Lovejoy's Tea Room
(52 reviews)1351 Church St, San Francisco, CA 94114, USA 415-648-5895 Website Suggest Changes
Recent reviews
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Stephanie Dark
Love, love, love this teashop! I have had tea here with my friends a few times, and I've ordered their scones to eat at home. The staff are always friendly and helpful. They have some wonderful teas for sale at the shop, so you can taste with your tea service and bring home what you like.
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M Alpha
A quaint, traditional tea parlor with the cozy atmosphere of granny's doily-strewn sitting room. Mismatched tea sets and eclectic decor add to the familial informality. But the tea itself is top-tier. An extensive menu satisfies any taste, and the sweet & savory bites are crafted with care. The pastries are quite heavy and filling, but even so, the Queen's Tea is the only way to go if you want the full experience.
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Kaitlin Wahl
I have been going to Lovejoy's for at least the last 20 years and the experience has been a consistently excellent one! From the food to the ambiance everything is just perfect for groups or a tea date!
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Scott Rowe
One of my favorite ways to spend an afternoon with friends, when we could do that kind of thing. Now, their delivery service will have to do... and it's excellent! What a wonderful way to brighten your day during a long spell of isolation.
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Nancy Cash
This place is incredible! We had such a lovely time when we visited. I sure hope it will survive the COVID shutdown and be able to reopen soon! The food is amazing, the tea is delicious and the service is wonderful.
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Erin Bright
When I'm looking for a classic afternoon tea experience with tiered serving plates and doilies, this is THE place to go in San Francisco area. The food is exactly as expected and the tea is perfect.
I've been here a few times with a group of knitting friends and the staff have been super cool about us spending a little extra time as well.
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Justine Heritage
Had a team event here and it was super fun. Great staff, great food, great tea!
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M
Lovejoy's a great place to visit for an afternoon tea experience. The food, tea and service are excellent. The only problem is often trying to find a parking spot close enough with enough time to spare. It might be best to take local transportation to give you enough time to relax over your tea experience. There is also an excellent shop across the street that sells all sorts of tea accessories such as place card holders, tea cozies and more.
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tstar
Lovejoy's is wonderful - the teas, food, and people are all delightful Tea at Lovejoy's at Christmastime is an important holiday tradition for our family - they come from Hermosa Beach, CA . Tokyo, Japan. Vancouver, B.C., Canada. Portland, OR. Menlo Park, CA. and Glen Park here in S.F. We recommend it highly.
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Donna Hill
Lovejoy's is quirky, homey and delicious. Always welcomed with a smile, always consistent good service and delicious food. Sausage rolls, pasties and a great variety of sandwiches. Do not miss the divine pet it fours as a sweetie.
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Frances
As always a wonderful way to spend an afternoon. Gillian and her staff are so kind and helpful. The food here is so consistent, always great. My husband and I enjoy visiting this tearoom everytime we are in the city. I even brought 3 customers here (men) and they said it was so good they would be back.
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Shelly Sheperson
They have the best sandwich and tea selection that I have tried. The atmosphere is so perfect. I love the mismatched china.
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Diana R.
This was my first time at Lovejoy's, my niece turned 21 & she wanted celebrate here. With reservations for 6 we were seated in the front window which was wonderful. The decor very homey with the feel of yesteryear, I loved it. Our service was very good. The food was delicious! It appears everything is cooked off site, but of the highest quality!! We all had the queens tea which was a good value for the amount of food we received. Atmosphere was fun and everyone seemed to have a great time. My favorite were the scones, they were to die for!!!!(made by John Campbells Irish bakery on Geary, definitely a stop next time in SF). I will definately return and tell others this is a great stop.
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Lane
My friend and I had a wonderful afternoon tea at Lovejoy's today. Their loose leaf tea is fresh and delicious. We had a pot of China Rose Petal and Decaf Earl Grey. I liked the rose petal tea so much I bought a tin of it at their cute shop across the street. Our tea for two came with a choice of 4 sandwiches, green salad and coleslaw, scones and shortbread cookies. They serve real Devon cream, something which too many tea rooms skimp on. The sandwiches were very fresh with tasty fillings. Of the many choices, we had roast beef with horseradish, chicken and asparagus, smoked salmon and cream cheese and pear and Stilton. The atmosphere is very charming with lace covered tables and pretty mix and match china. It is somewhat loud but I think that is a testiment to how popular it is and how much fun everyone was having.
