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With that in mind, here are 15 of the best places to pop in for a cuppa, or host a full-blown tea soirée. Get your best gloves and fascinator out of the closet and give it a whirl.
The St. Regis San Francisco
Available Thursdays and Saturdays, 1 to 3pm, the intimate service comes with views of the (mock) Herculaneum villa and amphitheater from the Founder’s Room, located just above the museum café. Pick from an array of high-quality teas, including the Villa’s Art of Tea signature blend, which adds a touch of lavender to Chinese black tea. Compared to the Getty Center’s admittedly lackluster afternoon tea offering, the Villa’s selection of vegetarian-friendly scones, sweets and sandwiches is delicious, and far better than it needs to be. The restaurant from the Farmhouse Thai group became a viral sensation during the pandemic, thanks to this over-the-top afternoon tea party in a box. Now, the tea experience is available to experience in person at the San Francisco, Palo Alto, and Menlo Park locations.
California Afternoon Tea Directory
It’s a fabulous floral experience, packed with salmon, egg, and cucumber sandwiches, scones, cake, and sweets. The tea service has two seatings, Monday through Friday, except for holidays, with advance reservation required. Santa Monica isn’t exactly known for its upscale afternoon tea offerings, but this design-forward hotel is changing that with a modern afternoon tea service inside Palma, the Proper’s lobby restaurant. Designed by Kelly Wearstler, the impossibly chic space features unique floral arrangements and plenty of seating arrangements to choose from. While the tables that border the elongated booth by the window catch the most light, larger parties can opt for the secluded alcoves or one of the lower-slung coffee tables.
Fairmont Miramar - Hotel & Bungalows
Additionally, the hotel is hosting a weekends-only “tea party” on the Belvedere Terrace every Saturday and Sunday featuring a DJ, eclectic and antique China and glassware, floral-themed cocktails, tea sandwiches, and more. The English tradition of taking a midday pause to refuel with crustless sandwiches, warm scones, and freshly brewed tea is alive and well in Los Angeles. From posh establishments that follow formalities to local spots that hit all the cozy notes, here now are 16 lovely places for afternoon tea in Los Angeles this holiday season. Serving a selection of grilled items, house-made soups, hand-crafted sandwiches, salads, tacos, tostada bowls, and house-made salsas, 1919 Cafe offers indoor and outdoor dining. The Bar is also open with a wide selection of wine and beer. Members at the Premier levels (Affiliate, Patron, Supporting, Benefactor, and Society of Fellows) are eligible for a 10% discount!
Dream Come True Tea & Party Room
Whether you’re looking for a relaxing, beautiful garden setting or a conveniently located place to enjoy tea with friends, these top L.A. For reader convenience, we’ve also included which days of the week you can find the tea in each listing, as well as the cost of each tea set. With a full view of the Santa Cruz Mountains, one Eater reader described this service as “a distinctly California interpretation of afternoon tea.” The scones are worth mentioning, as are the glasses of Champagne. Prices begin at $70 a person and, as it can be a bit of a drive for some in the Bay Area, booking in advance is highly recommended.
Tea service starts at $29 per person and is served on Saturday and Sunday starting at noon. Tea service is also available for takeout. Enjoy afternoon tea at the Japantown outpost of this tea room located inside the New People mall, or at its second location in Ross in Marin County. The affordable tea service is thankfully customizable to your party, such as adding on a crown craft project for kids, or requesting unicorn cakes or a macaron tower for special occasions (just give the shop at least 72 hours notice).
Cozy Spots for Afternoon Tea in the San Francisco Bay Area
West Linn Tidings Events - Jade Bistro Teahouse & Patisserie; ACC - West Linn Tidings
West Linn Tidings Events - Jade Bistro Teahouse & Patisserie; ACC.
Posted: Tue, 05 Mar 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Afternoon tea also proves a wonderful social occasion for the sober community. As Gen Z showcases a much different relationship to alcohol, and members of older generations rethink their own relationship to drinking, gatherings that aren’t centered around booze have gained traction. Almost any traditional afternoon tea menu includes the option to add bubbles, if desired, but it’s an afterthought — the tea will always be the focus. It’s hard to resist Koreatown’s hyper-femme Rose & Blanc Tea Room. Gather a gaggle of girlfriends and settle in for cucumber and dill tea sandwiches, macaroons, scones, and more.
