and the green onion pancake. 4 stars, but with a caveat. Let me tell you when/why you would want to go here, and when/why you would want to avoid it. If you need a place to grab a quick cheap meal for yourself - probably not the place. A good bowl of handpulled noodle soup with meat will run you over $15 before tip, and the portions are small with very little broth. If you're not that hungry or money is no object - go here. You'll either be able to refrain from spending too much money, or you'll spend a lot and get to try more dishes. If you need a place to bring your Chinese parents (or in-laws) to - DO NOT GO HERE. They will most likely complain about the small dishes, high prices, and "weird" additions to dishes (for example, adding jasmine tea leaves to the hargow shrimp dumplings, which also each only contain half a shrimp instead of the usual one plump shrimp). They will probably like the green onion pancake and the hand-pulled noodles, all while complaining about the price/portion size. I do not recommend bringing them here. If you need a place to hang out with your Asian-American foodie friends - check this place out. They have creative twists on traditional dishes, such as the hargow I mentioned above. The dumplings also have tea leaves mixed in the meat. You'll be able to try each other's dishes pretty easily. If you need a place to bring non-Asian friends/clients that might be more afraid of "traditional Chinese food" but you want to go somewhere that tries harder than Panda Express or PF Chang's - go here. The ambiance and decor are nice, and since most of the staff are not Asian, this will help make non-Asians feel more at home/less prominent. On a nice sunny morning, it'll be really pleasant to chill at one of the outside tables listening to the mini-waterfall while gazing at a small wall of bamboo stalks. Honestly, as a foodie that is picky about Chinese authenticity, I didn't expect much from this place after bad experiences with other Chinese restaurants that try too hard to cater to the non-Asian population, such as Da Lian and House of Nanking. I was skeptical when I saw very few Asians in this restaurant, but then again, this is Gourmet Ghetto, and us Asians are often too cheap to eat here. I was pleasantly surprised by the delicious al dente hand-pulled noodles with cabbage and chili oil, though I complained loudly about the lack of broth, the small bowl size, and the high price ($10 before tip/tax for a bowl with no meat). I was also pleasantly surprised by the tasty green onion pancakes which were perfectly chewy and not too salty. I was surprised by and enjoyed the jasmine green tea shrimp dumplings, but would probably never get that again. The beef noodle soup with angel hair noodles was decent, though I would probably never get that again either. One more thing I love about this place is that you can order and PAY in advance, before you sit down. Hence, no need to wait for the check, wait for your card to be swiped, etc. at the end of a meal. You just get up and leave, and it's super convenient! Like any Americanized Chinese restaurant, the service is excellent here. No complaints about that. :) I found out about this place from a Taiwanese friend (Daniel C.) who raved about this place so much that he even wrote his 2nd Yelp review (EVER) just for this restaurant. I was highly skeptical, but shocked that he would actually write a Yelp review, so I wasted no time and we went for lunch the day after he wrote his review. It's hard to find good Chinese food in Berkeley, and we will definitely be making return visits just for those noodles.
(4)
Daniel C.

For the concise: this is the best, most authentic Northern Chinese restaurant I've enjoyed in the greater Bay Area; eat here. For the rest: I have been ethnically Chinese for the entirety of my life, and spent 5 prime years of my childhood living in Taiwan, where I've experienced what I consider some of the pinnacles in delicious Northern Chinese noodle-style cuisine. Unfortunately, such authentic and specialized food is difficult to find outside of Asia, and throughout my travels and stays in the east and west coasts of America, I have encountered precious few restaurants that can serve up the fond culinary memories of my yonder-years. After 5 years of being in the Bay Area and experiencing at most so-so Northern Chinese cuisine, I happened to stumble into Imperial Tea Court by pure serendipity. As my eyes happened upon the picture of a most beautiful hand-pulled beef noodle soup, my noodle senses started tingling. Instinctively I knew that only a truly authentic venue would serve up such a dish. I was not disappointed. In fact, my jaw was slightly agape throughout the meal with sheer amazement that such a place could exist right in my proverbial backyard. I had the scallion pancakes, pot stickers, and the hand-pulled beef noodle soup - a meal that constitutes my standard litmus test of such an establishment. For generations my family has hand-made this sort of food, and the quality at Imperial Tea Court was up to par. I was so moved by the sensory experience that I had to write this review on Yelp. You cannot fathom how difficult it is to find even a decent scallion pancake in this area, and this one was on. point. *As a clarification, they were out of the hand-pulled noodle, but their default thin noodle was exactly the right standard Chinese noodle I would expect, and was still very good. I will definitely be going back to try the hand-pulled noodles. To summarize, if you're a Chinese person with a similar background to mine and pine for that nostalgic taste, or any person who appreciates authentic food and wants to experience a great representation of Northern Chinese cuisine, I cannot recommend Imperial Tea Court highly enough. You simply won't find anything like it around Berkeley.
(5)
Alessandro B.

The hand pulled noodles are awesome! It is a nice location, and in general the food is good, but you really want to try their beef hand pulled noodles, that is what makes this place worth visiting for me. Staff is friendly and the service is usually fast.
(4)
Courtney S.

Not half bad! I came here by myself and tried the dim sum sampler for $15 - I've had better dim sum before, but I've also been rather pampered in that regard, and what I had here was still tasty. I'm undecided on whether I think it's worth spending $15 on again, however, since I inhaled all of it in moments. The service was friendly and swift, plus I like that the restaurant is tucked away from the street - I actually had trouble finding it at first. I have the feeling that I'd enjoy this place much more if I had been part of a group - not just by myself.
(4)
Carolina S.

I came here for a romantic dinner date after reading positive Yelp reviews and looking for good tea places in the Bay Area. We had the beef and hand-pulled noodle soup with Puerh tea, both of which were outstandingly flavorful and made a good combination. The traditional mini-Tea Garden setting is very pretty and romantic. (My advice: Go downstairs afterward to the amazing gelato stand for dessert!)
(4)
Joanna S.

This reliable tea spot certainly hits the spot. I've gone to the Imperial Tea Court more times than I can count--from studying to intimate dates. With a delicious selection of tea, food, and treats, this is a great place to try hearty Chinese food--not your usual take-out! FOOD Green Onion Pancakes ($6): Fried goodness. Crispy and chewy green onion flat bread, pan-seared with organic oil and seasoned with sea salt.This is a great mid-day mini-meal to go along with a pot of tea. Hand-Pulled Beef Noodles ($13.50): Thick noodles, obviously handmade bathing in beefy broth, and mingling with melt-in-your-mouth diced beef, cabbage, and other vegetables. Dim Sum Sampler ($12): Delicious. Vegetarian pot stickers, pork shao mai, shrimp dumplings, and steamed buns. Definitely better than the dumplings you can find in your local grocery store, but, again, I'm not sure if it's worth the price. Imperial Tea Cookies ($6): A small plate of simple treats. Not sure if this is worth the price, but a good accompaniment, nonetheless. Chocolate or Green Tea Wontons ($6): This is amazing! Fried, crispy wontons carrying a pocket of sweet flavor. A must-try if you ever come to the Imperial Tea Court. Sencha Green Tea--Gaiwan Tea Service ($5): Delicate flavor. Green tea is always a good pairing with heavy food, such as the hand-pulled beef noodles. PRICE A little on the pricey side ($2-3 what I'd expect to pay), but still worth it. QUALITY Food: Top-notch. Always expect delicious food. Service: Always friendly. Usually attentive. Waiters give you space if you want to read a book while you drink your tea. Location: Spectacular location in Berkeley. There is a small garden space where you can have lunch or tea.
(4)
Jim C.

I love the hand pulled noodles with beef and greens!!! And with the scallion pancakes this meal is out of bounds and off the hook! Very comfortable puerh tea and yummy jasmine iced tea too. Very friendly staff! I will be a regular now - need my noodle fix!
(5)
Courtney Y.

I love this place! You can sit outside in their garden area and order from a wide variety of teas and homemade noodles. The food is really good here and I love the atmosphere. I have also purchased tea to take home with me. I have been here several times and will continue coming back! If you are in the area this is a great place to try!
(5)
Mini A.

I like this place, but you have to know what to order. I have tried the noodles with chicken, the garlic and chili noodles (a special not on the regular menu but I am sure you can ask for it), the beef stew, pot stickers, daikon salad, cold eggplant. I really loved the garlic and chili noodles and would come back for that. I didn't like the noodles with chicken. But everything else was yummy as an accompaniment to the garlic chili noodles, which were the bomb.
(4)
Lauren K.

I love the Imperial Tea Court. Each time I have visited, I have tried a new tea at the recommendation of my server, and have loved each of them. I also try to order new things from the menu each time, but I am stuck between the hand-pulled noodles and the tea oil chicken! The hand-pulled noodles are chewy and thick in a light, flavorful broth with veggies (or meat if you order it) They are delicious and satisfying, and you will not regret ordering them. The tea oil chicken is great as well, super flavorful and a bit heavier when you're not in the mood for soup. The gaiwan tea service is perfect for the selection of pu-erh teas I have been sampling from them. All have been very high quality. Not just the pu-erh, the green and oolong teas I have tried so far have been incredible too. But if you aren't sure what to order, one of the friendly servers can guide you to the perfect cup. Definitely don't miss out on the tea service. Seating is indoors or on one of the levels outside in the cute garden area. Great place to relax for lunch on a nice day!
(5)
Bonnie D.

Overpriced for what I was getting. The decor was very nice though. I guess thats what the price was for. Personally I care more about how the food taste at a restaurant than how the decor looks.
(2)
Jessica C.

I had been wanting to come here since I go to the Epicurious Garden every once in awhile for gelato and always am in awe of the pretty seating area for the tea court (although a lot of people take advantage of it and eat there anyway even if they buy food elsewhere and I kind of feel bad for them). You order inside the tea house and there's some indoor seating, but if it's a nice day, you should definitely opt to sit outside and enjoy the ambiance! What we ordered ( yelp.com/biz_photos/m8esâ€¦ ): - Hand pulled noodles with organic greens and chili oil ($9 + extra $2 for tofu) - Stir-fried garlic shrimp with brown rice ($13) - Hibiscus iced tea ($3.50) When my noodles came, I thought that the bowl looked a little small but actually the meal was filling enough (I'm a girl though, so this might not apply to guys haha). The noodles were thick and chewy, and the texture reminded me of dumpling skin. I didn't get the chili oil added since the waitress said it was pretty spicy, but I think I'll try it next time since I think it would definitely add to the flavor. However, even without the chili oil, the dish was still very tasty due to the green onions and broth. I'm not sure the amount of tofu I got for $2 was worth it though since there were only about 5 pieces. I heard that the shrimp was pretty delicious and that the broth/sauce was really good! The iced tea had a clear hibiscus flavor and was very refreshing as well. I'm usually not too particularly interested in Asian food since I'm so used to having it at home, but I would come back here to try more for the tranquil environment and yummy food!
(4)
Erin G.

What I ate: Vegetarian tea noodles, shrimp shumai, Jasmine green tea (gaiwan style) Visit date: August 19, 2011 First time? 2nd and counting. I heart Imperial's tea noodles! The tofu/vegetarian tea noodles come with a decent amount of veggies (not just noodles and a few green onions). My only wish is that it would come with more broth (especially since the noodles tend to absorb a lot of it). There's some red sauce on the table, add it for a slight kick! Shrimp shumai = yummy. Tea gaiwan style = semi complicated at first, but turned out to be really fun Perfect place to hang out on a chilly/gloomy day.
(4)
Em S.

Since my last review in 2011, I've enjoyed Roy Fong's innovative style of the classical tea house a couple dozen times. I'm remiss for not writing more often about my experiences here. There are numerous reasons for a restorative visit. One is to simply get a cup of fine tea, to enjoy the attentions of the fine wait-staff and to enjoy a sunny moment with a friend in the garden area. Yet another reason is grab a large table and enjoy a festive celebration with a group of friends who can drift in and out enjoying tea and various menu items that would rarely be experienced in other venues in the neighborhood. This is the tea house setting that I'm used to in Taiwan and more rarely in the venues around the SF Bay area. $5 or so for tea service is quite reasonable, and the menu delivers numerous innovative ideas. Roy Fong is a tea master recognized in China. I've been coming to his establishment since the late 1980s when he had a place on Powell Street at the northern edge of SF Chinatown. I enjoyed the feeling of taking quick trip to China by walking through his doorway. Back in San Francisco I was lucky enough to have arrived when a mainland artist friend of Roy's was displaying his artwork on large swathes of rice paper for immediate sale to guests of the tea house. More recently I've been here holding Post-Partum celebrations for my students at the end of each semester of anatomy/physiology. I reserve a table for a mid-afternoon tea-and-talk session that usually has us also walking to the nearby Rose Garden with a to-go beverage. I bow deeply to Roy Fong's establishment and his savvy in making it new in each season. I'll be back often.
(5)
Nicole A.

