Hidden Peak Teahouse

Man… these people are bitter. I think there’s a reason people start texting during their conversations ;) I’m all for being respectful to my companions, but… explain to me again why I’m not allowed to come in on my own for a cup of tea and read quietly on my ereader? Or check my credit card balance on my phone before making a purchase? If they want to bring down the barriers between people they should start with their own attitudes, not blame technology for their lapse of humanity.

This place is awesome, amazing teas and a great ambiance. Had a lot of fun with the lady friend using the Gaiwan method to brew our teas. The tea itself came out as described and was everything I was looking for.

A very different yet relaxing and peaceful place to enjoy tea. Our hostess was extremely knowledgeable and amazingly friendly. This being my first time there I told her what teas I prefer and she guided me to a great choice. My friend and I had the gung fu service and was shown how to prepare the tea. I picked a black tea and since no electronics are allowed I didn’t take a picture of the menu.
If you want to take some time to just enjoy a quite place and a nice glass of expensive tea, then I would recommend it.

My friend and I came in here today, she’s from out of town and I am in SC visiting family) and were quickly sent to a table. After they served us, I asked for the check to be brought as we were expecting to be leaving suddenly due to her being picked up. A few minutes later I got texts from family about a situation, and as my friend was off on a phone call, quickly texted back as to not appear to dine and run. I was quickly told their no phone policy again, and I put it away to wait for my friend. 20 minutes later, I asked a different waiter for a check, and then our waiter again, and finally were able to leave. We felt the tea was good (although the waiter initially poured for us and seemed to make a mess of it) but the service and the no phone policy (even for texts) cause me to give this place 2 stars. I will not be returning anytime soon and hope that they come to see the error of the no texting policy in this day and age. Good tea, atrocious service.

Love this teahouse! Ever since moving away from San Diego and leaving behind my favorite teahouse there (Mad Monk Tea), I’ve been looking for a similar place in the Bay Area. Hidden Peak has a great setup and full gong-​fu service tea sets for customers to use. My sister loved the «tea pets» on each table, where you can pour excess water and tea on and also come in interesting shapes such as frogs, peaches, and even the Zen Master Bodhidharma. If you appreciate good pu-​erh tea, this is the best place to go in the Bay Area. We easily spent hours here chatting and drinking tea, after which our minds felt crystal clear, light, and happy.
One thing I would recommend is more playing of Chinese classical instrumental music (such as the guqin, guzheng, erhu, etc.), rather than the Western classical music, which doesn’t go as well with the Chinese tea services. But we really loved having tea here and look forward to coming back on our next trip south to Santa Cruz!

Exceptional tea house. Friendly knowledgeable staff, very relaxing and peaceful environment, great tea selection, no screens allowed (phones, tablets, computers, etc), beautiful wooden tea tables, consistent and good quality tea ware, and a great library of books on taoism, buddhism, tea, and other sources from the East. One of my favorite places in Santa Cruz and a must visit for tea lovers.

We stumbled on this place on a road trip and fell in love with the whole scene. The tea experience was really interesting and our server Avia gave us a thorough education. The snacks were delicious esp the baozhi dough balls and the homemade peanut butter cups. We’ll definitely stop here again the next time we’re in Santa Cruz.

If you like pretentious hipster ethic and ambiance, «Hidden Peak Teahouse» is for you!
My sister and niece from out of town had invited me to meet them at HPT in Downtown Santa Cruz around 3 pm, so I went down a bit early to stop by the bookstore. When it got close to 3, I texted them to see if they were there yet. No answer. I later found out that they had sent me a text too, which I never received because HPT is aggressively militant about not allowing the use of mobile phones on their premises. So we were not able to contact each other, (to meet at HPT).
When I finally got there I discovered my sister and niece had already been there awhile.
It was near 90 degrees and the air was hot and stuffy in HPT.
The waiter came over, (I believe he had a man bun in his hair), and put down a menu.
Since it was so hot, I asked what they had in the way of iced tea.
I was informed that they had nothing but hot tea and couldn’t even offer me cold water so I said that I would not be ordering anything. My sister and niece had already been served some hot tea.
So while we sat and chatted, I pulled out my phone to show them a picture.
(Coincidentally, it was a really nice picture I had taken inside HPT the only other time I’d been there)
I couldn’t believe how fast I was confronted by a female hipster employee about phones not being allowed. I told her and my sister and niece that I would wait for them outside.
On my way out, I couldn’t help but notice that the place was empty except for us, and I can see why.
I will smile a big smile when Hidden Peak Teahouse goes out of business because that’s what their pretentiousness and bad service deserves.
I’ve included the picture I had wanted to show my sister and niece…

A lovely place to have tea, the selection of teas were good as well as the finger food, including vegan options. Be aware that they have very specific rules about their tea, one might say they are tea purists. No additives (sugar/​honey/​milk) nor do they offer silverware for any of the foods they provide which would be fine if they provides enough napkins… It provided us with high comedy as we were brought two napkins for the four of us, including two kids!

