Sip to Live Herbal Tea

Run, don’t walk to Sips for their Pu-erh Pistachio. If that’s not your “cup of tea” 😉 there are many other options that are perfect for a gift or a little treat for yourself. Owner Marlene is nice as can be, a lovely hostess with lots of stories to serve with her delightful tea.

We randomly wandered into this tea shop after grocery shopping. and I am so glad we did. From the moment you walk in, you’re surrounded by the most amazing tea flavors from around the world. Each packet comes with a beautifully detailed description of the ingredients and the benefits, which makes choosing feel thoughtful and personal. The flavors are outstanding: vanilla cream, mango tropical, and so many others exotic blends from each corner of the world. There’s also an impressive wellness line that helps with things like congestion, menstrual cramps, and digestion. The teas are so good that we literally created a tea station at home because we drink them that often. Marlen ( the owner) is truly the heart of this place. She will spend as much time as you need helping you choose, and it’s obvious how passionate she is about tea. Her knowledge and genuine enthusiasm make the experience even better. Whether you’re trying to break away from coffee, you’ve always loved tea, or you’re just looking to try something new—this is definitely the place. Highly recommend.

Every so often you find a very unique place in the Bay Area that you really want to root for. I recently took a tea making class in Sips and I consider myself a fan. Marlene loves her tea and everything about it. Her passion is contagious. Please, even if you don't consider yourself a tea person, go visit for a bit. You may discover something that works for you.

Stumbled upon this shop today—such a lovely space and an amazing range of loose leaf teas! Met the owner too, super friendly and passionate. Thrilled to have an independent tea shop nearby.

SIPS Global Teas moved its location from 1650 Park Street, Alameda to 2215 S Shore Center on or about May 3, 2025. Their sponsored ad was on Facebook announcing their opening on the above mentioned date. I went to the new location on June 14, 2025. I did not meet the owner, Marlene Quan, but I met her daughter. The shop has over 85 different teas from Africa, Asia, South America and Germany. The loose leaf teas are on display in glass bottles. I love this business as I can open the bottles and smell the aroma of the teas. Of course, I bought two bags of loose leaf teas - butterfly pea flower and Bora Bora. Butterfly pea flower is from Asia. That tea is a popular beverage in Thai restaurants. The tea is blue, but changes color when sliced lemon is added to purple. The Bora Bora is custom made by the owner. It has hibiscus flowers, elderberries, papaya, piece of raspberry and strawberry, etc. It is definitely a fruit tea. The owner was at an outdoor event occurring several feet from her business. The event was a celebration of Juneteenth. They also have workshops for people to come in and customize their own tea. Since I did not meet the owner, there will be a future visit. I'm curious as to what is in the gunpowder tea.