Asha Tea House

I was having boba cravings after work and instead of walking all the way to I-​Tea, my boyfriend brought me to Asha since I never tried it.
Very cute place, the environment is very earthy. I wasn’t quite sure what I should order, therefore they recommended me the Ice Matcha Green Tea Latte with grass jelly. They really use real green tea to make your tea and grind the matcha. What I like about this place is that they use real tea and no artificial ingredients. The drink was pretty good, you definitely taste that it is fresh. Since everything is fresh, they don’t add extra sweeteners, but you can add some if you like. My boyfriend order the same thing, but with boba. Boba was pretty good, nice a chewy.
Overall, pretty cool place, I want to try some of their other teas soon.

Mocha Latte is my favorite!

Blood orange oolong tea was so refreshing! Love the blood orange pulp pieces floating around and the warm soft boba hardened up to the perfect chewyness after I mixed the ice. Didn’t have to ask for less sweetness since the blood orange is already a bit tart. Love that this place is so close to Market Street and that I can just pop in anytime I’m craving a fresh tea or a matcha latte.
All orders are custom made so you’re not able to taste but you can’t go wrong with anything you choose!

Be still my matcha filled heart… this place is SO CUTE.
Minimalistic tea shop in a quieter part of the financial district. The matcha latte is a MUST MUST MUST. Ask for light ice if you don’t want the beverage to be terribly diluted.

one step inside and it was like– «wow»
they really spared no expense on décor and atmosphere. the whole store filled with wood and shiny metal. the lights were dim, and the employees were nice.
we got the matcha latte (how could we not?) with boba. the matcha was slightly bitter but it was to be expected with matcha. The boba was very good as well. it had a very vibrant taste – definitely one of the top boba i’ve had.
we also got the kiwi green tea. I actually regret getting this one. it tasted really bland, but not only that, they only had boba for one cup. so we tried this tea plain with minimal sugar.
I do like how they set aside simple sugar syrup for customers to add sugar on their own. reminds me more of a coffee shop. but definitely an overall great experience.

I dragged one of my besties here after work because I needed to get fill my tea craving. BUT, what’s funny is that I ended up leaving the place without trying any of their tea because I didn’t want to stay up all night. Just a little bit of caffeine can keep me up all night. So I ended up going with one of their flavored milks instead.
I love their space, it’s totally peaceful and a nice escape from the busy financial district.
The lady who helped me out was so friendly and wonderful! I was so sad I couldn’t try one of their matcha teas but will definitely be back soon so I can check it out.
I loved the honeydew flavored milk drink I ordered. It was perfect and all I needed to pick me up. Thanks for the great service and delicious drink. See you soon. If you’re in the area, they’re definitely worth a try.

I like to give it a four and a half star review since Asha has done a better job. Believe it! This teahouse will never go out of business because a lot of Asians and vibrant customers have came here for few good reasons: bobas, teas, and lattes. I love to come here and buy something to drink made with real flavors and real colors!
Though Asha Teahouse wasn’t one of my favorites, it’s a healthier alternative to Quickly’s and Super Cue. It’s in downtown Market at Kearny so I have no need to go to Berkeley to see another Asha. I’ve forgotten about Asha right before I step right in. Inside, it’s space was small but trendy with fair amount of lighting. Menus from left to top right are easy to read. Of course, they have three special teas for each month. Aligned with steel cannisters of special teas was what used to look like a tea tasting area (doesn’t seem like a tiny cup of taste testing to me. Nice owners, good service, and a pleasant tea aroma while enjoying free Wi-​Fi.
Ahem! Now it’s on to the tea experience. I’ve been drinking teas in all my life rather than coffee. That makes me a heavy tea drinker. To be honest, I didn’t know too much about many different teas I drink. I only know teas through its taste. The only teas I like to know about are where they originated, especially China and Taiwan. I’m crazy about drinking very bitter and tough teas, while local customers continue to get stuck up on matcha green lattes and sweet boba milk teas. It’s like the few of us are taking the high road while the rest are taking the low and easy road towards the bottom of the cup. Last other week, I tried Red Jade #18. To me, it has a sweet potato aftertaste. I would love to try Da Hong Pao (Big Red Robe) oolong once it’s cheaper.
I love to taste teas from many different countries and ones high up the mountain top (I didn’t mean high mountain tea). In the end, I can easily drink what I’m familiar with.