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Jenny
This is by far one of the better tea places I've been too. The food and tea selection are wonderful. The decor is interesting. It is better than some of the top 10 California places listed here that I've been to in terms of food and tea selection. The service is a bit slow since there appears to only be 2 or waitresses. Overall, I had a great experince.
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Jesse
This place has some really tasty tea and tea sandwiches, and they're right across the street from a tea shop with some very unique items.
However, it's SO crowded and noisy that I couldn't really fully enjoy myself. Our table was practically right in front of the door, and it was connected to someone else's table, so we got absolutely NO personal space. I was constantly i fear of someone knocking over my tea pot or something, especially with how wobbly the table was.
Overall, it's a nice place, but I wouldn't show it off to friends or anything.
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Dee
Whenever someone talks about tea in the bay area, Lovejoy’s is always mentioned as the tea room to visit. I finally made me way to Lovejoy’s this month, and was not disappointed. There was an ample size list of sandwiches to pick from, and I selected the chicken salad and smoked salmon. Both were delicious! My friend selected the roast beef with horseradish and the chicken & asparagus sandwiches . They too were good! The highlight of tea at Lovejoy’s was the hot crumpet. No other tea room I have been to in the bay area has served a crumpet and they should because it was really good. The scone on the other hand was average. I’ve had better. For dessert, we were able to select an item from a tray that carried petite fours and other treats. Although I enjoyed my visit to Lovejoy’s and will visit it again one day, it isn’t my favorite tea room in the bay area. If you’re willing to cross the bay, my favorite one is located in Pleasanton at the English Rose.
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Rose
I've said it before & I will say it again.... 'Best Quality of food, Great Service, Excellent Tea Preparation, Friendly C.S.' I'm looking forward with this challenge in Sacramento Tearoom...;=) It's so cozy, you feel right at home (just like grand-ma days) I'll always come back!!!!
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Rosie
D-BEST tearoom I've ever gone to so far... I love this place and, I've recommended it to my co-workers and, they love it as well. We have our mother-n-daugther gathering every other month. And, each time we get-together, its always fun, exciting, memories to remember, relaxing, fun to go with families, friends, moms day, girlfriends or for whatever reason it is, I truly recommend this place to go!! You 'WILL-NOT-REGRET-IT-AT-ALL'!!!! I rank this AAAAA+++++++++ Food is fabulous, tasteful, reasonable price!!!!
;=)
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Rhonda Fernandez
My husband and I visit Lovejoy's almost every time we go to San Francisco. We love the cozy seating, plentiful food, and the frequent refills of hot water for our teas. The staff is always friendly and cheerful even though it is frequently crazy-busy. Reservations are strongly recommended, though there have been a few times when we dropped in on a whim, and they were able to accommodate us.
Lovejoy's really is a relaxing oasis in San Francisco, and their antique shop across the street is the perfect place to pick up a bag or two of the tea you had in the tearoom.
We love it and will continue to visit every chance we get!
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Loose leaf fan
My first Impression of Lovejoys: a 'Shabby Chic', whimsical and cozy tea room. Antique and collectable decor and nick-knacks adorn high walls and ceilings. Placesettings are mismatched-go ahead, flip your saucer to view it's place of birth. Our seating hostess was performing double duty as our waitress. An experienced waitperson should be able to juggle about 15-20 individuals on their own. I applaude her performance. She was graceful polished and had the support of kitchen staff. Loose tea is brewed in your pot, so it does get stronger with time passed. During my visit, there was no cozy or tealight to keep tea hot. Only real turnoff: a member of the kitchen staff brought a sponge out to spot clean a table cloth. Probably better to just change it,as they have an abundance of lovely vintage linens. My scone was tasty. Their sandwich fillings were a little sparse, and could have even more 'pop' with varied types and textures of bread. I think paperwork and phone calls should be made away from the direct view and earshot of clientel. It gives the consumer a backstage view that they do not need. All in all, a really nice afternoon. Thank you all and I will surely be a return customer.
