---
title: "PARU Tea: San Diego Tea Shop Milling Fresh Since 2017"
description: "PARU Tea mills shade-grown tencha fresh at its La Jolla shop and sources Yoshi’s Matcha from a 13th-generation organic farmer in Kawane."
image: "https://best-matcha.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Paru_logo_big.webp"
---
# PARU Tea: San Diego Tea Shop Milling Fresh Since 2017

> PARU Tea mills shade-grown tencha fresh at its La Jolla shop and sources Yoshi’s Matcha from a 13th-generation organic farmer in Kawane.

Source: https://best-matcha.com/shop/paru
Created: 2025-08-26T15:03:16+00:00
Modified: 2026-08-05T13:44:32+00:00
Author: Emilie Schol

**PARU Tea** started in 2017 when founders Amy Truong and Lani Gobaleza transformed a simple vision into San Diego’s premier destination for *specialty loose-leaf tea and matcha*. What began as pop-ups at local markets has evolved into a thriving business that sources directly from family-owned tea gardens across East and Southeast Asia.

### A Love Story Steeped in Tradition

Amy and Lani’s journey began during a study abroad program in Yokohama, Japan—San Diego’s sister city—where they bonded over long walks and countless cups of tea during cherry blossom season. Their connection to Japanese tea culture runs deep: Amy serves as a Certified TAC Tea Sommelier® with specialized training from the Global Japanese Tea Association, while both founders study traditional *chanoyu* (Japanese tea ceremony) under a sensei.

This dedication to authenticity shapes everything at **PARU Tea**. The shop is one of the few in the United States to mill matcha fresh daily using a traditional stone mill, transforming shade-grown tencha leaves into vibrant powder that showcases the true flavors of ceremonial-grade matcha.

### Heritage-Inspired Blends Meet Single-Origin Excellence

Amy’s role as master blender brings something rare to the tea world: original blends rooted in *Southeast Asian heritage and personal memory*. The beloved Blue Chamomile blend combines organic chamomile with butterfly pea flower from Thailand, creating a naturally vibrant infusion. Hanadoki, inspired by their first cherry blossom season together, features actual cherry blossoms from Kyoto alongside sencha and rose petals.

**PARU Tea** also specializes in *single-origin teas* sourced directly from cultivar farmers like Moriuchi Tea Farm in Shizuoka. These relationships ensure traceability and quality while honoring the growers behind every leaf.

### From Viral Success to Purposeful Evolution

When **PARU Tea** went viral on TikTok in 2021, lines stretched down La Jolla’s streets. Rather than chase that momentum indefinitely, Amy and Lani made a bold decision in August 2024: they stopped serving drinks to focus on what matters most—education, community, and *the art of tea itself*.

Today, their La Jolla shop offers private tea experiences, traditional ceremonies, and carefully curated selections of loose-leaf tea and teaware. Named “Best Tea” by San Diego Magazine in 2018 and 2019, **PARU Tea** continues to redefine tea culture through the Japanese principle of *ichigo ichie*—one chance, one meeting—making every moment count.