I love tea and had a bit of time to kill after dinner at the Cheeseboard Pizzeria. The sun was setting but it wasn't too cold yet, so we wanted to sit outside. After standing around looking confused, the server explained we should pay up front and then sit outside and they would bring our tea. We did the Gaiwan service, which is a sort of lidded cup that you brew in and drink out of. I've never done it before, so that was neat. It wouldn't work well for black/green teas that aren't good for multiple infusions, but my partner got the phoenix oolong and I got the yunnan puerh. Both teas held up well to multiple steepings and had nice flavor and aroma. The service we received was decent. Our teas were brought fairly quickly and she explained a little bit of tea history and (importantly!) how to use the Gaiwan. They offer another type of tea service I'd be interested in trying in the future. Bottom line: reasonable price ($5 for most) for a good selection of loose leaf teas. The Gaiwan method was nice, but you may want to avoid for black and green teas. The outdoor garden is lovely and makes a great setting for a nice relaxing cup of tea.
(4)
Julian P.

The onion pancake is delicious when you get your vinegar, soy sauce, chili sauce dipper sauce goin. I had the beef noodle stew and my friend the mandarin chicken noodles. The noodles are hand made every day there and their beef was TENDER and delicious. My friends chicken was flavorful with yummy crunchy green and white onions. The environment is great and this is a happy date spot. I def recommend this spot. My only ding is that the menu is not extensive (b/c they focus on tea...which they have an incredible selection and knowledge of) AND my beef noodle stew could have used a crunch factor and more veggies, like onions and bok choy. But overall, come here! Service is great too. AND I sat next to an old lady that is a master at Fantasy Baseball LOL...awesome.
(4)
Wanugee N.

Imperial Tea Court is a lovely space in the back of the little Gourmet Ghetto mini-mall on north Shattuck. It is adorned with Chinese decorations, classic Chinese furniture, and has outdoor seating in the adjacent little garden with a water fountain. It has hand-pulled noodles for its savory noodle soup. And those lovely miniature tea sets famous from a certain part of China. In fact, it reminds me somewhat of Tea Garden Springs, a nice, relaxing tea space in a wooden mini-mall in Mill Valley that a friend of mine established many years ago, that also offered massage and essential oils, tea, with its own little babbling brook. But the fact is, unfortunately, this place is only good for the rich white professor's wives who live in the Berkeley hills, and who, with their bleeding heart liberal new-age bridge club interested in Chinese culture, would pay the prices, tolerate the service for the mediocre food, sit in the uncomfortable chairs, try to talk over the loud noise from the kitchen amplified by the high ceilings, and agree with each other how lovely this "Chinese" place is for North Berkeley! Because they have hand pulled noodles, there is a constant FLAP FLAP FLAPping sound from the kitchen, which echoes through the dining room, making it difficult to have a conversation (and there were only our party of 4, and one other table on a sunny Saturday afternoon about 3pm!). They have an extensive tea list, and serve them in covered tea cup servings, but they are $5 each, and $7 for the "Imperial" or more exotic flavors. Pretty stiff for Oolong or Jasmine! You have to like hand-pulled noodles, because these are thick and chewy and doughy. The beef in the beef stew or beef noodles is good quality and lean, but it was quite salty in my opinion, and I usually like salty things. The services was confusing. We had 2 or 3 people serve us at different times, and some were young an not that professional, and none Asian. In fact, around the corner and up the street, there was a line of young Asian couples eating burgers at another place, because they would never come here to pay these prices ($13 for beef noodles) or tolerate the tastes or portion sizes here. (Although the noise and spotty service they are used to from real Chinese restaurants! ) (OK, stereotype, but it's the truth) I wanted to like this place for the decor and concept and hand-pulled noodles, but alas, I am not a bridge-playing, Caucasian UC Berkeley Professor's spouse trying to impress their friends from Overland Park, Kansas with new-age Chinese food. (OK, another stereotype, but it's the truth!)
(3)
Crystal H.

Incredibly disappointing. If you've grown up eating any authentic Chinese food at all, you'd be as upset as I am. The decor is beautiful and the service great. But the food is lacking, over-priced and certainly not fresh or handmade. They're also really stingy with their tea.
(2)
Lauren S.

I really wanted to like this place. However, the food (I got a tea service) was not filling at all. And for fifteen dollars I would hope I wouldn't need to eat again thirty minutes later. That said, the food was quite tasty, at least. The other thing working against this place is the unenthusiastic staff. The person I dealt with really just seemed like she didn't want to be there. On the plus side, the garden you can eat and sip your tea in is beautiful and relaxing.
(3)
Michael C.

Never again. I was just really disappointed overall with my entire experience here. And to think I was looking forward to my visit after reading some of the reviews and viewing the pictures people posted. I ventured here today with my brother and cousin. I guess the visit started off ok.....I was pleasantly surprised to find that exterior seating area is in a lovely garden with lush plants, a fountain, and an upper deck with more available seating. The inside, which is slightly small, was already full so we asked if we could be served out side and the answer we were given was "Yes, as long as you order inside first." We also asked if we could sit on the upper deck and we were informed by the hostess that this was fine as long as we placed our order inside first. After placing our order of beef noodles and the dim sum platter (we planned to share amongst the 3 of us), we went up the stairs to the deck and found a decent sized seating area with ample tables and chairs. Being that we were the only ones on the deck we took the table that provided the most shade. After admiring the garden and our surroundings, a server brought up our bowls, napkins, and chopsticks. The visit started to go downhill when after nearly half an hour none of our food showed up. Luckily this was our 2nd stop on our "food adventure" in Berkeley so none of us were stark-raving mad hungry at this point. I think the dim sum platter arrived after a half hour of waiting, and the beef noodles followed shortly after that. We also had to ask the server for water since no one had bothered to check up on us during the entire half hour we were waiting for our first dish. The server didn't come by to see how we were doing after dropping off our last dish, so I took it upon myself to go down to the lower level and just pay the check. After running my card and providing me with the bill, the hostess gave me a very hollow "thank you" and went back to her business. FOOD: It was just ok. Being from Hawaii, I've had better dium sum and noodles. There was nothing memorable about the food. We finished all of the platter and nearly all of the noodles. SERVICE: Very below par. This is some of the worst customer service I've experienced anywhere. Again, it was just an overall disappointing experience. Bottom Line: I'd go elsewhere.
(2)
Yolanta S.

Came here twice and wasn't (too) disappointed by anything I had. The list is a little long, so please bear with me! Steamed Buns ($6.50) are sometimes a tricky thing. I've noticed that it's usually larger restaurants that are dedicated to dim sum that do a better job because of their resources. The streamed buns here were just "okay" but were a little soggy and did not have enough filling to bread ratio. For the price, I wouldn't order it again. Tea Broth Wontons ($10) were (for lack of better words) underwhelming. They were tasty but not exactly exceptional. I found the wrapping to be a little soggier than desired as well when they reached the table. For the price and quality, I wouldn't order it again. Pot Stickers ($8) were super delicious. The skin was grilled to just the right crunchiness while keeping its softness, and the filling was full of texture and flavour. I have had better pot stickers for a much cheaper price, but this is probably the best pot sticker in town. Would I order it again? Only if I really craved it. Pork Shao Mai ($6), on top of being aesthetically pleasing, was very well-made and flavourful. It's nothing in comparison to what is offered in Asia and only "pretty good" for the East Bay. For the price, I don't really think it's worth it. But for those of you who have never had some, I still say go for it, because it is still pretty good, and be careful of puncturing a hole and spilling all the delicious soup! Gaiwan Tea Service ($5) with black tea was only "okay" for me. I've been spoiled by some very expensive black tea in my time, and so if you've also been spoiled, I would recommend trying something else. The infrequent tea drinkers in my party said it was the best black tea they've ever had, and so I suppose it's actually above average but definitely not at the very top. For the price? It's a little pricy versus brewing your own at home, but it is a good accompaniment to the food, and the experience is nice. Beef Hand-pulled Noodles ($13.50) and Spicy Pork Hand-pulled Noodles ($13) were both delicious. The meat was tender and the soup full of flavour. If you insist on having meat for dinner, these two hand-pulled noodles are the way to go, but the vegetarian hand-pulled noodles really won me over (see below). Vegetarian Hand-pulled Noodles ($13) was probably the best out of the three hand-pulled noodles that I had. It was a little spicy (and I'm not huge on spicy food), but it had just the right amount and mixture of spices that kept me going back for more. As always, the noodles were made to perfection (think al dente)! Although I'm sure there are people who are going to doubt my following statement, I have to say that the hand-pulled noodles here are among the best I've had anywhere in the world. I'm not a fan of noodles, but having hand-pulled noodles here converted me to being a noodle-lover and has disappointed noodles for me everywhere else. Hong Kong Yellow Curry ($10.50) made me go: what? Hong Kong is famous for curry? It was also the special, and so of course I had to try it. It's definitely spicy and the taste didn't really justify it. Perhaps it was the sauce or the type of noodles they used, but they weren't as al dente as the hand-pulled noodles. For the price, it's pretty good, but it wouldn't be my first choice unless you wanted something with a creamier sauce. Chocolate Wontons ($6) oh my... My friend was crazy over them, and I didn't believe her until I tried them myself. They are a serious delight for anyone with a sweet tooth. The chocolate is nice and creamy and perfectly paired with the whipped cream. The wonton skin (I've never seen wonton skin so big) is perfectly crunchy. I cry a little thinking that two of these cost $6, but everyone deserves a treat once in a while! Imperial Tea Cookies ($6) are just not worth it. Delicious, but not worth the price. Service here is pretty great. It might be a little shocking to see non-Asians work in the front of the restaurant, but they seem pretty competent in answering questions and pronouncing some of the words. They are also very attentive and quick to respond. The chairs are also not the most comfortable, and one of the tables I've had was a little rickety, but it wasn't a huge issue. The only thing that's really worth it to me at this place is the hand-pulled noodles. They are pretty pricy for the portion (guys, prepare to order two), but they are too hard to resist. For those not looking for the restaurant, it is a little hard to find, because you have to walk through the arch and up the stairs past the terraced area. Once you get there though, it seems almost magical. My only other complaint is the doors to this establishment. They're heavy and loud and when people open the doors during dinner-time, it lets in a draft that reaches any table in the restaurant. It is really the only thing that bugs me about going he
(4)
andrew w.

the big plus is that it a lovely place to sit. the minuses are; incredibly hard seats....bring your own pillow......food is ok....$4 for 3 pieces of beef with noodles which are already $10.....then $10 for a pot of tea......
(2)
Victor K.

Well, perhaps i am not very bright, I'd have to say it's pretty hard to find. When my ex-gf brought me here, I'd totally have missed the entrance if not for her. I haven't had a chance to try their buns but their noodles are JUST SIMPLY AMAZING. I actually meant to go onto a diet but i ended up ordering two bowls of their hand-made noodle soup. I basically would recommend any possible item on their noodle soup menu. For the noodles alone, I'd totally have given them a 5 stars. We also tried their fried wonton. It's not any particularly good or bad. In terms of service, i'd say 'so so'. It took them a while to get the check for us. The inside also felt a little but stuffy.
(4)
Jonathan W.

Disgusting is an understatement. I can't believe this place is Zagat Rated. Being a Chinese person and being around Dim Sum for so long, this place is a piss poor and pathetic excuse for "Chinese food" Ordered the sampler, which should serve as a nice metric for a review. Their steamed buns are tasteless and soggy, shrimp dumplings tastes worse than the stuff you can get in the freezers in Ranch 99 Market the Shiu Mai was not really Shiu Mai, and the pork was not throughly cooked. and the pot stickers were hard as a rock. And that's it? For $12 bucks? come on, don't rip people off. Worse of all, this is in NO WAY Authentic. I am outraged that this place tries to put on a show claiming that its an authentic Chinese restaurant. Hate to imagine that others will think this how dim sum should taste like. Go to the Asian Pearl in Richmond or Saigon Harbor Seafood Restaurant or other places in Oakland for proper dim sum (and they aren't the best either but at least I can call that dim sum).
(1)
Laci G.

I came here on a recommend from a friend for their hand-pulled ramen. It did not disappoint! The ramen was delicious, the broth flavorful, and I appreciated all the greens. The dim sum, however, was disappointing. It was doughy and the fillings lacked flavor. Plus, we spent somewhere around $35 for the dim sum sampler and a bowl of ramen. Mad overpriced.
(3)
Alan A.

Food was ok, but you better watch out as the lady behind the counter may rip you off on your bill. Food was ok, they charge $3 "house tea" that you get for free at almost any other Chinese places around. Service was very slow, although there's only 2-3 people eating. We finished our food, and they probably forgot to serve us the tea we paid for (they also charge extra if you're "sharing" the pot of tea with another person). Nothing really special about this place except the nice outside garden. People just buy outside food and eat at their garden.
(1)
Marco M.

