After sipping your fill of organic Japanese-Russian-Indian green-Darjeeling blends at San Francisco’s oh-so-trendy teahouses (that’s you, Modern Tea), it’s nice to come back to the classics. The traditional British high tea—complete with scones, clotted cream, and finger sandwiches—is alive and well in the city and delivers the ultimate afternoon respite. For a truly happy hour, get that pinky up and head to one of these Bay Area locales (stiff upper lip not required).
1The Treasure TroveThe preeminent San Francisco teahouse is undoubtedly
Lovejoy’s Tea Room in Noe Valley. A quirky space with mismatched china and bottomless pots of tea, Lovejoy’s books up far in advance for its weekend tea service. Opened in the early 1990s as an antiques shop that happened to serve a good cuppa, it soon blossomed into a full-fledged teahouse—and should you fall in love with a certain cup, pot, or type of tea during your visit, they’re available for purchase at Lovejoy’s Attic, just across the street.
1351 Church St. (at Clipper St.), S.F., 415-648-58952The DollhouseSecret Garden Tea House in the Inner Richmond is the perfect rainy-day diversion. This Victorian-inspired gem lets you sit, sip, and gaze straight into Golden Gate Park from the cozy nooks inside. The Bedford’s Delight tea service includes six finger sandwiches in varieties like mango chutney with English sharp cheddar, and curried egg with spring onion and fresh cilantro, in addition to scones and dessert.
721 Lincoln Way (bet. 8th and 9th Aves.), S.F., 415-566-8834
3The Garden Party Even with a tea menu that includes black, green, fruit, and herbal varieties,
Tal-Y-Tara Tea and Polo Shoppe maintains its strictly British charm. The fact that the teahouse doubles as an equestrian shop only adds to your sense of having hopped the pond. If polo paraphernalia isn’t your cup of tea, grab a table in the charming outdoor garden. Be sure to try the Motorloaf, a turn-of-the-20th-century specialty bread that tea sandwiches are cut from before they’re nestled back into their crust for serving (or, back in the day, for safekeeping while motoring).
6439 California St. (at 27th Ave.), S.F., 415-751-92754The Old WorldThe most formal of these teahouses, the three
Lisa’s Tea Treasures, all located in the South Bay, are styled to resemble traditional Victorian tearooms—right down to their servers, who wear full 19th-century garb. Tea sandwiches in appetizing varieties like egg salad supreme or pesto nut are served, and creative custom blends like Champagne Raspberry and Spiced Plum are available for sipping and purchase.
377 Santana Row, San Jose, 408-247-3613; 1175 Merrill St., Menlo Park, 650-322-5544; 1875 S. Bascom Ave. #165, Campbell, 408-371-73775The Global BlendSamovar Tea Lounge—named for the Russian contraption that boils water—honors the traditions of all the world’s tea capitals (Moroccan, Indian, Japanese, and Russian meals are paired with complementary teas from each region), but the three-tiered British service is the shop’s specialty. And there’s no need to guess your tea’s pedigree—Samovar serves primarily organic and Fair Trade goods. Each tea is grown by family artisans whose names are printed right on the menu.
498 Sanchez St. (at 18th St.), S.F., 415-626-4700; Yerba Buena Gardens, Upper Terrace, S.F., 415-227-9400