Food/​Drink (⁴⁄₅)
Always been a big boba fan, I grew up in Taiwan so I had a lot of it growing up. Asha has the best tea you will find in any boba shop in San Francisco. They understand their teas and brews, the same way Baristas understand their coffee. They understand that a quality tea is foundation for a good Boba. I usually get the Matcha Tea Latte, with an extra scoop of Matcha and boba. While their tea is on point, I usually find the pearls themselves to be highly inconsistent and lacking in flavor. I wish they worked on this a lot more here and in the Berkeley location. If they made their boba more soft, chewy, and flavorful I could see them easily being the best boba shop in the bay area.
Atmosphere & Location (⁵⁄₅)
This location is right by my work place, which is perfect because I can drop by for an afternoon pick me up whenever I am tired. The shop is more or less the same size and design as the Asha in Berkeley. I think it is a bit smaller, but I mean rent is much higher here. They have a traditional tea bar for you to sit at and watch matcha be prepared for you in a traditional manner (which is totally worth it). Would recommend taking public transit here as parking can be a little hectic around here even on a weekday.
Service (⁵⁄₅)
Not much to say about the service, it’s one of those places you go in order and then do not have much interaction with the employees after. They are friendly and professional! If there’s something wrong with your order (too sweet, too cold, etc) they will do their best to assist.

This is probably my favorite tea stop in San Francisco!
PARKING
I have no idea. I guess street parking if you are driving your own vehicle but it seems near impossible! There’s public transportation which is solely what we survived on this weekend, but Asha was only a short walk from our hotel.
INTERIOR/​EXTERIOR
Small shop but among my top favorite stops this weekend in San Francisco! Located on Kearny but very close to the intersection of Market and Geary. Hard to spot with the abundance of businesses, but look out for the simple wooden sign with their business name. Nice ambiance inside — warm, cozy, and relaxing.
MENU
I went for the Asian Pear Oolong because it was unique and among the well liked recommended on the menu. It was very refreshing! It had a nice, fruity flavor with pear bits and a light hint of oolong. However, when I tried the Matcha Latte with boba the friend got, I was instantaneously overwhelmed with regret because it was also delicious and amazing! We should have made this an everyday stop while in San Francisco.
SERVICE
Nice workers and quick service! Super cool how they grind the Matcha per order so you can watch the process and know that its fresh!

while the hustle n bustle of the city goes on outside, an oasis exists on the inside of Asha Tea House. imagine a modern n hip version of Ten Ren (still love u Ten Ren!) from the shiny silver tea canisters on shelves to the cute tea cookies on the front counter, u can tell they r serious about their tea game.
I was hoping they were still selling their teas in their take home bottles, but alas I guess that was only for their opening week. booooo! that’s one less gimmick to attract new customers. we settled for their popular Matcha Latte n a Grape Oolong. we paid at the front counter n sat down at one of their small tables for two. our teas were done in 2 minutes which wasn’t bad.
the flavors of their teas we noticed is not on the sweet side (some might even think it’s bland.) so if u stop in for a sweet after lunch treat, u should ask them to adjust the sweetness first. their milk teas have more concentrated tea flavor than other shops which isn’t a surprise.
Matcha Latte: I asked for more sweetness cuz I knew that the matcha flavor would b too much n I needed an equal amount of sweetness to level it. thank god i did! it tasted better than expected n the green n white colors were so pretty I hesitated to mix the flavors up.
Grape Oolong: this was mixed with tiny pieces of grapes I think. I saw grape skin on the bottom of the cup. it’s great that they use real fruits. the oolong tea flavor was definitely there.

I’m digging this place a lot. I first saw it awhile ago when their storefront was being built out, and finally got the chance to give it a try. It’s pretty much just your typical modern tea shop — really nice minimalist design and a nice variety of fruit and milk teas and espresso based drinks. The space definitely stands out to me a lot — love how clean the design is. They have a fair number of available tables which is nice because you can actually order some tea and sit there and chat with a friend.
I’m a big fan of their HK milk tea. It’s made with condensed milk but to be honest, I can’t really taste the extra sweetness condensed milk should add to the drink, but the drink is still really good. Really rich tea flavor that’s nicely balanced. It’s weird though, because the HK milk tea is only good when you get it hot. When I got it cold, it basically tasted like water with hints of tea which was really unfortunate. I really want to give Asha a five, but they need to hit a bit more consistency in their drinks regardless of whether they’re served hot or cold.
Impressively sized menu with slightly higher price (comparable to boba guys, $ 4 for a regular, $ 5 for a large milk tea). Not sure what their stance on quality is or what their pledge to quality is, but decent milk tea in a really nice open space — it’s a pity this place has such limited hours (a little inevitable given that it’s located in FiDi)
tldr; new milk tea place to try — solid drinks, great open space, would actually recommend it as a café/​workspace

