Savor sandwiches and Hello Kitty–themed sweets at the Hello Kitty Grand Café in Irvine. Photo by Jakob Layman
April 03, 2024
Afternoon tea has become a beloved tradition for memorable celebrations, including baby showers, bridal gatherings, and Mother’s Day—or simply an elevated gathering with friends.
Southern California is awash in opportunities to indulge in the experience, complete with scrumptious scones, dainty finger sandwiches, delectable sweets, and pots upon pots of tea. Here are 10 noteworthy places to sip tea from Santa Barbara to Oceanside.
El Encanto offers great views matched with an array of teas, scones, finger sandwiches, and pastries. Photo courtesy El Encanto
Just as you’d expect from a Belmond Hotel property, afternoon tea service at El Encanto is an affair above the rest, both figuratively and literally. Perched high above Santa Barbara’s sweeping coastline, this gem of the American Riviera offers stunning views and a premium array of teas, scones, finger sandwiches, and pastries.
Don't forget to ask about El Encanto's astrologically-themed teas. Photo courtesy El Encanto
Even without the impressive setting, the custom blended, astrologically themed teas (served in partnership with Magic Hour in Ojai) paired with masterful desserts make this experience a standout.
When to sip: 2:30–4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Reservations required. $95.
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Tea and snacks are served on a garden terrace at historic San Ysidro Ranch. Photo courtesy San Ysidro Ranch
Transport yourself to the romance of early California at the historic San Ysidro Ranch, now serving tea on the property’s tiered garden terrace. Gaze out to sea while you sip and savor on the grass or under a vine-covered arbor surrounded by roses, citrus trees, rosemary, and lavender. This storied haven for celebrities and luminaries showcases California living at its best.
Choose from herbal, green, black, and blended teas alongside a 3-tiered display of delectable scones, sandwiches, pastries, and sweets. Enhance the experience with add-ons of oysters, caviar, jumbo shrimp cocktail, or high-end bubbly.
When to sip: 1–3:30 p.m. daily. Reservations required. $65.
Along with a selection of hot or cold tea, enjoy crème fraîche scones, milk bun sandwiches, and petit fours—all made in-house. Photo courtesy Valerie Confections
After 20 years of perfecting chocolate confections and baked goods, Valerie Gordon now offers afternoon tea service May through November at her Valerie Confections chocolate shop and bakery headquarters in Glendale. But don’t expect a stuffy atmosphere or frilly china; this alfresco experience is Californian through and through.
Along with a selection of hot or cold tea, enjoy crème fraîche scones, milk bun sandwiches, and petits fours—all made in-house—on a breezy patio overflowing with tropical passion fruit vines.
When to sip: 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Saturdays. Reservations required. $75.
Expect just-out-of-the-oven scones to pair with your cup of tea. Photo by Mary Fry
Pasadena has long been a haven for purveyors of tea, but none hit this beloved English tradition so squarely on the teapot as Rose Tree Cottage. Since 1975, Edmund and Mary Fry have been serving a British-style tea service in one of the city’s most historic neighborhoods.
Expect cucumber sandwiches, hot savories (cooked in an Aga oven), Elderflower cordial, and just-out-of-the-oven scones. Tea is served by Edmund himself—dressed daily in a tuxedo with tails—amid frilly doilies, floral motifs, and plenty of charm. Tea at Rose Tree Cottage is the real deal—as British as the fascinators and fig pudding sold in the retail portion of the venue.
When to sip: 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Phone reservations are required, taken up to 1 week in advance. (626) 793-3337. $85.
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The Rose Garden Tea Room's Shakespeare Pavilion looks out on the Shakespeare Garden. Photo by Joshua White/JWPictures.com
Make your visit to the Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens even more delightful with afternoon tea service. The newly updated Rose Garden Tea Room reopened in May 2023 after a 3-year closure.
Guests can sip tea in the historic Tea Room, the Herb Room (on the building’s west side), or the new outdoor Shakespeare Pavilion, which looks out to the Shakespeare Garden. Since its creation in 1928 from Henry Huntington’s former 1911-era billiard room and bowling alley, the space has fully blossomed into an elegant, modern, and airy salon.
Custom blended teas are served alongside sweet and savory seasonal offerings with lemon curd and preserves made with fruit from the historic Huntington Orchard. Photo by Chuy Studio
Custom-blended teas, including the popular Huntington signature blend and the Huntington rose blend, are served alongside sweet and savory seasonal offerings with lemon curd and preserves made with fruit from the historic on-site orchard.
When to sip: Reservations for tea are recommended but not required. However, admission is required for entry to the Huntington (adults, $25–$29). 11 a.m.–4 p.m. weekdays; 10:30 a.m.–5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Closed Tuesdays. Starts at $62.
