By Crystal Harrell
The warmest season of the year in the Coachella Valley is still going strong with hot summer rains and humidity levels maintaining an overbearing presence. While the forecast seems cloudy with a certainty of triple digit heat, there is a way to stay refreshed and bring a bit of sunshine to your day even through the most disagreeable weather. The desert is home to locally owned tea shops that will not only quench your thirst, but also expose you to a variety of flavors and aromas sure to put you in a zen state of mind. Here is a round-up of some tasty tea shops to visit the next time you brave the heat outside.
Cali Rosina Tea & Chocolate – Located in Old Town La Quinta, Cali Rosina Tea & Chocolate introduces visitors to a global selection of sweet and savory menu options. The shop’s intention is to focus on quality ingredients to bring customers great drinks and food from the desert’s local neighbors and merchants from around the world. Cali Rosina carries a large selection of loose leaf tea and herbs, with in-store essentials for anyone who wants to brew at home. For a refreshing pick-me-up, try the “Minty Mate” iced tea with organic Yerba Mate, organic peppermint, and agave, or the “Cali Palmer” with Margaret’s Hope Black Tea, fresh squeezed lemon, and agave. If you need to satisfy a sweet tooth, Cali Rosina also has a fine selection of single original chocolate from craft chocolate makers from countries in South America and Europe.- Everbloom Coffee – Since 2020, Everbloom Coffee in Indio has been a hotspot for delicious, caffeinated drinks on the go to help you get through the day. With a slogan of “coffee, for the people,” Everbloom Coffee has quickly become a community favorite. While technically a coffee shop, Everbloom Coffee has the special distinction of offering hand-made syrups to provide a burst of flavor to any cold brew for an extra refreshing summer drink. Everbloom Coffee offers tantalizing options such as Mocha, Butterscotch, Madagascar Vanilla, and Honey Lavender to spruce up your order.
Happy Tea Café – Happy Tea Café in La Quinta is a family-owned business that strives to provide the highest quality tea and coffee experience to customers. The café uses only the finest ingredients such as organic loose leaf teas, hand-picked coffee beans, seasonal fresh fruits, and three different milk alternatives. With every sip, Happy Tea Café guarantees that customers will taste the freshness and quality of the ingredients. There are a plethora of refreshing teas perfect for summer to choose from, ranging from flavorful fruit teas to milk and matcha. If you’re in the mood for fruit, try the “Rose Garden” with light notes of delicate foliage or classics like the “Peach Tea with Peach Bits”, “Grapefruit Paradise”, “Kiwi Blast”, or “Strawberry Mojito”. If milk tea is your preference, the “Honeydew Milk Tea” will not disappoint with its sweet flavors of nectar. As for the matcha series of teas, the “Japanese Matcha Iced Tea”, “Coconut Matcha Latte”, and “Blueberry Matcha Latte” are can’t-miss drinks and trademarks of Happy Tea Café.
The Bunny Tea – Who says tea has to be the same thing all the time? At The Bunny Tea in La Quinta, the shop pushes the envelope when it comes to introducing customers to bold new flavors of tea that are unlike anything ever tasted before. Especially during the months when the temperature hits the roof, there are endless fruity iced tea options. The “Pink Dragon” has a lychee flavor with diced dragon fruit thrown in the cup, while the “Hawaii Sunset” is a combination of strawberry and mango flavor with fresh fruit chunks thrown in, making it truly sunshine in a cup. Other popular options for fresh fruit drinks include the “Mango Bellini” with mango flavor and diced strawberry, the “Summer Breeze” with kumquat flavor and fresh lemon, and the “Aloe Vera Kiwi” with kiwi flavor and aloe vera chunks.
