The Secret Garden Tea Room, West Brookfield, MA

Visited: July, 2004.  Reviewed: March, 2005.
Meal: Breakfast. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent. Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: we had a wondeful time and the owner Bob was so nice he made us feel at home, what a lovely place to get away from your everyday life we hope to get back again.
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: Mr&Mrs Michael Amato Add your review   

The Teapot Café, Boxborough, MA

Visited: November, 2008.  Meal: Other. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent.  Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: I have never expected a place so neat and personable around the Boxborough or Acton area. I went for the first time this past week, and was absolutely blown away by the quaint and interesting decor to the delicious tea and lunch. I was so ecstatic, I made another reservation and an excuse just to return this following week. If you would like a great experience in a relaxed and welcoming environment, the Teapot is the place to go, I know I'm returning soon!
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: Sierra  11/08  Add your review 

Visited: March, 2008.  Meal: Lunch. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent.  Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: What a wonderful find! We had a perfectly prepared pot of Yorkshire Gold Tea ... what most of us Brits drink at home! ... prepared just the way we do in England - Hot and perfectly steeped. The food was fresh, bountiful and so beautifully presented. The Veggie melt was stuffed with thick fresh tomato, REAL fresh mozzerella and an unbelievable pesto spread. My freind loved the Boursin Beef Melt. Huge helping of roast beef with Boursin cheese and onion as a panini. The homemade 'secret' brownies for dessert were oh, soooooo good. Our waitress was professional and courteous, and we thought it was a great jesture that the owner, Kraig, came and chatted with us. Tell one, tell all ... this is a FABULOUS little charming cafe!
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: Patricia 3/08  Add your review 

Visited: October, 2007.  Meal: Afternoon tea. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent.  Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: My daughter and I found this tea room via TeaGuide. We came to MA from AL for a wedding. Beautiful setting. Quaint tea room. Great service, wonderful food. Friendly staff. Located next to a lovely quilt shop. A wonderful experience.
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: Karen 11/7  Add your review 

Visited: November, 2007.  Meal: Afternoon tea. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent.  Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: Excellent tea served in a warm, relaxed setting. Very enjoyable.
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: Sue 11/7  Add your review 

Visited: October, 2007.  Meal: Afternoon tea. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent.  Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: What a WONDERFUL find! snuggled off the main road (route 111) in boxborough. Quaint place, soothing colors, everything was amazing. the pear/goat cheese and the cucumber/radish finger sandwiches were my favorite. The home made pastries and desserts were amazing. BROWNIES!!! great! Excellent and prompt waitress.
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: Becky 10/7  Add your review 

Visited: September, 2007.  Reviewed: October, 2007.
Meal: Afternoon tea. Type of tea: Loose leaf and teabags. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent.  Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: A delightful and tasty Afternoon Tea in an old New England farmhouse. Sweet little gift shop, too!
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: janders31  Add your review 

Visited: September, 2007.  Reviewed: October, 2007.
Meal: Lunch. Type of tea: Loose leaf and teabags. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Good.  Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: My husband and I had the rare opportunity of having a day off from work, but our kids did not have the day off from school! We decided to check out the newly re-opened Tea Pot Cafe. What a relaxing, warm, peaceful lunch we had. My husband ordered the Boursin Beef Sandwich - ample portion size with a nicely toasted, crunchy-style bread. I had the Cob Sandwich. Soft, fresh bread with a healthy portion of avacado -yum! Very satisfying. I also order my own pot of Jasmine tea. Very fragrant; full of a floral aroma. We ended our lunch with home-made Peach Cobler, warmed and with vanilla ice cream; made with home grown peaches as fresh and juicy as could be. The BEST I've ever had. Add this splendid lunch with quaint tables covered in white linen, charming service and in a small, New England town - it was almost like being on vacation! I can't wait to go back and try another lunch!
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: Karen S.  Add your review 

Visited: September, 2007.  Reviewed: October, 2007.
Meal: Lunch. Type of tea: Loose leaf and teabags. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent.  Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: The Teapot has been reincarnated!! I love it! I just wish I didn't work downtown or I would come here every day for lunch. Fresh ingredients, healthy alternatives to the typical lunch fare. And definitely filling! And of course the tea was to die for. I would highly recommend this as a lunch spot or simply as a place to catch up with a friend over a hot cup of tea. Plus, the friendly, efficient service makes it truly a pleasure to dine here!
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: Rebecca  Add your review 

Visited: September, 2007.  Reviewed: September, 2007.
Meal: Afternoon tea. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent.  Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: The Teapot Cafe has just recently been taken over by new owners. I found the new environment nicely up-dated and painted with a more subtle, comforting hue than before (ie. - more men will feel more comfortable here now!) They offer multiple tea options and an afternoon tea where they provided a variety of sweet and savory items. I have also stopped by for their luncheons of salads, soups and Panini sandwiches which are very tasty and I like that they offer some new menu options week to week. The restaurant environment is very comfortable and they have a small gift shop that offers an interesting variety of items that are unique to the area. Very nice!
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: janders  Add your review 

Visited: September, 2007.  Reviewed: September, 2007.
Meal: Lunch. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent.  Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: What beautiful tea sandwiches, hand cut and awesome I enjoyed my lunch at the tea room so much that I scheduled my daughter's Bridal shower at the Teapot Cafe. The quaint Victorian home and relaxing atmosphere inside were pleasing. The chef & servers were outstanding. The food was delicious and plentiful. The owners and staff were friendly and accommodating on both visits. Many of our guests at the bridal shower raved about the tearoom as well, and plan to return for lunch or afternoon tea.
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: Lee from New Hampshire  Add your review 

Formerly The Teapot Tea Room; under new ownership as of August, 2007. The following reviews are of The Teapot Tea Room.

Visited: February, 2006.  Reviewed: February, 2006.
Meal: Afternoon tea. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent.  Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: What beautiful tea sandwiches, hand cut and awesome tasting! Romantic, charming, beautiful setting. I hope to return soon with a bunch of friends for a real tea party!!!
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: tea lover from Acton  Add your review   

Visited: January, 2006.  Reviewed: February, 2006.
Meal: Lunch. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent.  Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: The food was better than anywhere else I have eaten in a long time! I particularly enjoyed the Black Currant herbal tea. I can't wait to come back for high [sic] tea or lunch again!
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: AB Girl  Add your review   

Visited: January, 2006.  Reviewed: February, 2006.
Meal: Theme tea. Type of tea: Loose leaf and teabags. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent.  Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: I love what you've done with the place! Very beautiful colors, tasty meals, and well brewed tea! Service was excellent and I'd o back in a heart beat! 
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: Tasty Treats!  Add your review   

Visited: January, 2006.  Reviewed: February, 2006.
Meal: Afternoon tea. Type of tea: Loose leaf and teabags. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent.  Service: Good.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: I recently visited my sister in Acton from Chicago and we went here for afternoon. I loved this place. The shop is very pretty and the colors are relaxing. The tea trays are beautiful. The desserts on the trays were delicious. The sandwiches were good and I loved the homemade lime curd. Tea choices were extensive. A bit overwhelming for a novice like me.
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: Sherry from Chicago  Add your review   

Visited: January, 2006.  Reviewed: January, 2006.
Meal: Afternoon tea. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Fair.  Food: Good.  Service: Good.  Appearance: Good.
Comments: I'd probably go back for lunch, but probably not for tea. The price for the tea was about $18, and I left still hungry. The sandwich selection looked quite good, though, and more reasonably priced. If the afternoon tea was priced a bit lower, I'd go back.
Would you go back? Maybe.
Reviewer: AB  Add your review   

The Captain's House Inn, Chatham, MA

Visited: June, 2008.  Meal: Afternoon tea. Type of tea: Teabags. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Good.  Food: Excellent.  Service: Good.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: We had a wonderful time enjoying your full tea. The sandwiches were scrumptious, really enjoyed the date bread one and the one that was English pickle (?) anyways it was delightful, scones were wonderful and the desserts were out of this world. And I found the Miniature Napkin folding book on Amazon that I saw there.
Would you go back? Hope so, but we don't live nearby.
Reviewer: Deb, Bill, Tiffany and Henry 7/08  Add your review  

The English Butler, Edgartown, MA

Visited: March, 2008.  Meal: Afternoon tea. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent.  Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: My husband and I have been attending the English Butler for two years now every Thursday for afternoon tea. We are very much in love with the atmosphere of the tearoom, the owners are welcoming and cheerful and the tea and food selection is wonderful. We enjoy our tea time at the English Butler so much we chose to celebrate my 30th birthday there last May. We had a most wonderful time and created a wonderful memory of a very special birthday where I felt like a duchess. The atmosphere of the tea room is casual however, the serving of the tea and food on china with proper silverware makes one feel very special. Mind you the owners Alison and Chris always make you feel welcome whether it is your first time in the tea shoppe or your 100th time. I highly recommend the English Butler for a spot of tea, wonderful food, and a welcoming atmosphere.
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: Chris and Deb Cini 4/08  Add your review 

Visited: March, 2007.  Reviewed: May, 2007.
Meal: Afternoon tea. Type of tea: Loose leaf and teabags. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent.  Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: We looked to find a tea spot to celebrate an anniversary, as the Ritz has been sold. The English Butler met all of our expectations, and then some. The owners were delightful, and made our visit extra special. The Buckingham Palace tea was a special treat. Lots of nice choices for tea. I have recommended the experience, and am looking forward to their branching out. The other items in the shop were unique and within budget. A nice add on for tea lovers. Love the butler!
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: Wisteria girl  Add your review 

Visited: September, 2005.  Reviewed: September, 2005.
Meal: Afternoon tea. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent.  Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: I finally discovered a tea shop that's much more British-flavored in it's mission than most! Gotta love that! It's a new shop on Martha's Vineyard and I sincerely hope they stay around. My complaint with most tea shops I've gone to (US) is the emphasis is on the sweet and the savory is kind of a side note. It seems like the sweets get fancier and the sandwiches get tinier. Not so at the English Butler! We enjoyed a plate of cucumber sanwiches that would have done the Ritz proud! Sweets were in abundance but did not overpower the experience. Scone was excellent with the usual clotted cream so I was very happy. Small selection of tea but a good one. The Buckingham Palace Garden Party tea was the first one we tried and I thought it was weak for my tastes. The Vineyard Blend was fabulous however. Smelled the Earl Gray and now regret not buying some! The shop itself is charming. Three tables with lovely china. Really nice gift ideas scattered around as well. I saw some wonderful tea cozies that I've never seen before. They also sell some antique items so there's things for every budget. It was just a delightful afternoon tea. My only suggestion would be to offer the sanwiches on one of the other menu items as well. Right now there are 4 menu selections and only one has the savory. 
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: Jane  Add your review   

Molly's Tea Room, Falmouth, MA

Visited: August, 2007.  Reviewed: August, 2007.
Meal: Afternoon tea. Type of tea: Teabags. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Fair.  Food: Fair.  Service: Fair.  Appearance: Good.
Comments: After being seated, I waited for my waitress. Ten minutes later she arrived without apology. The scone came warm, moist and delicious. As I poured from the 3-cup pot, I noticed one teabag. I was surprised they didn't offer loose tea. Next came the tiered tray. There were four different types of salads in phyllo cups. I've seen the phyllo cups in the freezer section in supermarkets. The crab and tuna were overly fishy. I could only take a little bite of each. The sandwiches were just two types, cucumber and egg salad. The most inexpensive offerings a tea room can have. The desserts were mostly forgettable. One was topped with a coffee bean. Oddly out of place in a tea room. With still tea, a sandwich and a dessert left, the waitress came over and asked if I was almost finished. I had been eating for no more than 20 minutes. Two women who had just walked in needed a table. She said she'd leave the check with me. I swallowed up my tea, gave her a twenty and left.
Would you go back? Sorry, no.
Reviewer: Cate  Add your review  

Visited: April, 2007.  Reviewed: May, 2007.
Meal: Afternoon tea. Type of tea: Teabags. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent.  Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: Molly's Tea Room is a very comfortable and enjoyable little spot. The service is very friendly and the food is excellent. The atmosphere is very inviting and once you've planted yourself you don't want to leave in a hurry. My personal favorite is the curried chicken salad sandwhich and the fresh brewed iced tea's or iced chai.
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: Stevie B  Add your review  

Visited: October, 2006.  Reviewed: November, 2006.
Meal: Dessert tea. Type of tea: Loose leaf and teabags. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent.  Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: These are the days of fickle business. Opening up and closing again a few months later. Shops come and go, but here is one I, at least, hope lasts for a very long time. I always feel uncomfortable with feminine tea rooms, and, as a man and a fan of British life in general, find tea to not be exclusively feminine at all. Here is a shop that is comfortable for me, not frilly and girly, but done in old world style and having a peaceful British Classic decor that makes you feel like you're in London at four o'clock tea. The prices can be high, but no higher than Starbucks, and you can get a lot more for your money, certainly something unique and refreshing, than the assembly line setup you find with each Starbucks you go to. Choose this place to go to and help keep it in business and encourage businesses like this that put some effort into their presentation.
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: F. G. C.  Add your review  

