"Great Teas Of China" by Roy Fong at the S.F. Commonwealth Club
March 11, 2013





View page and listen to the entire one-hour recording

Imperial Tea Court

San Francisco: Gateway to Tea

Story and photography by Bruce Richardson

Pilgrim after pilgrim made their way down the steep slopes of Powell Street to sit in an authentic red and black lacquered Chinese made tea house and drink tea with Roy while being serenaded by finches perched in a half dozen cages hanging from the ceiling. The marble floor, wooden walls, paneled ceiling, handmade furnishings, and the owner were all imported from China.

September 2005

Roy Fong, Imperial Tea Court

Your first teahouse has recently celebrated its twelfth anniversary. Has the popularity of tea in this country matched your original expectation, or have there been surprised along the way?

The growth of tea and our business has certainly exceeded my expectation since I didn't really know what to expect 12 years ago. It has been a wonderful twelve years (actually thirteen since it took one year to open the store).

You now have a second location in the Ferry Building. What changes in format have you made based on your experience with the first?

We try to offer a pure tea experience in our original store and after 12 years, we are somewhat successful. The second location offers more traditional food items to be served along with tea to ease the initial "shock" for new comers to tea since food are easier to understand, and to Chinese, food and tea are both art forms to be presented. We are in the process of opening a third location in Berkeley, CA, which will explore even further the idea of food and tea presentations.