Nudi Blue, the latest project from the team behind Berkeley’s buzzed-about Tanzie’s, is set to debut on Thursday at 2049 San Pablo Ave. By day, the new spot will pour a high‑tea service built around mountain‑grown Thai teas; in the months after opening, the space is slated to flip into a nighttime raw‑seafood bar. Until health approvals clear the way for raw fish, the opening menu sticks to tea‑infused pastries, savory bites and individual tea drinks.
Regular hours will run from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Thursday through Monday, and the high‑tea set clocks in at $65 per person, with 12 to 13 pastries, sandwiches or small bites plus up to two types of imported tea. The owners say they are bringing in a dozen organic, mountain‑grown teas from the Chiang Mai region, all hand‑harvested, including leaves from what the Chronicle has described as a revered, thousand‑year‑old tree. They also plan to start selling the tea by the pound later this spring, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
A split concept: tea by day, seafood by night
Owners Jezreel Rojas and Krissana “Tanz” Tussanaprasit are pitching Nudi Blue as a kind of two‑for‑one experiment: calm, creative tea service during the day, then a raw seafood bar with wine once dinner launches. That day‑to‑night idea grew directly out of the space itself, a former coffee shop without a kitchen hood, which pushed the pair toward tea and raw preparations instead of a full hot line, as noted by Eater SF.
From Chiang Mai to San Pablo
Rojas and Tussanaprasit first made their mark at Michelin‑starred Kin Khao before striking out with Tanzie’s, a Northern‑Thai brunch spot that quickly built a loyal neighborhood following. Their rise, along with Tanzie’s menu and approach to breakfast, has been detailed by Berkeleyside, and the restaurant has since shown up in statewide dining guides from outlets such as the Los Angeles Times.
What to expect on the plate
Nudi Blue’s high‑tea spread takes some liberties with the old hotel‑lobby template. The lineup features a duck‑and‑blueberry stacked sandwich, a savory scone dotted with candied wagyu and melted Quinta cheese, and a croissant packed with smoked sturgeon, all finished with tea‑centric touches. Looking ahead to the evening program, Rojas is planning seafood‑focused events, ranging from caviar offerings to an all‑you‑can‑eat mussels night, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
Practical info and next steps
The team says the tea program will eventually expand into a separate retail business, with their Chiang Mai selections sold by the pound at both restaurants and online later this spring, per a report republished by Yahoo. For now, Nudi Blue will offer walk‑ins and casual reservations during its daytime tea hours, with full dinner service planned once permits and health approvals are squared away, according to Eater SF.
