Nudi Blue is the latest restaurant from chef Jezreel “Jae” Roja and Krissana “Tanz” Tussanaprasit, the couple behind Tanzie’s, a popular Thai brunch spot in Berkeley. Nudi Blue isn’t a direct sequel to Tanzie’s; it’s an all-new cafe highlighting teas from Chiang Mai, where Tussanaprasit is from, paired with bites from Rojas.
The teahouse is named after the colorful sea slug known as the nudibranch. At the Berkeley restaurant, which opened in April 2026, Rojas serves a mix of sweet and savory dishes, including cream-filled spiral croissants, pristinely assembled fruit tarts, and composed tea sandwiches. While it takes some cues from English tea service, especially in regards to the tea sandwiches, the flavors and techniques branch out from the source material, offering a new take on what a teahouse can be. There’s still more to come: The menu will soon expand even further to nighttime service, with a raw bar and seafood menu, along with wine. Here’s what service looks like for the moment.
Swathed in navy blue and white, plus warm wood tones, Nudi Blue feels peaceful and calm — much like what anyone would want out of a teahouse experience. The front counter is a reminder of what’s in store for your visit: A selection of tea-centric ceramics are carefully placed on a wooden shelf, and clear jars along the counter show off varying quantities of tea in different varieties. Plants fill the high-ceiling restaurant, adding pops of green to the counter and floor, while paper lanterns cheer up the back half of the space. A sun-drenched patio completes the space, with wood-topped tables to enjoy tea from.
For now, Nudi Blue leans heavily into tea, and that is not only apparent as soon as you walk in, but as you sit down. Upon arriving at the table, my server immediately brought over a tray of tea samples, explaining which teas pair best with certain bites. They encouraged me to open the tins to smell the dried tea leaves and encouraged questions.
I went with the new-to-me yellow tea ($10.50), which was one of the lighter teas on offer and meant to pair with the sweet bites. There are 12 teas total on the menu, and there is also a brief wine section of four wines available by the glass or bottle. Nudi Blue also offers three mimosas ($14 each) in flavors such as cherry-lemongrass, lemon verbena, and guava. I sprang for the guava option, which was a nice change of pace from the typical orange juice-Champagne combo.
Nudi Blue offers an afternoon tea service for $65 per person that includes a selection of bites and a pot of tea, which is a nice overview of the menu. If you arrive late enough in the day, however, you might not be able to join in as some of the bites are off-menu, I was told. The best way to get in for tea service is to make reservations via Tock.