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C. Padlo
My goal in life is to go to all tea rooms. This one had very high points in my book No.1 REAL devonshire cream (not faux) Our server was delightful and attentive to our every need.I think perhaps there are only two areas that need improvement. I believe there could be a bit more filling in the sandwitches. (all looked somewhat the same) but the bread very fresh. The bathroom really needed some help,and should be delt with a.s.a.p. Other then that, we had a wonderful time and will go back. Carole.
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Valerie
My sisters and I started our morning with tea at Lovejoys. We had reservations for the first seating of the day. We waited excitedly outside until they opened and were seated immediately at a cute table and given menus. We had fun deciding on the sandwiches and other treats. They offer many interesting choices for sandwiches and other food, and the tea selection is huge! We had a few questions about the food and our server was happy to answer them. We had more questions about the tea. She was very helpful and spent alot of time explaining the differences in teas and suggested a special vanilla tea that they had for the day. It was delicious! Each of us ordered a different tea and we shared, but her suggestion was the BEST! The tea is loose leaf and served in a variety of tea pots. You may get something old fashioned or something very contemporary. The food was presented on a tall serving tower and looked very pretty. The food was very tasty, fresh and authentic. Many of the condiments, such as the clotted cream, come from England. The food was just like what I enjoyed in Ireland and Scotland. I live an hour south of San Francisco, one sister lives in SF and my other sister lives an hour north of SF. This was a special day for just the girls and we were so happy with Lovejoys. Nothing beats a hot cup of tea on a foggy San Francisco day.
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Florence
The staff here are very friendly and prompt. We arrived for our 100pm setting and were placed in the very small table in the window. We could barely move around.All of the food was fresh and delicious, however we were disappointed with our tea service. As we glanced around the room the tables had cute little flora tea services. or pot was cracked with a mismatched lid which was also cracked. The second pot had an expensive bambon handle and barely held two cups of tea. This was a real turnoff.I didn't say anything since I did want to ruin my friend's celebration.
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C. Louise
As a tea room owner myself and beining in the top 5% of my state I know what kind of standards are set for one's tea room. However I cannot believe that this tearoom is rated in the top 5%. I was so disappointed with the whole kit and kaboodle. First off we were offered a couch to eat our lunch on, when we declined the young lady rolled her eyes and put us in the corner like naughty children. Then once we were seated we noticed that the table was very low and the chairs very high which made us very uncomfortable for eating and drinking. The ambiance was of a coffee house no charm or little nooks and crannies to explore. The owner was sat at a table doing her book keeping in front of the customers, of which I found very tacky. We ordered the cornish pasty of which was very good, along with the sausage roll which was fair both items came with a spinach salad with a spicy mustard dressing, VANCAMPS baked beans (not English ones) and a whole heap of brown sauce, my brothers ate the chicken pot pie and a sandwhich plate of which my brothers enjoyed somewhat. We declined a pot of tea though, due to the extortionate rate of $7.00 per pot per person. Bottomless or not I could not justify a 50cent sachet of tea for $7.00 I can honestly say I will not return nor recommend as I believe there are much better tea houses around the bay area.
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JST
I had very high expectations for Lovejoy’s after reading their ratings and seeing so many positive reviews for this tea room. I have been to several tea rooms in the Bay Area and this one was on my list to try. In several ways Lovejoy’s did not disappoint; however, in a few ways it did. We were seated at a lovely window table in the corner. I was delighted by this and was hoping for a table near the window. The tea room is large enough that although there was a ladies’shower going on at the same time, the noise level was not too loud and we hardly noticed the party was there at all. The sandwich selection at Lovejoy’s is quite extensive and the ones we had were very good. My girlfriend and I both chose to have the Queen’s Tea. We chose the fig and olive tapenade, the artichoke hummus, the chicken and asparagus, and the chicken apple walnut tea sandwiches. All of the sandwiches were absolutely delicious (I would skip the chicken and asparagus next time though). However, I was disappointed to see that the sandwiches were not cut uniformly. Each sandwich is cut into 4 triangular pieces, and several times, I was left with a section of sandwich that was one bite with hardly any filling in it! While this would be somewhat alright if one were going to eat the whole sandwich, it was disappointing when one is splitting all the sandwiches with their companion. Water also must be asked for – there is none at the table. The coleslaw was absolutely wonderful – I normally don’t eat it at all – I’m not a fan. But theirs was delicious. The salad was alright – it was a little odd to have the leaves scattered on the platter alongside the bowls of coleslaw and dressing and have each of us just scoop some up onto our plates, but it was fine. The rest of the food was good and plentiful, and we left very full. The one other disappointment was the décor – I was expecting something a little more refined…than what looked like left over antique items scattered over the walls. Tea related antiques would be better maybe…but it didn’t feel remotely as elegant as the pricetag would suggest. Our server was very attentive, coming 3-4 times to make sure our teapots were fresh and hot. That was very much appreciated. The tea itself was quite good. Overall a nice experience, but there are several other tearooms near to me that I prefer.