Visited: May, 2006.  Reviewed: June, 2006.
Meal: Dessert tea. Type of tea: Teabags. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Good.  Food: Excellent.  Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: Food and service A+++excellent. Would like to see them use loose tea and need to use tea cozies to keep the tea warm.
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: Christine  Add your review    

The Dunbar House Tea Shop, Sandwich, MA

Visited: March, 2008.  Meal: Cream tea. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Good.  Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: This was our third visit to the Dunbar Tea Room. My friends and I look forward to our visit on the last day of our annual "girls weekend". Charming, friendly and welcoming!
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: Sharon - Massachusetts 3/08  Add your review      

Visited: September, 2007.  Reviewed: September, 2007.
Meal: Afternoon tea. Type of tea: Loose leaf and teabags. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent.  Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: My mother is visiting from England and wanted to go out for the traditional-style "Fortnum & Mason" afternoon tea. The building itself is situated in historic Sandwich, about 5 minutes off Route 6 (mid-Cape Highway), so it's easy to get to. Contrary to previous reports, I found the service to be very good and friendly --- our waitress said she had worked there for 14 years. Good selection of loose teas, served in teapot with cosy (!). Scones excellent, chicken curry fantastic but served on a leathery and clearly old croissant. Fruit bread was excellent and finger sandwiches pretty good. This isn't really a traditional English tea-room but the quality of the teas we had was excellent and that's what it's all about.
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: Paul W., West Barnstable  Add your review      

Visited: August, 2007.  Reviewed: August, 2007.
Meal: Lunch. Type of tea: Loose leaf and teabags. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent.  Service: Good.  Appearance: Good.
Comments: I recently visited this tea room with a couple of friends. We had tea, scones and lunch outside. The scones arrived warm with clotted cream and preserves. We each received our own pot of tea. Two of us had been there before and had the afternoon tea that time which was very good. This time we decided to go with the daily luncheon specials. I choose a tomato, basil and mozzarella panini with a side salad with sliced beets and cucumbers and a citrus vinaigrette. It was delicious. We were all too full for dessert as the portions were large. The outside area is a must on a beautiful day. There's a beautiful canopy in the garden made up of low tree limbs and many small birds hop around the branches singing. It was enchanting. I can't wait to visit in the fall and winter to try their seasonal specials.
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: Catey  Add your review      

Visited: May, 2006.  Reviewed: June, 2006.
Meal: Afternoon tea. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Good.  Food: Good.  Service: Fair.  Appearance: Good.
Comments: I recently visited the Dunbar with my husband and mother. It was a fairly enjoyable tea, for the most part, if slightly overpriced. As others have commented, the scones were to die for - piping hot and flaky! The three-tiered servers wobbled precariously, and there was too much of an imbalance between sweets and savories. A British tearoom should put more emphasis on savories. These days, it seems like anywhere I go to tea I leave feeling like I may go into diabetic shock from all the sugar, which is unfortunate. Their curried chicken salad was amazing, and I think if I went back, I'd just try to finagle a sandwich of that rather than the full tea service. The smoked sandwiches were... well, you -have- to love smoked salmon. If you don't, go with the less expensive afternoon tea. The only difference there is the sandwiches aren't 'premium' but everything else is the same. The service wasn't very good, unfortunately, which is a comment I've read from other people as well, here. It wasn't crowded at all when we were there, yet we didn't see the waitress very often and she seemed perturbed when we weren't ready to order. Dunbar was a solid tea, but just lacked that je ne sais quoi that makes a tea experience truly memorable.
Would you go back? Maybe.
Reviewer: abernheisel  Add your review      

Visited: April, 2005.  Reviewed: April, 2005.
Meal: Lunch. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent.  Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: my fiance and i have recently found an interest in visiting tea shops. we made a trip to the dunbar tearoom after seeing it on-line. the building and the grounds are beautiful. we enjoyed the small gift area and the assorted tea cozies. we were seated for lunch with no wait, it had just opened. the tea selection was not overwhelming-i ventured from my norm and tried the gunpowder-i was glad i did. my fiance is still shy with his tea and stayed with his usual english breakfast. the server worked the entire room on her own and was extremely professional and experienced. we had lunch which was excellent until the end. we had no room for the beautiful desserts which were still piping hot from the oven. it was a wonderful experience and i will be taking my sister there next weekend! cheers!!
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: colleen and dave from plymouth  Add your review      

Visited: February, 2005.  Reviewed: March, 2005.
Meal: Afternoon tea. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent.  Service: Good.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: I have been coming for several years. Delightful setting next to a vintage water mill. Patio seating available in warm weather. ABSOLUTELY PERFECT plain scones (but no variety, comes with strawberry jam and real whipped cream, not Devon). Main menu never changes, but there are daily specials, generally unusual, always excellent (entree, quiche, soup). Afternoon tea, prepared fresh for you, has cucumber/butter, smoked ham/butter, and herbed creamcheese finger sandwiches, scone w/ toppings, and 4 mini-deserts (usually a variety of homemade squares -lemon, berry, etc. might have a mini-tart) - about $14. Tea priced seperately ($2-3 a pot). Tea comes loose in the pot and will go bitter if you don't drink quickly, but you can ask for a new pot. Tea variety is good, but not expansive, certainly you can find something you like. Otheriwise, menu is limited to several european-style deconstructed sandwich plates, all with superior ingredients, and a LARGE variety of homemade, delicious desserts (excellent cakes and pies). Dunbar has one of the best gift shops I've seen out of many tea houses, but the merchandise doesn't change very much, and lacks some of the fun tea accessories you might want to pick up, does have array of teapots (new) for sale and a separate room for tea related pantry-type food items on sale. Loose and packaged tea for sale by the ounce. Real  fireplace lit in winter, limited space, always busy so make reservations if they let you or arrive prepared to wait at peak times. I make the drive down and back from Boston (1hr 15 min each way) several times a year just to come here, consistently well worth it. Don't reccommend bringing children under 8 or 10, they probably won't enjoy it and would disturb other customers. While I wouldn't say the atmosphere is tranquil (too lively for that) it is extremely relaxing and pleasant with music at perfect volume, nice atmosphere somewhere just above casual, but not formal. Don't go there expecting to be in and out quickly. Give yourself an hour, not including any wait time to be seated. I highly recommend this Tea House, and I can't say that about many that I have visited (I go to them everywhere I travel).  Regarding the review that said it was too busy, that's what you get when a place is well known as a destination on the Cape. I feel it's worth it and plan accordingly.
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: Cambridge Tea House lover  Add your review      

Visited: January, 2004.  Reviewed: January, 2004.
Meal: Lunch. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Good.  Food: Fair.  Service: Poor.  Appearance: Good.
Comments: My visit to the Dunbar was very disappointing. I was not pleased with the service or the choice of teas; the hostess and the waitresses were not knowledgeable nor friendly. The presentation was no different than going to any local establishment for lunch. The desserts were very tempting looking, but we waited so long for service that we didn't dare order any. The choices of tea were very limited, and I found this very disappointing as the Dunbar Tea Room is listed in the book "Great Tea Rooms of America."
The tea room it self was very, very cold and the electric heater was not sufficient to heat the room. Other customers were also cold. I was very disappointed, as I drove 2-1/2 hours for what I thought was going to be a special afternoon.
I am generally not critical of tea houses and try to find the good in places, but it was not what I expected or believed it would be.
Reviewer: Nanc  Add your review      

Visited: November, 2002
Meal: Cream tea. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent.  Service: Fair.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: Took a friend and teen-age daughter to Dunbar's on Saturday, November 2. We arrived at 12.30pm and luckily got the last table for three. It was a bright, cold, and windy day so the working fireplace was very welcome. Warm and comfortable room. The adults had the Cornish pasties which were delicious. The dessert selection was enormous, and one order of apple pie and one Dunbar square later there were three happy customers. Tea is served beautifully (china pot, cozy, strainer, etc.). Service was adequate but certainly not friendly. Neither the hostess or server could muster up a smile at any point. However, I would take selected guests there again. Bill before tip was $45.00. I hope this review is helpful. 
Reviewer: Karen from Cape Cod  Add your review   

Visited: February, 2002
Meal: Afternoon tea. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent.  Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: It was a very cold day but with bright blue skies when we drove down to the tea shop. It was just as warm and inviting as we expected it to be! As we were nine people, we could not sit together at one table, but the hostess (who did seem a bit tense and overwhelmed) was able to seat us at two tables near each other. This was fortunate as five in our group were under the age of 10 (they had their own table). Our waitress was fabulous, very solicitous, and suggested just the right things for the children (we adults knew what we wanted). The children loved their ice cream and hot cocoa, but the big hit at their table were the scones (the cucumber sandwiches were also in demand). The four adults had two afternoon teas (we all had Courtship tea), and we loved all of it! We really had fun trying the different desserts! We did notice that the whipped cream on the cocoa was a bit over-whipped. As we were ready to leave, another patron approached us to compliment our children on their exemplary behavior. They were so proud of being "ladies and gentlemen"! I know we will return to this lovely site.
Reviewer: zlamz1@hotmail.com  Add your review   

Visited: November, 2001
Meal: Afternoon tea. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent.  Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: I've been to this tea room more times than I can count. The desserts are astounding -- always leave room (personal favorite: Bramble Berry Pie); this alone earns the "excellent" rating. The tea is served in a pot with a cozy, lemon, milk, sugar (cubed or in package) are offered (personal favorite: Courtship). Tea is loose and generally served about two minutes after pot is still brewed (so it's not *quite* ready but almost). The food is very good, but the menu is limited. Again, except for the dessert menu (it's overwhelming, frankly). The cream has always been clotted when I've had it. I don't recommend bringing anything but perfectly behaved children. The gift shop is crowded with delicate and expensive items.
Reviewer: JenSch@yahoo.com Add your review   

Visited: June, 2001
Tea: Good.  Food: Excellent.  Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: We thoroughly enjoyed our experience at the Dunbar Tea Room. Service was warm, friendly and efficient (although we recommend getting there early or calling ahead). They kindly honored our request for vegetarian tea sandwiches, and all the food was fresh and delicious. The scones were warm and flaky and there was a good variety of tea cakes. They do not use genuine Devon cream, but very few tea establishments do, so we won't hold that against them. The whipped cream they used instead was perfectly textured, so we barely noticed the difference. The tea room is cozy and charming, with wood panels, a fireplace and an outdoor garden room. 
Reviewer: lightrain  Add your review   

Visited: March, 2001
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent.  Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: Second visit coming from D.C., completely gratified with overall experience. In comparison to last visit, new ownership has elevated the tea experience to a new heights. As a man who enjoys a good hearty meal, I found myself completely fulfilled. The specials were not only innovative but extremely creative. Don't think that this is some fancy little ladies tea room go and enjoy.
Reviewer: Steve Laham  Add your review   

Visited: February, 2001
Tea: Good.  Food: Excellent.  Service: Good.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: My choice of tea was the English Breakfast tea which was very nice but I had to request additional water since the tea leaves were sitting in the bottom of the teapot and had become bitter. The tea sandwiches were very good and the dessert squares were varied and delicious. The scones were warm when they were served with sandwiches and desserts but had become cool when finally eaten. The cream was whipped rather than clotted. Service was very good since we arrived at about 11.30am, but as we were leaving there was a wait of perhaps an hour. The tea room was rather small and the hostess seemed rather tense because of the number of waiting guests.
Reviewer: dnlnordin@aol.com  Add your review  . 

Visited: September, 1999
Tea: Good.  Food: Good.  Service: Good.  Appearance: Good.
Comments: I was looking forward to afternoon tea at The Dunbar House for some time. I chose Courtship Tea from their extensive list of teas to accompany my sandwiches and desserts. The taste of the tea was as wonderful as I remembered, but I was disappointed that it wasn't fully brewed when served. How was I to know when it was ready to drink? Also as the leaves were floating loose in the liquid with no way to remove them; after the second cup, the tea was too strong and bitter. The sandwiches were tasty enough and the one scone was warm when served. Unfortunately, the scone was served with the sandwiches so by the time I ate it, the scone was no longer very warm. I was expecting "real" clotted cream from an English tea room but the cream tasted like ordinary whipped cream to me. I also received four small dessert squares but they were all chocolate of one kind or another. My husband ended up eating most of them as chocolate is not my favorite, but he wasn't complaining. My husband ordered the Farmer's Lunch and was very happy with the French baguette and roast beef with mustard and horseradish. He also enjoyed the bottled English ale. We both enjoyed eating outside on the patio/garden. It was an absolutely beautiful day on The Cape and we found it relaxing and peaceful under the shade of a very large, old tree. The attached gift shop was stocked with just about any tea-related item one could imagine. And the English accent of our server was so pleasant we would have been happy to hear her say just about anything! Overall, we both enjoyed our visit to The Dunbar House and would return.
Reviewer: Milk & Sugar  Add your review.

