Nonna Rosa Cafe Tea Room - a Passion for Hospitality

"Good food at an affordable price served with a smile," she said. "I haven’t changed the prices since 2006. Most of my advertising is by word of mouth. I do have a website hosted by The Tea House Times. People from all over the country have made reservations for bridal and baby showers, birthday parties, or just tea. Many people call to purchase gift certificates for their family members that live here."

"Nonna" is Italian for grandma and Rosa is the name of Nancy’s Italian mother-in-law. Although Nancy was born in the Philippines, she spent most of her adult life in London. High tea at Nonna Rosa is a reflection of this rich heritage, beginning with either tortellini (Italian) or macaroni (Filipino) soup. The Italian flavor is continued with the panini. I learned that "panino" is Italian for sandwich and panini is the plural form of the word.

But before your panini is served, you’ll be treated to some very English cucumber and cream cheese sandwiches, without the crust of course, followed by crackers with egg salad and chives or tuna and dill relish. For desert you’ll receive a plate of scones with real English clotted cream, half with lemon curd, and half with jam. High tea is ended with a plate of biscuits. I call them cookies.

You can have locally supplied Batdorf and Bronson Vesuvio coffee, French press or brewed, but you’ll really want to have tea. There are several teas to choose from, but my favorite is Nancy’s Tea Blend. There’s an International flavor in the mixture of tea varieties: Darjeeling, Jasmine and Earl Grey teas with Irish, English, and Scottish Breakfast teas.

I asked Nancy if she has a motto. She thought for a moment and said, "If you have a dream, do your research, make a plan, pray about it, and act on it. And get help! I couldn’t have done this without my family and friends. A friend, Laura O’Neill, showed me the atrium at New Caldonia in downtown Olympia and I fell in love with it. My husband, son, and daughter worked with me from the beginning, especially when I first started.

I am really thankful for the advice I received from Tina Kennedy, the former manager of the Business Resource Center of the Economic Development Council of Thurston County. In 2007, I was surprised at a luncheon when the council gave me the first annual Business Excellence Award. I’m also thankful for helpful and supportive friends, people like Daisy and Teresa Anderson and Margeen Allen. Most of all, I’m thankful for dedicated customers."

What’s Nancy’s passion? "Caring for people through food and tea, hospitality and interaction," she says.

The happy faces in the pictures on the wall and in the scrapbook and the positive comments in the guestbook are a reflection of that passion and of Nancy’s successful pursuit of her dream.

Nonna Rosa Café Tea Room is located at 116 E 5th Ave., Olympia, WA~360-705-0850 www.nonnarosatea.com