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Nick E.
I am a huge tea drinker and have found nothing better than Love Joy's Tea Room. My newlywed wife and I even had them cater out wedding with high tea. Not your usual choice, but it was so wonderful and unique that all our guests were quite appreciative of our choice.
The taste, experience, and service are excellent. A visit to Love Joy's is always a wonderful experience. We drive an hour or more just to visit Love Joy's.
The store across the street, Love Joy's Antiques, sells their exquisite teas. Some of my favorites include: Youkshire Gold, Black Vanilla, Chestnut, Apricot, Earl Grey, Butter Truffle, and Citrus Spice.
The service at Love Joy's is excellent and the propietress, Gillian, is absolutely wonderful.
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Miss S of Lisa's
As manager of a tea shoppe myself one might consider me unloyal by recommending LoveJoy's but there is no place I would rather take my tea! For years now, to escape the demands of my own business, I have sought respite in the inviting parlour of LoveJoy's and always look forward to an amazing experience. The food selection is tops! The service leaves nothing lacking and the decor is sweet and unpretentious. LoveJoy's is the place to go to truly enjoy the serenity implied when one seeks good conversation, scrumptious goodies and the overall relaxing effect of a proper afternoon tea.
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Sheila Lang
Such a fun old place. Everyone smiles. A great gathering spot tho a bit small for the crowds they attract.
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Nicole
I've visited Lovejoy's almost a dozen times now and the times I've strayed, I've regretted (most recently, see my review of Secret Garden).
The first time I took my boyfriend (last year) he was very apprehensive that the tea service would leave him hungry, but ask him now and he'll heartily affirm that he's been full at every visit (he's only missed one of my tea trips since).
Lovejoy's has my favorite tea, Yorkshire, which I always order though I've tried all of my guests' tea choices and they have been outstanding as well (Taylor's Tea Room Blend is recommended by the servers and I recommend it too, also the Spiced Citrus was quite pleasant). Tea is loose and steeps wonderfully, plus you get to use the cute tea strainers. I can't say enough about how filling the Queen's Tea is (two full sandwiches=8 quarters, coleslaw, salad, scone with a berry preserve that is great! and devon cream, crumpet with lemon curd, fruit, petit four and shortbread cookie), but there's also many smaller tea services that are priced excellently ($13.25 gets you one sandwich, scone with toppings, fruit and shortbread cookie).
There are many worthwhile goodies on the a la carte menu: Savory Beef Pastie was delicious!, quiche (I tried one with mushrooms but I don't know if variety changes) was delicate and moist--a great value with salad at $7.95, and extra sandwiches can always be added onto a tea service for $2.95.
With so many sandwich choices you'll want to add on another one or two because they are all scrumptious. Roast Beef with Horseradish is very flavorful, if you like this type of spiciness you can step it up to a hotter notch with the Ham and English Mustard, the mustard offers quite an interesting bite. Chicken-Apple-Walnut is one of my regulars, the fruit and nut mix is perfect, Egg and Onion is quite delicious, and there's always Cucumber or Salmon with Cream Cheese (tried and true, but the other combinations are so spectacular it's hard to settle).
Service is always helpful, especially for first-timers. They've never forgotten to warm my tea before I need to ask and every visit has shown efficient service that doesn't intrude on my catch-up sessions with friends. The tea room is usually very crowded so a reservation is a must if you don't want to wait away half your afternoon, but service really is handled extremely well considering how many tables/parties they can accomodate. The room is decorated like a grandmother's house, but the company is anything but stifled so it's not a minus. Tables are seated with chairs as well as couches, a very comfortable touch. I love the doilies and mismatched tea china, the whole ambiance is fantastic. I highly recommend this tea room for any occasion, though I haven't tried how service accomodates a large party/shower.