---

## Site identity

- Organization: Best Matcha (Emilie Schol)
- Description: Best Matcha is a specialized marketplace and educational platform for comparing Japanese matcha brands, products, grades, prices, and preparation guidance. It connects tea enthusiasts with producers and provides source-conscious guides for making informed choices.
- Website: https://best-matcha.com


```json
[{"@type":"WebPage","url":"https:\/\/best-matcha.com\/shop\/paru","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/best-matcha.com#website"},"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/best-matcha.com#organization"},"inLanguage":"en-US","datePublished":"2025-08-26T15:03:16+00:00","dateModified":"2026-08-05T13:44:32+00:00","primaryImageOfPage":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/best-matcha.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Paru_logo_big-1024x219.webp","width":1024,"height":219,"caption":"Image of PARU Tea \u2014 San Diego's matcha pioneers since 2017"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/best-matcha.com\/shop\/paru#breadcrumb"},"mainEntity":{"@id":"https:\/\/best-matcha.com\/shop\/paru#brand"},"hasPart":[{"@type":"Question","name":"Where does PARU Tea source its matcha?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"PARU Tea sources matcha through direct relationships with farmers in Japanese tea regions including Uji and Kagoshima. Yoshi\u2019s Matcha comes from Yoshiyuki Tamura, a 13th-generation farmer in Kawane who uses JAS-certified organic practices. The brand also sources single-origin tea from cultivar farmers such as Moriuchi Tea Farm in Shizuoka."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Does PARU Tea mill matcha fresh at its La Jolla shop?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Yes. PARU Tea mills shade-grown tencha fresh at its La Jolla shop using a traditional stone mill. The process transforms the tencha leaves into matcha powder. The record describes the shop as one of the few in the United States that mills matcha fresh daily in this traditional way."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"What is special about PARU Tea\u2019s Shirabyoshi Matcha?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Shirabyoshi Matcha is distinguished by how its tencha is processed before grinding. After the leaves are picked, steamed, and dried into tencha, that tencha is aged in an underground warehouse for six months. It is then stone-ground, a sequence described as developing the matcha\u2019s flavour and complexity."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Who founded PARU Tea and when did it begin?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Amy Truong and Lani Gobaleza founded PARU Tea in San Diego in 2017. The business began with pop-ups at local markets before developing into a La Jolla shop. Their interest in Japanese tea culture includes studying traditional chanoyu, while Amy also has specialized tea training and serves as a Certified TAC Tea Sommelier\u00ae."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"What can visitors experience at PARU Tea\u2019s La Jolla shop?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"PARU Tea\u2019s La Jolla shop focuses on retail, education, community, and tea experiences rather than serving prepared drinks. Visitors can find private tea experiences, traditional ceremonies, loose-leaf tea, and teaware. This direction followed the brand\u2019s decision in August 2024 to move away from its previous cafe-style drinks service."}}],"@id":"https:\/\/best-matcha.com\/shop\/paru#webpage"},{"@type":"Brand","name":"PARU Tea","slogan":"San Diego's matcha pioneers since 2017","description":"PARU Tea mills shade-grown tencha fresh at its La Jolla shop and sources Yoshi\u2019s Matcha from a 13th-generation organic farmer in Kawane.","url":"https:\/\/best-matcha.com\/shop\/paru","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/best-matcha.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Paru_logo_big-1024x219.webp","width":1024,"height":219,"caption":"Image of PARU Tea \u2014 San Diego's matcha pioneers since 2017"},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/best-matcha.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Paru_logo_big-1024x219.webp","width":1024,"height":219,"caption":"Image of PARU Tea \u2014 San Diego's matcha pioneers since 2017"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/paruteabar.com\/","https:\/\/facebook.com\/paruteabar","https:\/\/twitter.com\/paruteabar","https:\/\/pinterest.com\/paruteabar","https:\/\/instagram.com\/parutea","https:\/\/paru-tea-shop.myshopify.com","https:\/\/www.google.com\/maps?cid=10770979972252627009"],"mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/best-matcha.com\/shop\/paru#webpage"},"subjectOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/best-matcha.com\/shop\/paru#products"},"@id":"https:\/\/best-matcha.com\/shop\/paru#brand"},{"@type":"ItemList","name":"Products by PARU Tea","url":"https:\/\/best-matcha.com\/shop\/paru","itemListOrder":"https:\/\/schema.org\/ItemListUnordered","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"PARU Stainless Steel Matcha Sifter","url":"https:\/\/best-matcha.com\/shop\/paru\/paru-stainless-steel-matcha-sifter","item":{"@id":"https:\/\/best-matcha.com\/shop\/paru\/paru-stainless-steel-matcha-sifter#product"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"PARU 10K Ceremonial Matcha","url":"https:\/\/best-matcha.com\/shop\/paru\/paru-10k-ceremonial-matcha","item":{"@id":"https:\/\/best-matcha.com\/shop\/paru\/paru-10k-ceremonial-matcha#productgroup"}}],"@id":"https:\/\/best-matcha.com\/shop\/paru#products"}]
```