Got the mint tea. a small handful of fresh mint in a covered cup and a huge pot of water. $5. Overpriced but nice atmosphere.
(3)
Jenny M.

3.5 stars I came here with my roommates for a cute apartment outing and had a really fun time! This place is amazing on a sunny day, and we definitely took advantage of that by sitting on the patio outside. We sat upstairs, so we could look down at the beautiful garden. The reason I would give this place 3.5 stars instead of 4 is that the food is simply too overpriced. I paid $14 for a bowl of beef noodle soup (with handpulled noodles) when I am sure I can get the same thing for well under $10 at other places in Oakland. The serving wasn't very large either! However, I guess they are charging more for the environment than the food. The server was very attentive though, even though we were part of a couple groups sitting on the upstairs patio. He came to refill our waters and check up on us pretty frequently.
(3)
Amy G.

I feel conflicted paying so much for food that I eat at home, but if the weather is nice the Epicurious Garden patio area is a really nice place to sit down and enjoy a meal. There's a soothing fountain and the dining area is artfully tiered so from the second level, we could look down at the people below us while eating and basking in the sun. There were many cute families sitting down with Berkeley's best restaurant fares i.e. Gregoire's, Cheeseboard, etc. and the sounds of happy children running around. I got the tofu soup and green onion pancakes. My roommates all got the hand-pulled noodles--the beef one does look very good--and we also shared the shrimp wontons in tea broth. My soup, and everything else that I tasted, was a bit too oily and salty. The waiter was super mellow and showed my roommate how to drink tea the "proper" way (although I don't think people in China would even care) and I appreciate that he climbed stairs to serve everyone up top, but he never did bring me extra chopsticks after mine dropped on the ground...oh well, I just ate vegetables with a spoon. A meal will cost you ~$15. Overall, I would not come back for authentic Chinese food but I also have no big complaints. Pleasant experience! Pros: env't on sunny day Cons: expensive, forgetful service
(3)
Alice W.

Came here to meet someone who lives in Berkeley. * tea was tasty: a bit pricey considering you can get almost the same stuff for $4 in SF instead of $8, but it doesn't change the fact that it's good tea * service was alright * food options were limited, but considering the fact it's a tea shop, I didn't expect food: only had the red bean buns, which were pretty good. * atmosphere was great: the garden is beautiful and the inside is nice as well. Overall, a nice experience. I plan on bringing my boyfriend for the experience, but better deals are out there.
(3)
Shayla E.

Fantastic ambiance: a lovely walkway and garden leading to a small enclosed patio which will be lovely come spring. Indoors was very traditional with wood paneling and rice screens, hanging lanterns and period artwork. The service was a tad slow, but the mood was very relaxed and I didn't mind letting my eyes wander while waiting for my order. We chose the dim sum sampler with two orders of the "Tea of the Week". We enjoyed a white peony with rose petal tea: a light, slightly sweet, floral tea that complimented our various dim sum nicely. The dim sum was fantastic - a great appetizer and all hand made. There were two vegetable dumpling, two shrimp dumpling and two beef dumpling, as well as a pork bun, veggie bun and red bean bun (all kindly cut in half as we were sharing). It was a little pricey, but definitely a nice way to break up a cold afternoon. We will certainly be back.
(4)
Haider H.

Lovvvvve the tea and the serene ambiance
(5)
Patricia K.

seriously overpriced menu for mediocre food. will not be coming here again.
(2)
Vinyl D.

Pretty exotic place; Tea was great, food was tasty. I was surprised how small the portion of food though. Be careful on what you are going to order. You might end up spending more than you thought if you are also trying to eat here. I understand this place is more meant for having a cup of tea. But I happened to be so hungry and wanted to give a shot. I ordered beef noodle soup. Mmmmmm, I never tasted anything like that before. My partner and I ended up spending around $60. We ordered a cup of tea for each and some food. I guess we know what to order and what not to order next time (portion wise). I think this is a place for enjoy a cup of tea, just as the name of the restaurant says. If you have a small stomach to fill, this is it.
(4)
kimberly v.

Small food items, many of them unusually regional and nicely prepared - moderate High quality teas, served in traditional style and appropriately ritualistic - a little on the expensive side Having your 13-year old boy enjoy meditatively sipping his tea and achieving a kind of martial-arts/Zen calm - priceless
(4)
Jasmine S.

Very cozy and quaint! We had a few cups of Jasmine green tea and some roasted almonds. Their tea is a high quality Chinese tea, very comparable to the teas I buy from Ten Ren in the South Bay. Loved it! Tehy serve Dim Sum too, but didn't get a chance to sample any... possibly next time!
(4)
Joh W.

I came here with a friend for tea tasting. I was surprised at how cheap it was for the amount of tea we drank! This place is PRETTY and zen-like! Lovely open area to sit in with lots of shade! The servers were gracious and didn't mind me popping open the jars to sniff their teas. They also have pretty teaware and teas to sell! Be aware that they do like to explain tea a lot, that's because the average user actually knows nothing about tea! Some reviewer complained about it-obviously they have no interest in learning. Same said reviewer also talked about lack of alcohol-IT'S A TEA HOUSE FOR CHRIST'S SAKE-go to a bar if you need get your crunkness on. Keep in mind this isn't your lipton/good earth/peet's/starbucks tea-this is genuine chinese tea, not the stuff you'll find in your local shopping market. So don't be surprised if it doesn't taste like herbally/chai/sugared beyond belief. I didn't eat their food because I already had my lunch, but it was fun to watch them make hand-pulled noodles. It smelled delicious and I'm eager to come back. Also hint, if you open the drawers in your table-you might find some kiddie scribbles-how cute! Edit I had some of their noodles and wonton-delicious and a bit on the expensive side.
(4)
Amrita S.

Delicious, healthy, non-restaurant-ey Chinese food. A lot of the dishes have a simple, homemade flair about them. Hormone- and antibiotic- free beef, organic chicken and often organic vegetables ... a must for me, personally. Their noodle soups are delicious ... that beef broth sure feels like it's put a couple of years on my life when I'm done with it. I have not had their tea, other than the ginger ginseng because I cannot take caffeine anymore, sadly, and this is the only herbal mix that I like. Please do not take this review as a reflection of their tea service or prices. Kudos to this place for breaking out of the Chinese restaurant mold and actually serving healthful, delicious food with an aim toward using local, fresh and organic ingredients. I will be coming here time and time again (especially for that Hong Kong yellow curry ... chicken curry with different types of squash and other root vegetables, mmm mmm).
(5)
christy l.

We found out this place cross a street from Cheeseboard pizza. Love love this place, inside and out side are so Zen. Good experience about tea. Dim sum was so good with tea leaf inside, and it was made fresh right there when I order it. The price is a bit pricey , because it almost all organic. Five star for quality and freshness of the food, tea and the primeness of the location.
(5)
A S.

Sounds like I need to try something else here (I keep reading hand pulled noodles). Had a dim sum mixed platter and it was ok, but not worth the money at all. I wouldn't go back to eat. It is beautiful there though, worth a visit. Edit: Came back and had the hand pulled noodles. Thick, chewy noodles and very good with the chili sauce they have on hand. I crave it!
(4)
Brittany W.

This is a great little hidden gem in North Berkeley! It is a very small place but the food here is fantastic! The selection is limited but all the food is high quality. The spicy pork hand pulled noodles are amazing! I also got the full tea service but I don't think it was really worth it. My tea was pretty plain and I had steeped it for a very long time. The staff was alright, certainly not amazing but they were a little helpful in helping us pick a good meal. I still recommend this place. :)
(4)
Elle C.

Strolling along N. Shattuck. Behind us, a young Japanese chap pointing out "Gourmet Sites" was saying to his tourees as we neared the Epicurious Center, " Ah! Place of many patios" He did not add, and super expensive food, and rightly so, because in Japan, all restaurant food is expensive. Well, 'twas a day for patios, and just one would do. I was thinking about my $ 300 I would soon receive to enliven the "Economy". Where better do that at the Imperial Tea Court. Much better that watching a documentary about Chinese sweat shops And this would be a tribute to the Immigrant Heritage of the Bay Area. Also J and I were HUNGRY, but in a delicate way. Delicacy, not Delicatessen today, please. Good Idea!!!! Lovely Dim Sum choices!!! Refreshing Hibiscus iced tea! Some kind of Chinese furnishings! Speaking of which, whilst awaiting our dumplings and bows, I found myself fiddling with the drawers in the tables. Drawers in tables in a restaurant. What kind of dream world am I in, in side the drawer were four messages, yes messages from customers, written on bits of paper. Enigmatic. No lottery numbers. Inspired by the yummy dim sum choices, and the dream like atmosphere, I tore a leaf from my note book and wrote a message of my own. When you decide to spend your incentive money at Imperial Tea in Berkeley, you may find it. Without the drawer, I would have to give one less star, because you can use up your "incentive money quite fast.
(5)
Emily A.

Their hand pulled noodles are as good as it gets for a wonderful lunch. The broth smells amazing and the noodles are chewy & wonderful. On the other hand, I ordered the tofu soup with steam buns for lunch the other day for a change (the soup and steam buns come separately, for your reference). The tofu soup mostly consisted of shredded vegetables. The broth didn't have much flavor on the top, so I added the chili condiment on the table, which make me cough. There was some ginger at the bottom of the soup bowl, which improved the flavor. The steam buns contained some unaccountably bitter greens. Probably just one of those things which some Chinese people like but the steam buns are not great for most American tastes. I found the service to be perfectly fine.
(4)
Ron R.

Yelpers helped out on this one, and it was definitely worth the trip. Although I've only been able to compare this place with QQ Noodle in Fremont, I still have to give this place credit. I went here in December, but did not rate this one because it was the first place I tried "hand-pulled noodles." Parking, minus one, but hey it's Berkeley for ya. Atmosphere, quite relaxing for a small place. Large groups, not recommended (4 ppl max). Large selection of teas to sample, and the staff seem very informative and pretty knowledgeable about teas. The noodle soups were very tasty, but portions were smaller than QQ Noodle. I wish they had bigger bowls, but the noodles were good that I had to sample 3 different dishes. ...and as previous yelpers say, don't come here if you're in the mood for dim sum. Price is slightly above average, like I mentioned, it's because of the small bowls. This place is definitely worth a return (ESPECIALLY FOR THE TEA VARIETY), but next time I plan to comeback for the patio atmosphere like yelpers say!
(4)
Jennifer W.

Despite the tiny portions here, I am so full from our afternoon tea slash lunch today. Between the three of us, we had: -hand pulled beef noodle -hand pulled spicy pork noodle -dragonwell dumplings -wontons in jasmine tea broth* -dim sum platter -green peony gaiwan -yufei sparrow's tounge dragonwell gaiwan *This is still my favorite now that I've tried a good variety of items on the menu. It was like 70.50$ or something before tip, which is too bad I can't do afternoon tea here routinely. Everything here is authentic, just pricey.
(4)
Nisan P.

I'm reluctant to review this place because of how much I enjoy that it's kind of a secret. Tucked way back behind the food court on Shattuck are amazing bowls of hand-pulled noodles. I can't really speak to much else there because of the 100 some odd times I've probably been here, I've never ordered anything but the hand-pulled noodle bowls that barely even stand out on the menu. Why? Because they're just the warmest, most-comforting, slurp-the-very-last-drop, chew-the-thick-chewy-noodles bowls of deliciousness that I constantly crave. Those bowls of noodles even make up for the fact that it's generally really cold and drafty in the restaurant, which is pretty uncomfortable. But somehow those wonderful brothy bowls even make up for that.
(5)
Jason N.

I'm giving one star for the beautiful garden, beyond that this place is a strong contender for worst restaurant in the gourmet ghetto. My wife and I had the tea soup, she had vegetarian and I had spicy pork. While my dish was edible, it was very bland and tasted like something I could have made myself in less time than it took them to handle the order. In addition paying $2 extra for "greens" just seems like a rip-off when you consider you're already paying $9 for bland, greasy broth and cheap angel hair pasta noodles. The vegetarian tea soup wasn't even edible. The broth tasted like really greasy dishwater. Definitely never coming back here, I'd recommend Noodle Theory on College Ave. if you want noodles.
(1)
Bonnie Z.

