Samovar Duplicating Valencia Shop in Hayes Valley

The newfangled Samovar Tea Lounge renovation on Valencia has apparently been going well, because the local chain is now seeking to replicate it at their Hayes Valley location (297 Page St.) Opened this summer, the Valencia Samovar is "sleeker" and "more contemporary" than the other outposts, largely eschewing food and traditional seating for benches and a small pastry selection that make it resemble a trendy local coffee shop (with the accompanying $4/cup prices). Given the increasingly boutique-y vibe and rising rents in the Hayes corridor, it's perhaps not surprising that, as Hoodline reports, the Hayes Valley location will close today for a remodel (timeline indefinite) patterned after the new shop on Valencia.

For those seeking the standard relaxed teahouse experience and leisurely lunch, Samovar's other Tea Lounge locations, in the Castro and Yerba Buena Gardens, remain open and ready for business. Of course, the question remains: will those locations end up receiving the same makeover, ending the reign of Samovar as we know it?

—Ellen Fort