Edamame hummus, greek yogurt dip with olives, stuffed dates, roasted eggplant, crackers

Are you a coffee or tea person? I love the idea of coffee…a warm morning ritual, meeting a friend to catch up, working hard on a project while sipping a cup…but I don’t always love how it makes me feel, jittery with an uneasy tummy. A few years back I switched to tea and have rarely* looked back (*everyone needs a good latte from time to time). So you can imagine how pleasantly surprised I was to discover Samovar Lounge, a tea room in my neighborhood. The space is inviting with indoor and outdoor seating, a mock fireplace to keep cozy on foggy San Francisco days, knowledgeable and friendly staff, an extensive tea list and phenomenal bites with suggested pairings. After taking a closer look at their website I. AM. IMPRESSED. Not only is Samovar Lounge a great little spot in my neighborhood but the leading tea house in San Francisco with spots in four locations around town. They also have a great blog with lovely tea recipes like the one listed below. Already looking forward to my next visit so I can try the Japanese tea service.

date stuffed with goat cheese, topped with fresh mint & toasted walnut

Jasmine Green Tea Lemonade from Samovar Tea

1. Bring 16 cups (1 gallon) of water to a boil and let it sit for 10 minutes until the water cools to about 190 degrees F.
2. Stir in ¾ cup raw sugar and ½ cup Samovar Organic Jasmine Green Tea.
3. Steep for 10 minutes.
4. Strain out the tea leaves, pouring the tea into a one gallon pitcher filled ¼ full with ice.
5. Stir until the ice melts, then add 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice.
6. Cool in the refrigerator.
7. Serve with ice and garnish with mint leaves and a slice of lemon.

Iced schizandra berry said to bring energy, relaxation, sexual prowess (yeow!) & turmeric spice with turmeric root, ginger, orange peel, lemongrass. Both were incredible.

Eagerly planning my next visit!