The Berkeley foodie adventures continue once again with my roommate! We wanted to branch out from our usual Gourmet Ghetto spot (Cheeseboard) to try the Imperial Tea Court instead. We ordered: vegetarian hand-pulled noodles, dragonwell dumplings, eggplant salad, green onion pancakes, and iced tea (jasmine green tea + hibiscus). Yes, portions are small but they sure were yummy! The noodles were thick and chewy and reminded us of hand-pulled noodles we ate in Shanghai. I enjoyed dipping the dumplings in vinegar and chili oil; the tasted reminded me of xiaolongbaos. The pancakes were nice and crispy. And the sauce in the eggplant salad was sooo good! The server told us it was a mixture of soy sauce, vinegar, chili oil, and garlic. I really liked their hibiscus tea because it is not loaded with sugar like the ones you'd get at Starbucks or Peet's. Yummm Total: ~$42. Omgosh, yes that *is* a pricey number for lunch for two ppl. But it was a post-grad splurge for us to try some gourmet food. You can probably find cheaper eats in Oakland Chinatown, but I would still come back because I love this area of Berkeley and I love sitting outside in their garden area to eat.
(4)
Kristen S.

I go to Imperial Tea Court for only one thing: the hand-pulled noodles with beef. This is the only place that I've found so far in which the beef noodle soup tastes close to the one that my grandfather makes. Whenever I get lonely or homesick, I go here and order the noodles! This is the ultimate comfort food for me. Honestly, nothing else in the restaurant is really that unique or even tasty. And I'm bothered by the menu. The hand-pulled noodles come with a variety of toppings: beef, pork, chicken, spicy Mandarin pork, etc, which makes it sound as if they are all the same type of soup just with different kinds of meat. However, this is NOT the case. Hand-pulled noodles is beef noodle soup, hand-pulled noodles with spicy Mandarin pork is Zhajiangmian, etc. These are all different dishes and should be labeled as such. However...when I'm homesick, I'll be the last to complain about authenticity. I'll just ignore this lumping together of different dishes and go straight to my favorite again and again - the beef noodle soup.
(4)
Courtney V.

The vegetarian hand-pulled noodles are amazing. AH-MAZ-ING. They are my ultimate comfort food. They are loaded with flavor and have a really satisfying texture. I can't get enough. They're hot, and they're so good that I've sat outside and ordered them on really hot days because it's totally worth it. Speaking of sitting outside, the garden is amazing and I always try to sit outside unless it's raining. They service has always been top-notch, and the tea selection is great. The green onion pancakes are also tasty!
(5)
Krishna S.

We were walking around after dinner looking for dessert and came across this really cute tea place and decided to try it. We shared two teas among 5 people and it was the perfect amount. Any more would've been too much. We got the lychee black tea, which was really good but a bit strong and the imperial white peony tea, which wasn't as flavorful but that could be because we tried the lychee black tea first. There are a lot of other tea options that sounded good. The server was very nice and helpful. We didn't eat there so can't comment on the food.
(3)
Alfred B.

I'm not one to judge whether an authentic tea place is, well, "authentic", because I have only gone to about two or three of them in my life time. However, considering that I do come from a very authentic asian background, which includes food, I can say for certain that the quality of their food is amazing!! Of course, everyone has their own personal tastes when it comes to food, but I really think you can't go wrong with this place. Considering I have only been to this place two times, I can not vouch for all of their dishes, however from what I have had (vegetarian hand pulled noodles ((kinda spicy)) and green onion pancakes) I can say that the taste and quality is superb! I was introduced to this place by my best friend who is a tea fanatic, and she loves this place for its food and its tea. Not only do they have a pretty good range of dishes, but when it comes to getting some tea, you will find yourself with a plethora of choices. For all you tea lovers out there, I can assure you that you will find absolute joy when you come to this place. Not only is there a great selection of teas, but they also have a great selection tea pots, tea cups, and all things "tea". They even have a small section in the back of the restaurant set aside specifically for tea buyers - they have a huge list of teas categorized by types and you choose how much you want and they will hook you up. The individuals who work there also have pretty good knowledge of the different types of teas and will be more than happy to explain and answer any questions you may have about what you're drinking. The overall feel of the place is pretty cool as it does make it seem like you traveled back in time to some distant part of China. The location also makes it a bit of an "awesome secret" because it's not visible from the street view. If you try to Google Map this place, you will not see it from their "street view" option, (I know, I've tried this) and I think this kind of adds to the "awesomeness" of this place. I would definitely go back here when I get the chance and will I'll add more to this review as time goes on, but for now, just go there and eat some Eats and drink some Teas. You won't regret it, I promise.
(5)
Rae L.

Have been going to this restaurant for several years - and I've never been disappointed. Great atmosphere and wonderful food.
(4)
Jacquie R.

Beautiful setting in the Epicurious garden. The Tea service is quite charming, relaxing, and educational--great for bringing out of town guests. The hand pulled noodles are DELICIOUS. My favorite is the spicy pork hand-pulled noodle bowl. Large amount of food for the price. Worth every penny! Definitely a favorite afternoon/weekend spot!
(5)
Solomon W.

This tea shop offers some great stuff: large tea list, well-selected Chinese grub, and a great dining atmosphere. Inside, it is very Asian-feeling, and outside, there is a great 3-tiered dining patio. Tea is a bit pricey here at $5 for the cheapest brew, and they are a bit stingy on the amount of leaves, but they definitely give you the traditional gear you need to make a good brew. The Snow Water green was a great tea, and they refilled my water every time I asked. If you want the traditional tea experience, it will cost you upwards of $12, but they definitely know their various fermentation levels of Camellia sinensis here. ITC is a great place to grab some good eats, have a pot of tea, and have a leisurely afternoon.
(4)
Sujan H.

hmmmm I feel like I'm being generous with my one star. Anyway here it goes. Bought a voucher through bloomspot ($15 for $30 worth of food valid Sun-Thurs only) and since it was going to expire in a month or so decided to come on a beautiful Sunday for lunch. My friends and I sat outside at first (communal area so first come first served) but it got too hot (I guess it's a good problem to have - I'd rather be hot than cold) so ended up going inside. On a nice sunny day, it really is nice here - feels very zen. HOWEVER restaurant needs more than a nice vibe & atmosphere. I would think food & service comes first? So here goes my rant. Food: We ordered hand pulled noodles (pork & vegetarian options), beef stew, green onion pancake and dim sum sampler. Noodles (just the noodles) were good. However portion was VERY small for the price. The vegetarian option, there was no soup and it was very bland. Pork option was too salty. The worst thing about the noodles was that they accidentally brought out hand pulled noodles with beef (which is not what we ordered). We didn't know, and one of the girls had tried the broth, and another girl was about to try a piece of meat when the waiter came running out and said "Sorry we brought out the wrong one" and took it away (my friend's chopstick was literally in the bowl when this happened). If they took it away and threw it out fine...but we saw it come right back out and being served to someone else!!! Beef stew was good. Green onion pancake was okay. Their dim sum platter was meh - I have had better dim sum elsewhere. Now to go back to their untrained staff issues, we ordered 2 ginger ale (in bottles) and 2 iced tea as our drinks. My friend did not like the ginger ale so she took the bottle back and asked them to throw it out and requested an iced tea instead. Now...she turned around to get her wallet and when she turned around facing the counter, she saw the waiter pouring her left over drink into a cup and drinking it. And then when she got her iced tea it was only 2/3 full so she asked if she could get a full glass of iced tea and the waiter said "should we add more water to it?" I mean...if they are serving a full glass of iced tea shouldn't they be adding more "iced tea"? I will obviously not be coming back here (gosh who knows where my plate of food could have been??) One star for nice Berkeley weather and the courtyard (which has nothing to do with the restaurant)
(1)
Tiffany Z.

A casual teahouse in a more traditional Chinese setting, which benefits from the beautiful garden courtyard (shared jointly with the rest of the Epicurious Garden Food Court). The tea menu boasts a vast selection of white, green, oolong, black, and pu-erh teas, all served in gaiwans, and a pot of hot water is provided (and refilled) so you can re-steep your leaves. Table service is provided inside; however, note that if you'd like to sit in the garden area outside, you must place your order at the counter. Your order is still brought out to your table, and the staff cleans up after you so don't forget to tip! :) In terms of the food, the beef hand-pulled noodles are fantastic! But, I would avoid the soup dumplings (xiao long bao) here. Some (but not all) of the staff are very informed about tea. Service can be a bit slow or inattentive, but the staff is friendly. Overall, this a great place with a warm ambiance to catch up with friends and get a light bite to eat.
(5)
Connie C.

I came here a few times before. First time was just randomly finding this place on Yelp, and going there with a friend from SoCal. It was a bit hard to find at first, since we took the longer way, which was to go through all the shops under Imperial Tea Court then take the staircase in the back. Really like the decor, makes me feel like I'm in some late 1800s, early 1900s rich family's home in Chinese dramas. I tried hand-pulled noodles only and that was amazing. Too bad the portions were small for that price, but I guess it was worth it for the quality. Many places can't sell hand-pulled noodles with that quality. It's very chewy and fresh. You can just watch how your noodles are made from dough. They have this lady pulling noodles in the open kitchen. So you get to see this piece of dough being stretched out arms length, then looped around and the process repeats. It is a spicy dish, I believe you can tell them to make it mild too. Second time was with a Groupon deal for tea tasting. I loved teas but I never really know much about it. So this was a fun little experience. We got to smell a variety and then choose two. I remember choosing their Pu-Erh and Silver tipped White tea. Pretty much opposites in the tea spectrum. We get to use those tea sets. I totally forgot what the cup that was used as a "pot" called. I know that you can use it individually too. This is like one important aspect of tea, you don't need some large capacity tea maker because you want every cup to be fresh. And depending on the material of the cup, the tea's flavor may be enhanced. The white tea we chose was really light, didn't last too long after a few more brewing. But the Pu-Erh was amazing. We probably brewed it for like 8-10 times, the scent was still there, the color lightened up a bit. I loved it a lot, so I bought like 10 grams of it. It's not a lot but it's enough for me to enjoy it every once a while. It was less than $10. Considering how one serving can last so long, that's a steal! We ordered some food to go along with the tea. Of course, can't skip out on the hand-pulled noodles! We also ordered the dimsum plate, had a decent variety of the normal choices like Ha Gow. I didn't enjoy the dimsum plate too much though. I guess being Southern Chinese, I have very high expectations on dimsum. I would've ordered another bowl of noodles instead.
(4)
Emanuelle O.

Just came back from lunch. The hand-pulled noodles are yum. Mandarin pork over the noodles a bit too salty. Prices were greater than expected for Chinese noodles, dimsum and buns. But I guess it's the Gourmet Ghetto. Beef on the hand-pulled noodles were better. Onion pancakes were good. The odd thing was that my bowl of noodles with pork was half the size of my husband's bowl of noodles with beef. And both portions were smaller than expected. Anyways, not sure if I would come here again.
(3)
Caroline S.

I wanted to love ITC, but alas, one cannot force a loving relationship if both sides don't deliver. In my experience, ITC has not been very solo-person-friendly. Despite an incredibly quaint and peaceful interior and outdoor garden patio, my hopes of enjoying a book and a quality pot of tea by my lonesome have consistently been bashed against the wall: a seemingly annoyed and aloof waitstaff, bland, unexciting tea, and awkward glassware that has me spilling chamomile flowers all down my front--all lead me to wonder: is it worth the $5 for such a stressful experience? I think I will seek my Zen elsewhere.
(1)
Jenny Z.

I came here on a weekday with some friends because I heard good things about their tea service and hand pulled Chinese noodles. I like the quaint decorum of the restaurant. It definitely reminds me a traditional tea house that you will see in China. Lanterns, a million jars of peculiar teas, myriad tea pot sets. It seriously reminded me of my homeland. However, I found it peculiar that despite the authenticity of the tea court, the owner was not chinese or even asian. Anyways, we proceeded to order from their wide selection of teas and noodles. Overall, I thought their tea service was very elaborate because each person had their own tea pot and cup. Our server even took the time to explain the unique conditions needed to brew each type of tea flower/leaves. I think after the lesson, I gained a greater appreciation for different types of tea and how each holds its unique flavor. The noodles are hand-made but definitely not authentic chinese hand pulled noodles. It's more like knife cut (dao xiao mian) noodles because they were extremely thick and chewy. Also, the portion was extremely tiny and not very hearty. So for the price of the noodle bowl ($11), I was really unimpressed and left hungry. I think in the end, each of us paid a little more than $20 for lunch... Their tea service is great though, a little pricey, but worth coming back for. No noodles for me if I ever come back.
(3)
Mengeskhan K.

Nothing to see here :( We waited 40 minutes for the food only to have found out that the manager(who we ordered from) never even put it through! First n last time there, this place is a joke.
(1)
Louis K.

