Restaurant Review: Celebrate the holidays with Afternoon High Tea!

Is there anything more elegant than an afternoon spent shopping with friends and family, then sitting down for a soothing cup of tea and delicious sandwiches and baked treats? And what better way to teach your children sophisticated table manners after seeing Santa? 

According to Historic UK.com, afternoon tea was introduced in England by Anna, the seventh Duchess of Bedford, in 1840. The Duchess would become hungry around four o’clock in the afternoon. The evening meal was served at 8pm, leaving a long period of time between lunch and dinner. The Duchess asked that a tray of tea, bread and butter (some time earlier, the Earl of Sandwich had had the idea of putting a filling between two slices of bread) and cake be brought to her room during the late afternoon.

I was fortunate to be introduced to afternoon tea in the isle of origin. On a high school trip to England, we spent a long day shopping at Harrod’s, the famed department store. They had an elegant tea room, and my friends and I were seated with far more respect than was usually afforded a group of American teens. We probably gobbled our dainty finger sandwiches, petit fours, and cookies, and gulped our tea selections awfully fast. “This is a fabulous idea,“ I thought. “Why aren’t we doing this in Chicago?”

While it may not have been quite so popular then, Chicago now has many options for an afternoon respite, to fit a variety of budgets.

At the Gold Coast’s Drake Hotel, 140 E. Walton Place, holiday tea service in the Palm Court and Club International is reserving now through January 8. The $74/ $78/$35 tea service includes such three-tiered delicacies as Roasted Turkey with fig-whipped brie and smoked pumpernickel, bourbon smoked salmon with cream cheese and apple agro dolce, followedby cranberry orange scones and chocolate eggnog bread pudding. More delectable cakes and treats await you!A live harpist and holiday carolers will perform on select dates through Christmas. The Prince & Princess Afternoon tea service, for children ages 3-12 is available throughout the afternoon. For more information and reservations, click here. 

In the shadows of the wreathed lions at the Art Institute, a proper Eastern European tea awaits you and your family and friends at the Russian Tea Time Restaurant, 77 E. Adams Street. Available daily from 11am–7:30pm, the $35.95 Afternoon Tea and Samovar Service included one pot of tea, beginnings, savories and sweets. Menus vary daily. Samovar Service includes a pot of tea for a group of three and more. One reviewer described the atmosphere. “The restaurant has traditional Russian décor, sedate with classical music with a subdued and relaxing atmosphere.“ For information and reservations, click here. 

Afternoon Tea during the festive season at Streeterville’s The Peninsula Chicago, 108 East Superior Street, features a 20-foot Christmas tree through December 31 and lavish décor through January 8 for their $135/$150/$75 (for children) traditional holiday English tea menu, including a variety of finger sandwiches, such as Lobster & Shrimp Sandwich, withstrawberry, dill, lemon zest, mint, oval bread, followed by a Gingerbread Yule Log. Many other surprises await! For reservations, click here. 

At LondonHouse Chicago, 85 E. Wacker Drive, their nontraditional tea takes place in the Bridges Lobby Bar on the second floor, and comes with “spectacular views” of the Chicago River. The service begins with a selection of Rare Tea Cellars and Sparrow Coffee teas, followed by a basket of fresh scones and breads with accoutrements. Then,  three-tiered tower is filled with “savory and sweet bites.” River Vista Holiday Tea service is $85 for adults and $45 for kids (ages 10 and under). Holiday Tea runs until January 15. For reservations and information, click here. 

Sadly, The Walnut Room at Macy’s, 111 N. State Street, had sold out its holiday teas long before Thanksgiving (we checked.) That said… use this link for information about signing up for their Canceled Reservations alerts. And good luck! 

Alison Moran-Powers and Dean’s Team Chicago