Buena Vida Tea Bar in Santa Monica welcomes tea drinkers with its cozy outdoor garden patio. Photo by BarnetPhotography.com
Mayra Vazquez opened Buena Vida Tea Bar & Garden in late 2021 in a former flower shop on Santa Monica’s Montana Avenue. After falling in love with the shop’s cozy outdoor garden patio, the Puerto Rico native set out to create a welcoming space that fosters comfort and community around tea—with a Latin twist.
Argentinian-style empanadas, finger sandwiches, house-made scones, and a selection of desserts (including South American alfajores) are served with teas from around the world.
While Buena Vida has a cozy, casual vibe, tea is taken seriously. Favorites include Rosa Jamaica (hibiscus with lemon verbena) and Persian Delight (Ceylon tea with rose petals, cardamom, ginger, and saffron). If you’re local, join Buena Vida’s Cuppa Club membership and get unlimited cups of tea for $25 per month.
When to sip: 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. $50.
Enjoy tea along with savory bites at Hello Kitty Grand Café. Photo by Jakob Layman
For a Japanese spin on a traditional afternoon tea, head straight to The Bow Room at Hello Kitty Grand Café at the Irvine Spectrum Center in Irvine.
A secret door leads to a pink paradise for fans of the iconic Sanrio character. Both hot and iced drinks are on offer, along with savory sandwiches and an adorable selection of Hello Kitty–themed cakes, macarons, and tarts. Even the 3-tiered brass serving tower is in the shape of a Hello Kitty silhouette.
At night, the Bow Room salon transforms into a speakeasy for cocktail service. Photo by Jakob Layman
In the evenings, the Bow Room salon turns into a speakeasy for cocktail service, with even more creative ways to honor this globally recognized character.
When to sip: 11 a.m.–2:30 p.m. Wednesday through Friday; 10 a.m.–3:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Reservations required. $60.
Did you know that the Tea House on Los Rios is located in a restored 1911 cottage in San Juan Capistrano’s historic Los Rios District. Photo by John Prado
The shaded wraparound porch of a restored 1911 cottage in San Juan Capistrano’s historic Los Rios District is the perfect place to enjoy a beautifully executed afternoon tea service.
The Tea House on Los Rios offers a selection of 58 teas to accompany its seasonal High Tea menus, featuring heart-shaped scones, handmade preserves, and early California–style cream (a mix of crème fraîche and clotted cream). Like the restaurant’s full menu of British classics, such as shepherd’s pie and English pasties, each course of the tea menu is served on successive plates instead of a tower.
Damian Orozco, the second-generation owner of this local, family-owned business just opened TEA•que next door, where you can shop for Tea House teas and accoutrements. Photo by Jeremy Kneisly
Damian Orozco, the second-generation owner of the Tea House, recently opened TEA•que next door, where you can shop for teas and accoutrements.
When to sip: 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Closed Mondays. Reservations required. Starts at $39.
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Corbeaux Wine & Tea House offers traditional teas, plus tea cocktails in flavors like spring peach. Photo by Cortney Mace
Relaxed, intimate, and homey, Old Town Temecula’s Corbeaux Wine & Tea House offers a unique spin on 2 popular beverages: tea and wine. Owner and winemaker Regan Schneider—who likes tea in the morning and wine at night—is the mastermind behind this mash-up of tasting room, teahouse, and restaurant with a French Asian spin.
Tea and wine are interchangeable elements at Corbeaux, except in the Afternoon Tea, featuring a pot of tea alongside a traditional 3-tiered tower of house-made sandwiches and pastries. Photo by Cortney Mace
Tea and wine are interchangeable at Corbeaux, except for Afternoon Tea, which features a pot of tea alongside a traditional 3-tiered tower of house-made sandwiches and pastries. Otherwise, you can indulge in a tea tasting, try tea pairings with a premium tasting menu, imbibe in tea-based cocktails, or explore flavors in a tea flight (and trade in wine wherever you see fit).
When to sip: 11 a.m.–3 p.m., but other tea experiences are offered during restaurant hours, (11 a.m.–9 p.m.). Closed Tuesdays. Afternoon Tea, $52 for 2 people.
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Tea drinkers can indulge in sandwiches and desserts alongside 40 different types of tea. Photo by Rushell Gordon
For Rushell Gordon, owner of Bliss Tea & Treats, tea is more than a beverage—it’s an experience. After discovering the many varieties of tea while traveling around the world, she opened a teahouse in her hometown of Oceanside.
Modern and curated with a touch of whimsy, Bliss puts a unique spin on the tea experience with seasonal themes. Harry Potter, Bridgerton, and Alice in Wonderland have all come to life through the venue’s decor, sprawling menu, and server costumes.
Visitors can personalize their tea service with a choice of sandwiches and desserts alongside 40 different types of tea, many of which Gordon blends herself. A vegan experience is available, along with gluten-free options.
When to sip: 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. Reservations required. $43.
Elisa Parhad is a writer and photographer in Pasadena. She is currently working on a book about adventuring in the West.