Just returned from a lunch meeting with 3 people, the food was OK, not great, prices high and the service not so good. We ordered an appetizer that arrives after our meals, and our meals arrived at three different times. The big problem; they bill their selves an Organic, I wanted some soy sauce to add to my meal, I read the label and it contains sodium benzonate, not organic. I mentioned this to the waiter and he tells me that this is not the bottle the sauce comes in and brings me the container to show me what they are using. Well it was a large plastic bottle from China, with a completely unnatural soy sauce NOT ORGANIC with lots of very unnatural ingredients and who knows what. I now question the quality of all the food they serve and will not return. In conclusion; Over priced, limited menu NOT ORGANIC as advertised, and service has a lot to be desired.
(2)
Eli D.

yum. as a jew, sometimes i feel like there's nothing as comforting as good chinese food. and here, the greens are fresh, there are the most delicious hand-pulled noodles, and those little pops of shrimp dumplings?! i could eat 4 orders by myself easily. i would never order the curry again, though. the staff are also so sweet and kind.
(4)
Gail P.

I have abandoned my conquest of trying to go after "Firsts" for Yelp and have now staked out a claim on 5 Star dining Yelps in the Gourmet Ghetto along Shattuck Avenue in Berkeley! Furthermore, ladies-when you are disappointed with the men in your life and in despair of how they continually let you down, stop eating junk food that will only pack on the pounds-go out and seek the best, healthy food you can find! And then eat your heartache away-within reason! As I once was a professional Chinese Wok Cooking demonstrator who traveled Bay Area Macy's and demonstrated the intricacies of cooking Asian Wok cuisine, I know a thing or two about Oriental foods. Imperial Tea Court is delicious and authentic and it is not to be missed in your East Bay culinary exploits! While killing time waiting for Cafe at Chez Panisse to open, I was seated in the courtyard of the Imperial Tea Court-amid the beautifully-land-scaped bamboo gardens and waterfalls. While texting my son to remind him to wake up, I was overcome with the most fragrant smells lofting through the fresh morning air. Though probably from the ovens of Panisse, I followed my nose up the stairs and found a tea bar! Not having traveled much in the Orient beyond Japan-I thought to myself-how cool is that! Some Asian customers were seated at a bar and drinking tea! At least I am assuming as much. Curious-I wondered down the multi-leveled tier of stairs and came across the actual restaurant and was delighted to find a menu posted. After my scheduled lunch, I came back to purchase the $8.50 won tons in jasmine tea broth. These were succulent pork won tons wrapped paper thin and slow cooked in jasmine tea! I carried these back to my hotel to savor later on. Next visit I intend to try the $9 House Specialty: Hand Pulled Noodles-made of organic flour and cooked in spicy seasonings. Not being much of tea aficionado, I was happy to ogle all the exotic specialty teas that are sold here. There is also a sorbet vendor on site for some palate-cleansing after your big meal. It is easy to overlook Imperial Tea Court- just a little gated front entrance announces where you must walk down a brick-path and climb up some stairs. There are signs asking patrons to not touch the plants and flowers as they have used some very interesting and unique greenery to decorate with. Though I have seen the Imperial Tea Court in San Francisco, I prefer this incarnation because of the colorful and delicious addition it is to the Berkeley food scene. Make sure you take your out-of-town guests here to visit and dine as it is truly a very interesting and beautiful place to enjoy.
(5)
Taffany H.

Went here for a late morning escape for some alone time and ordered a tea service for 1 in the garden with a good book last Sunday. I think I've found my new weekend ritual. The hand-pulled noodle dishes are delightful but not special but I'm a big fan of the great tea service selection. The decoration of the restaurant interior reminds me of an old Chinese kung-fu tv series tea house, and the patio seating is such a nice place to sit and read a good book. Since this is Berkeley we're talking about, come with a sweater or a wrap if you plan on sitting outside. The bill can be pricey but I'm ok with supporting a family-run place like this one. TIPS: The prices are not listed for the tea service but the front page tea list is priced at $8/person--pricey but worth the try if you like tea.
(4)
Tricia K.

I love to try out tea houses when I travel but I should have skipped this one. The majority of the reviews were decent so I thought I'd try it. Luckily, I got one of the cheaper dishes for lunch so I don't feel totally gipped. The bottom line is, this place is ok for tea but not for food. I got the bargain dim sum plate for lunch with a pot of green jasmine. The dim sum was definitely of the frozen variety but the fried pot sticker which had a faintly green wrapper was the only decent piece on the plate. After I finished off all the dumplings and buns I was still hungry so on my way out I hit the gelato counter on the bottom floor of the tea court. There are also a soup counter, take out sushi and mexican food stands down there. I should have opted for one of those....
(1)
Philip G.

perhaps the best handmade noodles in town. Literally, i wish the chef gave classes on noodle making as i would jump at a chance to learn from her. They used to prepare the noodles in a way you can watch them but i guess too many of us were staring in disbelief at the beautiful techniques that she and her assistants use. Beautiful to watch them work!! The green onion pancake is amazing as are the veg dumplings. The noodle soup with tofu and vegetables is exceptional. Great stock and they make a tea oil chili oil that is truly awesome. Of course, a serious selection of teas to choose from. They are pricy! Due to location and the absurd rents their prices are higher than i wish. But the ingredients are amazing and i really appreciate their approach to some very old Chinese techniques and dishes.
(4)
Ka L.

I was walking through shops when I entered an alley, and tada!!! It was like I had teleported myself to the emperor's garden in ancient China! Awesome decor, which would probably look wonderful for a summer afternoon when you can sit outside and pretend to be the emperor and his courtesans X) 5 stars for service! My boyfriend, his brother and me roamed in in the evening, when there was only one table available by the door. As we were rushing off in 20 minutes to pick up my boyfriend's sister-in-law, we only ordered ONE order of scallion pancakes. NO questions asked, and the waiter even offered us water!!!! The scallion pancakes are definitely a good snack to go along with tea. It was nicely fried, a little chewy with tons of spring onion in the centre. My only complaint is that it is a tat too salty.. I definitely want to come visit again!! They have dragon well dumplings!!! And some tea wontons!! Sounds like an awesome and relative healthy snack :D
(4)
Anne R.

Absolutely excellent! I have eaten here many times, and every time, the food is wonderful. I particularly love the Hong Kong Yellow Curry dish. Very wholesome. Finish it off with the buttery imperial tea cookies and a specialty tea. And the surroundings are lovely--tucked away in a nice courtyard. What a lovely find!
(5)
CeliaJeff C.

After getting some awesome gelato from Lush, we wandered into the Chinese themed garden outside of Imperial Tea Court. The garden is really nice and is worth a visit even if you don't decide to eat at Imperial Tea Court. It has well-kept plants, a waterfall, and tables with large umbrellas. The inside of the restaurant is just as nice as the outside. There are traditional chinese tables, lighting, and shelves. Good feng shui. On to the food: We ordered the dim sum sampler which comes with some high quality tea that you choose from a huge menu. This is an afternoon special for $14. The dim sum was pretty good. but pricey for the amount, and everything is made with tea oil. This makes everything really aromatic, but we found that it doesn't add too much to the taste. We also ordered the beef noodle soup (~$10). It comes in a relatively small bowl, but is really filling. The hand pulled noodles were really good but it only had beef and noodles - nothing else. Overall, the food was pretty good but it was pretty expensive. We may go again for the atmosphere or with someone who really loves tea.
(3)
yael w.

Got here with a friend, following another friend's recommendation. Not going back. Or maybe for tea and chocolate from the chocolate shop downstairs. Sunday late lunch. Most table at the lovely terrace were taken, the cooler interior was mostly empty. Set to the left of the lady with the very big appetite. She seemed happy. We ordered three dishes and a pot of the tea of the day. The tea was fine. And was the only order item that rated so high. Details: Service: They served each dish in its own time, ignored our request to share the dim sum as an appetizer, they served it last. Mixed dim sum: 4 pairs of very boring, stingy dumplings. And probably a day old. The stuffing was minimal, no soul, very blend. For dipping we got some vinegar. Hand-pulled noodles, the veggie option. Noodles - OK; sauce: blend Ma Bo Tofu: shame on you, guys! No pork bits whatsoever, no flavor of hua-jiao [Sichuan pepper], diluted sauce, and cabbage? What does cabbage has to do with it? And to hide the stingy size of the portion, a hill of rice was put inside the plate. Needless to say, as interesting as they sounded, we skipped the chocolate filled wontons. Enough disappointment for one visit.
(2)
M. K.

Excellent tea selection. Hearty menu items. Go with the gaiwan tea presentation if you want to feel fancy, but need to keep it under budget. We really enjoyed the white peony tea and bought some to bring home (at a very reasonable price, I might add). Service could be more engaging, though the staff was friendly enough.
(4)
John R.

The Dim Sum was not fresh, not tasty and definitely NOT Chinese. Tasted like it came out of a freezer and was cooked in a microwave, not steamed, not tender, not flavorful. Overpriced and Very disappointing. .Shu mai was dry, Bao was dry as well and very doughy, Har Gow was tiny. I would not go back and would not recommend it to anyone in search of Dim Sum.
(1)
Kevin R.

This is a really nice find. The outdoor seating area is a beautiful garden like atmosphere. The inside is very tranquil. I was looking for a place that had hand pulled noodles in east bay and this is what came up - and I'm glad I went. The hand pulled noodles, though I haven't had them in too many places to be an expert on it, seemed perfect to me. The green onion pancake was tasty when used with their housemade chili oil - if perhaps a little on the greasy side. The soup dumplings were fun. The soup was inside the dumpling AAHHHHH MIND FREAK. Reasonable pricing, nice portions. Hand pulled noodles is really a welcome change from the typical ramen, udon, or pho noodles one is used to. If I lived near here, I'd probably go at least a couple times a month.
(4)
Steph L.

I came here today and was disappointed at how OVERPRICED and WHITE WASHED their food it. There's a nice garden that sets the ambiance before entering the restaurant (which is pretty small). This place looks authentic because of the antique furniture they use and the extensive display of teas [way too overpriced in my opinion - $5-$8 per person for TEA...what the hey!] My table got the Green Onion Pancake ($5), Beef Hand Pulled Noodles ($12) and Stir Fried Shrimp Hand Pulled Noodles ($13.5). I have never been charged $5 for Green Onion Pancake, it's like the cheapest appetizer they can make...and it was very mediocre. You can actually see the chefs hand pulling the noodles because the kitchen area is transparent and right next to the dining area...somewhat disturbing. The beef stew was overcooked/dry, shrimp and celery were sauteed with too much oil (you can see the oil settling in my soup which was like 80%+ of the surface area), the hand pulled noodles were a lot thicker than I imagined, but similar to exterior of Chinese Soup Dumplings (Shui Jiao). Their portions are small, but filling [I wasn't able to finish and had like 30% of my noodles left]. IMO, there's better out there for half the price BUT if you wanted something in this cuisine, I would give this place a try since there's not many decent Chinese cuisines in Berkeley.
(2)
Dalila S.

The food here is pretty good and I think it is lovely-looking, but the service is some of the worst I have experienced in Berkeley. Among other things, they inexplicably removed our spoons and took them away while we were in the middle of eating our soup. It is also really cold in there.
(2)
Coco S.

it's been a little late to write the review. I came here with all my dearest roomies on a super nice saturday aftnoon. We ordered some noodles for late lunch and then Puer tea for just sitting there chatting the whole afternoon. They have a beautiful court yard and fairly good chinese tea in the bay area. In fact, it's not the food that i gave this place 4 star but rather the environment and the nice staff!! Definitely will come back again !
(4)
Pelina C.

Ambience: Love the outside courtyard and the Chinese tea court look. Food: I really wanted to like this place, but the food is really the opposite of authentic Chinese food. The tea was great, but why have Chinese food here when you can get the real thing all over the Bay Area? Service: Nice people but soooo slow. It was a slow day, but we still went back to check twice to see if they had forgotten about us.
(2)
Sicily C.

Went here and enjoyed the lovely terrace. The service was awesome and the staff was very attentive seeing as most of the terrace was seated by patrons of the downstairs food court. I am not the biggest Chinese fan and seeing as how I am gluten intolerant- that always makes it a challenge. I did find a few items on the menu that were gluten free and you are able to to change anything with rice noodles. I thought the broth was a little bland but maybe that is just the typical style of Chinese noodle dishes. I can tell if I were able to eat the hand pulled noodles I would have been over the top excited for the restaurant. They looked amazing! Nothing is better than getting some sun/drinking some yummy water/ and eating some clean food for a friday afternoon!
(4)
Alex M.

We went for a tea tasting here, and had a lot of fun. Our server was knowledgeable and I learned a lot. The place gets kind of noisy, so it was a little hard to hold a good conversation, and the furniture is attractive, but uncomfortable. However, the food going by looked amazing, so I will definitely go back to try the food. The tea was great, but much more expensive than some of the great tea stores on line- but that's the way it is for bricks and mortar stores- they have to charge more. The tea was fresh and very good. I especially liked the tea snacks were were served- raisins, almonds and other little things to nibble on with our tea. All in all very pleasant.
(4)
LI K.

