The Macaron Tea Room, Broadview Heights
Alla Yakimiv grew up baking for church events and family functions. Today, she serves a beautiful array of pastries at her suburban Cleveland tearoom.
The Macaron Tea Room’s namesake pastry is the star of its bakery case. A rainbow of the delicate, meringue-based cookies in flavors such as chocolate-covered strawberry and tiramisu are displayed alongside cream-puff swans, frosted sugar cookies, scones, tea biscuits and more.
“We do coffee flavors, we do chocolate flavors … anything that pops in my head,” shop owner Alla Yakimiv says of her macaron lineup, which spans over 30 different varieties each day. “I have a list of more than 300 flavors.”
The tearoom includes a tea bar, brewing dozens of flavors. (photo courtesy of The Macaron Tea Room)
Yakimiv was born in Ukraine and moved to the United States with her family in 1989. Growing up in a Christian home, she often made desserts for church events and family functions. The self-taught baker opened The Macaron Tea Room in 2018, after she says she felt called by God to create a gathering place in the community.
“It took me some time, and it’s funny how I look at some of my pictures from when I started making [macarons], and I’m like, ‘Oh my gosh, I can’t believe I even offered that to people.’ But we’ve grown … [and] I’ve been able to dabble in other things.”
Located in a shopping center in the Cleveland suburb of Broadview Heights, the tearoom greets visitors with its case of bakery items, while white-linen-covered tables and a counter-service tea bar fill the adjoining room. Bible verses decorate the walls, and delicate piano music plays softly.
The Macaron Tea Room offers a variety of tea experiences. (photo courtesy of The Macaron Tea Room)
Walk-ins are welcome, but reservations are advised on Saturdays. A separate event space can hold up to 50 people, and you can always grab a seat at the tea bar and choose from the shop’s large, curated selection of black, white, green, fruit and caffeine-free herbal teas.
Customers can choose from high tea (the largest spread of assorted pastries and sandwiches on a three-tier stand and a pot of tea), afternoon tea, mini high tea or mini afternoon tea. There’s also a nursery tea for kids, complete with a cookie to paint.
“When we designed the tearoom, I didn’t want to copy anybody,” Yakimiv says. “To me, it was important to stand out — to be different.” 203 E. Royalton Rd., Suite 114, Broadview Heights 44147, 440/334-9119, themacarontearoom.com