Priced at $95 per person, afternoon high tea service takes place in the hotel’s Library and Ocean Terrace every Saturday and Sunday at noon and 3 p.m. Reservations are required via Fairmont Miramar’s website or Resy. One of the most affordable options for afternoon tea is the T Room in Montrose. The family-run operation offers tea service for $32, which includes lingonberry chicken sandwiches, warm scones, and plenty of pastries.
Each service includes a glass of Veuve Clicquot or a non-alcoholic sparkling wine, plus scones, sandwiches and a rotating array of sweets that put a California spin on classic flavors. (In particular, we found the aged goat cheese and chive scone to be outstanding.) For $20 more, guests can also indulge in bottomless champagne. For a kitschy, distinctly English afternoon tea, this beloved Pasadena establishment offers two reservation-only seatings on weekend afternoons at 1 and 4pm. Given the overall Britishness of the place, expect savory bites like beef Wellington, toad-in-the-hole and Welsh rarebit alongside sweets like sticky toffee pudding. Note that Rose Tree Cottage requires a proper dress code and only takes afternoon tea reservations a week in advance—and strictly over the phone. Kids and adults alike will have a ball at Dream Come True Tea & Party Room located in Bixby Knolls.
And 4 p.m.; reservations are taken by telephone a week in advance. If you’re looking for something different than cucumber sandwiches and you’re in the San Jose area, iChina offers its version of afternoon tea — but with dim sum. You can order a selection of dim sum a la carte, or as part of a set of steamed or crispy dim sum. There is also a “signature pastry collection” option, featuring a selection of sweet bites such as raspberry lychee mousse, jasmine peach macaron, and a sable with pineapple jam and calamansi curd. Mindy Fong is a San Francisco chocolate staple at this point, but it’s the tea service at her Grant Avenue shop that deserves extra attention. Stopping by for themed tea services, such as an Ohlone-inspired menu of treats and teas, is well worth it.
Sip Tea Room replaced Secret Garden Tea House with a more modern setting. The tea service itself leans traditional though, arriving on a three-tier stand with sandwiches, scones, clotted cream, strawberry preserves, lemon curd, and sweets. The full afternoon tea experience has two seatings, and runs Thursday through Sunday; reservations are required.
Cucumber sandwiches, scones with Devonshire clotted cream, and sticky toffee pudding are all meticulously served by a suited butler. Dress codes for gentlemen are politely enforced. Tea is served only on Saturdays & Sundays at 1 p.m.
The tea room is open Thursday through Sunday from 10 a.m. Appetites of all sizes will be satisfied with options to order a la carte or a set menu. The tea for two includes scones with clotted cream and jam, salad or soup, sandwiches, fruit, desserts, and two pots of tea for $57. Head to the 40-year-old Cat & Fiddle for a laidback afternoon tea with all the trimmings.
Pasadena’s understated Callisto Tea House serves two options for afternoon tea service on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. The standard menu is priced at $27.50 and includes three savory vegan toasts, a scone with cream and jam, a cupcake, and a pot of tea. For parties of two, Callisto prepares a $65 menu with gong fu service. It includes everything on the regular afternoon tea menu plus traditional Chinese tea service where tea is brewed twice at the table in a small clay pot. The wait can be considerable—I waited three months, in fact—but the chance to enjoy this museum afternoon tea offering is well worth the need for advance booking.
Any of these Bay Area restaurants offering tea services are worth a visit, but each offers different approaches to the timeless tradition. There are fancier affairs and services incorporating a wide array of cultures and cuisines, too. Find a seat at one of these 16 tea services for a warming moment despite what the thermometer tells you. Inspired by the Pacific Electric Railway and showcasing travel posters from The Huntington’s collections, Red Car coffee shop offers espresso, tea, pastries, ice cream, snacks, and grab-and-go fare. Pick up a warm croissant breakfast sandwich, muffin, or scone to go if you’re in a hurry, or take your time and enjoy a sandwich or salad for lunch seated at the banquette, booth, or bar area.
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