My friend got off early from wrok and was so excited bcz we found this from yelp. but all we can think of is we shouldn't done it and save the money. we had hand pulled beef noodle, pork noodle, and dim sum platter, NO good at all. this is not place for food for sure!! but maybe for tea. I feel sorry to my friend to paid such pricy food. one star for clean area and nice seating.
(1)
Richard K.

On a cool winter night, I had longed for a nice warm cup of tea and some good food. I happen to be meandering around the gourmet ghetto, so naturally good food was all around me although most places were rather pricey. As I am walking, I pass Alice Water's Chez Panisse and notice an alley to the back. Being fearless i walk back and see an awesome garden area with outdoor seating and a little tea house. Who would have known definitely not the feint of heart? I walk in and sit amazed to how cool the ambiance is because it is a hidden tea house that serves dim sum. The decorations around is fitting of an Asian tea house. I could not imagine it any better. I look at their extensive tea list and my friend and I are overwhelmed leading us to settle on green tea and flat noodle dish. As we are waiting for our food and tea, the staff is extremely friendly and cordial, chatting up a storm with us. Before we knew it we had our warm green tea and small flat noodle dish and were off back into the cold Berkeley night. It is quite the hidden gem.
(4)
Kevin P.

Good: -food is for the most part pretty good. (I enjoyed the tea house noodles, curry and hand pulled noodles. The mapo tofu was mediocre at best) -nice ambience and decor -gaiwan tea presentation is nice Bad: -inattentive wait staff that does not seem to not want to be here -tea is bland and thoroughly underwhelming (I've been spoiled with good imported loose leaf teas my whole life) -bothersome flies buzzing around Neutral: -modest portions -entrees are in individual-sized rice plate form, not family-style Bottom Line: -nice atmosphere, but overall disappointing for its price
(2)
Karen W.

Love this place! The setting is superbly unique...my friend (Japanese American) and I went up the stairs and sat at the top of the court, and he said that he felt like he was in Japan. Basically, there is nothing like eating fabulous food surrounded by bamboo, a little fountain, pretty foliage, and lots of green stuff. So peaceful, unlike most parts of Berkeley. There is seating inside the restaurant, but it's rather dark and stark compared to the fresh and beautiful outside. Outdoor seating is interesting--a mishmash of oriental-style chairs and creaky wooden things...it's quite charming though. We ordered the Dim Sum Platter and the Hand-Pulled Noodles, paid, and they soon brought our food up to us. Total came to about $20 for 2 people, for dinner. The portions weren't large, but were satisfying! I'm definitely going to come back for some more food, and also tea...but here is the breakdown on the food I've tried: -Hand-pulled noodles: Delicious, chewy, high-quality. Best noodles I've had in Berkeley, as far as texture goes. It is noodle-soup with very little soup, and some vegetables. Supposedly spicy, but not really...Light and flavorful for sure. -Dimsum platter: This is an assortment of dimsum--most come in 2s, but 3 were solo. There are vegetable things and meat things (buns, dumplings, siao-mai), and all are very fresh and not greasy at all. I liked the meaty things more, personally. The bad part was when I dumped my bun into soy sauce, bit down, and found out that I was eating a red-bean filled bun. They should have warned us.
(5)
Felicia C.

I really wanted to give this place 5 stars for being unique and so utterly adorable, but I can't. The owners are immigrants from mainland China, though they both came to the US when they were young-ish. The teas are excellent. I tried their rose tea and their jasmine pearl tea - both were ridiculously fragrant and so soothing to drink. I also had their beef noodle soup. The handmade noodles were delicious. My main qualm is THE PRICE. The expense here is laughable. I understand that it's "all part of the experience," but I was very unhappy to pay $12 for a few tiny pieces of mediocre dim sum fare. I would rather go to Chinatown and stuff my face. As mentioned earlier, the beef noodle soup is good. However, the portion is very small. I think people are willing to shell out money to try handmade noodles, but there are AWESOME places in Oakland Chinatown that is cheaper and just as good. That being said, I have come here more than once. It's such a cute place. But any true Asian would admit that the prices and food (aside from the noodles) are offensive.
(3)
Chris O.

Great tea in a very nice setting. This location is much friendlier and nicer than the one in SF. I love sitting in the garden area and sipping fresh premium tea. The food is ok but very pricey. If you are wealthy no problem, if not, just get your food somewhere else and get your tea there, they seem to allow people to sit in the garden with outside food.
(4)
Chemmy D.

This is where I take out-of-towners when I want to wow them. This is Chinese food like you have never had it before. It's healthy ( they use organic ingredients, lots of veggies, brown rice...), creative (green onion pancake? Hand-pulled noodles? Wonton soup with tea broth? Trust them, they know what they're doing.), and most importantly it is DELICIOUS. Their huge selection of excellent teas is a bonus of course.
(5)
Wendy H.

Great tea and great presentation. The non-Chinese waiter/master tea person spoke chinese very well. Impressive. My only complaint is that I couldn't get rid of that aftertaste of slightly "over-steeped" prices.
(3)
Amy L.

I took my mom here for mother's day this year. The food is good, but not great and it's a little pricey. However, the energy of this place is very peaceful. We ate outside where there's a beautiful garden and small waterfall. I would come here again and maybe just drink tea and enjoy the scenery.
(3)
clarya c.

I love their decor !! All of them remind me of my grandparents home when I was a child. Even though my grandparents loved tea, I have never been any tea shop. I was looking for "Milk Tea" when I went there. This is the only tea I drink since I was young. For this reason, I won't give any opinion about how the tea I tasted. The food we love is Green Onion Pancakes. It's really yummy. Generally, I like this restaurant, but the price is a little pricy. the Ice tea $3.5 and Green Onion Pancakes $ 4.75.
(3)
Anna V.

I came to Imperial Tea Court excited about trying their noodles. The scenery and restaurant is quite beautiful, definitely a nice place to sit around. However, I recommend getting food at the food court near by rather than buying food at the restaurant. At the restaurant, my friend and I ordered the dim sum sampler and the beef soup with hand pulled noodles. Both dishes lacked flavor and required a lot of soy sauce in order to give it some more flavor. Generally, it was quite disappointing since we were really excited to find a place that served noodles. I would not recommend eating it, but it did look like they had a really nice tea selection and it would have been a really nice place to have tea with a friend. The service was okay though, the servers ended up in a intense conversation and so it took them awhile to get us our bill. Not a horrible experience, but not really the best.
(2)
Danny L.

HUGE selection of teas, decent selection in food, and a cool little set-up inside and out. I had to try their hand pulled noodles since this place is known for this specialty. In fact, you can see the 2 old Chinese women in the kitchen creating these noodles from scratch. Wow, interesting! This place is very Chinese... The interior decor made me feel like I was in a Chinese kung fu movie made back in the days... You know, the Chinese movies that have the kung fu masters flying through the air and stuff?! What brought me back to reality was the white waiter in the Chinese outfit. The tea was exquisite even though we fumbled with the whole straining process. The noodles were decent. Nothing spectacular, but the experience was fun. The owner recently published a book on teas so he's pretty knowledgeable when it comes to tea!
(4)
Yoko S.

Perfect place for week-end's afternoon snack/tea. The staff is very knowledgeable, I liked his demonstration/explanation about the tea. I ordered pork buns which were good, noodle looked good, but pricing is bit higher than I like, considering the portion is fairly small. I'm so typical Japanese that I like my tea hotter. Tea's served with a pot of hot water and there is no boiler in front of you, so there is no control of the temperature. I know tea shouldn't be served that hot, but it's just a preference.
(4)
Mark B.

Hand pulled noodles topped with spicy beef ............ HOLY BRAISED COW FLESH ! That's damn tasty. The inside of the store front looks like a kung-fu movie exploded. Outside are wonderful patio places to sit and slurp. I would say that this is one of the best places for noodles. Go here and order some noodles with a lychee ice tea and enjoy the afternoon.
(4)
Wen D.

Been here 4 times in the last 4 years. Pros: Great atmosphere, service, and good menu choices Cons: Food, though hard to find in the Berkeley the food here does not compare to cheap and good Chinese street food. I've taken my dad, who loves pulled noodles and lighter Chinese food. Though he enjoyed himself, the place seemed a bit like a novelty Chinese restaurant. After spending $15-30 per visit each time I remember leaving hungry. I'm willing to put out the extra cash for great food. But in all honesty, it was average for the food but good for the tea.
(3)
idlehouse i.

I ordered their special item of the day and it was a mandarin chicken noodle dish - this is not a soup, it's more like stirfried house noodles with some chicken and sesame oil, plus some veggies. If you see this item, order it, it's the best I've had. Their house noodles are always awesome, better than China Village's and Sichuan Fusion's. I think they might be Taiwanese(?) the food is less salty than most Chinese places, so that's good for your health, no? but other than the mandarin chicken special I've had, nothing else on their menu tasted "awesome" to me.
(4)
Candice B.

Imperial Tea Court serves tea in a more traditional fashion. Compared to Samovar, it's pretty much only focused on Chinese tea and cuisine. Equally full of ambiance, you get to enjoy a variety of tea in a gaiwan and a pot of hot water that is large enough to last you for hours for $5. If you are drinking green tea, you are served warm water; if black, hot water. The dudes who work there are really laid back and aren't afraid to crack a few jokes here and there, creating a sharp contrast between their hippie-like attitude with the seriousness of the kitchen people cooking and talking with a thick Northern Chinese accent. Phew, at least the food should be authentic. The vegetarian hand pulled noodles ($8.75) are deliciously chewy and you can definitely tell it's "hand pulled" with its irregular shapes and sizes. The flavor is strong, but all I could taste is soy sauce and hot pepper, which isn't as complex as I'd liked. But I think that's pretty typical of Northern Chinese cuisine. Have you noticed how the more tropical you get, the more complex the flavors? Look at Thai or Indian food---how many spices are devoted in a single dish? And then Korean or Northern Chinese is like, green onions and garlic, what else do you need? I love to digress and make sweeping generalizations about global cuisine... Anyway, come for the exquisite backyard, which Imperial Tea Court shares with the food court downstairs. The landscape screams serenity (well it's serene so it's more like whispers). Trees, bamboos, small stream, a few chairs here and there under the sun. It really knows how to take advantage of Berkeley's beautiful weather.
(4)
Elizabeth N.

The location, setting and tea gets higher points, but the ditsy, confused and terrible server we had lowered the points for the review. The hand pulled noodles are good, and what you should order if you go for the food, but honestly not worth the horrendous wait and nothing out of this world compared to other quality Asian restaurants in the Bay Area. Don't go here with a large group...the kitchen can't handle the volume and our order came out in bits and pieces with a 30 minute wait in between the time first entree came to the table and the last of our order arrived. A surprise for those who choose to sit inside, the tables have drawers and the drawers contain pieces of paper with handwritten reviews from those who dined before you.
(3)
Elva L.

The hand pulled noodles were pretty good. The tea was nice if you're willing to shell $5 per person. Everything else we ordered tasted whatevers. The hippie waiter messed up our order and destroyed our dining experience many many many times. He didn't even seem like a waiter. He seemed as though he was similar to a waiter. I wanted to smack the person to my left, or slap--or something similar to a slap. lei shi ai qing.
(2)
Ava C.

Cute garden-like setting, hidden in the back of a food court-like area. Good place to chat and catch up with old friends. The food was a *white* take on Chinese food, by all means not a bad thing, just something different. It's less greasy and smaller portioned, but still tasty. The tea service was a little hokey, but who cares, the environment was so relaxing that nothing really mattered!
(4)
W P.

TL;DR: Food was great. Service was horrible. Just got back from the Imperial Tea Court still in disbelief as to all that's happened. I was in town for the night. A friend heard good things about this place so we wanted to try it out. Unfortunately we arrived 15 minutes before the kitchen closed and were asked to order right away. That was fine. They took our orders: the green onion pancakes, veggie buns, hand pulled noodles with spicy pork and I had the thin noodles with spicy pork. Slowly the dishes started to come. Eventually all my friends were served except for me. About 15 minutes go by and still nothing. My friends were starting to finish their meals. I signal our waiter. He says my order is coming but after a few minutes he comes back and tells me that the kitchen was already closed and that they forgot my order. Here's where it begins. He tells me that since they are closing in a few minutes, that they could make my meal but put it in a togo box so I could take it with and if that was OK. Also there would be a 30% discount on the dish. What? I didn't even know what to say. I told him if I couldn't have it here I didn't want it at all. The noodles would just sit in my car for over an hour when I drive back. What good would they be? So our waiter gives in and eventually my food comes. By this time, everyone's pretty much finished. After a few minutes, he comes by and clears the table leaving just me to finish my meal in a not so subtle way to tell me to hurry up. A few minutes after that, he comes and leaves the check on the table; I'm still not done with my meal. Basically he just wanted us out as soon as possible. When he comes back to fill the water for the table next to us, he makes sure to check to see if we had paid our bill yet in another attempt to hurry us up. So three things: 1) if you screw up my order, offering to box it and let me have my meal after while all my friends already ate isn't doing right by me. 2) Giving me a 30% discount on the dish isn't fixing anything; in fact it was insulting. I've been a waiter - I've been in the guy's shoes. If that were me, I would have made that dish on the house no questions asked. This is a bowl of noodles people. 3) This one was the icing on the cake and was the least forgivable offense in my opinion: constantly prodding us to get us out. This was done not once but SEVERAL times. I know there is a closing time, but when I was a waiter, if the customer wasn't done with his or her meal, we didn't close and we certainly didn't do what he did. With this guy I felt like his screwup and the consequences were a real inconvenience to him and he just wanted us to get out so he could go out on a Saturday night. Based on my experience, I'll never go back and I can only recommend you never go there as well.
(1)
Noah G.

