Tea parties are such a fun pretend play activity for both little girls and little boys. If you have littles, I am sure you have been served many a cup of tea by a beaming child with a questionably clean pretend cup (or real, if you’re particularly brave). Chicken was not a huge tea party girl, but once Nugget came along, he embraced the concept and led many a tea party on our living room floor.
However, as Chicken got older, she became increasingly curious about the real deal. So I started searching the area and stumbled across Tea’s Me. We took the plunge for Chicken’s 5th birthday- a tea party at Tea’s Me followed by a showing of the Lion King downtown. Although not a dress-up kind of girl, she proudly put on a new dress, shiny shoes, and pranced into the tea house. It is still a treasured memory.
We both fell in love. Tea’s Me is housed in a small building not far off of a main road in the area. But it is very easy to pass by if you do not know it is there. The owner serves a variety of high teas, from simple tea and scones to the classic three tiered delight. We, of course, went all in. It is simply decorated but comfortable, and has a small gift area with tea related gifts as well as packages of their tea blends and other food items.
Service starts with homemade sorbet- a different flavor each time. Now that we have been several times, we each look forward to the flavor of the day. Our favorite has been prickly pear, which Chicken excitedly said she had always wanted to try since they talk about it all the time on the Food Network. There is also soup (always yummy), house made scones (always a plain and one with additions like blueberries, cranberries, chocolate chips, etc.), finger sandwiches, phyllo dough purses, a pastry cup with cream cheese and pepper jelly, other savory treats, and a variety of bite sized desserts at the top. It is all served with sides of jam, clotted cream, and lemon curd.
The tea menu is extensive and includes a variety of teas as well as non caffeinated teas. Many of the teas can be served hot or iced and the staff is great about making recommendations. You can also have tea refills and even change the type of tea. Not, Chicken, though. It is a solid eight cups of blueberry tea for her.
Tea’s Me does offer a “Princess Tea”- smaller amounts of food with foods that are considered more kid friendly- a heart shaped peanut butter and jelly, fancy pigs in a blanket, etc. That, Chicken was not impressed with. She is a total foodie and wants the grown up food. So now we order her the smaller full tea service and she gobbles it all up. So there are options to please the kiddos if yours aren’t very adventurous eaters.
Half the fun of going here is watching Chicken eat. She oohs and aahs, proudly pours her own blueberry tea from her own tea pot, moans and groans in foodie heaven (I have to reign her in so it doesn’t become too When Harry Met Sally), and informs the waitress that the food they make there is divine. We have now gone several times for special occasions like her birthday, Mother’s day, a date with a friend she hadn’t seen in a long time, and most recently, for their Chinese New Year tea. The first time we went, she asked if she could have her wedding there, so I think she was impressed.
It is also a great place for a mom’s day out. A group of friends I have had since high school (some of them since elementary school) have made a tradition for the past several years of going here around the holidays. It is a wonderful place to relax, feel taken care of, and feel like you are doing something special with a group of people you care about. I look forward to it every year.
Tea’s Me also does some special events. They have done Red Hat teas, Mother’s Day teas, as well as event for Valentines Day. As I mentioned, Chicken and I went to the recent Chinese New Year tea and it was great. The tea service was mostly the same as the typical tea with a couple of Chinese influenced dishes. There were Chinese New Year’s decorations, Chinese zodiac placemats, periodic sharing of information, and raffle give aways. Chicken and I both won! While there, they indicated they would also be doing events around the Queen’s birthday and would be doing a “baby shower” for the upcoming royal babies.
This is not a place for our tiniest friends. All dishes on the table are breakable and service takes about two hours. Each time we have gone she has been the only child, although I once saw another child there when I went with some grown-up friends. But for the right child, it can be a wonderful outing and a delicious meal. You’ll be surprised how full you are at the end!
What it Is: a delightful tea house, a great place for a special treat with your child or friends, delicious food, a place where your child can feel like a grown up in a fun and wholesome way, a place to celebrate moments, a bit on the pricey side (although not out of line if viewed as a special occasion), cash only, reservation only
What it’s Not: meant for tiny people who may struggle to sit still for a two hour meal, a place catering to children (they are welcome but I wouldn’t describe it as a children’s restaurant at all)
Tea’s Me’s location, menu, and pricing can be found at http://www.teasme.com/
Adventures with Chicken and Nugget 