Starbucks and Coffee Bean are great, but sometimes you want to venture out to a coffee shop that doesn’t look or feel like all the other coffee shops. Sometimes you want to drink tea somewhere with a different ambiance. Pasadena is full of these places, so we did some research and composed a list of places you should check out if you want a break from the norm. In no particular order, I present to you the best coffee shops and tea houses in Pasadena.


Jones Coffee Roasters (www.thebestcoffee.com)

Jones Coffee Roasters is an importer of premium specialty coffees and has been sharing a passion for fine beans with consumers, retailers and wholesalers in Pasadena since1994. The coffee beans are carefully selected from around the world based on quality as well as sustainable farming methods, uncompromising commitment to the workers and sensitivity to the environment. Address: 537 S Raymond Ave, Pasadena.

Zona Rosa Caffe (www.zonarosacaffe.com)

This café provides a relaxing and intimate experience, with an atmosphere that reminds one of a busy café in Mexico.  It’s architecture is suggestive of Mexican culture with its vibrant colors, glazed tiles, iron work furniture, and Latin music playing in the background. Zona Rosa Caffee also has a second floor lounge that displays a variety of artists’ works. Address: 15 South El Molino Ave, Pasadena.

Zephyr (zephyrcoffeeandart.com)

The Zephyr Coffee House and Art Gallery is all about good food, good coffee, and good art. Enjoy a coffee creation or a yummy crepe while you spend time catching up with friends, reading, studying, enjoying art, or just listening to good music from emerging musicians. Set in an original 1908 Craftsman house, Zephyr is like a home away from home. Address: 2419 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena.

Bird Pick and Tea Herb (www.birdpick.com)

The name Bird Pick actually originates from an ancient practice of cultivating tea leaves. Birds with acute senses would pick out the best leaves for their own nourishment. Bird Pick and Tea Herb strives for the same standards by selecting the most aromatic leaves to make a special blend of teas. Address: 10 South De Lacey, Pasadena.

Leaforever (www.leaforever.com)

Leaforever is a specialty grower in organic tea and herb. With a focus on healthy living, Leaforever promotes tea culture and creates an ambiance of tranquility. The tea shop carries a selection of more than 300 varieties including black, green oolong, white, organic, herbal and fruit, and ranging in price from just a few cents per cup all the way up to the rarest teas grown exclusively for Leaforever by some of the world’s finest estates. Address: 260 E. Colorado Blvd. A223, Pasadena.


Rose Cottage Tea Room (www.rosetreecottage.com)

The Rose Tree Cottage is a traditional English tearoom and shop set in an English style court of cottages, bringing the best of Britain to America. It’s the original tearoom in Pasadena and actually helped start the tea revolution in America. The shop has been featured in L.A. Magazine and Victoria Magazine for their teas and tours. Their afternoon tea was named one of the top tea experiences in America by U.S.A. Today. Address: 801 S. Pasadena Ave, Pasadena.


Chado Tea Room (www.chadotea.com)

The Chado Tea Room offers a complete afternoon tea (served all day) without all the snobbery. This tearoom has revolutionized tea drinking in the Los Angeles area. And now, through their website, tea drinkers everywhere have access to over 300 different types of specialty teas from the Chado Tea Room. With one of the largest selection of specialty teas and tea accessories, Chado is a tea lovers' paradise. Address: 79 N. Raymond Ave, Pasadena.


Tea Rose Garden (www.tearosegarden.com)

This teashop provides a tranquil place where you can take time out of your busy day to relax and enjoy the surroundings. Tea Rose Garden offers a diverse menu of delectable tea sandwiches, pastries, salads, and an assortment of premium teas from all over the world. They also offer an elegant array of fresh flowers and arrangements as well as unique gift items, including a collection of fine bone china. Address: 28 South Raymond Ave, Pasadena.


There you have it. Time to take a break from your usual cappuccino and try a new and refreshing tea or coffee. There are plenty of places to choose from. Good luck in your pursuit for quality tea and coffee!