Every time I eat here I wonder why I don't come more often. Really delicious food, and totally reasonable prices. Plus fantastic tea!
(5)
Alexandra D.

This might be the most delicious Chinese food I have had in a long time. While there was no rush amongst the servers (hey, it's Berkeley after all!), the service was very friendly and knowledgeable. I ordered the beef stew with the pulled noodles and am still thinking about it since. It was soooo delicious. You know good beef when you have it. With my meal I had a cup of green tea, chinese style. It was very good too. Can't wait to go back, or try the one in the Ferry Building.
(5)
Rosie C.

I wanted to eat at that Chick O' Peas place on Shattuck. Unfortunately husband, preteen stepdaughter and probably baby if he had been awake weren't feeling the whole chickpea vegetarian salad bar concept. In search of a family compromise we frantically marched down Shattuck, my whiney preteen moaning "why can't we eat at normal places like Applebee's." How do I even respond to that?! "Applebee's is not FABULOUS!" I responded. Not the most constructive response, I know. Stumbling upon an odd mall-esq food court featuring Mexican, Dim Sum/Chinese, Thai, Sushi and Soup...for a second I thought it was a mirage. I insisted on looking at every option before opting for the Imperial Tea Court and surprisingly the rest of my crew settled on the same. While the out of place Chinese garden with its waterfalls, bamboo and plastic Buddha's are a bit contrived the food is decent. I ordered the Hand Pulled Noodles with Chicken and LOVED it, the broth was flavorful with ample chicken and the noodles were so tasty and thick they reminded me of the Caribbean dumplings my husband puts in soup. I insisted on ordering the Sweet Bean Steamed Bun and Onion Pancake. We ended up ordering a second of both because they were so good. The pancake was oozing with onion-ey spicy goodness-not oil. It was flakey and very filling. The steamed bun was not too sweat and the bun was on the doughy side, exactly the way I like it. My husband ordered the Tea Oil Chicken to share with the pre-teen. While my husband said it was AIGHT, my stepdaughter took one bite and off she went to Picoso's for a plain old Quesadilla....so not a hit. While this is no Yank Sing, its no Panda Express either. Upon return, we will stick to the Dim Sum and Hand Pulled Noodle dishes. Note: 3.5 stars ...not quite 4
(4)
Steve K.

The food at Imperial Tea Court is very delicious, especially the beef hand-pulled noodles. My favorite thing about Imperial Tea Court is their ambience. It feels very genuine. It's fun to watch them cook and prepare the tea. The only downer is the service. Last time I went we waited so long for water, longer to order, and even longer to pay.
(4)
James S.

This place is a hidden treasure. The hand pulled noodles are absolutely to die for! Even if tea isn't your thing, the chinese food should be. And the little court yard garden is super-charming.
(5)
Jennifer M.

I have only had dim sum and tea here on multiple occasions, but I have been impressed each time. You can taste the freshness in the dumplings and buns, and I imagine the same is true for any of their noodle dishes since you can watch the women hand-pulling the noodles in the kitchen. The green onion pancake is fan-freaking-tastic, too. I personally like the atmosphere--they have a cute, small indoor dining room, or you can sit anywhere outside on the patio near the little stream/pond. It seems to be packed all the time with Berkeley yuppies and baby strollers, but it makes for awesome people watching.
(4)
Eric T.

Black iced tea was good, jasmine iced tea was very good, outdoor seating area is perfect
(4)
J W.

Imperial Tea Court says on their menu that they won't serve anything they're not proud of. I wish all restaurants had a similar slogan; it's like the business's equivalent of "stay hungry, stay foolish." And they stick to it. I've found a few places in the Bay Area that hand-pull noodles, if not to order. Invariably the noodles are great but everything else is slop. It's as if making great noodles somehow offsets poor quality meat; as if we wouldn't notice. At Imperial Tea Court, you get the whole shebang: amazing noodles and dumplings, high-quality, nicely cooked meats and vegetables. Why it's so hard to get both in one setting, I don't know. Must have something to do with that slogan ...
(5)
Corynne O.

What a pleasant little surprise!!! Found this place a couple weeks ago when I was having dinner in Berkeley with the Bf and his fam. After we couldn't get into the first place we had picked due to not having any reservations. So we walked down the street and decided to eat here. It is very small and quiet in here or at least it was the Tuesday evening we came in. Which was nice for us because we wanted to talk and catch up. After going over the menu we all picked things to share, which I was not really in the mood to do. We went with the shrimp with the hand pulled noodles, which are freshly made there, some beef entree I didn't eat, fried rice and my choice the curried chicken. I liked that everything was organic and you get brown rice with your entrees and it didn't cost more like most places. After we got our food it was all very tasty, but the hands down favorite was my chicken curry, see why I didn't want to share! The shrimp and hand pulled noddles were very good too. Even my BF's lil sis who is very picky liked everything and some of it was new to her. I had also tried the chrysanthemum blossom tea, which was a nice herbal tea ITC is nice and quinte with good food, however their service is not the best. We were a party of four who were the only ones eating and it was hard to get refills on water, a place setting and extra napkins. But they were nice and friendly just slow and unobservant. The prices in my opion were good for the amount of food we all got, I just wished i didn't have to share my meal. Next time I will no better.
(4)
vinh t.

Stopped by here with a group and I should have had what the group had; hand pulled noodle soup. Instead I got the special of the day - a bland soup advertised as spicy. We also had their homemade dumplings which were tiny and mediocre. However - The ambiance is pretty neat; there's a section where you can see a wide variety of teas. The small garden just outside the door is quite tranquil. The decor, the waitstaff in their Chinese long gowns, even the dining tables makes you feel you are in a different era.
(2)
Max R.

The tea (for sale, bulk) is quite good, but not cheap. The multi-level-maze outdoor seating space is cute. The food, surprisingly, is excellent. The service is.... just serviceable, but who cares? Fascinating fact: Chez Panisse is next door, requires reservations, costs more, and has inferior food. Go figure.
(5)
Dr Finklestein ..

This place used to be amazing. I was going about 2-3 times a month starting 5 years ago. The food and service was exceptional - and so was the ambiance. Unfortunately, over the past two years, they lost the personable and knowledgeable servers who were clearly passionate about the tea, the tea selection shrank and the beautiful antique hardwood tables were replaced with average cafeteria ones. They erected a wall between the diners and kitchen, so you can no longer enjoy watching the hand pulled noodles being made. Worst of all, the food is not as good as it used to be. I can accept the new smaller portions, but the taste isn't anywhere near as good and even arrives cold! I assume the chef has changed. This was the go to place to take good friends and out of town guests - to give them a unique memorable experience - unfortunately no longer. I dropped my visits, but hope the food improves to that previous level one day.
(2)
Charlene S.

Disclaimer: I didn't get to try the tea I actually came here to try their hand pulled noodles. I asked the waiter which he liked better the vegetarian or the beef because those were the only two on the menu and he said chicken. So I went with the chicken and was satisified with my meal. It wasn't mouth watering, taste exploding delicious like i was expecting but the flavor was good, the broth was tasty and the chicken and cabbage were well cooked. As for the hand pulled noodles themselves they were well extremely well done. I just wish the dish as a whole had left a bigger impression on me.. maybe as good as an impression as the lady seated at the neighboring table who repeatedly exclaimed "this is THE BEST meal of my life." Wish I could agree with her. Tried the steamed buns and green onion pancake. Green onion pancake has been the best one I've tried so far and the pork steamed buns were mediocre. Will be returning to try their extensive tea and give the dishes another go. PS. the tea house is adorable in itself.
(3)
Victoria S.

What a great little oasis of relaxation! We were visiting the area and ducked down the alley to the Imperial Tea Court for a refreshing pot of tea and "break" from walking all over Berkley. The staff was very helpful in making a tea selection - and the courtyard with its plants, mutlple seating areas and water feature was terrific.
(4)
Rrr X.

Awesome place. Over the years, it has really developed into a restaurant/tea house rather than just a tea shop. We enjoyed the noodle, dumplings and pancake dishes that they offer to compliment their tea. Vegetarian? have no fear. As many others have pointed out, the garden is extremely relaxing. Good place to take a friend to enjoy tea and chinese culture.
(5)
Katrina V.

This might be the best chinese food that I've ever had. Hand-pulled noodles with beef topping - both were succulent, moist and flavorful with wonderful mouth-feel to them; green onion pancakes which were chewy and flavorful; steamed vegetable buns filled with tangy mustard greens. Looking forward to going back to try more of the menu .. but not looking forward to the check! This place is a little cher. Paying $12.50 for noodles with beef makes me want to learn how to hand-pull my own. Traditional tea cups (brew & drink out of the same cup) are great but take a little getting used to before you stop getting a mouthful of tea leaves. Yum!
(4)
Steph H.

This is my favorite spot in Berkeley. Go for the tea, the food, or both! The hand pulled noodles are simply amazing. You can watch the ladies pull the noodles in the kitchen - quite a feat. The noodles are irregular sized but it's part of the charm. Maybe someday I'll attempt since I don't live in California anymore and would love to replicate the hand pulled noodles. The noodles are served in broth and organic tea oil, topped with cabbage and served with a bit of chili sauce. The dim sum sampler is also really yummy. I read in the Chronicle that they source locally and use many organic ingredients. The tea selection is quite extensive and very high quality. It's about $5 per tea- but you can get many servings out of it and again, it's high quality. You purchase the tea by the ounce as well- many of the varieties are very affordable. The waitstaff is really nice too- extremely knowledgable and helpful about tea. Everytime we go we ask for a tea recommendation. The tea service is entertaining and if you haven't had tea in a gai wong, you need to try. I'd highly suggest sitting out in their courtyard on a sunny afternoon. It's a little oasis in the Gourmet Ghetto.
(5)
Chris S.

Mother's Day. A Hawaiian-type of rainy day in the East Bay. Not in the mood for a heavy Western brunch. Search Yelp for good dim sum without going to Oakland. Bingo. The atmosphere is 5-star. Beautiful round door with a view into a green garden meshed perfectly with the sometimes blue and white sky outside. Wood inside with tea, and mellow music playing. The service was so-so. The waitress had a heavy Eastern European accent and was a little hard to understand, and she had trouble understanding us. The food was spectacular. We had the Dim Sum sampler and a bowl of the vegetarian soup. Both were light, fresh and filling, but not overly so. We left very happy, and that is how you want to feel on Mother's Day.
(4)
Jeff C.

Ok. This is really a 3.5 star for me. I liked the garden area in front. Very serene and fancy looking. The hippy tea master seemed to know a lot about the teas and his Chinese was definitely better than mine, which is a little embarassing since i'm Chinese...oh well. The food quality was quite high. The hand pulled noodles that everyone talks about are delicious. They have a very rustic feel to them since they are thick and chewy. Loved that texture. It's served with a chili paste that makes the dish very yummy. We also ordered a green onion pancake (chong you bing). Although very tasty, it was a bit overpriced in my opinion. This is a pretty common Chinese food item that most Chinese people eat a lot. Everyone knows what it is, and everyone knows that it doesn't cost that much. I guess since this is in Gourmet Ghetto, it's excusable. Why is this place called Gourmet GHETTO if its so expensive??? grr... So 4.5 stars for the great food, tea and service. Minus 1 point for being expensive. 3.5 stars!
(3)
Jenn C.

This place is probably the best Chinese food I have had in the SF Bay area. They make the hand pulled noodles to order and you can watch all the goings on in the kitchen. The food is not expensive - you can be quite full with an order of noodles and shared green onion pancake. The vegan/vegetarian options are quite good - I highly recommend this little neighborhood gem.
(5)
Evonne T.