- Nicole 03/03/06
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JC
I took my sister, 4 yr old neice, mother-in-law and husband here for afternoon tea. PERFECT. It was a quaint, relaxed atmosphere. If you are looking for a traditional British tea, you may be disappointed. This is a bit more relaxed, but has way more charm. The prices were excellent and serving sizes were larger than I expected. The staff was so kind, and the quickly refill your teapot, even when it is half full!
We found street parking right out front, but I don't know how common that is. My only complaint would be the noise level, but it was very busy the day we went. I suggest resverations.
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Eleanor
I visited Lovejoy's shortly after going to tea at the Ritz Carlton hotel in SF. For me, Lovejoy's was twice as nice at half the price.
At the Ritz Carlton, there were several doormen and footmen, and a human signpost in the entrance hall, but the portions, though elegant, were miniscule, and left everyone hungry.
At Lovejoy's, the food was good (including imaginative sandwiches), the portions big, and the service outstanding. I love the cozy decor with the antique sofas, mismatched cups, and doilies everywhere.
Three of us arrived without a reservation on a busy weekend afternoon. They were waiting for a birthday party with a reservation that was already 15 minutes late. They asked us to wait 5 more minutes, and then seated us at the reserved area, which was rather large for just us three. We had looked over the menu (and I had gotten attached to my cup and saucer) when the birthday party finally arrived. Apologetically, the hostess asked if we would mind moving to a smaller table that had finally become available, and offered a complimentary upgrade to our tea service selections. She encouraged me take the beautiful cup in front of me to the new table.
At Lovejoy's they really took care of us. I left with a satisfied tummy, and I had a delicious, warm, wonderful time. If you want to pretend to be a Brittish peer with tons of servants, go to the Ritz, but if you want to be treated as family in a place where my English Grandmother would have felt right at home, go to Lovejoy's.
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Kristi
The place is very small and crowded. The food was ok not great. The parking is extremely difficult. The employees were nice. The gift shop is very small and across the street. The prices for things were a little high. We made a special trip because of the reviews and were disappointed.
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ET
I have always had a good time at Lovejoy's. The tea and food always fill me and I like the mismatched china. The service is generally friendly and efficient; I always have enough tea in my pot. I go here with my father and he loves to see all of the women being comforable and chatty and girly--it is like a secret women's universe that men rarely see.
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Anonymous
Excellent tea service. I got the Queens Tea which comes with a wonderful assortment of items (see their website for the menu). The tea sandwiches were excellent and the tea was brewed to perfection.
Unlike previous reviews, I found the owner to be very accommodating and extremely polite over the phone and in person.
I brought a vegan friend with me and although the menu does not specifically list vegan items, our server was more than happy to accommodate my friend’s needs. In fact, she was vegan herself, so that made the experience that much better!
I love the decor. It's eclectic and fun and nearly everything is for sale. Before we went to tea we walked across the street to Lovejoy's Attic and tried on old-time hats. I thought about purchasing the loose mango tea, but decided to save that purchase for another time. Keep in mind, they have a discount coupon for 20% off loose teas right now.
In short, great time. I didn't have a problem with waiting in line for the single bathroom or with the service. In fact, our tea and meal came out very quickly and we were not rushed out of the tea house after we were done.
They are definitely busy and it can be noisy... but aren't all tea houses like that? We're not in a library. You go to tea to chat and that's what people are doing.
Also, this tea house was unique because on both occasions there were many men enjoying tea as well. Every other tea house I have visited has had few to no men in the room.
In short, excellent tea house. Worth the trek. Will go back again.
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Colorado Springs
My experience is so different from those listed here. Lovejoy's is small, crowded and too warm with uncomfortable seating and an ok selection but the scones were dry and the teas uninspired.
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J. Hellmuth
Lovejoy's Tea Room is a wonderful experience for the real tea lover! The teas are presented beautifully. The food is quite good. Large selection of tea sandwiches. The staff is friendly and efficient. Reservations are needed, due to the limited number of seats...it is worth the wait!