The Optimist Café, Yarmouthport, MA

Visited: October, 2008.  Meal: Other. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Good.  Food: Excellent.  Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: WE had lunch here - soup and sandwich which were both delicious. Service was good and tea was hot and delilcious. I'll go back for the "teatini" a cold, non-alchoholic "martini" made with freshly brewed teas. I'll also go back for the tea service.
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: Lucy Douty  11/08  Add your review  

Visited: January, 2008.  Meal: Lunch. Type of tea: Teabags. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Average.  Food: Fair.  Service: Average.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: they are new the tea room bus. they seems nervous and disorganised the hostess/owner would constantly try to be server and screw up the orders. we order their strawberry scones from the waitress and the hostess went in to the kitchen and got us blueberry? the poor waitress just looked bewildered? and tea was not good and very weak. and they only serve 5 teas? half are decaf the menu is sparse and high [sic] tea sparser.. they list clotted cream but its just whipped cream? very disappointing. we won't be back on a good point the place is pretty and probably would do well with another owner.
Would you go back? Sorry, no.
Reviewer: debtea  1/08  Add your review        

Mullens Herbal Tea House, Barre, MA

Visited: March, 2008.  Meal: Afternoon tea. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent. Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: My favorite tea room in the US and England. The staff and atmosphere are very welcoming and delightful.
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: Ann Mallinson 3/08 Add your review    

Visited: March, 2008.  Meal: Theme tea. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent. Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: March 1, 2008 we enjoyed a St. Pat's Day Tea. The hot cream of carrots, potato, and turnip was delicious. My favorite sandwich was the tiny corned beef with key Lime mustard on oatmeal bread. Another wonderful tea at Judy's! Life is good!
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: Carole H. King, Tea Lady 3/08 Add your review    

Visited: February, 2008.  Meal: Theme tea. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent. Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: Feb. 9, 2008, I visited the tea house for a Valentine's Tea. As usual, the food was outstanding and the service unparalled. Judy and staff outdo themselves and we are always in awe of the food, ambience, and friendly faces. A must place for tea lovers.
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: Carole H. King, Tea Lady 2/08 Add your review    

Visited: May, 2006.  Reviewed: May, 2006.
Meal: Theme tea. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent. Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: On May 6th, 2006, my daughter Jocelyn and I attended a Mother's Day Tea entitled Magnificent Mint and Pansy Mother's Day Afternoon Tea. It was a beautiful spring day with all the trees in bloom on the winding roads of the countryside. Coming from Connecticut to Massachusetts for tea is quite an expedition. The venture north is 160 miles round trip and fortunately it is well worth it. 
Upon arrival we are warmly greeted by Judy Kelly, owner and chef. Our favorite table next to the bay window is ready for us. We begin with a refreshing glass of water served in a balloon wine glass which is described as a Mother's Spring Bouquet, dandelion, lemon, mint, strawberries, and pansies. 
Our tea choices are Blackberry Patch from Republic Tea for Jocelyn, and Queen Mum's Favorite - Yorkshire Red Assam Tea (one of Prince Charles' favorites) for myself.
Not limited to one tea, you may ask for a different tea from the one you first chose, so as to experience both if you wish. The teapot is always filled, giving us countless cups of tea. 
We begin the tea with a basket full of crudités and dip, and herbed crackers. Judy is always concerned about nutrition, and uses noticeably fresh ingredients every time. The tea sandwiches and savories come next, and are always outstanding. Cucumber and herbed cream cheese starts us off and is a tradition we hope is never lost. The egg salad on honey whole wheat is delicious, a treat I seldom have. The wild blueberry tea bread with blueberry cream cheese was a hit with my daughter who loves blueberries. I loved the rosemary ham, spring lettuce, and spiced cream cheese, so delicate and tiny. The warm spinach and dill tart, and wild mushroom and cheddar tart were hardy and flavorful. The final touch was chicken salad in a wrap to resemble the flower bouquet called a tussie-mussie, topped with a tiny pansy and mint leaf, and a chive wrapped around to resemble a ribbon. How Victorian was that? The cold fresh fruit salad and tulip stuffed with lemon balm ambrosia is always looked forward to as a nice contrast to the sandwiches.
The scone Judy served is called Patricia's Passionate Pansy, a blueberry sour cream and pansy scone topped with a magnificent smelling mint leaf, and served with lemon curd and Devonshire cream. The scone is served warm which makes the curd and Devonshire cream melt. This is what Heaven must be like!
The desserts are stunning. We begin with a tiny square of healthy cheesecake, which could put New York Cheesecake to shame. A luscious strawberry is dipped in chocolate, a sugar cookie shaped like a pansy in a light lavender color are a feast for the eyes. Judy's brownies are always a hit and are drizzled with white chocolate for a final touch. This is all served on a white chocolate plate with an angel and two cherubs in bas relief that she has molded. Placed on top is a Mother's heart-shaped box filled with tiny mint chocolate leaves. Incredible! 
Judy is beyond belief in her presentation of teas and her warm personality. The service as always, is excellent with servers in special aprons made up in a pansy print fabric. No detail is overlooked when Judy is in charge. 
I could not think of a better Mother's Day present then having tea with my daughter at Mullen's Herbal Tea House. Life is good!
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: Carole H. King, Tea Lady Add your review    

Visited: May, 2006.  Reviewed: May, 2006.
Meal: Theme tea. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent. Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: My friends and I went to Judy's May themed tea, this was our first but certainly not our last. We have already signed up for her Victorian tea in Sept. I have been to many tearooms and nothing compares to the experience of today. The food ,atmosphere , and friendly people were unbelievable. All I can say is if you haven't been do so. You won't be disappointed.FIVE STARS PLUS!!!!
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: Christine Add your review    

Visited: December, 2005.  Reviewed: December, 2005.
Meal: Special event. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent. Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: Off we went to the Rudolph and Rosemary Afternoon Tea in Barre, MA on a sunny, wintry December day. I wondered what delicacies Judy had in store for us this time.
In reading the menu I found out that according to many Christmas legends, rosemary is know as the Christmas herb. Rosemary is part of the mint family and is the herb of remembrance as it helps strengthen the memory. It is also great for relief of headaches, colds, and sinus trouble.
As usual Judy met us at the door with her warm and beautiful smile, taking our coats as the perfect hostess would do. 
Led to our table situated by the bay window overlooking the snow-covered landscape, we were amazed at the beautiful Christmas decorations which abounded. 
After a long drive from CT to MA we were served a glass of water named White Christmas Winter Wonder which was comprised of cranberries, lemon, and rosemary. Very refreshing to start with. 
On each table sat Prancer's peppercorn and rosemary pine cone made up of cream cheese adorned with almonds to resemble a pine cone with a sprig of rosemary at the top. This was served with herbed crackers and veggies. This was delicious and so aesthetically pleasing to the eye. Truly labor intensive work by Judy and her staff.
We had a choice of tea between St. Nicholas Merry Christmas Chocolate Mint or Dreaming of a White Christmas (a blend of black tea, Christmas spices, and infused rosemary.) We sampled both and were served pot after pot of steaming tea.
Next came the soup course, a cream of red-roasted pepper and broccoli with rosemary, a rich satisfying taste. So delicious on a cold December day.
Tea sandwiches and savories were outstanding. There were cucumber and rosemary butter on white, Dancer's dandy chicken salad on a honey whole wheat star, and Rudolph's roll-up rosemary ham and cranberry cream cheese. We loved the cherry ambrosia, always a cool welcome to our palate. The fruit was exquisitely done with cut outs of honeydew melon in the shape of a Christmas tree, topped by a blueberry, and various others. These were all anchored in a half lime with a slice of kiwi on top which picked up the flavor of the lime.
The miniature pumpkin spice tea bread cut out in a shape of a gingerbread man/woman filled with Mrs. Claus's cinnamon cream cheese was a delight to behold. My friend, Diane, especially loved the wild mushroom miniature tart and the spinach rosemary three-cheese tart. These were flavor packed beyond description.
Then came the scones, warm maple oat and cherry, with cherry curd and Devonshire cream. The tartness of the cherry curd paired with the sweet cream made a nice contrast.
To oohs and aahs from every table came the desserts; a chocolate Rudolph guiding the edible red sleigh, Dasher's delicious cheesecake topped with tart cherries, Christmas sugar cookie, a strawberry dipped in chocolate, moist fudge brownie, church windows, and a peppermint chocolate cookie. 
Judy had truly outdone herself this time. The woman is amazing, down to every detail. At every place setting we were gifted with White Snowflake Soap infused with rosemary made by Judy as a thank you from her for attending the tea.
The service was outstanding with servers dressed as elves and Santa, always there with water, steaming tea, and beautiful smiles. 
Judy said they had an extensive waiting list for this tea and had added an additional tea on December 10th. The room held 32 people, packed to capacity all enchanted by their Christmas tea.
My friend, Diane, and I voted Judy's teas the best we have experienced in our tea excursions to many states. Judy is always coming up with unique recipes and food combinations. Truly an artist in every respect, we applaud her creativity.
While travelling a great distance to the tea, we find it is well worth the trek and time. May 2006 bring us more of Judy's relaxing, creative, and delectable teas.
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: Carole H. King, Tea Lady Add your review    

Visited: February, 2005.  Reviewed: February, 2005.
Meal: Special event. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent. Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: Did you know in Victorian England the hostess made and poured the tea while the gentlemen handed round the cups and passed out the elegant edibles? I learned these facts as I read the menu offered at Mullen's Herbal Tea House when I attended the Chocolate and Rose Petal Valentine Tea, Saturday, February 12th at 1 o'clock. 
Entering the tea house you are greeted with the warm welcoming smile of Judy Kelly, the owner and chef, clad in a long white apron emblazoned with red hearts. One of her guests kindly takes our coats before Judy escorts us to our favorite bay window table laden with Valentine decorations. The wine glasses with pink hearts are soon filled with raspberry, rose petal, and lemon balm water. A profusion of the color red hits your senses as you gaze around the room with its tiny, twinkling white lights. 
Our choices of tea are Cupid's Fantasy, a Harney and Sons black tea with chocolate and rose petal, or Yorkshire red, one of Princess Diana's favorite by Taylor and Harrogate. We chose the Yorkshire red in tribute to Diana, perhaps bringing her a little closer to us in our memory. 
We begin with Your Heart's Desire dip which is spinach and roasted red
peppers with assorted veggies, rosemary crackers, and walnut oat crackers served on a red heart-shaped dish. We remark on such unusually flavored crackers, none of which we have experienced before. Does she send away for these we wonder?
The courses are served with a nice amount of time between them, giving us a chance to chat and meet other tea drinkers. We strike up a conversation at the next table with Sheila from Cranston, RI who is in the throes of opening her own tea room. An interesting discussion ensues among us of this undertaking.
The next course arrives which is a hot soup, a creamy beet, cauliflower, and cheddar soup, topped with a heart-shaped beet slice, and a sprig of dill. So comforting to have a heart-warming soup sliding down our throats on a snowy, wintry day. This is served in a tea cup and saucer with a cracker on top. Judy, by far, excels in the soup department, always pleasing us with her choice. 
A short time later a warm scone appears; a Valentine Sensation - white chocolate and cherry scone served with Devonshire cream (the real thing we think), and cherry curd, served on a rose petal. We are truly enchanted. The scone is heart shaped, warm, and delectable. The cherries are dried and impart a sweet taste. The fourth course, assorted savories and tea sandwiches don't disappoint us. The traditional cucumber sandwich with herbed butter and rose petal is served on white. A Valentine chicken tarragon salad with cherries stuffed in an edible tulip is fun to eat, reminding us that spring will come. The edible flowers are obtained from a local florist who does not use any pesticides. Told they are loaded with Vitamin C we devour them without question. My favorite lemon curd is served on rose lemon geranium tea bread in the shape of a heart, with a minuscule heart from the tea bread on top of the curd. Savories include a cheddar, roasted red pepper tart, and tiny mushroom and onion pastry. Served with them is an ambrosia and fresh-flowered fruit.
As if this were not enough, we prepare for the desserts billed as A Chocolate Lover's Delight, and that it is. A chocolate fudge tort, topped with chocolate cherry liquor sauce and chocolate whipped cream is our first sample. Cupid's Fantasy, a white chocolate heart box filled with white chocolate raspberry mousse follows. Be Mine, a minted pink chocolate heart topped with a chocolate Assam heart, and chocolate
whipped cream with a white rose petal, and lastly a Sweetheart's sugar cookie which rounds out the repast. We sit back contented with just having had a magnificent tea. Judy supplies us with an excellent product; creative, inventive, and delicious. She never ceases to amaze us, wondering how she dreams up all these recipes, unique in so many ways. 
We finish the afternoon off by trading tea room stories with the adjoining table, meeting wonderful women who enjoy taking tea as much as we do. They have formed a Tea Society and have been together nine years. One woman said she went to England and went to 24 tea rooms in 12 days! Now that is dedication. Princess Diana would be proud!
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: Carole H. King, Tea Lady Add your review    