ITSTERRIBLE! DONT EVER EVER GO THERE! My gf and I went the Imperial Tea Court today for a dinner. At first, I was shock when I saw the price on the menu. Even though the atmosphere is nice. And then we order their $13 Hand-Pulled noodle soup with Beijing style beef, and $13 Fried Shirp w/ brown rice. The hand-pulled noodle is so bad that you can actually spit back to the bowl when you taste it. The noodle is boring, thick, and actually a bunch of raw dough with no flavor. The soup was OK, but the beef has nothing to do with beijing. BTW,whats wrong with those chinese restaurants creating "Mongolian Beef", "Beijing Style Fried chicken w/ orange sauce". I am from Taiwan, and I can tell you there is no Beijing Style beef and we dont have sweet and sour sauce, its for Americans. We though the noodle is gona be the only mistake for the night, well, we were WRONG. The fried shrip with brown rice is a magnificent classic. Its basically some sort of vegetable broth in a bowl and dump it a scoop of very stale brown rice. With some bell pepper, celery and shrimp. The "fresh" shrimp taste like just being defrost by microwave for 30 seconds. The whole dish is a disaster and make you feel the beef noodle is actually quite good. This dinner cost me 32 dollar with tax+tip. I cannot express how angry I am with my limmited English. PLEASE, anyone who saw this review, their tea might be good, but their food is going to be one of your most horrible memory in your future.
(1)
Jack C.

The tea is up to par with most Asian tea-tasting places. I wouldn't recommend coming here for the food though, costly and oily. Our party of 8 took over Imperial Tea Garden on a sunny Sunday. The clever fongshuiesque entrance fits in with the North Berkeley gourmet ghetto image. I'm greatly taken aback by flashbacks of traditional Beijin. Two types of tea tasting. Gongfu or Gai-Wan (closed bowl). For personal tasting, Gai-Wan is ideal but if you have a smaller party Gongfu is optimal for sampling. My complaint with Imperial tea garden is the food. I expected dim sum to be gourmet-made but it is far from what I expected. The chef is a student. Asking questions in Mandarin on how to fold the noodles. Don't get the scallion pancakes, it's not stretchy and crisp at all. The shumeis are soggy and stale. The overall food quality is 1 start. Don't get me wrong, great place to ponder and have tea. Just don't have lunch here.
(3)
Ryan M.

Amazing, hand tossed Noodles! The beef was extremely tender, and the broth had a complexity I had not yet had in a noodle dish. Definitely have to try this for dinner sometime.
(5)
Wayne Q.

Nice. Everything fresh and made to order. A bit on the expensive side for teacakes. The green onion pancakes were pretty good, as well as the dumplings. And it's hard to beat the setting, to which other reviewers have alluded, so I won't repeat. Waitstaff was nice, but seemingly not terribly competent. The person who took my order didn't seem to familiar with the menu, even though he looked like he was running the place. He could have used some of the caffeinated teas himself.
(4)
Valerie D.

I went to this place, after taking a look at several of the other places in this hub of eateries. The location is absolutely peaceful and beautiful, in the back ground. I had a chicken dish in a tea broth, which was excellent. It was so good, and so filling. I will definitely be back to have a hot tea and the yummy dim sum.
(4)
Shannon L.

Wonderful Saturday afternoon date with my hubby. I'd seen reviews of this place and blogs mentioned it and thought I'd give it a try. Had the Dim Sum Sampler, Green Onion pancakes, hand pulled noodles with chicken.......ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!! It was all good. Would've like a little sauce for dipping the pancake but it was still great. Introduced my husband to the art of drinking tea and Oolongs (love Oolongs!). Our waiter/waitress were very nice and the service is by group effort and a bit laid back but only because they patiently answer all the customers questions and will chat with the customers about the food and tea. It was a little more informal than I thought it would be but that just made it even more of a favorite for me. We will definitely be back.
(4)
Dominique N.

Good hand-pulled noodles, but on the pricier side (about $9 for a medium-ish size bowl of vegetarian noodles). Nice atmosphere (garden or Asian-themed decor inside). We didn't try the tea because it was a minimum of $5 per person, which we found just ridiculous. Service is well-meaning but not exactly "polished" (more like stoner-ish), as one might expect. We had water accidentally poured all over us and the table but the server was nice enough and profusely apologized.
(4)
Sam R.

Incredible noodles. Worth the expense!
(5)
Jen L.

The food here is overly simple yet overpriced. The portion sizes make their food seem like appetizers, not entrees. I don't really feel like paying $10+ for a small bowl of hand-pulled noodles, because I'm probably paying more for the novelty of eating in a place filled Oriental mysticism and the aroma of dried tea leaves. Since I'm already a regular at a place like that (my home), I can't be so easily seduced.
(2)
Rex E.

I thought the food was very good, but a bit pricy especially given the service. The reason I'm writing this post is because the service is sooooo slow and horrible. The place wasn't all that busy. They kept forgetting to bring utensils, water and they actually said they had run out of napkins. They did eventually find some napkins. Several times I asked them to refill my water. They never did and I had to go up to the counter with my glass begging for a refill. I felt like Oliver Twist asking for more gruel. This place would rate more stars if the service improves.
(1)
Charles L.

Im a chinese tea lover and collector. I really wanted to like this place. Id read reviews saying the service was bad, but didnt want to believe it. The service was shocking. I get the impression the staff there are not happy. The prices are a little steep too. On the positive side they seem to have an impressive selection of teas. Not a chance i am going back here.
(1)
Kev H.

good place to go to on a cold night. as a first timer, the waiter was helpful in explaining the whole tea drinking experience. had the hand pulled noodles, pretty good but a little on the cold side.
(4)
jeffrey k.

I wonder when prices at these places will come down. Although I'm all for supporting businesses that remain true to a particular vision, do people in China pay these prices for a decent cup of tea? A cup of tea, here, will cost as much as a bowl of noodles a few blocks south on Shattuck. I'll be back, of course, because it is good tea. Really, if you get your loose-leaf tea from Peet's, you might as well just buy a box of Lipton on your next visit to Safeway. There are redeeming qualities in many bagged teas, but leaves are at their best in full leaf, not shelved too long after harvest, and steeped at the right water temperature. The cup of dragonwell you get at Peet's will already have been "burnt" by the time you take it to your table and your $2 cup of dragonwell would be better suited as compost. Get dragonwell at Imperial and you get notes of artichoke, pistachios, and roasted grain. It is a mind-clearing brew. On my first visit to Imperial, I thought I would sample a few things. After I received the bill, I wished I exercised some restraint. The tea is pricey if you're used to cafe prices. If this is the price for good tea, for now, I will pay it. The food is good, but I don't have any reservations, here, in saying that the items are overpriced. I love noodles. Their hand-pulled nooldes are quite nice but the bowls and the portions in them are tiny. The soy-based sauce is pleasant and the vegetables crunchy-fresh. As good as those flat and toothsome noodles may be, I will likely skip them on future visits because of the unfavorable cost-to-noodle ratio. The dim sum is pretty good. Not the inexpensive and yummy stuff you will find on the Peninsula, but good nonetheless. They're tiny things and a few have a specific tea leaf as an ingredient. I forget which, but one carried a particular tea through the palate nicely. Go for the tea. My hope is that more people will ween themselves from coffee and get into teas so that we have more of these places open up. Perhaps, with a little competition, the prices will come down.
(4)
Monica S.

The pulled noodles here were simply superb (in a wonderful rich broth!). I really enjoyed the food and unique atmosphere. The food was four stars! I was so excited to enter a grand review for Imperial Tea Court! I will return for the food indeed (though the food is also relatively expensive for the small-ish portion size). But... I was completely miffed to spend $16 (yes, sixteen dollars!) on tea for two. It bought us two tiny tiny tiny cups with maybe (maybe!) one tablespoon of loose tea leaves in each cup, and ....a pot of hot water. This was just plain white tea. Same taste as the Numi "White Rose" (that I spend $4.50 on for a box of TWENTY bags!) ...It was lovely tea, but I had expected SOMETHING for $16. I love tea. I know tea. And I KNOW that was off base. ...I am very happy to spend money on great food, but the value was not there for the tea. And I honestly felt ripped off. That took three stars out of the running for this review. The food was good enough (yummy!) to add two stars. Sigh. I really wanted to give this a great review too... Bottom line: go for a very tasty (though expensive) lunch, but (oddly) SKIP THE TEA!!!
(2)
SF F.

I've been searching for a good Chinese restaurant that doesn't leave me feeling greasy and unsatisfied. While Great China, China Village, and Wuling all have some tasty dishes, I always leave feeling that something's missing. The newest addition to that category is the Imperial Tea Court. We ordered the following: Purple Bamboo Tea- meh...$5 a pop and nothing close to my favorite Taiwanese teas Dim Sum Sampler- the steamed buns, dumpling skins, shiu mai wrappings, and har gao wrappings were perfect. Their fillings however lacked the savory deliciousness of their counterparts in Chinatown. Beef Hand Pulled Noodles- the hand cut noodles were fantastic with the perfect bite and broth flavor. However, the beef lacked the succulent falling apart tenderness that I crave. In addition, the steamed chard was not destemmed so while the leaves were perfectly cooked, the tough fibrous stems were pretty raw. The rich broth had a strong star anise and beef flavor, but lacked the depth and high notes of my favorite neo-ro mien. Their noodle to broth ratio was also too high, but I guess that's why they called it Beef Hand Pulled Noodles and not neo-ro mien (Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup). Hand Pulled Noodles with Free Range Chicken (today's special)- good noodles again but it tasted like something I could whip up at home. All in all, I'm glad I got to enjoy their carby perfections and support their use of organic ingredients, but I can't wait to make an improved version of this meal at home.
(4)
Caroline C.

I love their hand-pulled vegetarian noodles! Soooooo good, must try!!
(5)
Ken W.

I'm all about finding great places with a good ambiance. Came here with the gf and her parents. The servers here were very nice and seem to have a sense of calm about them. The tea selection is huge! If you are not a tea connoisseur, it would be difficult to choose the right one. I wish there was some way for them to have a sampler so you could try different teas before ordering them. I got the jasmine tea and it was pretty good. Problem is that if you leave the tea in the water for too long, it becomes bitter pretty quickly. They need to find some way for you to remove the tea leaves after you have reached your desired tea concentration. :) My grandparents are from the northern part of China. This is significant because this area focuses more on things like dumplings and noodles. This particular restaurant uses a similar style of cooking as my mom. With that background in mind, we go onto the review! The dim sum here was sub par at best. The shrimp dumplings were very small and they used some weak shrimp. The pot stickers weren't even pot stickers at all. The filling was ok but nothing special. The green onion pancakes were pretty good but nothing like my parents make. They were a bit thin but it was really crispy and tasty. Also ordered the beef stew with brown rice. That was pretty much what I expected but was a little on the bland side. This type of stew should be served with more broth and noodles, not brown rice. The garlic shrimp with hand pulled noodles was the best dish we had. It was very flavorful and tasty. They used larger shrimp for this dish and the quality seemed a lot better than the small shrimp dumplings. Overall, a pretty disappointing meal. You order a little and the cost add up extremely fast. I would stick with a water and the hand pulled noodles.
(2)

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Address : 1511 Shattuck Ave
Berkeley, CA, 94709
Phone (510) 540-8888
Website https://www.imperialtea.com
Click To Get Directions

Opening Hours

Mon :11:00 am - 9:00pm

Specialities

Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Quiet
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No

Claim Restaurant

Chinese Cuisine

The popularity of Chinese food in America can be adjudicated by the appearance of China Town in many major cities in the United State of America. The popular trend of ordering or opting for Chinese take away food isn't unknown in America. Chinese take away food comes to rescue when you're too tired from work or too exhausted to cook. No one can resist the temptation of eating spicy noodles, shrimp, chicken, beef or pork cooked in the sweet and spicy sauce. The cooking method of authentic Chinese food is a lot different compared to what is served in America.

Generally, Chinese use dark meat small bones and organs to cook dishes but this changes when you are eating American-Chinese fusion food prepared using white boneless meat cooked with broccoli, carrots and onions. Back in China, the food is less spicy and oily as they favor steaming and braising method for cooking the most popular dishes. So, if you have a taste for authentic Chinese food, then try finding a real Chinese restaurant in the city. You can also try the most popular fusion Chinese food like Pecking Duck, Chicken Feet, Hot Pot, Shrimp Dumpling Soup, Mapo Tofu, Wontons, Chop Suey, Egg Rolls and not to forget Fortune Cookies.

There are not many restaurants in America serving authentic Chinese food. A little research on Restaurant Listings directory can help you locate the best Chinese restaurants in the city. Chinese cuisine is continuously evolving, and you can find a variety of dishes categorized as the food for lactose intolerant, gluten intolerant, vegan, vegetarian, and diabetic friendly. So, if you have a group of friends with different taste patterns, save the hassle and visit the nearest Chinese restaurant in your city.

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Imperial Tea Court

1511 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley, CA, 94709

Imperial Tea Court Menu

Black Tea

Green Tea

Herbal Teas

Imperial Teas

Puerh - Cake

Healthy Meal suggestions for Imperial Tea Court

Black Tea

Green Tea

Herbal Teas

Imperial Teas

Puerh - Cake

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