I love supporting tea spots in San Francisco and so I was excited to patronize Asha recently.
The interior is beautiful with stunning hued wood and they carry an impressive menu of teas. They even have seasonal teas, high quality matcha tea as well as boba tea. If you have issues with dairy — they also have almond milk.
I appreciate that Asha has a decent amount of seating room –considering the size of the place. Asha even sells some light tea inspired cookies which are perfect accompaniments for a hot drink.
The staff here are helpful and eager to help. If you are not sure what to order I highly recommend asking their staff for advice when selecting your drink.
With the recent San Francisco holiday weather — I’m looking forward to visiting Asha more often.
Trust.

Last week I had a dream that there was a secret doorway that led to an underground bubble tea shop in my apartment basement. So when I found Asha Tea House a block and a half away from my hotel in SF while I was on a work trip it truly was the next best thing.
In fact, Asha Tea House, I’m going to make a bold statement and say… You make me feel like I’m living in a teenage dream.
It’s an oasis of bleached wood, sunshine, cozy seating and delicious blended organic teas. I went with the classic tapioca milk tea because why mess with a good thing and was pleasantly satisfied. Instead of the sugar laden beverages that has become the norm at most boba shops, Asha’s boba only relies on the bubble syrup to subtle flavor the drink. Here the tea flavor really shines through. The bubbles were the perfect buoyancy and texture and tasted fresher than anything I’ve ever had in my life.
I’m already a huge fan and plan to make many more stops here before my trip is over!

If you’re looking for bubble tea with a more natural subtle flavor, this is the place to go. Their teas aren’t super sweet so no extra sugars added.
Cute tea bar but pretty standard when it comes to comparing it to other tea rooms.
Get their cookies! All are amazing & locally made, yum.

This place is amazing! Think of a high-​end boba place crossed with Samovar, but at a lower price point. Asha has something for everyone, from people who just want to enjoy a sweet boba snack, to those craving authentic tea, like matcha or oolong.
They offer the trendy drinks like matcha latte, HK milk tea mixed with cold brew coffee, and even seasonal homemade blends of pumpkin spice chai! If you’re on the opposite end of the spectrum and want to slow down with a little tea ceremony and enjoy some gyokuro, you can also do that, and the owners will prepare it for you in an exacting way and explain where all their tea is sourced.
The inside is bright, trendy, and offer bar seating for people who want to enjoy their tea at a more leisurely pace. I look forward to going back to Asha often to try their seasonal flavors.

Asha is the embodiment of tea. Elegant, refreshing, giving you a peace of mind. It’s fine dining versus fast food. Poetry versus old school gangster rap. Everything from the décor to the tea offerings shows their dedication to tea.
That being said, you should not come here for milk tea. This is a personal preference, but when I get milk tea, I want something sweet, creamy, and sugary. Their tea flavor is light and refreshing and the boba is delicious, but it lacks that sweat and milky punch.
Asha excels in their tea offerings. If you want a caffeine kick you can try their Matcha Espresso shot or Matcha latte. Their fruit teas are my recent favorite. You have high quality teas mixed with a fruit purée.
Tip: when you get your drink take a sip before you put a lid on it. The drinks have little to no sugar to emphasize the flavors of the tea. Try adding a little bit of their sugar syrup to your drink. A little bit of sugar will bring out a lot of the flavors you would otherwise miss.

Sorry I can’t force myself to like this place and give it a good rating. This place is just not for me. I came here with my coworkers to try this place out since it was new and it seemed to have pretty good ratings. Upon entering, it’s a pretty cute place. (Don’t let the sign on the door fool you; they are open for business.) It’s a little stuffy in there though.
I ordered a Blueberry Green Tea as it is a popular item. When I took my first sip, I was surprised. This drink tasted like there was no sugar in it (big nono for me). I added some syrup from the island counter by the door, no improvement. The blueberry purée at the bottom was bitter from time to time which I don’t like. I also tried my coworkers drinks and no one liked theirs.
I would say come here if you like your drink with no sugar. If you like your sugary drinks, this is not the place for you.