Visited: October, 2004.  Reviewed: October, 2004
Meal: Special event. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent. Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: Winding our way through the lovely hills of Massachusetts from Connecticut the trees were in beautiful colors; reds, golds, yellows, a burst of color around every bend in the road. We were off to a special event tea entitled Frost on the Pumpkin Harvest Tea, October 16th, at 1 o'clock.
The smell of spices meet our senses as we enter the tea room, the tiny white lights decorating the ceiling guiding us in.. Judy greets us at the door with a smile and a warm welcome even though we are 15 minutes early for the tea. Every table is set with fall colors and lovely china cups.
The colorful printed menu begins with, For This We Are Blessed, the love of company, the company of friends, and all the abundance of Autumn. Certainly a good way to embark on a tea experience...
We start with Barre's Autumn cranberry crunch, a water served in wine glasses made with fresh mint, lemon, and Barre's fresh cranberries. Very refreshing and festive after a long drive.
Next, we are asked which tea we want to begin with, a secret Harvest Blend or Harney & Sons Autumn Cranberry black tea. We begin with the Harvest Blend which is pipping hot with smells of spice emanating from the teacup. Our pot is refilled continually when we ask it to be. We all love Harney teas as they never seem to disappoint us. The Autumn Cranberry tea is up to his usual high standards.
The dip, made of herbed roasted red pepper and eggplant is served in a tiny black cauldron along with fresh veggies and herbed crackers. Adorning this is a beautiful calendula blossom. Then comes the hot soup, Frost in the Pumpkin Patch - a cream of pumpkin, corn, cauliflower, cheddar, and rosemary. Diane, a fantastic cook, tells Judy it is the best soup she has ever had. It is served in a teacup covered by the top of a tiny pumpkin. The soup tastes so good going down on a breezy, cool fall day. Tiny pieces of cauliflower reside in the pureed soup. So unique in ingredients and flavor.
Following this are the tea sandwiches and savories. Traditional cucumber on white with dilled butter, sage with cranberry cream cheese on multi-grain, pumpkin butter on a cut out pumpkin tea bread, an herbed veggie tart, and apple and cheddar mini- quiche (still warm). A gladiolus gladiola stuffed with Autumn Thyme ambrosia accompanies this with a side of fresh fruit salad served in a carved out mini-pumpkin. The presentation is superb.
Then comes the scone - Jack Frost's orange and cranberry scone (served warm) with an orange glaze, and side of cranberry curd and butter. The glaze gives it a sweet frosting and truly one of the best scones ever experienced. Judy continues to impress us with her details and superb baking skills.
Desserts are next with Baby Boo's pumpkin praline, a chocolate pumpkin filled with pumpkin ice cream and drizzled with praline sauce, a cheesecake wedge, topped with whipped cream and sprinkles of candy corn crumbs, and a beautiful pumpkin- shaped sugar cookie made by a local woman who attended the tea. The chocolate chai tea bread, topped with chocolate whipped cream is the finishing touch...
As I told Judy, the owner and chef, she has exceeded our expectations once again. Next to our plates are tiny bags of tea to take home, and the pumpkin and flower centerpieces on each table are given to the person with the birthday closest to this day. We depart reluctantly, more relaxed than when we arrived knowing we have experienced one of the best teas ever presented. Judy is amazing in her creativity and exquisite detail in everything she touches. This is a great way to spend a fall day in touch with nature's fall bounty, and the company of wonderful friends and gracious hostess.
Reviewer: Carole H. King, Tea Lady Add your review    

Visited: July, 2004.  Reviewed: July, 2004
Meal: Special event. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent. Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: Do you believe you have fairies in your garden? I believe I do after hearing a lecture by Betsy Williams on the same subject. A special event tea planned by Judy Kelley of Mullen's Herbal Tea House, was given on Saturday, July 24, 2004, under tents out of doors. About forty people attended the extraordinary tea. An original forecast of pending rain was thought to ruin a wonderful tea, but since luck was with us, a gorgeous day unfolded.
After a long drive from CT to MA we arrived and were welcomed by the owner and servers dressed in fairy costumes, wings and all. A bubble machine spewed out bubbles throughout the day and gave a festive feel to the occasion. The menu reflected planning, creativity, and appeared to be very labor-intensive. We began with Matilda's Mint Fairy water with fresh mint, lemon, and johnny jump-ups. This was extremely refreshing upon our arrival.
We had cold Sun Tea, a fairy land black tea infused with raspberry, rose, and quince, topped with the Fairy Queen Anne's lace umbrella. Very impressive in the presentation. The hot tea served along with the cold was The Song of the Blackberry Sage Fairy -- a black tea infused with blackberries and sage. Delicious and very unique. The hot tea was served decanted and placed over votive candles.
First we were served Prunella's summer vegetable dip which was served in a small clay pot on a wild fairy grape leaf with herbed butterfly crackers, blueberry fairy crackers, and garden vegetables. Prunella is the herb of self heal and was famous for healing in the old days. Next came gazpacho soup which was sprinkled with parsley fairy dust, served in a a whole green pepper, with a scone to resemble a sea shell with a side of fairy cream and fruited jam. The cold soup was a refreshing taste on a summer day. Presentation was awarded an A plus.
Then tea sandwiches were served with edible flowers. While some people were reluctant to eat them we encouraged our neophytes to try them. We had nasturtium cucumber on white, pansy cream cheese and strawberry on white, and whole wheat with rosemary ham and honey mustard. Accompanying these were a delightful day lily stuffed with pistachio ambrosia, and a mini-garden marigold potato salad. In a small clay pot on a grape leaf was an assorted in-season fruit fantasy, with nature's  beautiful colors bursting forth.
And finally, dessert was your very own enchanted edible fairy house, a meringue filled with chocolate chicory fairy mousse. Fairy dirt cookies in different shapes such as a bee hive, and teacup and saucer, were a colorful addition. Edible pansies dotted the plate with a pecan for the fairy bed. To top it all off a tiny lemon-filled cupcake had a  white chocolate butterfly that looked like it had just alighted on top. A superb ending to a very unusual and art inspired tea.
Judy again pulled out the stops on every aspect of presenting a tea. At each place setting  we were given a fairy bag filled with tea, chocolates, a fan, and bubbles. Following the tea, Betsy entertained us with information about fairies, their history, and place in Native American folklore. Known as the "little people" they frown on us giving them gifts, so don't leave anything of that nature for them.
Soon it was time to trek back to CT. We had a wonderful day with friends, good food, many laughs, and an introduction to the world of fairies. The "little people" would have been honored with this tribute. I know they were not watching as they only come out at night I was told. Tonight, look for them in the moonlight!
Reviewer: Carole H. King, Tea Lady Add your review    

Visited: February, 2004.  Reviewed: February, 2004
Meal: Special event. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent. Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: After first reading Amy's reviews of Mullen's Herbal Tea House in The Guide To Tea Rooms and Tea Shops in the USA, Canada, and beyond©, I thought this tea room was too good to be true. Perhaps Amy was a close relative expounding on how great it was? I had to experience this tea room myself to see what it was really like.
Three friends and I trekked up to Massachusetts from Connecticut on a bright, sunny winter day. Traveling through hill and dale with beautiful pine trees and birches, we felt like we were really taking a trip to the north woods. Upon our arrival I met Judy, the creator of all the delicacies, and she showed us to our table. 
We were there for a theme tea, Valentine's Day. Our table was set with real roses in a vase with red hearts intermingled. The tables were topped with glass and had three layers of cloths; the first a crocheted topper, a plaid cloth, and the last, a lace cloth. Quiet classical music played in the background. 
The tea room is housed in a home purchased in the 1930s by Judy's grandmother. The two rooms hold seven tables, with another one set aside for display of items for purchase. Our heart-covered wine glasses were filled with raspberry, rose petal, and lemon balm water. An auspicious indicator of what to come. Next, our server poured us Harney & Sons tea, a black tea with chocolate and rose buds. Tiny pitchers shaped like teapots held the cream. No detail was overlooked in the setting of the theme table. Then came a dip made up of tomato, basil, and peppercorns accompanied by crudités and crackers served in a heart-shaped basket. A touch that said welcome. Our soup arrived next, steaming hot. This was called Cupid's Wonder and had chicken, rosemary, a medley of vegetables, roses and hearts pasta, topped with apple curry stuffing. Very delicious and welcomed on a cold winter's day.
Our sandwiches were a delight to the eye. Judy really knows the art of presentation in every dish she serves. The tea sandwiches were egg salad on a whole wheat heart, chocolate chunk tea bread with cupid's raspberry curd cream cheese, cucumber with herbed butter, and a tiny pinwheel wrap. The savories were artichoke cheddar tart, a spinach puff, and a rosemary, cranberry, and brie puff
pastry. Served with this was a mini size of ambrosia and fresh fruit (nectarines, fresh raspberries, and a blackberry). The pičce de résistance was the mini ambrosia served in a real stuffed edible tulip! Soft and tender, it was scrumptious. The scone was heart-shaped lemon and rose, served with rose petal cream and lemon curd. It was tender and flaky.
Finally, the desserts! It was Diane's birthday so I previously asked Judy to put a candle in her dessert. Much to Diane's surprise the staff joined us in singing and the whole room applauded. The dessert miniatures consisted of a chocolate fudge torte, topped with chocolate raspberry liquor sauce and chocolate whipped cream. A homemade chocolate cherry, Queen Elizabeth's Valentine Celebration -- a rose petal cake with a dollop of Mullen's rose petal ice cream, and a sugar cookie, some shaped as a cupid or heart. 
This was a special event tea and Judy pulled out all the stops. Everything presented was appealing; both to the taste and to the eye. The colors were vivid and varied. Judy, the owner, is truly an artist in what she does. Meeting Nancy, who is in charge of marketing, was a delight, charming as she was. I am now a believer in the superb quality of Mullen's Herbal Tea Room as experienced personally. Amy was right, it is the best!
Reviewer: Carole H. King, Tea Lady Add your review    

Visited: December, 2003
Meal: Afternoon tea. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent. Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: I know I've already posted a review of Mullens, but I cannot resist another chance to sing their praises, after recently attending their December 6 holiday event. (Especially since I was horrified by my sloppy misuse of the phrase "high tea" in my earlier review!) If you haven't been to this tea room, GO. I promise that you will find it worth your time, and more than worth every cent. Mullens does more with a $20 tea than any other place I've ever been. You will feel, after you see all the little touches and taste the mouth-watering treats they offer, that you could pay even more for the tea and still be getting a value. (Though I hope they don't take that to heart ... I have a limited tea budget and am already too addicted to my visits there!)
Finding an exquisite tearoom, in my opinion, is of inestimable worth. It sounds goofy, I know, but I would be brokenhearted if I couldn't have my occasional serene, pampering tea times at Mullens. I've even gotten my husband into going! And while he finds the atmosphere a little too "girly" for him (I, however, adore it) he rates the afternoon tea on par with the more expensive tea rooms in London, at half the price no less. I've also gone with my mother, my grandmother, my Red Hat Society group and one of my friends, and the reviews have been unfailingly positive.
I could go on and on about the details of the tea, but half the fun is the surprise of discovering all the special little nuances, which are new every time you go.
(For the record, though I'm in awe of the staff's talents, and find them wholly gracious and knowledgeable, I'm merely a patron -- not affiliated with the tearoom in any other way. I just want to send as much business as I can their way, so they'll be around for me to visit for years to come! Selfish, I know ...) :)
They're only open seasonally, and during the winter for special events, and I've already made my February reservation for the Valentine's Day tea! :) You can read more about their events, teas, and products at their website.
Reviewer: Amy Bernheisel Add your review   

Visited: July, 2003
Meal: Lunch. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent. Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: The Mullens Tea House is, by far, the best tea I've ever attended, in the US or abroad. The attention to detail is superb, from the cinnamon-rimmed iced tea glasses to the homegrown edible flowers that accompany each dish. I've visited Mullens for both high [sic] tea and lunch, and have always been flabbergasted by the quality of their fare. In addition, prices are extremely reasonable. Their tea selection is extensive, the atmosphere is unparalleled, and the food is superb. My one complaint is that they apparently don't serve high [sic] tea for groups fewer than twelve, but their amazing lunches are a wonderful consolation!
Note from TeaGuide: Afternoon tea is the meal served in mid- to late afternoon, consisting of light "snack" foods -- finger sandwiches, scones, pastries -- and accompanied by tea. Service is often elegant, with the best china, silver, and decorations. High tea is an evening meal, served after 6pm and usually later, and is a much heavier, full meal, as often accompanied by ale as by a cup of tea. High tea is the equivalent of our dinner or supper; it's a homier meal served with regular china and flatware -- very *un*fancy. Remember: "High" does not denote "elegant" -- it refers to the height of the table where the meal is served! (Afternoon tea is often referred to as "low tea." :-)
Reviewer: Amy Bernheisel Add your review  

Bristol Lounge at Four Seasons Hotel, Boston, MA

Visited: January, 2006.  Reviewed: January, 2006.
Meal: Afternoon tea. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Good.  Food: Fair.  Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Good.
Comments: This was a mediocre experience at best. The tea sandwiches were average and pastries fair. There was no clotted cream, only whipped cream. You have a right to expect more from such a hotel but will be disappointed if you do go.
Would you go back? Sorry, no. 
Reviewer: disappointed in any season  Add your review  . 

