Tea, the second most popular beverage in the world, has spawned a culture among people from all parts of the continent. It has the ability to lure anyone who has a love for exotic flavors and aromas.

San Francisco is home to many teahouses offering people a chance to educate themselves about the vast culture of tea. Tea lounges are an effective way for people to unwind from their daily grind of work and school. Many offer a calm atmosphere where one can enjoy a large selection of teas including whites, greens, oolongs, blacks, pu-erhs and herbals.

One of the three teahouses I encountered was Modern Tea, located in Hayes Valley. It was arranged like a sit down restaurant with many tables and chairs, including outside seating, and a wait staff.

The service was very slow, although the place was relatively empty, and despite the many types of teas available, the price for a small individual pot was pricey, averaging anywhere between $4 and $6.
Modern Tea also offered a lunch menu consisting mainly of soups and salads.

The quality of their tea was also poor. Good tasting water is an important part of the tea culture, and unfortunately, Modern Tea did not meet this standard. I tried a Chinese green tea and it was extremely bitter and bland, not to mention lukewarm in temperature.

One of the best tea lounges to contrast Modern Tea was Leland Tea Company, located on Bush Street. Walking in, a crisp aroma of fresh baked pastries – particularly a cinnamon spice smell – immediately hit my nose.

I decided on the house blend, called Tiffany, which comes either hot or cold. Tiffany is a blend of black teas from Indonesia and China, that have a bold, sweet, and almost fruity flavor.

The reason I knew so much about the Tiffany tea is because Leland Tea Company offered an easy way to learn about tea for those who are not familiar with the variety out there.

Next to the register are three tiers of teas in small, labeled jars with black, green, white and oolong teas. Next to the tiers are business cards with the ingredients and caffeine amounts.

Leland Tea Company also offers fresh baked pastries and small meals for those who want to eat as well as enjoy tea. The food is freshly baked on the premises, including all the pastries and breads for the sandwiches. The prices at Leland were reasonable with my Tiffany tea costing $2.

Another tea lounge that had an inexpensive tea menu, as well as a user-friendly system of learning about teas was Poleng Lounge on Fulton Street. The lounge offered a selection of rice and chicken dishes, none of which cost more than $10.

Poleng Lounge is very dimly lit with walls covered in slate, with water trickling down. Black leather couches were available for seating with tables that resembled petrified wood.

At the bar is a row of small metal jars each holding a different type of tea. Each jar sits on one of five pieces of laminated, magnetic paper—each paper corresponding to a type of tea.

I sampled a green genmiacha tea, which is green tea mixed with dried brown rice. It had a grassy, earthy taste to it. It was not strong in flavor and had a small amount of caffeine, but it made me feel relaxed.

For a more fruity tea, pomegranate oolong is a light tea that is wonderfully refreshing. It smells delightful and has a floral taste. For a bolder flavored tea, any one of the black teas will satisfy that craving.

Although it was a tough decision, overall, I would recommend Poleng Lounge for those interested in the experience, because of its nightlife, the stunning décor, and most of all. its delicious variety of teas.