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By Karen

Updated September 17, 2025.

The Japanese Tea Garden Menu 

The Tea House Menu for 2025

The Japanese Tea Garden menu has changed again; this time it has shrunk quite a bit from the bountiful menu previously available.

No more sushi! And no more tea and crackers/cookies combos that have been a staple for decades: strictly a la carte for that now. But still plenty of Japanese goodies to enjoy!

People relaxing at Japanese Tea House counter

I've listed some specific menu items, along with the prices, to give you an idea of what's available and how much it costs. Naturally, this is subject to change.

Japanese Tea Garden Snacks

The Tea House Cookies include the usual Japanese cookie varieties (sesame and almond), chocolate Pocky Sticks, as well as the famous fortune cookies, first introduced in the U.S. at this tea garden. $7.50.

Assorted cookies at the Japanese Tea Garden tea houseTea House Cookies

Warabimochi, sweet rice cakes, an interesting sticky, gummy texture in different flavors.

Currently matcha (tea) and kinako (nutty) flavors. May be an acquired taste. Gone, at the moment, are the fruit-flavored ones in the photo. $7.25 (11 pieces).

Japanese Tea House kuzomochi treatsVariety of Mochi Rice Cakes

Green Tea Cheesecake, quite tasty, less sweet than the usual cheesecake. $7.50.

Green tea cheesecake at Japanese Tea Garden in SFGreen Tea Cheesecake

Other Food Items

Arare is a dish of rice crackers, dried peas, peanuts, plus fortune cookies. $4.50 (small), $7.50 (large).

Miso Soup, $4.50.

Edamame, $4.75. Soy beans in pods.

Dorayaki, $4.25. Japanese pancakes filled with red bean paste.

The Latest Additions

Also added: Udon (noodle soup) for $10.25, Chicken Karaage (battered, fried chicken nuggets) for $6.75 (looks good), and Daifuku, bean paste wrapped in mochi, (2) $4.50. And my favorite: Mochi ice cream: ice cream wrapped in mochi dough (sticky rice dough), (2) $5.00.

Japanese Tea Garden Drinks

Japanese Teas. Choice of Sencha (green tea) $5.50, the rest, $4.25: Genmaicha (roasted green tea), Hojicha (another roasted green tea), jasmine tea, or iced green tea. Special tea ceremony Matcha, (powdered green tea) $9.50.

They also serve, sodas, coffee, juice, hot chocolate and bottled water.

The tea and goodies combo used to be $4.50. Now it's a minimum $4.50 for tea and $4.50 for the cracker plate, $9.00 total, and $12.00 for tea and cookies. 

A Japanese Children's Drink

The Japanese Tea Garden menu also includes an interesting soft drink popular in Japan, but mostly unknown in the U.S.

Ramune: a carbonated, sweet drink in original, melon (yum!), strawberry and orange flavors.

The Ramune comes in an nifty glass bottle with a trick to opening it. There's a little glass marble at the top, which has to be pushed into the bottle. The marble sits in a little pocket in the bottle while you drink it (it can't escape). Kids would get a kick out of this odd arrangement. $3.75.

Grren tea latte served at the Japanese Tea GardenGreen Tea Latte
Melon Ramune Japanese children's drinkMelon Ramune

Alas, the green tea latte is no more. Here's hoping they bring back that tasty item! They appeared at the tea garden long before Starbucks had them;-)

The Japanese Tea Garden menu items are available all day, during the hours the garden is open. They stop serving people 15 minutes before closing time.

I hate to say this, because I love the tea garden, but you can get much better Japanese food elsewhere (see below for a suggestion).

Nevertheless, the tea house is a great place to bask in serenity, and watch the birds and fish while sipping your hot tea; the atmosphere is so wonderful and the setting is unique.

You can't go wrong with some tea, and rice crackers or cookies to go with it. And mochi ice cream for dessert, naturally.

Pond and lush shrubbery at the Japanese Tea GardenTea Garden Grounds

See the Tea Garden's website for current prices and photos of the dishes.

You might also be interested in:

Tips for visiting the Japanese Tea Garden. What to see in the Tea Garden, hours, maps, photos, history, and how to get there.

Looking for a good sushi restaurant nearby?

You See Sushi is a (relatively) cheap and tasty sushi place near UCSF (and walking distance from the Tea Garden).

Visit Japantown

SF Japantown shops

Ready for a quick trip to Japan?

Shop for kimonos, manga and housewares, and stop for some ramen or teriyaki in San Francisco's Japantown.

Nearby attractions...

blue heron lake rowboats thumbnail

Rent boats at Blue Heron Lake (formerly Stow Lake) in Golden Gate Park. 

Choose a row boat or paddle boat and sail around the island.  See Blue Heron Lake.

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Explore a first-class, science museum at the California Academy of Sciences.

Just across the street from the Tea Garden and deYoung Art Museum. 

It's a natural history museum, aquarium and planetarium in one building. See Academy of Sciences Museum.

de yung singer sargent dinner table

Visit one of San Francisco's largest fine arts museums. 

The de Young Museum is in Golden Gate Park, right near the Tea Garden and Academy of Sciences museum.

See de Young Museum.

arboretum moon viewing small

Explore San Francisco's botanical gardens, acres of beautiful plantings and inviting paths.

A short walk from the Tea Garden you'll find the entrance.

See Botanical Gardens.

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