A New Samovar Blossoms in Zen Valley

Samovar Tea Lounge III is now open!

As San Francisco’s oldest tea loung,e we have expanded into a new, third Samovar location. And we are really, really excited about it.

What’s old is new and what’s new becomes old.That seems to be the cycle of life. And now, after six years in business, we have opened in SF’s newest neighborhood, “Zen Valley,” across the street from America’s oldest Zen institution, the San Francisco Zen Center. This oasis of a ‘hood is the perfect blend of zen and tea are now available for anyone near Hayes Valley, Japan Town, Civic Center, and Upper Market to enjoy. Shining in a bright red coat of paint, you can’t miss the spot: 297 Page St. @ Laguna St.

Given the current economic and political climate, we felt especially excited at the prospect of broadening the tea business in challenging times because of the goodness that the tea brings in especially difficult times: community, relaxation, health, social intimacy. There is perhaps more of a need for tea today than other time in recent history. And we are really thrilled to be here, alongside the Zen Center and all that that organization brings to SF.

What make this latest Samovar Tea Lounge special?

The Location
Being across the street from the San Francisco Zen Center, connecting the tradition of tea directly to the practice of sitting meditation makes for some really good chemistry. Of course you don’t have to be a meditater or a Buddhist to enjoy Samovar, but, as the mission the Zen Center is to cross all demographic boundaries to “…make accessible the wisdom and compassion of the Buddha…” just sitting across the street in the lounge sipping a Masala Chai, you can’t help but to feel a sense of peace from their strong neighborhood presence. And, the constant flow of zen students and teachers in and out of Samovar give you the chance to connect to some amazing people, doing really good things.

This space is situated in quiet, quintessential residential neighborhood outside the main commercial drag of Hayes Valley - giving you the perfect excuse to go shopping, and people watching, and then to escape…to a blissful cup of tea. Also, although it is tucked away, it is also incredibly central to the rail and bus Muni systems, the Bart, and, to walking from Market Street, Japan Town, the Fillmore, Hayes Valley, and Civic Center.

The Building Materials
Having the opportunity to operate two successful Samovar Tea Lounges over the past 6 years, we have had the luxury to see what works and what doesn’t in a tea lounge. This third location was the perfect chance to put into practice all the best elements. Here’s a partial list of what we were able to incorporate into the building of this location:

- Forest Stewardship Council certified wood flooring. All of our wood floors come from biodiverse, sustainably harvested timber, and than literally hand finished by artisans to create the functional, and beautiful aesthetic they embody.

- Tables and Bar - For all of our tables and bars, we went really, really, really local. Up in Marin a friend of ours salvaged some wind fallen redwood trees, 1200 year old trees to be exact. After getting seasoned for many years at his home, he finished them, and installed them - here at this location. Beautiful, natural, and from only 20 minutes away! We were especially excited about the tea bar. It’s the perfect place to taste tea, hang out and chat with us about he nuances of oolongs, or to bring a date. It’s a real bar, and yet only for tea!

- Electrical and equipment usage is all low energy consumption. Even the bathroom uses state of the art water faucet, hand drier, and lights!

- Metalwork is reclaimed metal from an old vinegar factory up in Northern California. The factory and vinegar is gone, but, the metal has remained and found a new home in beautifying and supporting this new space

The People
Our staff has been hired from a very large pool of applicants. We have a 4″ stack of resumes of people looking to work at Samovar, and this new staff at the Zen Valley location made the cut. They are passionate about tea, live really interesting lives, love customer service, and are excited to be calling this new location their home away from home. How many other jobs out there have staff lingering around for three hours after the shift is done? Not many. Our folk love working here, and even when the work is done, they linger, sipping tea, talking about tastings, and crops and seasons, and hanging out with our customers. Thank you Samovarians for making our space so special.

Our History
First we opened during the peak of the Dot-Com bust, in a classic San Francisco coffee shop just outside the Castro, to serve the neighborhood with the salve tea offers. Then came the be-jeweled dome in Yerba Buena Gardens beneath this city’s skyscrapers, satisfying downtown workers, tourists, and convention-goers with an escape from the city’s frenzy.

And now, tucked in a quiet residential neighborhood across the street from the San Francisco Zen Center, comes this most exciting location yet. Please visit us and find out for yourself!

Samovar Zen Valley is open….

Everyday: 10am-10pm

See you soon!