By Alicia Doyle
Tucked between the sunny strip malls and suburban streets of Santa Clarita lies a surprising escape into a slower, more refined world — tea rooms where porcelain teacups clink gently and the scent of Earl Grey drifts through the air. These cozy havens offer more than just a pot of tea; they serve up charm, tradition and a taste of elegance, one scone at a time.
There’s “a taste of England in every sip” at Tea Elle C Garden Café, where guests are seated in a lush garden surrounded by flowers and shaded umbrellas at 26111 Bouquet Canyon Road in Saugus.
“What makes us different? The people who work here,” said Mariia Vakulovska, owner. “They enjoy and understand what hospitality is and go above and beyond to assure that our guests feel welcome, spoiled and pumped.”
Whether it’s a child celebrating a birthday, a young adult getting a drivers license or a bridal shower celebration, “we will make a birthday plate for you, provide a vase for your flowers that you just got or get the door for you,” she said. “There is no rush…just relaxation and joy.”
Open seven days a week, Tea Elle C serves breakfast and lunch and an afternoon tea experience. There are no reservations needed unless you want to book a Victorian tea party, which can fit up to 50 guests in a private room.
The most popular menu items include French toast made with two croissants dipped in homemade cinnamon batter; and eggs Benedict made with cage-free poached eggs, Canadian bacon and homemade hollandaise sauce on a toasted English muffin. There’s also a variety of wraps – and sourdough breakfast bowls – as well as cold and hot sandwiches such as chicken, turkey, egg salad, smoked salmon and tuna salad.
“We carry over 80 different kinds of premium loose leaf tea,” said Vakulovska, adding that their popular scones are homemade from scratch in house.
Tea Elle C also offers an “extensive” catering menu with salad trays, finger sandwiches, wraps and Panini trays, as well as desserts such as an assorted treat tray that includes a bite-size assortment of pecan bars, apricot bars, Oreo cheesecake, lemon bars and other seasonal flavors.
“The ultimate goal is that every guest has us as a happy place where they can enjoy a cup of tea and great company of a friend, family or the server who will take care of a guest during the visit,” Vakulovska said.
“We love to host,” she further emphasized. “It’s in our logo – a great place for tea and company.”
For more information, visit https://theteagardens.com or call (661) 255-9832.
At Teagan’s Enchanted Tea Room, “we have the widest and most unique selection of tea blends, paired with an equally unique atmosphere to enjoy good tea and company,” said Taylor Clement, co-owner of Teagan’s along with Meagan Heredia.
Located at 24335 Main Street in Newhall, “we specially selected and taste-tested the most delicious blends of tea that we import from Europe,” Clement noted. “The menu took several years behind-the-scenes to perfect as we wanted only the best and most unique blend of flavors showcased. We do offer traditional blends as well for those who prefer a simpler taste.”
Teagan’s Enchanted Tea Room started out only doing afternoon tea and sandwiches, “but we have since added delicious breakfast items and more lunch items as well,” Clement said.
From eggs Benedict to breakfast burritos – or decadent French toast – “you’re sure to find something you like to start your day. We also have fresh salads with our homemade dressings, a large selection of sandwiches from turkey to ham to vegetarian, and a ton of hors d’oeuvres. We are constantly tweaking the menu to perfection and adding new things as they come to mind.”
Their best seller – and what kick-started their business – is the afternoon tea.
“It includes your choice of tea, a delicious homemade scone, six pieces of finger sandwiches and three bite-sized desserts,” Clement explained. “It is served on a beautiful tea tower and always paired with a gorgeous Victorian-style teacup and teapot.”
The business officially opened in August of 2024 “after a long journey, but years behind the scenes,” Clement emphasized. “The concept of Teagan’s has been a vision of my business partner and I for many, many years.”
Clement and Heredia met back in 2019 and quickly became great friends.
“We bonded over our love for tea and hollandaise sauce,” Clement recalled. “We loved traveling into the city for delicious food and restaurants with a cute atmosphere. We joked about opening our own spot since Santa Clarita didn’t have anything like it.”
That “joke” turned into reality when they decided to really go for it.
“We started looking for locations immediately once we knew we were serious and it took about 10 months to find this perfect spot,” Clement said. “Add another 10 months for renovations and permits and we finally opened the doors in August 2024.”
Teagan is the combination of their names, Taylor and Megan.
“Plus, the name contains the word tea, so it was truly meant to be,” Clement said.
The ultimate goal of Teagan’s “is to be a safe place for all,” she added. “We want everyone to enjoy their food as well as their surroundings. It is light, bright and colorful in here to really emphasize the vibes we hope to bring.”
For more information, visit www.teaganstearoom.com.