Visited: June, 2005.  Reviewed: June, 2005.
Meal: Afternoon tea. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent.  Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: This tea room was superb. I would definitely rank it in the top 5 tea rooms I have gone to. I found the selection of sandwiches to be great..Cucumber, Curry Chicken salad, Salmon/egg salad and they gave us a vegetarian one replacing a seafood. IT was great. The scones were very good, they had a banana bread very good. I thought the amount of food was perfect. And the tea I had was superb.
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait! 
Reviewer: Anne-Marie DeLorenzo  Add your review  . 

Visited: December, 2003.  Reviewed: December, 2004.
Meal: Afternoon tea. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Fair.  Food: Fair.  Service: Good.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: Bristol Lounge was okay. Service was good, very solicitous, and the environment was nice. The food was not as great though. Sandwiches, scones too large, etc ... just not "dainty" or refined enough for an expensive hotel afternoon tea.
Reviewer: ongo  Add your review  . 

Visited: May, 2003
Meal: Afternoon tea. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Fair.  Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: An update on the Bristol Lounge tea from 2000. Since I liked it so much the first time, I went back in May 2003 for another tea. The tea wasn't quite as good as I remember, unfortunately. The staff was really nice and the ambiance was lovely; however, the sandwiches were not the usual cucumber and butter, watercress, salmon, etc. In fact, I couldn't really tell what they were. I'm usually the first to scarf down the sandwiches and ask for more, but I barely finished these and only took one bite out of one. the one scone was good, and the rest of the mini desserts only "okay." The tea itself was very good. It seems like the chef got tired of doing the usual tea and decided to experiment, with less-than-stellar results. Some folks might like this new-fangled tea, but I go to tea because you know what you're getting! Especially for $30.00.
Reviewer: kiki361 @yahoo.com  Add your review  . 

Visited: January, 2000
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent.  Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: A wonderful place to take visitors and family for a special treat, this tea room feels more like a large dining room than a tea room -- probably because that's what it is at other times. Lovely service and food, with little extras that you can add on, such as champagne cocktails. There is a nice view out of the window at the Boston Commons, and the view is particularly nice around winter and Christmas time.
Reviewer: kiki361 @yahoo.com  Add your review. 

UpStairs on the Square, Cambridge, MA

Visited: December, 2005.  Reviewed: January, 2006.
Meal: Afternoon tea. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Fair. Service: Good.  Appearance: Fair.
Comments: This was a true disappointment considering the rave reviews for dinner at this restaurant. Our napkin was dirty as was my flatware. The mugs, not tea cups, were tea stained. At this point, we should have left but continued the descent into the absurd. We each ordered afternoon tea but only one three tiered plate arrived. We waited 15 minutes for the second tiered plate to arrive. The "scones", and I do heitate to call them that, were cut into such a small sliver that it was only two bites large. We were among the more fortunate. A table near us waited one hour before the sandwiches appeared and another table near us just gave up and left. We were never offered more tea nor did the server return so that I could request some sugar. This was a disaster but we kept our sense of humor which prevented it from being a total loss. It really was so pathetic, it became humorous until the over $50.00 bill arrived. 
Would you go back? Sorry, no.
Reviewer: Where's the scone? Add your review    

Windsor Tea Shop, Cohasset, MA

Visited: August, 2007.  Reviewed: August, 2007.
Meal: Afternoon tea.  Type of tea: Loose leaf.  Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent.  Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: I visited the Windsor Tea Room in Cohasset this weekend. I was very delighted with everything. The Staff was very friendly and attentive; they made me feel like an old friend. The room was decorated very nicely and had an old world charm that was comforting and inviting. The afternoon tea was one of the best I have had, and I have been to tea all over the world. I ordered vegetarian and that was no problem at all. They gave me a very nice variety. Windsor Tea Room, keep up the great job. I will be a customer for life.
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: Debbie Golden  Add your review   

Visited: August, 2007.  Reviewed: August, 2007.
Meal: Afternoon tea.  Type of tea: Loose leaf.  Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent.  Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: I enjoyed the afternoon tea very much. The tea and sandwiches were fresh, the scones delicious. We had real clotted cream and the option of fresh jam or lemon curd. The service was excellent. The tea room was like a real tea Room not like some of those restaurants that say they are a tea room but are not. The tea room was very clean as well as the bathroom. I plan on going back with my grandaughter when she comes to visit next month. I have been to all the Tea Rooms in the New England area and so far this one is my favorite.
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: Cathy K  Add your review   

Visited: July, 2007.  Reviewed: July, 2007.
Meal: Dessert tea.  Type of tea: Loose leaf and teabags.  Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Good.  Food: Fair.  Service: Good.  Appearance: Fair.
Comments: My husband and I stopped in for some tea and dessert after a ride around the south shore. My husband felt uncomfortable with the decor. As did I. It was too fussy and old ladyish. The room is very small and cramped. The service was good. The woman who work there were very attentive, but almost too much so. They seemed to insist on pouring every cup of tea for us. We really just wanted a peaceful time together to talk. I had a piece of lemon bundt cake with lemon glaze and whipped cream. The cake had barely a taste of lemon flavoring and it was still warm in the center from when it was cooked. The whipped cream turned into soup with a few minutes. My husband liked his slice of cheesecake. He said it was firm, yet creamy. The teacups were so delicate and small that they couldn't hold very much tea. And the tea was on the warm-hot side. I like it hotter. I've been to other tea shops and wasn't very impressed with this one.
Would you go back? Sorry, no.
Reviewer: Catey  Add your review   

Visited: September, 2005.  Reviewed: September, 2005.
Meal: Lunch.  Type of tea: Loose leaf.  Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent.  Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: I visited this charming tea room with my friends for afternoon tea. It has a very cozy atmosphere. There was soft comforting piano music playing in the background. Tea was brought to us in seperate pots. I noticed that there were no tea leaves left stewing in the pot. They time each pot I was told by our attentive server. Our food was fresh and very tasty. The desserts are made right there. Try the lemon, raspberry cake with coconut sprinkled buttercream frosting. The scones are the best I have ever tasted, orange/cranberry. This tea room also has an assortment of retail items as well as a fine selection of loose tea leaves. This gem of a tea  room is located tucked away in Cohasset Village, directly around the corner from the art center. There are also other fine shops located within the same complex. You won't be dissapointed.
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: Linda  Add your review      

Visited: December, 2004.  Reviewed: January, 2005.
Meal: Lunch.  Type of tea: Loose leaf.  Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent.  Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: I recently visited this tea room. I know that it has been the owner's 
dream to expand from a tea shop to a tea room. This is a very classy place. The minute you walk into the tea room, you feel a sense of calm. The menu is small, but the food is prepared very nicely and each pot of tea is timed to perfection. The last cup tastes as good as the first. They take the time to make you feel like you are the only guest there. You can also buy loose teas and gifts. Visit this tea room, it is great. I will definitely be back for more.
Reviewer: John from Hingham, MA  Add your review      

The following reviews are for the previous location in Hanover.

Windsor Tea Shop, Hanover, MA

Visited: July, 2004.  Reviewed: July, 2004.
Meal: Retail shop only.  Type of tea: Loose leaf.  Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: N/A.  Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: This was my first time both in a tea shop and trying loose tea. I think I hit the jackpot when I stopped in Scituate at the Windsor Tea Shop. I was met by Judy the owner and she helped me select a "Mango green tea" and now I'm hooked. I will never drink another cup of tea from a supermarket teabag ever again. Once I tried the loose tea, I ended up buying myself and two of my friends some teaspoons, mango green tea, and loose teabags. Just so you know ... the shop is moving from Scituate to Pleasant Street in Cohasset August 1, 2004. So look for them there ... I will definitely be back for more tea.  Thanks Judy!
Reviewer: Kelly from Braintree  Add your review     

Visited: December, 2001
Meal: Special event.  Type of tea: Loose leaf.  Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: N/A.  Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: I am new to the world of teas and had so many questions. I didn't even know what a strainer was used for. In December this tea shop owner sent out invitations to an open house. Aha, thought I. This is my chance to pick someone's brain. What a wonderful experience it turned out to be. I was greeted with such warmth that I knew immediately that I had found my source for all the information I would ever need. And the teas!!! It was confusing to a newcomer to see so many different kinds of tea in one cozy little shop, but with her help we were able to narrow it down to a few that have turned out to be my favorites. I would highly recommend this charming tea shop for all your tea time needs. 
Reviewer: Carole  Add your review     

Visited: February, 2001
Tea: Excellent.  Food: N/A.  Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: A nice shop and a very pleasant merchant. She was helpful and very easy to talk to (I am new at tea). Not a huge selection of teas (I think the shop is fairly new, and she told me she is adding more varieties soon), but the one she helped me choose, Goomtee Darjeeling, is excellent (I am drinking it now as I type this). Very much worth checking out. 
Reviewer: Mike   Add your review    

Visited: April, 2000
Tea: Excellent.  Food: N/A.  Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: Visiting this little tea shop was like a trip back in time to merry old England. It is bright and cheery with every kind of tea imaginable. That day I purchased a wonderful little clay pot to add to my collection, about five different kinds of tea, and a wonderful cozy! The proprietor met us at the door with a warm smile. She has an exceptional knowledge of all of the teas she carries. In just a short time, I learned a great deal about the health benefits of drinking tea, the ritual of preparing tea, and more. Since I first visited Windsor Tea Shop, I have ordered all of my teas through the shop, mostly by mail. However, I do intend to plan a trip to Windsor Tea Shop very soon -- just for the ambiance! If you're in the area, give yourself a treat and visit and this wonderful little shop.
Reviewer: Jeannie McClean   Add your review    

The Colonial Inn, Concord, MA

Visited: August, 2004.  Reviewed: August, 2004.
Meal: Afternoon tea. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Fair.  Food: Good.  Service: Fair.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: I just got back from afternoon tea at The Colonial Inn in Concord. They call it high tea, but as it does not include any sort of dinner entrée, I believe that is a misnomer. [Note: Our reviewer is quite correct. Afternoon tea is the light, often elegant, meal served before 6pm consisting of finger sandwiches, scones, pastries, and tea. High tea is a homey, full meal served in the evening, like supper or dinner, featuring hearty foods. - Ed.]
We sat down to a nicely laid-out, candlelit table with a vase of fresh flowers. The Colonial Inn is charming, the town of Concord equally so. I loved that the table was so big -- close enough that we could converse, but big enough that you didn't have to worry about knocking anything over as is the case with some little tearooms.
We were given a selection of four loose-leaf teas and there was a least one decaffeinated option. My complaint here is that the four selections were far from exotic. The strongest tea you could choose was Earl Grey, and I'm someone who likes Lapsang Souchong. So not a very good selection. We each got our own HUGE pot of tea, but it was filled so full that you could barely lift the pot to pour. Add to that that you had to also use the strainer to sift out the leaves, and we both ended up spilling a lot of it on the white tablecloth. The teapots were the solid, earthenware sort, and didn't have the proper spout for pouring, which made it double difficult. My friend elected to forego the tea entirely after one cup because she just found it too messy to deal with.
The first courses came out on a three-tiered server -- the top tier held a bounty of green grapes, dried apricots, and candied pecans. I found this a bit odd. The other two tiers were duplicates of each other, and held four savories -- smoked salmon with cream cheese and red onions on crostini, another thing on crostini with mozzarella, an hors d'oeuvre-sized wrap, and a crostini with hummus perhaps, and cucumber. (My complaint about tea rooms in general, usually, is WAY too much sweet stuff, and not enough savory ... this was also the case here, but as I said, this is often the case wherever I've gone.) Small portions of the savories, though what was there was good.
The next course was warm scones and a dish of berries with fresh clotted cream. Two scones each, each the size of your palm. Warm and crisp on the outside -- but they weren't served with any sort of cream. I found this odd, since the fruit came with it atop. It seems like they would have been able to reserve some for the scones. Otherwise, scones were tasty, and in my opinion, the berries were the highlight of the whole tea.
The last course was a plate of desserts shared between the table that included homemade butter toffee, the usual yellow cake with thin layer of jam, something that tasted like a piece of chess pie, and another thing that tasted like coffee cake. All very good, but again, with two courses of fruit, the scones, and the dessert, nauseatingly sweet.
I would recommend increasing the size of the savory course, and cutting the scones back to one instead of two.
At $21.95, not including tax and gratuity, I found the afternoon tea at the Colonial Inn to be a fair value. As I've said in other reviews, I know places where that much money will also get you an incredible bowl of soup plus crudité, but alas ... that place isn't open every weekend. (Else I would be poor indeed.) It was quiet, uncrowded, and generally a relaxing experience despite the fact we were seemingly unable to avoid repeatedly dousing the tablecloth with tea. Otherwise, I felt refined and elegant while I was there, and our waitress was very pleasant, stopping by just often enough to ask if we needed anything.
A last note ... gratuity is automatically added to the bill at 17%. In this case, it was deserved, but I generally disagree with mandatory tips and tip amounts on principle.
Reviewer: AmyB  Add your review   

