I had no clue about tea and was a die hard coffee snob until I walked into White Crane Tea Company in Japantown. David the owner, broke open a new package of $50 tea just so I could try. There's no chance in hell Starbucks, Peets, or Blue Bottle Coffee would ever do that for me. Never in a million years. After he patiently discussed the differences between the premium tea he carries, I started asking him about the huge amount of high quality Japanese artwork he carried. Turns out he's a professional artist and did it all by himself. I've been going back once a month for the last year to top up on my personal stock of tea ever since.
Pros: finest tea available on the market, very helpful owner, high quality scrolls and calligraphy
Cons: the tea is pricey, but what do you expect when it's the best green tea in the world?
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