Aunt Gertie was dying of thirst so I walked into McKenna’s Tea Cottage ready for a High Tea! No! It wasn’t spiked but my head was already starting to spin just looking at all the tea cups and fancy hats! I placed my order for a pot of Lemon Ginger tea and when the lovely waitress delivered it to my table I was thrilled! It was just the way I like it, dark and tart but not enough to grow hair on my chest! They have sweet flavors too and all kinds of gifts for tea lovers.
All of the tea is shipped in bulk directly to their location so they can make their own blends to serve. Your favorite selections are also available by the package to take home after your visit. Every tea you can think of is on the menu with complete meals like the Lady Hamilton or Queen Mum’s Tea which comes with a pot of tea, scone, your choice of salad or soup of the day, five tea sandwiches and three pieces of petite dessert. The table settings are delightful with one-of-a-kind tea cups of fine bone china. They even have a Prince and Princess Tea for children 10 and under. Oh my!
Kristen Larrea opened the Tea Cottage in 2011 and named it after her daughter, McKenna. It was her mother’s dream to have a tea room and it’s become a booming business. Everything is made fresh daily so it’s best to call ahead for a reservation if you’re coming with a group.
A big plus is having off-street parking. McKenna’s Tea Cottage is located at 237 Main Street and Electric Avenue in Old Town Seal Beach, the Tiny Crown Jewel of the Southern California Coastline. To make a reservation, call 562-431-0200, or drop on by for a spot of tea and don’t forget to tell them Aunt Gertie sent you!
Karen Hadley, creator of Aunt Gertie, can be reached by surface mail at Karen Hadley, PO Box 34, Seal Beach, CA 90740 or email at Yodelon@aol.com.