Visited: January, 2001
Tea: Good.  Food: Excellent.  Service: Good.  Appearance: Good.
Comments: The tea has definitely improved since the first review here -- the Inn now offers a choice of three Mark T Wendell loose teas. Our first pot was not great, as the water wasn't hot enough, but the second pot was much better.
We went for the full High Tea, which was a lot of very tasty food. First a savory course with five different tea sandwiches. Then delicious warm scones with clotted cream. Then a bowl of berries with mint clotted cream. Finally, a small selection of sweets. The tea room is small and a bit crowded, but presentation of the food is excellent
Reviewer: Joel Abrams  Add your review   

Visited: November, 2000
Tea: Poor.  Food: Poor.  Service: Poor.  Appearance: Good.
Comments: We had a most disappointing visit to the Colonial Inn in Concord. The room was lovely. The china was thick and heavy. The tea was in bags, a choice of Decaf Earl Grey or Tetley. The water for the tea was heated on a hotplate, lukewarm. We asked for hotter water, and the next pot was only a little warmer and even weaker. The waitress brought our bill after the sandwiches and before the dessert. The sandwiches were uninspired and the dessert was a cookie. 
Reviewer: wam  Add your review   

Fruitlands Museum, Harvard, MA

Visited: August, 2003
Meal: Brunch. Type of tea: Teabags. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Fair.  Food: Excellent. Service: Good.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: Fruitlands, aptly called 'The Museum of the New England Landscape,' is a beautiful place to have brunch or lunch, with an absolutely breathtaking panoramic view of the central MA countryside. It's also a lovely, educational place to visit, with a variety of historical and cultural exhibits on landscape painting, local Native American history, Shaker history, and Utopian communities of the 19th century. Their Sunday brunch is $20, I think, and the food is gourmet quality. (And, again, you can't beat the view.) This is -not- a tearoom, however, and one should be clear on that. I'm not sure why they elected to name it that way. They do serve pots of tea, but you absolutely (last I checked) cannot have cream tea, afternoon tea, high tea, or anything of the sort there. I've been there for brunch and lunch, and was thrilled with the food both times, but it's not a tearoom. Call ahead, if you plan on going, because they're only open seasonally, I think. And allow time for their gift shop, which is -fabulous-. :) (Members get a discount!)
Reviewer: Amy Add your review 

Leah Mae's Tearoom, Haverhill, MA

Visited: January, 2009.  Meal: Afternoon tea. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent. Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: We enjoy new tea shops and tried Leah Mae's. It is cozy, quaint & welcoming. The owner, Sharon, made us feel like family despite our very early arrival from Cape Cod! She is so nice and ready to make tea! We decided to browse her antique shop 1st. Leah Mae, her grandmother, from Newfoundland always treated guests like family. Sharon is no acception. She is kind, warm & fun. We felt like family! I bought English bone china & a piece of Lenox. Being a collector, I know the value. This was a bargain! When we sat for "Afternoon Tea", our moist, maple walnut scones were delicious with lemon curd, clotted cream & rasp. jam. An "overly generous" 3-tier sandwich tray arrived. Our very favorites were ham, apricot & rosemary! Heavenly! The dessert plate topped off our day! Service: attentive, friendly. Ambiance: warm & homey. Feel "special" try Leah Mae's!
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: Linda & Gail 1/09  Add your review 

Visited: October, 2008.  Meal: Other. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Average.  Food: Good. Service: Fair.  Appearance: Good.
Comments: cozy and cute place but my sister and I are tearoom fans and have been to better places. We have recently moved to the area and have been here twice. The menu is limited and although the food is good they are not adding variety to the menu. There are no handicap access accomodations so a friend who cannot climb stairs had to be taken back home before we went in. We were there early and it was cold and damp. The server seemed tense and not too accomodating. Sorry to be so negative, on a brighter note the  homemade apple crisp was obviiously home made and delicious. I realize they are new and have some things to work on.
Would you go back? Maybe.
Reviewer: blondie (gloria B.), newburyport  11/08  Add your review 

Visited: March, 2008.  Meal: Lunch. Type of tea: Teabags. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent. Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: a simply delightful experience, great food Chicken pie and signature salad. Would have liked to buy a larger salad alone next time as it is a meal in itself. white orchard tea is wonderful and the server was fantastic, attentive and cheerful, treated us like guests in her home and checked often to see if all was ok. attentive without hovering , just perfect service.
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: name tess and margaret W. r/08  Add your review 

Visited: January, 2008.  Meal: Lunch. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent. Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: WHAT A JOY TO FIND THIS PLACE, MY FRIEND WAS VISITING FROM FLORIDA AND SHE WAS SO DELIGHTED WITH THE QUAINT SURROUNDINGS. THE SIGNATURE SALAD IS EXOTIC AND NUTRITIOUS. WE HAD A VERY LIGHT QUICHE ALSO ,NOT HEAVY BUT SATISFYING AND DELICIOUS, THERE WAS ALSO A TEA LEAF READER IN THAT DAY. SHE WAS BOOKED AND WE DID NOT HAVE A APPOINTMENT. I WILL GO BACK WITH MY SISTER AND DAUGHTER NEXT MONTH. A JOYFUL AND FUN PLACE, THE OWNERS LEGEND OF HER GRANDMOM IS DELIGHTFUL, ASK HER TO SHARE IT WHEN YOU GO.
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: PATRICIA AND AMY 3/08  Add your review 

Visited: January, 2008.  Meal: Afternoon tea. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a gaiwan.
Tea: Good.  Food: Excellent. Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Fair.
Comments: Everything was wonderful, chicken pie and homemade maple nut scone was delicious. Also a tea leaf reader read my tea leaves and she was right on the money, I so enjoyed it. A really nice place. Go for lunch and a tea or tarot reading which must be booked ahead I was told.
Would you go back? Maybe.
Reviewer: rubygal  2/8  Add your review 

Visited: December, 2007.  Meal: Lunch. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent. Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: I have been to Leah Mae's several times now. I have tried a different type of tea each time; they were all delicious. The food is rich, delicious and satisfying. I have also been for Mother's Day brunch with the other women in my family. It was the perfect pampering for us mothers and daughters. We all love it.
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: Lynn  2/8  Add your review 

Visited: December, 2007.  Meal: Lunch. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent. Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: Our meal was delicous. I had the chicken pie and a maple scone..both were delicous! My daughter raved about the mushroom soup, she said it was the best she ever had and the tomato mozarella quiche was wonderful. The third person in our party was male and he felt very comfortable there.He had the mushroom soup, spinach quiche and chocolate cake with orange frosting. He enjoyed everything. The tea was the best!!! I am not much of a tea drinker but I enjoyed the peach tea very much.
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: Joan  1/8  Add your review 

Visited: October, 2007.  Meal: Lunch. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent. Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: This is a hidden gem not to be missed. Besides the superb tea selection the food is to die for !! Staff is absolutely wonderful. For my in-laws from the UK to be impressed ... you know it's a place worthy of a visit.
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: MBBurke  12/7  Add your review 

Visited: September, 2007.  Reviewed: October, 2007.
Meal: Dessert tea. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent. Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: My friend and I visited this Tea Room after church and had a lovely experience. The tea and dessert was delicious! We spent a good hour chatting and feeling very comfortable, almost like we were in someone's home as a guest. The train goes behind the building and rattles the teacups as it passes, talk about atmosphere and the owner was very nice. We browsed the gift shop and saw some unigue items. Can't wait to bring other friends there.
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: tealady1011 Add your review 

Visited: June, 2007.  Reviewed: June, 2007.
Meal: Afternoon tea. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Good.  Food: Fair. Service: Good.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: My friend and I stopped in for afternoon tea for the first time so here is our critic.the atmosphere was pleasent enough but the room small and tables close, there was a woman planning a wedding @ another table and was very loud and disruptive. the waitress was good but we had trouble understanding her and the product she discribed, not being familia w/the menu before. the prices were very good although dessert was not included. limited choices on dessert and very commercial tasting. sandwiches were not very appealing, crusts partially left on the breads. most of all the tea pots were small and not covered w/ a cozy so the tea chilled too soon. on a scall 1-10 we gave it a 6. they are on the right track but needs refinement. very nice consignment shop to browse.
Would you go back? Maybe.
Reviewer: jane and evelyn Add your review 

Visited: June, 2007.  Reviewed: June, 2007.
Meal: Lunch. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent. Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: I went to the tearoom with my mother, aunt and cousin. We had a great time. The owner was extremely pleasant and the food was homemade and delicious. The tea selection was extensive and the desserts to die for!
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: Stephanie Add your review 

Visited: April, 2007.  Reviewed: April, 2007.
Meal: Afternoon tea. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent. Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: This is one of the nicest experiences my 2 sisters and I have ever had. Friendly staff, great food, comfy cozy atmosphere and the consignment shop is an added bonus. We cannot wait to share this with other friends and family.
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: MJ from Peabody Add your review 

Visited: January, 2007.  Reviewed: March, 2007.
Meal: Supper. Type of tea: Loose leaf and teabags. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent. Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: Delicious soups and quiche! Charming atmosphere! Amazing selections of teas...(I am a  "newcomer" to tea rooms.) I will definitely go back to Leah Mae's!
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: Kathy Add your review    

Crumpets Tea Room, North Andover, MA

Visited: June, 2008.  Meal: Afternoon tea. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent. Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: When visiting Crumpets Tea room I was very pleased with all aspects. My little girl and my mother joined me for tea on Saturday. Our waitress was welcoming, attentive, and cheerful. The Owner was also very kind, she even offered to take our pictures with our hats and boas on. It was my daughters 1st tea and Im sure she will never forget it. Now we all know that little girls can sometimes be picky but Crumpets was ready to accomedate any of our needs. We all got the Duchess of Beford Afternoon Tea and it was DELICOUS!! We started with the warm scones and a nice hot pot of tea. My daughter particulary enjoyed her chocolate-chip scone. The 6 little tea sandiwiches were the perfect size and crust were cut off. Even after the scones and tea sandwiches, we still managed to eat the desserts, and boy was it worth it. If your looking to enjoy a day out with the girls or family, this is the place. Its quiet, peaceful, and best of all great food and a welcoming staff. Thank you Crumpets Tea Room!
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: Alison O 6/08 Add your review   

Visited: May, 2008.  Meal: Afternoon tea. Type of tea: Teabags. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Good. Service: Good.  Appearance: Good.
Comments: Traditional style tearoom w/ nice ambiance and an intimate feel. Excellent selection of teas served in pots w/ cozies. I had Lapsang Souchang & my husband had Jasmine. They were hot, very fragrant and without tea leaves. We both ordered the Duchess of Bedford tea (6 assorted finger sandwiches, a fruit scone, and a variety of mini desserts) for $18.99. The sandwiches seemed a bit skimpy on the fillings. The scones were particularly good, but served w/ whipped not clotted cream as listed. No refills on tea were offered. In fact, the overly casually attired server never returned to our table after delivering the tiered food tray to see if things were okay. She only came back to bring the check. Everything was pleasant, but not outstanding. We enjoyed our visit overall, but didn't feel warmly welcomed or invited to return.
Would you go back? Maybe.
Reviewer: Virginia (Tea Fanatic) & David (Indulgent Husband) 5/08 Add your review   

