Song Tea & Ceramics
Not everyone takes their tea seriously — and by seriously, we mean does more than simply order up the Passion Fruit variety at Starbucks from time to time — but if you do, you need to make a stop at Song Tea & Ceramics. This new Pacific Heights shop is run by Peter Luong, whose family runs the well known Red Blossom Tea Co. But unlike the huge variety on offer there, Song focuses on two dozen-or-so high-quality teas, several of which are unavailable elsewhere in the U.S. The teaware — made by respected Taiwanese artisans — is also impressive, as is Luong's willingness to teach customers more about tea and make recommendations. The finishing touch? A zen-like sales floor that goes perfectly with the calming effects of the product. [Scouted by Michael]