My favorite source of tea and boba finally opened a second location!!!
I tried it out, it was not disappointing. For people who knew of their original Berkeley location, you can trust that they are making sure that the quality stays consistent with their brand. Just like its initial launch in Berkeley, I believe that most boba-​lovers won’t like this place because the drinks here put an emphasis on tea, rather than sugar. But over time, I’m sure Asha will prevail, as its quality and ingredients are just far superior to other boba places in San Francisco. They use locally sourced ingredients whenever possible, and organic everything. You will have high-​quality tapioca as well as real, fresh fruit in all of your drinks. The matcha is also real, not the powdery mixes you find almost everywhere else.
Get:
Matcha Latte w/​soy (you can add your own agave to sweeten this if you have a sugartooth)
Any of the fruit purée drinks, cold — especially the fuji apple and honeydew!
Hojicha
Don’t expect:
Super sweet drinks. This is not your typical synthetically based milk tea.

After coming here two weeks ago to no avail, I came by here again on a whim… and they were open for business!
Today happened to be their second day of soft opening, so for those who want to get their boba fix and not wait in line, come by soon!
Asha Tea House reminds me of a modern hipster version of Ten Ren Tea. There’s milk tea for the younger generation, and for those older generation people or tea hipsters, they offer actual tea and tea leaves also. The only difference is that Asha seems to cater to a wider, more modern clientele than the Chinese-​attracting Ten Ren.
Upon ordering my regular matcha latte with honey boba ($ 4.50), I fell in love. Even though the sweetness and ice level were standard (I usually go for half the sugar), I still managed to taste more matcha tea than sugar. The honey boba, lightly sweetened in its own right, made for a great combination with the drink. Dare I say that it’s better than what Boba Guys can offer?!
I have a feeling I’ll be back soon to try the other drinks.
And by soon, I mean tomorrow.

Darn good tea. That’s Asha’s tagline/​hashtag, and it is darn true.
With so many boba milk tea places popping up all over SF (insert popping boba pun… ok bad pun), it can be difficult to distinguish between tea that’s pricey for hipster purposes vs tea that’s actually worth the price. $ 4 regular/​$ 5 large/​no loyalty card seems pricey, but Asha is definitely my cup of tea.
The tea flavor really stands out, reflecting the efforts that Asha puts in through their tea sourcing trips all over Asia to explore and hand-​select their tea. Also, they are the only place I know besides Fifty/​Fifty that uses real fruit purée instead of artificial syrups. Restricting their ingredients to seasonal fruit that is freshly available, their menu is always changing. If you are eying that novel Asian pear green tea or refreshing strawberry black tea, I recommend going for it or you may have to wait a whole year when it’s in season again.
Their matcha latte is classic – even the most anti-​social media/​idgaf about food presentation patrons would have a hard time saying no to the beautifully crafted green-​and-​white layered drink. If creamas and latte macchiatos got popular partly for aesthetic purposes, Asha’s matcha latte may be the next #trending drink on Instagram. As for the tea itself, the matcha is strong, of a decent grade, and you see the traditional preparation with a bamboo whisk and ceramic bowl.
The HK milk tea is my personal favorite, very strong and authentic, though probably not traditional in the strictest sense considering that the origins involve using panty-​hose to filter the tea leaves. Nonetheless, Asha’s HK milk tea has robustly aromatic flavors and is quite caffeinated (the HK coffee milk tea is my caffeine formulation of choice when uberman productivity is needed).
Compared to the original Berkeley location, their SF store is smaller but more well lit and incorporates many of the same Pinterest-​worthy design elements: gorgeous wooden tables, photogenic succulents, and a grand display of metal cans of tea stock along the back wall. The staff are efficient and friendly, cool but non-​pretentious. The owner, David, is really nice (he even remembered my name… among all the masses of Asian girls, and even though I hadn’t been to Asha much after graduating from Berkeley).
I just wish they continued to have the bottles they used during as a tea stand before the store’s soft opening. I usually bring back multiple orders of Asha tea for friends, and even with the drink carriers it can be a difficult trek (especially when the Muni ride becomes a surfboard balancing challenge because you are jostled around and lacking free hands to hold on). Also, the bottles would have been a great souvenir that I could reuse and look like a trendy San Franciscan.
The verdict? Asha may very well be my favorite tea spot in the city. Although it may not be as quick as Quickly’s and not as shareable as Sharetea (which uses more convenient sealed cups), Asha is far more plenteaful in tea quality than Plentea, features cooler décor than Cool Tea Bar, and the staff are surely tea experts – Boba Guys (& Gals) forreals.