Visited: April, 2008.  Meal: --. Type of tea: --. Served: --.
Tea: --.  Food: --. Service: Poor.  Appearance: Fair.
Comments: My friend and I arrived to the tea room and were informed that we had to have reservations. We didn't know that beforehand or we would have made them. There were 3 tables available and the hostess or whoever she was came back and told us in a rather annoyed manner that she would try to fit us in but we had to wait in the back room. My friend and I looked at each other in disbelief at her demeanor and words and immediately left. We walked across the street to a little place were welcomed warmly and had the most delicious lunch!
Would you go back? Sorry, no.
Reviewer: Toby K 4/08 Add your review   

Visited: March, 2008.  Meal: Lunch. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Good. Service: Fair.  Appearance: Good.
Comments: The tearoom is charming but our experience was not great, you go to a tea room as a treat and for fun but we found the server to be rushed and tense. the hot soup was delicious as was dessert but we felt we were burdening the server. We asked if they ever have tea leaf readers , they seemed displeased at the question. hope we just caught them on a bad day.
Would you go back? Maybe.
Reviewer: Sherrilyn 3/08 Add your review   

Visited: January, 2008.  Meal: Afternoon tea. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Good. Service: Good.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: Went to Crumpets today with my 2 grandmothers and my sister. The tea room is lovely with nice decor and china. It's a smaller room and very cozy, but set up well. Our server was delightful. We all got the Duchess afternoon tea. It comes with 6 tea sandwiches, a scone with sweet cream and preserves, and tea treats as well as a 3 cup pot of tea. The sandwiches were very good. My sister especially enjoyed the turkey with stuffing and cranberry sauce, I preferred the chicken salad, and both grandmothers favored the ham salad. The scones were delicious and freshly baked that morning. We had a choice of apricot or strawberry/blueberry. They were fantastic! The tea treats consisted of mini lemon bundt cakes, chocolate cake, and 2 gingerbread cakes. All of these were delicious as well. The owner was very friendly. Since she was about to close up for the day, she sent each of us home with 2 extra scones.
Would you go back? Hope so, but we don't live nearby.
Reviewer: Jaclyn 1/08 Add your review   

Visited: February, 2006.  Reviewed: June, 2006.
Meal: Red Hat event. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent. Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: I found this gem of a tea room off the internet and I am so grateful. We were thirteen Red Hatters having a Valentine's Tea Party. Every lady there had such high praise for the whole experience. Looking back now, I feel that it must have been a celestial connection and not a search engine that found this  heavenly spot for us. More than Cupid was smiling down on us that day. Want to treat someone special? Take them to Crumpets Tea Room.
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: Lady Fleur de lis Add your review   

Visited: January, 2005.  Reviewed: February, 2005.
Meal: Afternoon tea. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent. Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: We had our second Red Hat/Pink Hat event here with 10 high spirited women who enjoyed 3 different teas, finger sandwiches, regular sandwiches and desserts. They did a great job of putting tables together for us and keeping up with the multiple orders. The food was delicious and the tea was hot and tasty. There's a nice variety (not a lengthy menu) but just enough items to choose from. We spent a
little over 3 hours there and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. We'll definitely be back.
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: Queen Planner, Animal Lovers In The Pink Add your review   

Visited: January, 2005.  Reviewed: January, 2005.
Meal: Afternoon tea. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent. Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: We found the tea room by accident on the 'net and went to it that very same day. The food was delicious and wonderfully presented. Everything is made fresh on the premises. Service was excellent. Atmosphere was relaxing . It felt like you were at home in an aunt's parlor. I can't say enough about it. We can't wait till our next visit.
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: Julie Add your review 

Cooks Shop Here, Northborough, MA

Visited: March, 2008.  Meal: Retail only. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: --.
Tea: ?.  Food: n/a. Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: Most everything I know about teas-- leaf size and shape, provenance, fermentation -- comes from knowledge imparted by the owners of this shop. Have been buying single estates teas from them for around 20 years, and credit them with not just having the best available, but helping to educate and refine my palate. They also sell all possible methods to brew teas. Not to be missed if you're a tea drinker in the Pioneer Valley area in MA.
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: mjoyous 3/08  Add your review    

SpecialTeas, Northborough, MA

Visited: December, 2005.  Reviewed: January, 2006.
Meal: Lunch. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent. Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: The lunch can only be described as gourmet. The specials as well as the regular menu selections are imaginative and delectable. We have had the best lunches and desserts at this charming country tea room. The selection of teas is extensive. 
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: Tea lovers from Marlborough  Add your review   

Visited: June, 2004.  Reviewed: June, 2004.
Meal: Lunch. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Good. Service: Good.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: The tea room was very nice and the tea was excellent. However, I think when choosing scones in the lunch menu it might be advisable to first check with the waitress how it is prepared. I ordered the vegetarian scone and was disappointed to find that mayonnaise was on the scone and dressing on the salad. I do not like mayonnaise on anything and I was certainly not expecting it on my scone and I think dressing is always best on the side. I appreciate that most Americans love mayonnaise and dressing but it is presumptuous to think that everybody does especially as many people are on special diets these days.
Reviewer: JT  Add your review   

Visited: September, 2003
Meal: Afternoon tea. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Good. Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Good/Excellent.
Comments: You know, I had this review all written up and accidentally closed my browser, and now I have to start over. This, however, should be indicative of how much I enjoyed the tea at SpecialTeas, since I'm willing to start all over again! I went with my husband on a Saturday afternoon. It was a bit of a lark, so we didn't have a reservation, but even though it was quite busy, we didn't have to wait for a table. (Reservations are recommended, though, I think.) It was the perfect place for us, as I wanted afternoon tea, and my husband wanted a more traditional meal. We both got what we wanted, which is what marriage is all about, no?? :) My husband had the 'toastie' with mushrooms, spinach, and herbed cheese, served with a chilled rice salad. The toastie was excellent, as I found when I snitched a bit off his plate. Afternoon tea consisted of a half pot of tea, a very large scone, 6-8 little tea sandwiches, and a large dessert. I had the House Chai, which was very good, and was kept warm in a clear teapot atop a tea light candle. Very well done, and neat to see what you were drinking. The scone was huge, and I had a choice of cheddar dill and cinnamon chip. The scone was quite good. The sandwiches were 3-4 each of cucumber and tomato. Again, very good, and I'm not a huge fan of either. Dessert was huge and mouth watering. I had a turtle torte, which was chunky with pecans, chocolate chips, and caramel, and my husband had a chocolate mocha cake with vanilla ice cream, which was divine. The atmosphere was really nice -- elegant, but not too girly to bring men along -- and the hostess was very pleasant. My afternoon tea was only $14, which I found to be a great value for the food served, especially given a couple of other lesser tea experiences I've had of late. If I could make two suggestions to the owner, the first would be serving the traditional clotted cream and preserves with the scones, as appropriate. My cinnamon chip scone was toasty warm, and would have been divine with some Devonshire cream. As it was, it came with a wrapped pat of butter. My second suggestion is to offer a greater variety of tea sandwiches. There were only two kinds, and served on white bread. Most aficionados of afternoon tea are accustomed to a greater variety of flavors and textures. But in saying this, I feel as if I'm trying to gild the lily, in a way. It was an excellent tea and a good value ... it's just that those two suggestions are what I think could make it perfection. I will definitely be back!!!
Reviewer: Amy  Add your review   

Visited: September, 2002 and November, 2002
Meal: Afternoon tea. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent. Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Good/Excellent.
Comments: 1. Loved their 5 o'clock tea -- a blend of oolong, Assam, and Darjeeling. Their toastie sandwich was wonderful. 2. Went back a second time, and it was excellent, again. One of the best scones I've had. Took two friends and they raved about the food also. 
Reviewer: Lucy  Add your review  

Florabunda Gift Shop & Tea Room, Rutland, MA

Visited: April, 2009.  Meal: Afternoon tea. Type of tea: Teabags. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent.  Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: Our Red Hats Group enjoyed a wonderful day at Florabunda! The owner, Ellen, set our table in our Red Hats colors of red and purple. So thoughtful! We enjoyed delicious apricot scones & lemon poppy muffins with a nice variety of nice, hot teas. Sandwiches were plentiful: Roast Beef w/arugala & horseradish, Chicken salad w/herbs & Cucumber w/Bell Pepper & cream cheese and a delicious cheesecake covered w/strawberries for dessert. Ellen was very kind and accommodating and even took pictures for us of the group. We will certainly return. The food was delicious, the ambiance lovely and the gift shop a joy to browse. Plan a date at Florabunda, you will not be disappointed.
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: The Cranberry Chapeaux" Red Hats of Southern MA 4/09  Add your review  

Visited: December, 2007.  Meal: Private children's party. Type of tea: Teabags. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent.  Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: We came to Florabunda for a tea party to celebrate my daughter's birthday. The atmosphere was charming. The rooms were just lovely! The food was fantastic, and everything is handmade! Miss Ellen had even made a cake especially for my daughter that we had for dessert after our tea and sandwiches. We had a great time and my Katie really felt special! I loved the pomegranate tea -- divine!
Would you go back? Hope so, but we don't live nearby.
Reviewer: Jennifer McConnell  12/7  Add your review  

Visited: December, 2007.  Meal: Afternoon tea. Type of tea: Teabags. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Fair.  Service: Fair.  Appearance: Good.
Comments: We had read a raving review of FLorabunda and were greatly disappointed. Upon entering, we were told that the lavatories were out of commission. We replied a Duncan Donuts up the street would suffice. The first tea was fine, room so cold that we were asking for more heat by the end of the first pot. Food ok. Second pot of tea much hotter. Rooms cute, service poor due to one person serving both tea and front end gift shop. Perhaps summer is better. 4 minimum party. Good luck.
Would you go back? Sorry, no.
Reviewer: warming up  12/7  Add your review  

Visited: September, 2007.  Reviewed: September, 2007.
Meal: Private party. Type of tea: Loose leaf and teabags. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent.  Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: I had a wonderful Surprise Birthday Tea at Florabunda. Food was delicious, Service excellentand am looking forward to another visit soon. The gift shop was delightful. Thank you
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: Pam Kazarian  Add your review  

Seraphim Tea and More, Seekonk, MA

Visited: March, 2009.  Meal: Afternoon tea. Type of tea: Pyramid teabags. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent.  Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: The atmosphere was unbelievable almost as amazing as the decidant tea and food!
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: Susan 6/09  Add your review 

Visited: March, 2009.  Meal: Other. Type of tea: Teabags. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent.  Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: I was celebrating a belated birthday with 2 of my girlfriends. One of my friends had been to the SERAPHIM tea and more the week before and raved about the food and the different teas that were available. We loved the relaxing atmosphere . Nobody rushed us and the owners genuinely loved what they do on a daily basis. One of a kind tea room. Hildi
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: Hild, Donna and Linda..Tea lovers forever 3/09  Add your review 

Visited: February, 2009.  Meal: Other. Type of tea: Pyramid teabags. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent.  Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: My friend and I went for lunch at the tearoom on Valentine's Day. Lunch was delicious and the tearoom itself is elegant. They do use teabags, but the tea was very good. I will definitely be going back to try one of their afternoon teas very soon. Worth the trip.
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: Diane from MA 2/09  Add your review 

Visited: November, 2008.  Meal: Other. Type of tea: Pyramid teabags. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent.  Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: Lovely shop, in a quaint brick building in the north end of Seekonk, MA, parking in front of the building. Shop is lovely and the powder room is extrodinary! My friend and I had a late lunch there a week ago. I had a cup of the mushroom soup, very good. We both had sandwiches, hers was a turkey with some addons, I had a Roast beef with a horseradish dressing, carmelized onions, very good, both came with a small green salad with a balsamic dressing. Tea was delicous, a cherry flavored blend, loved it. Fro dessert we both had a very large slice of Lemoncello cake, this was just delicous! Two other woman there were having the full tea, everything I had looked wonderful, first they had an assorted cheese tier, then lots of tea sandwiches. We will be returning here.
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: Jane  11/08  Add your review 

Silks at Stonehedge Inn, Tyngsboro, MA

Visited: December, 2005.  Reviewed: January, 2006.
Meal: Afternoon tea. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Good.  Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: This is probably the most elegant tea we have ever had. The waiter was more attentive than any I have ever had for tea or dinner. We never poured one cup of our tea. The waiter was incredibly attentive without being intrusive. The atmosphere was elegant but relaxed. We were impressed with the service, quality of the tea and food. This was one of the most relaxing and enjoyable teas I have ever had. 
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: Tea Lovers from Marlborough  Add your review  

Visited: May, 2005.  Reviewed: September, 2005.
Meal: Afternoon tea. Type of tea: Loose leaf and teabags. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent.  Service: Good.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: My daughter and I took my mother the day before Mother's Day. We sat in the lounge on Wing Back chairs and a very comfortable couch. Our tea was served on the Coffee Table between all of us. It was very relaxing and easy to talk to each other. My Mom is still talking about it.
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: patron from Westford, MA  Add your review  .  