The positive things about this place: Tea serving ceremony is really cool, tea tastes really good, They provide us with hot water pot and thermos filled with hot water for refill.
The negative things: Too much restriction such as no cell phone at all not even to look at pictures on cell phone. No seat arrangement, so if there is an additional person in your party who can’t sit on your table they will provide you with a stool from the back which is not even comfortable since they cannot grab an empty seat from a different table. I feel like I am in a Zen Buddhist temple with all of these rules. Pretty soon they will not let you talk to your friends, you have to be silent.

What an oasis of peace. I love that this is a tech free zone, so no cell phones, tablets, etc. It is a place for peace, for conversation, for reviving your spirit in a soul crushing world. The tea is amazing, the garden and décor is inspiring and the food was great.

As far as tea houses go, this place is the best. I appreciate how much the employees know regarding tea and the tea customs of China (?). [I’m a failure as an Asian, please do not judge me.] I am really backing this place on the whole «digital free» zone as they are attempting to foster relationships between PEOPLE rather than media.
A+!

Such a gem! This place is full of great vibes and happiness. It’s very zen and mellow. They ask you to turn off your electronic devices (which I personally love)
They have games and interactive décor on the tables.
AMAZING TEA. I enjoyed the Buddha Island tea, a grassy green tea deriving from Buddhas island.
But what impressed me so much was out waiter! I don’t remember his name but unfortunately my gf was refilling my tea pot and burned me with the boiling water (OUCH) and the waiter was so cool and caring he gave me a hug and told me it happens to him all the time.
Overall such a great experience. Shout out to our waiter! (He had a pulled back bun and and a little bear)
Highly recommend!

This place is really unique. I’m always searching for tea rooms, especially when I travel. So I googled tea rooms when I knew I was traveling to Santa Cruz. So happy I found this place! Though the Digital Free zone can at first be a little annoying I do understand what they are trying to accomplish and I respect that. I took photos but put my phone away each time and set it to silent so when I did take photos you couldn’t hear it. I guess I didn’t hear correctly when our server seated us, I thought looking at photos was ok but any kind of web surfing/​talking/​texting wasn’t allowed. My friend had wanted to see a photo so I was trying to find it when a different server stopped behind me and said I needed to step outside to view photos. I replied I thought is was ok for photos, he replied no we are a digital free zone (and he goes on to explain the whole thing again) At that point my phone was already away. I UNDERSTAND seriously he didn’t have to continue to rub it in. It was the way he kept going on and how he said all this (bit snobbish) while the rest of the employees were really nice and down to earth. He could of ruined the whole service, thankfully we had already had our service and eaten before this happened. I’m really glad he wasn’t our server. Probably wouldn’t of enjoyed it.
The food was very delicious. So glad that everything was vegan. We split the Tofu Buns, Daifuku (my friend loved this, I wasn’t use to so much red bean in the center so my friend finished mine), and each had a Double Chocolate Cashew Cream Cup.
The tea was the best! We split the Lotus Brick. We sat at a table that had a very unique drain table and weird/​cute tea pet.
Overall when I’m visiting Santa Cruz again I’ll come back to this place, but I try to avoid the annoying server and also not search my photos on my phone =/​
Would of been 5 stars accept for that server, but I definitely recommend this place.

I come often, to slow down, not look at a clock, not touch my phone, to think and think and relax and smell and sip and think some more. It’s a beautifully humble and dim-​light environment, perfect for solving tough problems or for a long conversation with a best friend.
Wide selection of teas, though they really specialise in pu’erh, that woody earthy mossy Chinese brown tea. I vary from $ 1 big bowls, to $ 5 floral Oolongs, to $ 12 complex pu’erhs with $ 5 gung fu service (cus it’s more enjoyable to pour five things into other things instead of using just one pot, ya know).

