Gongfu tea · San Francisco
Taiwanese gongfu tea, poured for one to five.
Small oolong tastings with me, Ethan, at my tea room in San Francisco, at your place, or over video from anywhere.
From $80 for one guest. Tea snacks are always on the table. I'm a 5th-generation Yang 37 Tai Chi practitioner, and it shapes how I pour.
Three ways to sit down for tea
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A tasting, in person
One to five guests, 45 minutes to 2 hours, at my tea room in San Francisco or set up at your place in the Bay Area.
For one guest from$80
See tastings -
An online session
A tea consultation, or a quiet hour together over video. I mail you my oolong ahead of time so we brew the same tea side by side.
Up to 5 screens$210
See online sessions -
A gathering, six or more
Private events, offices, and Tea + Tai Chi evenings, brought to your space.
Per guest$125
See gatherings
How a tasting goes
Gongfu tea is brewed in short steeps, each one a little different. A tasting follows the same rhythm.
Arrive
Come to the tea room, or I'll set up at your place. You don't need to know anything about tea.
Smell the leaf
I warm the pot and pass the dry leaf around, then we smell how it opens once the water hits it.
Taste, steep after steep
We drink oolongs you pick, gongfu style. I'll share where each tea grew and how it was made, as much or as little as you want.
Talk, or don't
Some tables get chatty, some go quiet. Both are good. If you came with something on your mind, there's room for it.
Slow down
We sit with the last steeps. Longer tastings end with time to rest and a small tea to take home.
Book a tasting
Prices are for your whole group. Tea snacks are always included.
| Quiet Cup | Settle In | The Full Temple | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Length | 45 minutes | 90 minutes | 2 hours |
| Oolongs | One of your choice | Two of your choice | As many as you like, including rare ones from my own collection |
| Conversation | A short one | Unhurried | Unhurried |
| Rest | A few minutes of breath | Blanket, pillows, rest, if you want them | Blanket, pillows, rest, if you want them |
| Take-home tea | None | 15g | 15g |
| Price | $130 | $220 | $320 |
| Per guest | $65 | $110 | $160 |
Settle In for 2 guests, $22090 minutes, at my tea room or your place
See times and bookPick a time on my calendar, then pay to confirm it. Cancel 3 or more days ahead for a full refund.
Where we sit
At my tea room in San Francisco, or I drive to you: your home, your office, a space you love. No travel fee within 15 miles of SF. Past that it's $25 plus $1 per extra mile, so text me before you book and I'll confirm the total.
If cost is in the way
Text me at (415) 699-1715. I don't want money to be the reason you don't come.
Online sessions, from anywhere
A private video session with me, 1 to 2 hours, shaped around what you want from it.
Use it as a tea consultation: what to buy, how to brew it, why your oolong tastes flat. Or use it as a quiet hour together: we brew side by side and slow down. It also works for family in different homes who want to sit at the same table.
Online session, with my oolong mailed to you
$210A small tasting set from my collection arrives before we meet, so we taste the same tea. One price for up to 5 screens.
Tea ships within the US, so book at least 7 days ahead. Giving it as a gift? Add a note at checkout, and they pick a time that suits them.
How it works
- Say hello.Book a free 15-minute intro call, or text me at (415) 699-1715.
- Book and pick a time.Pay with the button, then choose a time on my calendar.
- Quick tech check.The day before, I make sure you can see and hear me. Then put the kettle on.
Take the tea home
Single-origin Taiwanese oolong in 15g pouches, about three sessions at 5g each, and the glass teaware I brew with.
Free pickup in San Francisco. US shipping is $9, and free on orders over $75.
Checkout was cancelled, and nothing was charged. Your cart is still here.
Everyday $10 for 15g
- Bao Zhong
Floral, umami.
$10 - Jin Xuan
Floral, creamy, milky.
$10
Signature $12 for 15g
- Alishan
Floral, fruity.
$12 - Dong Ding
Vintage style, roasted.
$12
Reserve $15 for 15g
- Oriental Beauty
A rare varietal. Honey, citrus.
$15 - Ruby Oolong
Rich, ripe fruit.
$15
Glass teaware
- Gongfu teapot, 150 mL
Brews almost any tea. The glass makes heat easy to manage. Use about 5g of oolong.
$30 - Fairness pitcher, 150 mL
Double-walled, so every cup pours even. Matches the teapot.
$30 - The set: teapot and pitcher
Both pieces together, $5 less than buying them apart.
$55
I'm Ethan, your host
I trained as a gongfu tea apprentice in Taiwan and Los Angeles, and I work with growers and importers to bring these teas to San Francisco.
In Taipei I train under my teacher, Sifu Chen: Yang 37 Tai Chi as a 5th-generation practitioner, and Whooping White Crane as a 4th. Tai Chi is why the table feels the way it does. It taught me to slow down, notice, and not push, which turns out to be most of what pouring tea for people is.
The Tea Temple is my tea room. I also teach Tai Chi and host events as The Red Flying Dragon, 紅飛龍. Classes and events live at theredflyingdragon.com.
Six or more guests, or Tai Chi in the room
Tastings are made for one to five. For private events, offices, and larger groups, I bring the tea to your space, with an optional Tai Chi workshop featuring my Tai Chi master, Wayne Huey.
6 guests minimum2 hours$125 per guest
He was calm, charismatic, and completely in tune with our guests.
His knowledge of tea runs deep, and he shares it with genuine passion and humor. Two hours passed like twenty minutes.
He creates such a warm, inviting space to connect and drink delicious tea.
He evokes every sense: touch, smell, taste, sight.
Questions and policies
Do I need to know about tea?
No. Start wherever you are. I'll walk you through it.
Cancelling or rescheduling a tasting
Cancel 72 hours or more ahead for a full refund. Inside 72 hours you get one free reschedule, but no refund. If you don't show up, the payment isn't refunded.
Shipping and pickup
Orders ship within the US. Shipping is $9, and free on orders over $75. Pickup in San Francisco is always free: choose pickup at checkout and I'll text you to set a time.
Returns
Unopened tea can be returned within 14 days. If glass arrives damaged, text me a photo within 7 days and I’ll replace it.
I'm not good with technology.
That's fine. For online sessions I walk you through the setup by phone or text beforehand.
Is this therapy?
No. A tasting is tea, conversation, and time to slow down. It isn't psychotherapy, medical treatment, or crisis care, and it's not a substitute for a licensed professional.
Join the tea list
Upcoming tastings, Tai Chi sessions, and the occasional limited tea.