San Diego, CA has 7 tea rooms and tea shops in this guide.
7 tea spots
San Diego's Tea Scene
San Diego tea runs mostly on British-style afternoon tea: The Britannia Tearooms in the Midway District pours from a list of more than 70 teas, Coral Tree Tea House serves tiered trays inside a Victorian house in Heritage Park, and the Westgate Hotel runs a harp-accompanied service in its downtown lobby five days a week. For leaf rather than scones, PARU in La Jolla sells garden-sourced teas from China, Japan, Thailand and Vietnam and books tastings and matcha sessions, while Point Loma Tea at Liberty Station pairs a large retail wall with sit-down tea rooms.
Point Loma holds two of the anchors, Point Loma Tea at Liberty Station and The Britannia Tearooms on Midway Drive, about a mile apart. Downtown has the Westgate Hotel's lobby tea and Miracle Potion's upstairs tea room, Old Town has Coral Tree Tea House, La Jolla has PARU, and Marlene's Tea & Cakes sits far north in Black Mountain Ranch.
San Diego Tea at a Glance
Find a tea room in San Diego
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Tea Rooms & Tea Shops (7)
Tea houses, afternoon-tea rooms, matcha bars and loose-leaf shops that brew tea from other makers. Each card says what the place is known for and its price range.
Loose-leaf tea and teaware shop in Barracks 14 at Liberty Station, stocking black, green, oolong, pu-erh, white, matcha and herbal teas. It runs tastings, tea flights, afternoon tea service and tea classes in its Sit and Sip tea rooms. Open Tuesday through Sunday, closed Monday.
Family-owned British tearoom in the Midway District and sister location of Shakespeare's Corner Shoppe, which moved its afternoon tea here in 2024. The $54.95 Queen's Afternoon Tea comes with a starter, sandwiches, savouries, a mini sausage roll with Branston pickle, a scone with Devon cream and a choice from more than 70 teas. The menu changes monthly and themed teas run on a rotating calendar.
Afternoon tea room in a Victorian house in Heritage County Park beside Old Town. Services run from a $25 Petite Tea on Fridays to the $58 Queens High Tea with sandwiches, warm savories, scones, petite desserts and a Waldorf salad, all with pots of loose tea and Devonshire-style cream. Reservations are by phone for Friday-to-Sunday seatings.
Specialty loose-leaf shop selling teas sourced mostly from family-owned gardens in China, Japan, Thailand and Vietnam, plus matcha, hojicha and gong fu teaware. It stopped serving prepared drinks in August 2024 and now books tea tastings, a traditional bowl of matcha and a Japanese tea ceremony experience. The original Point Loma shop has closed; La Jolla is the only storefront.
Reservation-only afternoon high tea built around owner Marlene's own baking, with a new menu every month. Seatings run at 11 AM Wednesday to Friday and at 11 AM and 2:30 PM on weekends, each lasting two hours. A tea-to-go box with sandwiches, quiche, a scone with clotted cream, four desserts and a pot's worth of tea costs $38.
Hotel afternoon tea in the Westgate's Grand Lobby, served Wednesday through Sunday from noon to 3 PM with a harpist playing. Sandwiches come from the hotel's Bonne Vie Brasserie kitchen alongside pastries, macarons and cakes. Adults pay $55 and children $35, plus tax and a 20% gratuity.
Two-level pink-themed café: an espresso and pastry counter downstairs and a tea room upstairs that books three-tier afternoon tea by reservation. The upstairs room also hosts private tea parties and themed events. Open daily, with weekday hours from 8 AM to 3 PM.
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San Diego Tea Tips
Book afternoon tea ahead
Every afternoon tea on this list runs on reservations. Britannia wants regular bookings by 6 PM the day before and 72 hours for themed teas, Marlene's takes no walk-ins and charges 24 hours out, and Coral Tree takes reservations by phone for fixed Friday-to-Sunday seatings.
Watch the themed-tea calendar
Britannia and Marlene's both change menus monthly and run one-off themed teas, such as Britannia's wizarding tea from October 2 to November 1. Themed seatings cost more than the standard service and fill first.
Go to La Jolla for a tasting, Point Loma for range
PARU stopped serving prepared drinks in 2024 and now focuses on loose leaf, matcha and booked experiences such as tastings and a traditional bowl of matcha. Point Loma Tea is the better stop for browsing a big wall of teas and teaware in one visit.
Plan around closed days
Coral Tree opens Friday through Sunday only, Marlene's is closed Monday and Tuesday, Point Loma Tea is closed Monday, and PARU opens Wednesday through Sunday. The Westgate serves Wednesday through Sunday from noon to 3 PM.
Brewing at Home After San Diego
Found a tea you liked in San Diego? Buy the leaf, then use these to brew it the same way at home.
Teaware
Kettles, gaiwans, kyusu, scales and matcha whisks for brewing at home.
Steeping Chart
Water temperature and steep time for green, white, oolong, black and pu-erh.
Tea Ratio Calculator
Grams of leaf per 100 ml, for gongfu and western brewing.
Bitter Tea Troubleshooting
Fix a bitter, flat or astringent cup by changing one variable at a time.
Cold-Brew Tea Ratios
Leaf weight and fridge time for cold-brewed tea, by tea type.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I get afternoon tea in San Diego?
The Britannia Tearooms in the Midway District, Coral Tree Tea House in Old Town, Marlene's Tea & Cakes in Black Mountain Ranch and the Westgate Hotel downtown all run reserved afternoon tea services. Miracle Potion downtown also books three-tier service in its upstairs tea room.
Where can I buy loose-leaf tea in San Diego?
Point Loma Tea at Liberty Station and PARU in La Jolla are the two dedicated loose-leaf shops. PARU leans toward single-garden teas and matcha from Asia; Point Loma Tea carries a broad range of black, green, oolong, pu-erh, white and herbal teas plus teaware.
Where can I do a tea tasting in San Diego?
PARU in La Jolla books tea tastings, a traditional bowl of matcha and a Japanese tea ceremony experience. Point Loma Tea runs tastings, tea flights and classes in its Sit and Sip tea rooms.
How much does afternoon tea cost in San Diego?
At the time of checking, Britannia's Queen's Afternoon Tea was $54.95, Coral Tree's Afternoon Tea was $48 and its Queen's High Tea $58, and the Westgate charged $55 per adult plus tax and a 20% gratuity.
San Diego Tea by Neighborhood
Point Loma
Best for: Loose-leaf shopping and tea-room sit-downs at Liberty Station, plus British afternoon tea on Midway Drive.
Top picks: Point Loma Tea, The Britannia Tearooms
Downtown
Best for: Hotel lobby afternoon tea with a harpist and a pink-themed café tea room a few blocks from the waterfront.
Top picks: Afternoon Tea at The Westgate Hotel, Miracle Potion Cafe & Tea Room
Old Town
Best for: Afternoon tea in a restored Victorian house in Heritage County Park.
Top picks: Coral Tree Tea House
Black Mountain Ranch
Best for: A monthly-changing high tea menu built around house-baked cakes.
Top picks: Marlene's Tea & Cakes
Tea Reading for San Diego Visitors
Read these before you order: what to ask for, how it is brewed, and what it should cost.