Calm, vibey place with delicious tea and small tasty snacks, beautiful wooden Chinese furniture and décor, and, if you wish, tea ceremony rituals. Or simply get a pot of tea, keep pouring hot water in, and hang out and talk with your friends and slow down and take your time. They emphasize this aspect, as it is a digital-​free zone, so no cellphones allowed. Nice.
Service: I’m usually reticent to pigeonhole people, but this is a review where you attempt to communicate, sooooo… the young people who work there have this calm vegan hipster neo-​hippie kind of thing going on, and were really quite friendly both times we were there. This is, of course, not a place you should go if you’re in a hurry, but is one of the best places to hang out with friends and linger and talk. And the staff encourages this… even if you’re just hanging out with a few $ 3.50 pots of (delicious) tea.
There’s some organic vegan/​vegetarian snacks. The Cardamom & Orange Cashew Cream Cup with Dark Chocolate Crust was delicious by any measure.
Lots of different kinds of tea, whether herbal or not, some inexpensive, some not so much, some coming with a traditional tea ceremony and more elaborate ritual of pouring, and some, just a good pot of tea. The whole experience was pleasant, and we returned a second time with a friend.
For those who are familiar with Santa Cruz, this is set in the old space where the world percussion shop, which I believe was called Rhythm Fusion, was formerly located, in a walkway between buildings north of Pacific, close to a public parking lot.

I really enjoy this place when I want a quiet and relaxing place to settle down. I am not too familiar with tea service, but the staff is really helpful. I can also have a simple cup of tea with a kettle and hot water pitcher for refills. I like the no electronics rule as I can truly unplug.
They have a nice selection of vegan snacks and bites which is always a bonus!

This was such a relaxing and meditative experience and my first visit here, which was very memorable for many reasons away from the hustle and bustle of the Silicon Valley ²⁴⁄₇ wired in lifestyle. I felt compelled to come to this place after reading about it in an article about tea in a South Bay publication I picked up while in Whole Foods Market in Los Altos. I was taken away the moment I arrived and it was much more than I expected. It was an educational and cultural experience to learn how to traditionally and ceremoniously prepare tea according to the Gung Fu Service. Each cup tasted different because of the concentration and density of the tea leaves in a tiny pot, producing a rich amber maple syrup colored tea. The initial rinsing of the tea pot was fascinating.
I chose to be outside next to a peaceful fountain with plants and Chinese artwork. I had the Shou Pu-​erh Tea Lotus Brick 2000, Living Heirloom Tomato «Pizza», Vegetable Dumplings and Cardamom & Orange Cashew Cream Cup with Dark Chocolate Crust. The food was incredibly tasty, healthy, and artfully prepared. My table was made out of a redwood tree burl!
I sat near Julius, who was here on his day off with a pot of the Raw Brick 2007 Sheng Pu-​erh tea. He works here by the way, so that speaks a lot for the ambience of the place. We had an interesting conversation about tea and how it is both awakening and relaxing. I love hearing what other people have to say about their life experiences. I will definitely come back here and try more things on the menu, and am considering taking a class on tea there. I noticed there will be a harpist playing in a few weeks, so what better place to have a concert!

This place is a gem. As far as teahouses go, Hidden Peak is by far my favorite in the country.
I love that they disallow electronic devices in here. If you want to use your cell phone, they expect you to walk outside. People abide by the rule and the vibe in here is definitely more lively and fun as a result.
Aside from having an excellent selection of teas and extremely friendly and helpful staff, Hidden Peak also has a great, all-​vegan food menu with small plates (dumplings, hummus, a bunch of great desserts). These dishes are the perfect accompaniment to gourmet tea.
Come to Hidden Peak to get a fine brew, a tasty snack or dessert and some inner, electronic-​free peace.

Very interesting tea house! When my friend first told me he was going to bring me out for some «afternoon tea,» I thought it was going to be one of those frilly teahouse places with fancy tablewear and crumpets, you know?
But this teahouse is a whole other world! It’s located downtown next to this doggy boutique and a parking lot is right near it. Right when you walk in, you see a bunch of teapots, tea leaves, etc. They have a lot of various tables and chairs. We came when it was slightly emptier, so we got seats at these nice couches.
Service can be a bit slow, but the waiters/​waitresses are very patient with you and take the time to explain the different teas and styles. They serve a variety of black, green, ooling, etc. I ended up with the Buddha Island tea with a cup of the daily Pu-​Erth while my friend got some new special green tea that I think was tacked on the side and $ 6.
Buddha island tea ($ 5?): You know those Asian seaweed cookies. It tastes just like that. I mean, which is good if you like that kind of snack! I just happen to really dislike it, so I ended up primarily drinking my friend’s tea and wishing I just got a pot of the Pu-​Erth tea. (
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Cup of Pu-​Erth ($ 1): This thing was AMAZING. I loved it! I usually don’t like anything but green tea, but this one tasted very good. It tasted like black tea with some musky, dark flavor to it, but with some berry undertones. My favorite in this place.
We ended up sitting there for around two hours and catching up. Not once did I feel rushed or anything. They made sure to check in on us and see if the hot water was refilled every so often, which I found very nice.
Great place to catch up with your friend if you’re not into coffee! And remember: no digital devices! ;)