Because going out to Tea, as in Full Tea, Afternoon Tea, or High Tea has become so expensive, I really want to know in advance that I am going to have a good tea "experience". Tea is an event, not just a meal. In the last 12 years I've been to a few places which serve Tea, not just the beverage, but the whole concept of Afternoon Tea, whatever they called it.
If you want to know my favorite location to "take tea", I will warn you in advance, my answer may be a bit of a disappointment to you. My favorite place to enjoy Tea would be either in my own home or in the home of a close friend. At home or at Elizaeth's I know the tea will be hot, properly brewed, and high quality. I also know the scones will be freshly baked from scratch, with no worries about them being dry from some mis-guided attempt to make them low-fat. In either location, I can rest assured that the tea will be served in proper china teacups, even though it may be just the two of us having breakfast or an afternoon or evening tea break. The chairs will be comfortable, the company good, and the conversation pleasant. Tea can indeed be a ceremony, however, I think it is really about relationships. And, just for good measure, the cost of a lovely Tea at home, with all the fixings, is far less than any public establishment.
Several of the places where I first went to Afternoon Tea are now either closed or have changed ownership. In at least one case, this is a shame. Lisa's Tea Treasures in Lafayette, California was my first favorite tearoom. We had to drive about an hour and a half to get there, so you can be sure we would not have made return visits if the tea, atmosphere, and menu were not to our liking. Several new owners later, the extablishment is now getting decent reviews again, this time as Patisserie Lafayette's Maison de The, which is French for "house of tea". I have not made the trip down to the Bay Area to find out for myself, as the reviews all agree the place is quite expensive, at $24 for afternoon tea.
Being from the West Coast, I have been fortunate to have visited Victoria, British Columbia, arguably the most British city in the world outside of Britain. Of course we had Tea at The Empress Hotel, the Grand Dame of Tea serving esablishments in Victoria. Tea was served in a very large, very nice room, which was almost more of a lobby to the hotel than it was a room. We sat, British style, on little couches and armchairs around a low table, a Parlour style seating arrangement. A waiter (or waitress) brought a large pot of tea and instructed one of the party on how to act as "Tea Father or Tea Mother" for the group. The tea was the famous Murchie's Empress Afternoon blend, which had been created especially for this purpose in 1972 and which I still enjoy at home today. The three tiered tray laden with sandwiches, scones, and desserts was very elegant and the food was all delicious. We were not rushed at all, even though The Empress was booked solid for Tea all afternoon long. When we were done, we strolled over to the Gift Shop and selected cups and saucers to help commemorate our visit there. Although I have returned to Victoria several times since then, we have not chosen to take Tea at the Empress again. For me, and for the others who were with me, this was viewed as a once in a lifetime event. We came, we enjoyed, we will treasure forever. For the record, Afternoon Tea at The Empress is quite pricey! Do it once, you won't regret it.
