The Tea Trolley has been offering British-style hospitality for the last 18 years. Wendy Richardson decided to open a business in the little house she and her husband owned on Entrada Avenue in downtown Atascadero.
“My mama always wanted to have a tea room in England, but she was a single mom and couldn’t,” Richardson said.
The couple, who moved to Templeton in 1989 from Southern California, bought the little cottage as an investment in the community. After fixing it up, they tried to rent it out to other businesses. When no one rented it, Richardson opened the English tea room and it has been operational since.
“My customers just have a certain feeling about coming in,” Richardson said.
The tea room is open three days a week, on Thursdays and Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and on Saturdays for lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
“Everything is made to order,” Richardson said. “[My customers] love the food and atmosphere.”
The Tea Trolley is the only English tea room in the county and serves a selection of house-made soups, sandwiches and sweets in addition to traditional English teas. The tea shop also sells tea and English-related gifts.
Richardson encourages customers to make reservations because there are only six tables in the small cottage.
“My menu is very simple; it never changes,” Richardson said, adding that the only changes are the soups and desserts. “I love the one-on-one time with my customers. All of my customers are my love.”
Heather Young can be contacted at heather@colonymagazine.com