I tried the $70 tea at the Bay Area's new Hello Kitty Cafe

The Bay Area's Westfield Valley Fair mall, in Santa Clara, Calif., just gained a new Hello Kitty Cafe, open as of July 11, 2025. (Susana Guerrero/ SFGATE)

Last week, nearly 500 Sanrio enthusiasts lined up for the opening of the Bay Area's first Hello Kitty Cafe inside the bustling Westfield Valley Fair mall. At the pastel-pink, gold bow-decorated cafe, giddy customers waited for servers to emerge with three-tier pastry trays in the shape of their favorite pop culture feline.

Hello Kitty Cafe is the latest eatery to come to the Santa Clara mall, which has transformed into a foodie paradise in recent years thanks to its roster of sought-after restaurants like Din Tai Fung, Baekjeong, Eataly and Joey. After years of hosting Hello Kitty Cafe Truck pop-ups, Urania Chien, who co-founded and co-owns Hello Kitty Cafe, told SFGATE that the July 11 turnout wasn't surprising.

"Growing up in the South Bay, it's always been a dream to come back and open a Hello Kitty Cafe here," Chien said via email. "Over the past ten years, our team has brought the Hello Kitty Cafe Truck to the area again and again-and every time, the response has been amazing."

The Bay Area's Westfield Valley Fair mall, in Santa Clara, Calif., just gained a new Hello Kitty Cafe, open as of July 11, 2025. (Ron De Angelis )

The first U.S.-based Hello Kitty Grand Cafe opened in Irvine in 2018 and there are now Hello Kitty Cafe locations in Universal City, Las Vegas and Vancouver, British Columbia. That same year, a mini Hello Kitty Cafe debuted briefly at San Jose's Santana Row but was slated to close at the end of 2018. So, when news swirled earlier this year that a larger cafe was heading to the South Bay mall, Hello Kitty fans everywhere were more than ready to immerse themselves in the lively 2,300-square-foot shop. For those who grew up visiting Sanrio retail stores, a trip to the cafe meant a trip down memory lane. So, on a recent Wednesday, my childhood friend and I did just that.

Just before noon, we found a long line of customers peeking at the selection of grab-and-go items, which included fresh doughnuts, madeleines, Dole Whip soft serve, and sugar cookies in the shape of Hello Kitty. Drinks on the menu range from classic espresso drinks to seasonal items like a s'mores cold brew. The cafe also offers an assortment of merchandise like mugs, plush toys and water bottles. 

But my friend and I passed by the line, instead heading straight to the cafe's Bow Room, where guests are treated to an afternoon tea service. Reservations are required for this experience, which will set you back $70 per guest, but a less-expensive "evening delights" option with one dessert and drink is available for $24 per person.

The Bay Area's Westfield Valley Fair mall, in Santa Clara, Calif., just gained a new Hello Kitty Cafe, open as of July 11, 2025. (Ron De Angelis )

We waited behind a pink velvet rope inside the cafe before being escorted into the private, rosy room that was awash with Hello Kitty decor. A giant Hello Kitty outline with her iconic pink bow was the focal point of the well-lit space, which had massive windows overlooking the shoppers below. Most tables were empty upon our arrival, likely due to the early service hour, but they were quickly filled during our hour-and-a-half visit. Attention to detail is key at the cafe, which had cat-shaped plates and teacups embellished with a golden Hello Kitty emblem.  

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Hello Kitty Cafe was new to my friend and me, but as with many millennials and Gen Xers, Sanrio holds a special place in our hearts. We reminisced over fond memories of visiting Sanrio stores at Bay Area malls. 

Growing up, I frequently visited the Sanrio shop inside Newark's NewPark Mall, where I marveled at the colorful, peppy merchandise that was immaculately packaged. My sisters and I would beg my parents to take us to Sanrio so we could stock up on pencils and notebooks ahead of the coming school year. A trip to Sanrio always brought a smile to my face, especially when I spotted items featuring my favorite characters: Spottie Dottie, Pochacco and Keroppi. And my adoration for Sanrio continues. I still have my old Spottie Dottie diary from 1998, a shiny blue Pochacho sticker from the early aughts and a scuffed-up Keroppi key chain that's seen better days but has his smile intact. I couldn't help but feel nostalgia for my childhood, and perhaps this was a common theme for the largely millennial crowd who sat around us.

The Bay Area's Westfield Valley Fair mall, in Santa Clara, Calif., just gained a new Hello Kitty Cafe, open as of July 11, 2025. (Ron De Angelis )

The Bay Area's Westfield Valley Fair mall, in Santa Clara, Calif., just gained a new Hello Kitty Cafe, open as of July 11, 2025. (Susana Guerrero/ SFGATE)

The Bay Area's Westfield Valley Fair mall, in Santa Clara, Calif., just gained a new Hello Kitty Cafe, open as of July 11, 2025. (Ron De Angelis )

The Bay Area's Westfield Valley Fair mall, in Santa Clara, Calif., just gained a new Hello Kitty Cafe, open as of July 11, 2025. (Susana Guerrero/ SFGATE)

Not long after we were seated, a waiter dropped off our Hello Kitty tray filled with 20 sweet and savory items. We started with the savory options on the bottom first, which included cucumber sandwiches, beet hummus pitas and chicken salad-stuffed croissants. My friend and I agreed that the best savory item was the beet hummus pita, which delivered a bright red hue and was packed with great flavor. The chicken salad croissant, while quite flavorful, was my least favorite due to the too-small amount of chicken salad tucked in a rather stiff pastry. The stars of the show were the delicate pastries on top, which were almost too pretty to eat. I particularly liked the Hello Kitty cake, which had immaculate layers of raspberry custard sandwiched between almond cake, while my friend raved over the strawberry shortcake made with custard and shortcake crumble.

Our total for the experience was $177.98, including tax and a mandatory 18% tip. Though it is a hefty price tag, Hello Kitty Cafe's $70 per person pricing is in line with other popular Bay Area tea for two services that include Neiman Marcus' Rotunda restaurant, which currently charges $76.80 per person, to the Garden Court at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco, which has a tea service at $125 per person. While Hello Kitty Cafe's tea service may not be for everyone due to cost alone, for me, it was worth every penny to relive my childhood in a new festive way. My friend already has plans to bring her 9-year-old sometime next week to usher in a new legion of Hello Kitty fans.

Hello Kitty Cafe, 2855 Stevens Creek Blvd., Suite 2280, Santa Clara. Open daily, 10 a.m.-9 p.m.; Afternoon Tea requires reservations and is available Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m.-3:45 p.m.; Evening Delights requires reservations and is available Wednesday through Sunday, 6 p.m.-9 p.m.

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