Hot cup of tea with cookies
ADOBE STOCK
Wintertime Means Teatime
In honor of National Hot Tea Month—January—celebrate by wrapping your hands around a warm cup of oolong or Earl Grey in a cozy tearoom.
By Amity Moore Joyce
What is the most consumed drink in the world? Water. What is the second? Tea. In the United States, coffee wiggles in between the two (not surprising given that whole Boston Tea Party incident), but Americans still love a good cuppa. It’s a drink often shared with friends—with teahouses and tearooms providing the perfect backdrops for moments together, from casual morning gatherings to more formal afternoon affairs. Check out this collection of tea spots that include storied hotels as well as charming venues effusing global flair and fresh interpretations of the tea tradition.
Afternoon Tea served at The Brown Palace Hotel and Spa in Denver
The Brown Palace Hotel and Spa
Hotels Steeped in History
When it comes to a tried-and-true high tea, many of America’s iconic hotels host delightful afternoon spreads featuring a variety of teas, finger sandwiches, scones, pastries and more. Developed as a heartier repast for England’s working class, today’s high tea has taken on a more elegant vibe, with best girlfriends turning the experience into a reason to dress up (complete with pearls and possibly hats!) and mothers taking their young daughters to a real-live tea party. The Plaza Hotel in New York City gives those youngest of ladies a chance to feel like children’s book character Eloise by choosing from the Children’s Eloise Tea menu, which among other options offers French Toast, a sweet sandwich-like concoction of maple butter cream and cinnamon sugar swirl on cinnamon raisin bread; scones with Devonshire cream, berries and kalamansi curd; a rose French macaron with rose-lychee ganache billed as the Eloise Macaron; and a special tea blend or cold quencher. The Plaza’s tea experience, like that of The Drake in Chicago and The Brown Palace Hotel and Spa in Denver, offers a break from the urban buzz while simultaneously making guests feel like they are part of each city’s high society. With openings that date back to 1907, 1920 and 1892, all three properties carry historic gravity in their architecture, decorative elements and hospitality.
The Eloise Tea menu at The Plaza includes a special blend of tea.
THE PLAZA
For upscale hotel tea experiences beyond America’s major cities, look to Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island in Michigan and The Vinoy Resort in St. Petersburg, Florida. Each elegant and timeless, Grand Hotel stands stately with its white columns and vast porches overlooking the Straits of Mackinac, while The Vinoy is immediately recognizable by its pink exterior and Mediterranean-style architecture. Afternoon tea at Grand Hotel starts in April, and this year (2025), it highlights a new partnership with Steven Smith Teamaker to develop a fresh pairing of teas and nibblies for guests. The Vinoy pairs its teatime with history: Thursday through Sunday, guests engage in a docent-led tour of the hotel before sitting down to tea as part of the History Tour & High Tea experience.
International Tea Cozies
Yes, a true tea cozy covers a teapot to keep it warm, but in this instance, these are warm, welcoming spots that showcase tea culture beyond England. Chicago’s Chiya Chai in the Logan Square neighborhood brings more than 150 possible combinations of chai to customers’ lips. The robust offering represents one of the most expansive chai-specific programs in the world—and the owners source the spices directly from Nepal, India and the surrounding region. Enjoy the unique combination of pink salt and almond butter or go more traditional with a masala chai—a pleasing blend of spices, tea and milk. Traditional Himalayan foods are available to complement the chai teas: momo (dumplings), anyone? Boulder Dushanbe TeaHouse transports tea lovers from Boulder, Colorado, to Persia. Eight exterior ceramic panels pull the eye toward the colorful building, a gift from Boulder’s sister city, Ddushanbe, Tajikistan. Once inside, the incredible craftsmanship is evident in master woodcarving, plaster panels and copper sculptures that reflect Persian art and poetry. The vast tea menu presents options from China, Taiwan, Sri Lanka, South Africa and beyond, and a food menu featuring international flavors is available. For a Japanese tea immersion, visit Cha-An Teahouse in New York’s East Village. Warm up with a matcha, a matcha latte, a choice of 10 green teas, peach white, a couple of decaffeinated selections or one of Cha-An’s special teas. Indulge your hunger with savory rice dishes and a slew of gorgeously presented Japanese desserts. Once a staple of the Georgetown, Virginia, community, Ching Ching Cha is now part of the city’s Dupont Circle neighborhood. Owner Ching Ching (Hollie) Wong has created a quaint tea shop and teahouse, featuring beautiful, hand-picked Yixing teapots and cups in which to serve the roughly 25 varieties of Chinese blends available.
Inspiring Places to Brew
Like the iconic historic hotels, The Whitney in Detroit is vintage. The Romanesque Revival mansion served as the residence for David Whitney Jr. and his wife, beginning in 1894. Today, it is a restaurant and event venue, where, Fridays and Saturdays, tea—complete with a tower of fresh scones, tea sandwiches, miniature tarts and sweet pastries—is served. A more casual approach to tea service is found in Calabash, North Carolina, where Kathy Cody and Anna Arlington have opened their Victorian-styled Calabash Garden Tea Room & Gift Shop. Tea lovers drink from antique teacups and dab their lips with vintage linens. The darling cottage is the perfect spot for catching up with friends over a pot of tea and delectable savory and sweet goodies. Children ages 4 to 9 get their own menu with special sandwiches, and adults receive a salad as part of their Ultimate Tea. Don’t skimp on the Secret Garden Salad Dressing! Like at Calabash’s tearoom, Denver-based Babe’s Tea Room welcomes guests dressed up or dressed down. The focus is on the tea and the freshly made food. Babe’s has expanded from its bright, cheery storefront in Denver’s LoHi neighborhood to a second location in downtown Golden, Colorado, along Clear Creek. Both locations offer an extensive tea service, with additional menu items for food and drink.
Book a stay at a hotel steeped in history and save with AAA rates while earning hotel loyalty points at AAA.com/Hotels.
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