Calico Cat Teahouse
1081 Haliburton St, Nanaimo, BC V9R 6N6
Reservations: (250)754-3865
https://www.facebook.com/Calico-Cat-Tea-House-249734861719631/
For Fun, Food, Flowers
and your Fortune told!
This past Friday my good friends and I hopped into the trusty red rocket for a fun birthday road trip, and zipped up to a charming tea house in Nanaimo where we had our tea leaves read and then enjoyed a delicious lunch.
What I loved about it:
The teahouse is a lovely character home built 100+ years ago and surrounded by decks and ramps with hanging baskets and beautiful flowers everywhere the eye can see. Yes I said ramps (there are stairs for those who are able) and once inside there is room to maneuver a wheelchair or scooter.
Staff are very accommodating and friendly. There is also a large wheelchair accessible bathroom, which is handy after a couple of cups of tea (just saying, haha).
Heather Frank, the proprietor, and the person who read our tea leaves was very insightful and adept at interpreting the symbols and messages in the leaves . Last but never least, the food was excellent. As mentioned, my friends and I had lunch! My recommendation: get the house specialty “the teahouse crêpes” (I had the shrimp and asparagus - crazy decadent and delicious) while my friends enjoyed other selections such as soup and sandwiches.
For a bit of a birthday celebration, we split the gluten free carrot cake (yes, it was topped with cream cheese icing!). From the corner of my eye I saw an elegant afternoon tea being served from a three-tiered plate laden with finger sandwiches, sweets and famous house made scones. I’m planning on that for my next time!
Accessibility Features:
As mentioned, ramps abound for those who need them and as such, the entire space is wheelchair accessible (including the bathroom). After arriving, take the wheelchair path to the left of the home. It is obvious that care has been taken to ensure that those who use need flat surfaces are accommodated. One thing to note about the bathroom is that while spacious and accessible once inside, the doorway to get in isn’t particularly wide. It’s a snug fit especially with a tea cart that is located close to the door. Luckily the cart can be easily rolled out of the way, and staff were quick to assist with this.
Final Verdict:
If you’re in the mood for something a little more special than your average cup of tea (and lunch) then the Calico Cat is sure to please. I recommend going with your mom, sister or girlfriends. This isn’t the place you’re going to find a lot of men. Be sure to book a tea leaf reading, it’s what sets the experience apart, the 20 minute session is plenty (apparently I’ve got financial success in my future, bring it on, haha!) Go with an open mind and have fun!
Reservations required for tea leaf readings.