While coffee used to be king, tea houses have gained excessive popularity in the last few years. It’s a trend that shouldn’t come as a surprise; for many cultures, tea isn’t just a drink, it’s a way of life, and with people becoming increasingly more health conscious, the benefits tea provides—including boosting immune systems, containing antioxidants, and soothing the digestive system—are heartily embraced.
It’s not hard to find a place to buy tea—you can probably pick one up at your local gas station convenience store if you were really desperate. But for the authentic experience, with fancy china, daintily folded cloth napkins and some delicate finger sandwiches, you’ll have to look a little harder. While traditional tea rooms are a bit few and far between, they are worth the drive, whether for a date with mom, bridal shower or birthday brunch.
Chat Noir in Rockville Centre boasts a huge menu offering guests a wide range of herbal, black, oolong and green teas. In addition to being a tea house, Chat Noir is a patisserie, serving up French-inspired baked goods daily. That includes freshly baked croissants and brioche, sweet and savory pies, delectable fruit tarts and macarons.
If you’re in the mood for something a bit more filling, they also offer breakfast dishes, sandwiches and salads, as well as entrées such as fish and chips and shepherd’s pie. For more information and a full menu, visit www.chatnoirtea.com or call 516-208-8521.
The charming Robinson’s Tea Room is the real deal when it comes to high tea. The Stony Brook venue offers full British tea service daily, allowing patrons a three-tier tray of their very popular scones, finger sandwiches and desserts, as well as an unlimited selection of tea.
In addition to high tea, the venue also offers light breakfast, lunch and early light dinner. For more information, call 631-751-1232 or visit www.facebook.com/RobinsonsTeaRoom.
Take a trip to Wonderland by visiting Alice’s Tea Cup, which has three locations in Manhattan. This Alice in Wonderland-themed venue puts a whimsical spin on tea time, offering more than 100 delicious tea offerings, as well as gourmet finger sandwiches, homemade scones and breakfast, lunch and dinner fare.
The tea house is especially popular with children, who will enjoy the fairytale environment. Visit www.alicesteacup.com or call 518-889-9344.