The Tea Leaf - for Tea and Treasured Things, Waltham, MA

Visited: September, 2007.  Reviewed: September, 2007.
Meal: Lunch. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent.  Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: Eight ladies from the Red Hat Society met for lunch. All were delighted with the tea and the food. The sandwiches were delicious, as was the chilled butternut squash soup. Several of us had "Morrocan Mint" tea which was very pleasant. The Lapsang Souchong was excellent. The desserts were even better than the sandwiches - the gingerbread and the creme brulee were the best we've ever tasted! The service was personal and gracious - we enjoyed talking to Sally. All the ladies enjoyed shopping among the charming items, and we bought a number of things to take home. We agreed it would not be long beofre we came back again!
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: Countess Carolyn  Add your review   

Visited: June, 2007.  Reviewed: July, 2007.
Meal: Afternoon tea. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Fair.  Service: Fair.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: This tearoom is very charming, with a variety of gifts and sundries, and delightful background music; the table setting was elegant. I was put-off a bit when I was told by not one, but two employees how to "eat" my tea. I found this insulting, as I was raised to know it is always "bread and butter before cake." It is not the place of people in service to instruct patrons in their table manners. I would recommend The Tea Leaf as a wonderful place to buy gifts and goodies, and as an adquate place for a good, plain afternoon tea. 
Would you go back? Maybe.
Reviewer: Lady Marjorie  Add your review   

Visited: May, 2007.  Reviewed: May, 2007.
Meal: No meal, just a cuppa. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent.  Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: Twice we have taken the long Charles River walk from Cambridge to Waltham to visit The Tea Leaf. It is well worth a ten mile hike and we're eager to return for a third visit! The teas are excellent, the product selection marvelous and the ambiance is thoroughly charming! Proprietor Sally Collura and her cheerful staff have created a fantastic tea experience. Further, the value is excellent. A comparable tea in Boston will cost two or three times the price. I'm reminded of a wonderful small tea room that I visited while visiting the English Cotswolds. I'm thrilled to have found a comparable tea room that doesn't require a six hour flight! Bravo!
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: Tim  Add your review   

Visited: January, 2006.  Reviewed: January, 2006.
Meal: n/a. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Good.  Food: Fair.  Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: The most striking thing about 'The Tea Leaf' is the ambiance and the atmosphere, which you'll take in almost immediately upon entering the tea room. Its a combination of victorian-era and contemporary decor. The wait staff at this family-run business are pleasent and friendly. The sandwiches are prepared in-house - the one with the cranberry filling is amazing. Pastries seem to all have been pre-packaged. The floral teas were flavorful. There's much more to offer here besides tea, however. The walls of the room are lined with goodies to explore, nearly all of which are for sale. Non-tea items included vicorian dolls, handmade purses and classical artwork. An excellent afternoon for any tea lover or the simply romantic.
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: JMC  Add your review   

Visited: January, 2006.  Reviewed: January, 2006.
Meal: Afternoon tea. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Good.  Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: Quaint, clean, nice music playing. Desserts not home made, but nice. Scones were very tender - delicious. Sandwiches were nice, but would have liked more variety. There were two that tasted alike - I could not tell what the filling was. On street parking can be tough to find, but this is definitely worth the trip. Visit with confidence and enjoy.
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: Lisa  Add your review   

Visited: November, 2005.  Reviewed: November, 2005.
Meal: Afternoon tea. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Good.  Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: Intimate setting, very clean. This was the first time I've had loose leaf tea without the leaves floating around my cup! Prices were very reasonable. The desserts were delicious and plentiful as were the tea sandwiches, although I would have preferred thinner bread.
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: Vanessa  Add your review 

Dorset Tea & Coffee, Wellesley Hills, MA

Visited: February, 2008.  Meal: Lunch. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent.  Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: I had the "Dorset" afternoon tea service of sandwiches, scone, and desserts. They don't serve the traditional "looking" afternoon tea. It's more of a modern presentation but the food is so delicious it's well worth the visit. Also there's plenty of food served so you don't walk away hungry. It's relaxing and wonderful.
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: Nikki, Newton,MA  2/08  Add your review   

Visited: December, 2006.  Reviewed: December, 2006.
Meal: Afternoon tea. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent.  Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: Run by two rather clever sisters who grew up on both sides of the pond, the Dorset café is unlike any other I've been to in the Boston area. I've surprised myself by becoming a "regular" over the past few months.
Each visit has been an exploration into their delicious food – healthful breakfasts, lovely lunches, and exquisite afternoon teas.
For those whose tastes are purist-meets-avant garde, this is the place for you. Not too heavy, fussy, or flash-in-the-pan trendy. Everything the sisters produce is with a unique flair reminiscent of London's edgy new restaurant scene, yet is relaxed enough to fit in with the suburban landscape. Soccer mums and businessmen alike rub shoulders in the small intimate area, and everyone seems to clamor for the two tables in the picture windows looking out onto Washington Street.
Fourteen varieties of teas are prepared to order in ceramic teapots; the quality is unparalleled, with a selection that changes seasonally. Nothing bewildering or oddly-flavoured such as amaretto or horrifying tapioca pearls in their teas, thankfully. All their teas can be purchased at the café by special request.
Last week I stopped by to calm my nerves following a visit with my doctor. It was oddly quiet as it was close to closing time: two other tables were enjoying afternoon tea, and a mother was helping her children with their homework at a nearby table. I'd overheard one of the diners mention that her husband changed his morning commute route to stop in to Dorset for coffee and croissants, and she thought he was out the door so early in the morning to head to the gym!
It hit me that Dorset being the area's best kept secret won't last. I'm afraid the word will get out and I'll have to book an afternoon tea months in advance! In the meantime, I'll keep saying the very two words I've been saying since my first visit: "Get there!"
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: Mrs. Giles Smythson  Add your review   

The Exchange at the Wenham Tea House, Wenham, MA

Formerly Wenham Tea House.
Under new ownership as of Spring, 2007.

Visited: May, 2008.  Meal: Lunch. Type of tea: Teabags. Served: In a teacup.
Tea: Average.  Food: Excellent.  Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Good.
Comments: Visited in late morning and decided to pass on breakfast as the bakery had many tempting sweets. Found myself back in the area a few hours later and decided to have lunch as the cupcake I had purchased was very good. Had the quiche, lobster bisque and house salad along with a berry trifle for dessert. Was very pleased with meal and service. Everyone was friendly and plesant. Found out later that my sister-in-law and her family would have recommended it to me if they had known I would be travelling that far from my hotel in Gardner, Ma. 
Would you go back? Hope so, but we don't live nearby.
Reviewer: Barbara from NJ 6/08  Add your review   

Visited: January, 2005.  Reviewed: March, 2005.
Meal: Afternoon tea. Type of tea: Loose leaf and teabags. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent.  Service: Good.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: TEA WITH AUTHOR DEBBY DUBAY LECTURING ON LIMOGES TEA POTS, ETC., IS AWESOME! THE BEST THING ABOUT THE WENHAM TEA HOUSE ARE THE AUTHOR TEAS. WE WANT ANOTHER TEA WITH AUTHOR DEBBY DUBAY!!
Would you go back? Yes, can't wait!
Reviewer: FAN OF DEBBY DUBAY'S!  Add your review   

Visited: December, 2004.  Reviewed: January, 2005.
Meal: Afternoon tea. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Fair.  Service: Poor.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: A drafty old tea house would have charm if you could get a real "tea" here. We were only offered lunch and told there were no scones and cream available! It appears we arrived at the wrong time. We were there early afternoon and wanted to celebrate a friend's birthday with tea, but left disappointed. Last visit there.
Reviewer: Not going back  Add your review  .  

Visited: January, 2004.  Reviewed: February, 2004.
Meal: Afternoon tea. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent.  Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: I love the fact that the Wenham Tea House is the oldest tea house in the United States. I also love their author teas and quaint book store. I am planning to visit on 17 March 2004 for another author/tea, this time with Debby DuBay, author of Living With Limoges, Antique Limoges at Home, and Collecting Hand Painted Limoges Porcelain Boxes to Vases. I heard Ms. DuBay in Dallas, Texas, and I am planning my spring break around this event and tea at the Wenham Tea House.
Reviewer: a fan of author Debby DuBay  Add your review   

Visited: October, 2003
Meal: Afternoon tea. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent.  Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: The Wenham Tea House and Shops has been completely renovated and what a difference! The oldest tea house in the United States. I last visited when author Debby DuBay spoke about her first book LIVING WITH LIMOGES. My tea house experience was fantastic! (And my favorite author, Debby DuBay, is scheduled to speak again on 17 March 2004.) Highly recommend.
Reviewer: A tea and Limoges lover!  Add your review  .   

Visited: September, 2003
Meal: Afternoon tea. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Good.  Food: Poor.  Service: Fair.  Appearance: Good.
Comments: I just returned from tea at the Wenham Tea House, and thought I'd offer my opinion of the experience. First of all, it has a lovely gift shop, with enough stuff to keep anyone entertained for quite some time. The facilities were clean, and airy, and pleasant to look at.
The tea and the meal were good. I had the 'Three Course Tea' and the offering was quite good, if slightly overpriced. $20 bought two small scones with clotted cream and jam, four finger sandwiches, and a selection of bite-sized dessert morsels, which were exquisite. (Mmm ... those sponge cake rolls alone were worth the trip!) Everyone received their own pot of tea, which is always a nice touch.
There are three things about the Wenham Tea Room that I think could be improved upon. First, the selection of teas was comparatively quite small, and cream and milk were only to be found on a counter, not at each table. It made for an awkward teatime to have to be constantly popping up like a jack-in-the-box simply to add milk to one's tea. Secondly, the price was a bit too high for the amount of food offered. Again, there are several other places in Massachusetts where $20 will buy you soup and a larger selection of sandwiches. Thirdly, we rarely heard anything from our waitress, and the proprietress (I think she was, anyway) was a little bit unfriendly. My group was still lingering in the shop and tea room, and she was quite up in arms about not having yet received all her money, addressing several of the patrons in an accusatory manner despite being told that there were some people who'd not left yet. There was also an apparent misunderstanding about the cost of the tea, as we'd been told that the charge included tax and gratuity, which it didn't, and really should have to be a fair value. Her ungracious attitude soured the experience for me, which is really a shame. The experience, otherwise, was a good one.
Reviewer: Amy  Add your review  .   

Visited: April, 2002
Meal: Afternoon tea. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Served: In a teapot.
Tea: Fair.  Food: Poor.  Service: Fair.  Appearance: Good.
Comments: Sandwiches were stale and were not varied. Of the four tea sandwiches two were the same but I couldn't tell you what they were made of. 
Reviewer: Bonnie B8  Add your review  .   

Visited: October, 2000
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Excellent.  Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: The Wenham Tea House is the oldest tea house in the USA. Not only does this charming tea house have lovely afternoon teas, they host lovely specialty teas and events. I had the opportunity to participate in the afternoon book signing tea when Ms. Debby DuBay, Limoges Antiques Shop, did a book signing for The Business of Bliss: How to Profit From Doing What You Love, the chapter on "Collecting Limoges, Debby DuBay," and I was more than impressed. The tea was fabulous, the host Ms. Debby Streiff was charming and the guest speaker, Debby DuBay, was the most engaging, entertaining, knowledgeable guest speaker I have had the opportunity to meet! With guest speakers of this caliber, all of the tea you could want to drink, fine sandwiches, scones, and desserts along with a fantastic gift shop and book store -- what more could a true tea connoisseur want? I highly recommend this fabulous historic establishment!
Reviewer: dquinn1@flash.net  Add your review  .   

Visited: June, 1999
Tea: Poor.  Food: Fair.  Service: Fair.  Appearance: Good.
Comments: While the shop itself was quaint and cozy, my husband and I were very disappointed by their version of "afternoon tea." The tea was basically self-service, meaning you pour your own hot water into a plain cup, from a selection of ... horror of horrors! ... bag tea!!! I suppose this place might be adequate for a quick cuppa, if you're not too picky about the quality of your tea and you don't mind an experience completely lacking in elegance and ambiance. We have not attended any of their special events, so perhaps they reserve the niceties for these occasions.
Reviewer: lightrain@mindspring.com   Add your review  . 

Visited: April, 2000
Tea: Good.  Food: Excellent.  Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: It is a lovely tea room, and they have a variety of special events such as cream tea with different authors on Wednesday afternoon. The luncheon menu is varied and there is a lovely gift and book shop on premises. It has been set up as a philanthropic endeavor since the turn of the century to make improvements in the town of Wenham.
Reviewer: mmuir1  Add your review  .