Tea Time

About Tea Time

Tea Time Palo Alto is a tea shop and English-style tea room at 542 Ramona Street in downtown Palo Alto. It does two jobs. The tea room serves afternoon tea, light meals and pots of loose-leaf tea at the table. The shop and its online store sell loose-leaf tea, teapots, filters and gifts to take home.

The business sums up its outlook in one line: "Tea brings enjoyment and rest." Its stated mission is to serve tea room guests sandwiches, savories, scones and desserts in a cozy setting. For online customers, the goal is quality loose-leaf teas and well-designed teapots. Tea Time shares a business manager with Lisa's Tea Treasures in Los Altos, according to its class page.

The tea room menu

Tea Time's 2026 tea room menu lists more than 120 loose-leaf teas and a food menu designed to pair with them. The tea room serves breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and a light supper. Afternoon tea is served from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and includes a tea of your choice with savories, salad, sandwiches, a scone, mini desserts, cheese and fruit. A high tea adds a savory pie and seasonal cookies.

The menu groups its sets into signature tea fares and lighter fares. You can also build your own meal by pairing a pot of tea with one, two or three side orders. Tea sandwich fillings listed on the menu include chicken, apple and walnut; turkey and cranberry; hummus and avocado; cucumber and cream cheese; egg salad; and shrimp and avocado. Scones come in cranberry, blueberry, cinnamon or gluten-free versions with clotted cream and preserves. The tea room says vegetarian and vegan options are available on all of its signature sets.

Seasonal specials change through the year. In October the tea room offers a Queen's High Tea built around the season, with pumpkin soup, vegetarian savories, tea sandwiches, a house-baked scone and mini desserts.

Teas and the shop

The tea list spans black, green, oolong, white, decaffeinated, flavored and herbal teas, plus wellness teas and special blends. The tea room menu names English Breakfast, Earl Grey, Assam, Darjeeling, Ceylon, Yunnan Gold, Sencha, genmaicha, Dragon Well, Ti Kwan Yin, Bai Mu Dan and Masala Chai among its choices. The online store sells loose-leaf tea, teawares and gift packages. Tea Time notes that prices in the shop can differ from prices online.

Parties, catering and classes

The tea room hosts birthdays, bridal showers, baby showers and group parties for up to 20 guests. You can also rent the whole room for a meeting, a reading group or a celebration. For events away from the shop, Tea Time boxes tea sandwiches, crumpets and desserts for pickup and lends tea urns. It asks for at least three days' notice and also offers full catering at offices, gardens and clubs.

Tea Time runs two classes in 2025 and 2026: "Introduction to Tea Enjoyment" and "Tea and Food Pairing." The first covers tea types, growing regions, brewing and a tasting of four teas. The second covers tea grading and pairs five teas with a five-course menu. Classes are held on Wednesdays for groups of eight to twelve. Book them by phone.

Tips for your visit

• Reserve ahead. The tea room has limited space and takes reservations by phone or email. Payment details are required to hold a table and a cancellation fee applies.
• First seating is at 11 a.m. and the final seating is at 3 p.m. The kitchen stops serving at 3:45 p.m.
• Tuesdays and Wednesdays are reserved for private events, classes and catering, so the tea room is closed to walk-ins.
• Check the holiday schedule. For 2026, the tea room lists closures over Thanksgiving and on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
• Tea Time recommends the public garages across the street or at City Hall. It says garages are free for three hours on weekdays and free on weekends.

Ramona Street is a short walk from University Avenue. Our downtown Palo Alto guide covers the area. For more places to sit with a cup, see our coffee guide. For something sweet afterward, try our bakeries and desserts guide.

Location and getting there

Tea Time is at 542 Ramona Street, Palo Alto, CA 94301, in the Downtown area of Palo Alto. Our Downtown guide covers what else is around.

The Palo Alto Caltrain station is less than a quarter mile away, a walk of a few minutes.

Parking: street spaces and city garages with posted limits (see parking in Palo Alto).

Hours

Hours from the business's own website, checked October 29, 2026.

What is nearby

• Bistro Maxine, restaurant, under 0.1 mi
• Coupa Cafe, cafe, under 0.1 mi
• Forest Spa Boutique, salon or spa, under 0.1 mi
• Warby Parker, practice, under 0.1 mi
• Osteria, restaurant, under 0.1 mi
• University Avenue, under 0.1 mi
• Lytton Plaza, under 0.1 mi
• Pacific Art League, under 0.1 mi

Other groceries and food shops nearby: Whole Foods Market (0.2 mi); Trader Joe's (0.5 mi); Nespresso (0.6 mi); Wanpo Tea Shop (0.6 mi). Browse the full groceries and food shops list.

Before you go

• California charges for paper bags at checkout, so bring a reusable bag.
• Weekend late mornings are the busiest time at most Palo Alto grocers. Early mornings and weekday evenings are calmer.
• Specialty items and prepared foods change often. Call ahead if you need something specific.

About this listing

Checked October 29, 2026 against Tea Time official website; Tea room hours and reservations; Tea room menu; Tea classes; Tea parties. How our listings work. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

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