Four Great Reasons To Have Afternoon Tea In New York's Whitby Hotel

New York City, often characterized by its fast-paced, coffee-dominated culture, has seen a resurgence in its tea scene over the past decade. Despite the urban clamor, a new generation of teahouses has emerged, offering tranquil spaces for the meditative act of tea making. These establishments focus on directly-sourced, single-farm, and often rare teas from East Asia, challenging the perception that tea cannot thrive in such an environment. Unlike the ubiquitous to-go matcha lattes, these teahouses emphasize traditional brewing methods and educational experiences. The article highlights six such establishments, each offering a unique experience. Kettl, located in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, specializes in Japanese teas and teaware. Owner Zach Mangan imports varieties often unavailable outside their regions of origin in Japan, including sencha, gyokuro, matcha, single-varietal tamaryokucha, kyo iribancha, and rare Japanese black teas. Kettl primarily operates as an online purveyor but maintains a retail space for sampling and education, housing over 30 distinct teas and high-quality teaware from Japan and local New York ceramicists. Recommended drink is the Ayame Kabuse 10-day shaded sencha from Fukuoka, Japan. Floating Mountain Tea House, opened in 2017 in Manhattan's Upper West Side, provides a clean, meditative, and intimate space inspired by classic East Asian teahouse design. It offers over 90 different whole leaf, single-origin teas from renowned Chinese tea-producing regions. Guests are guided by owner Elina Medvedeva on traditional gong fu cha brewing techniques, exploring rare varietals of hong cha, aged pu’erh, green teas from Sichuan, and single grove "Phoenix" oolong teas. The teahouse also hosts educational events, private tastings, and chi gong courses. The suggested drink is a pot of Lao You Hua Xiang Phoenix oolong from Chaozhou, China. 29b Teahouse in lower Manhattan blends an upscale Japanese-inspired restaurant, a bohemian drinking den, and a full-service gong fu cha tea bar. It features an extensive menu of whole leaf traditional teas from Japan, Korea, China, Taiwan, and India, alongside innovative pairings of wine, beer, soju, and sake. Notably, 29b offers some of the best Korean green teas and tisanes, as well as unique tea-infused alcoholic beverages like matcha and rice beer. The teahouse provides a diverse menu, hosts tasting events, classes, and sells privately-commissioned teawares. A must-try is 29b’s signature matcha beer or a pot of organic Woojeon Korean green tea. Puerh Brooklyn, named after a distinctive fermented tea from Yunnan province, China, offers over 20 types of puerh and a diverse selection of other teas from various countries. Located in a two-floored space in Williamsburg, it combines a relaxed tea environment with a clothing design atelier and art gallery. Founded by Gabriel Grippo in 2001, the space encourages casual tea brewing and occasional meditation meet-ups, providing a peaceful retreat. The 2015 Lao Ban Zhang Old Trees sheng puerh is recommended. T Shop, a "hidden gem" in SoHo, provides a no-frills environment for enjoying exceptional Chinese, Taiwanese, and Korean teas. The space encourages self-paced brewing with gong fu cha setups, catering to both regulars and newcomers. Owners Theresa Wong and Hyun Lee directly source teas from Asia, often procuring rare "off-menu" selections for private tastings. A visit promises a deep exploration into the world of tea. The Old Bush Dan Cong Mi Lan Xiang Phoenix oolong from Chaozhou, China, is a highlighted choice. Té Company in Manhattan’s West Village is dedicated exclusively to the teas of Taiwan, known for its high mountain oolong and "bug-bitten" teas. Elena Liao and Frederico Ribeiro, the husband-and-wife owners, curate the tea selection and offer a menu of savory and sweet tea snacks. The teahouse provides table-side tea tasting flights and hosts educational sessions on Taiwanese tea. Ribeiro’s pineapple Linzer cookies have a dedicated following. A pot of "Frozen Summit" ’11 Vintage aged oolong from Nantou County, Taiwan, is suggested. Setsugekka in the East Village is renowned for offering one of New York City’s best bowls of matcha. Owners Souheki and Junya Mori created a space blending traditional Japanese teahouse architecture with New York charm. Souheki, a master of the Dai Nihon Chadō Gakkai school of Japanese tea ceremony, expertly prepares each bowl of matcha. The establishment focuses on high-quality matcha from famed Japanese regions, grinding their own matcha weekly. It serves matcha traditionally hot or chilled, and Souheki teaches the art of tea ceremony. The freshly-ground koicha from Uji, Japan, prepared by Souheki Mori, is a signature experience. #TeaHouses #NewYorkCity #TeaCulture #JapaneseTea #ChineseTea #TaiwaneseTea #KoreanTea #Matcha #Oolong

This article highlights nine English tearooms across the country that offer unique and enchanting afternoon tea experiences, each with its own distinct charm and ambiance. Afternoon tea in England traditionally consists of scones, finger sandwiches, and petite fours, and these establishments elevate the experience with their fairytale-like settings. First, "And the Dish Ran Away with the Spoon" in Manchester provides a vintage-inspired setting. It features chalkboard menus, jars of flowers, blue-and-white china, vibrant blue walls, and exquisitely iced cakes. The menu includes unique items like feta, rocket, and sunblushed tomato puff-pastry pinwheels, served Thursday through Sunday starting at noon. Next, Claridge’s in London, a classic hotel, has been perfecting afternoon tea for approximately 150 years. Its 1930s-inspired foyer, adorned with a soft color palette, offers delicacies such as smoked salmon scones, strawberry, peach, and ginger éclairs, and a variety of finger sandwiches. The Cobbles Tea Room in Rye is a quaint brick building covered in greenery, featuring a teapot-shaped sign and a picket fence. This tearoom serves afternoon tea all day, offering loose-leaf teas like Gunpowder and Oolong Formosa in china pots, alongside homemade scones and cakes, including gluten-free options. Cuthbert’s Bakehouse in Liverpool presents diverse afternoon tea menus. "Cuthbert's Classic" includes salted caramel and hazelnut tarts, traditional sandwiches, and scones, while "The New Yorker" offers meatball subs, scones, and New York cheesecake. The interior boasts plum walls, warm-colored stone, and charming strings of cloth triangular flags. The Connaught in London provides a tea room flooded with natural light, overlooking greenery and classic English buildings. It serves tiny scones and cakes, often topped with individual fruits, alongside pastries, finger sandwiches, and colorful macarons. In Devon, The Hidden Treasure Tea Room, with its royal purple storefront and pastel flags, offers a whimsical experience. Under various hanging lampshades, afternoon tea begins with savory sandwiches, followed by homemade scones, cakes, and handmade petit fours, accompanied by loose-leaf tea or locally-roasted organic fair trade coffee. The Kensington in London offers afternoon tea with beautiful china, traditional treats stacked on trays, and an open fire. Some cakes are adorned with real flower petals. Menu items include passion fruit madeleines and rose macarons with fresh berries. Richmond Tea Rooms in Manchester is described as being straight out of Alice in Wonderland, blending traditional English tearoom elements with a Tim Burtonesque twist. Chandeliers illuminate the pink-and-blue room, accented by black-and-white details. "The Hatter's Tea" option includes finger sandwiches, a homemade fruit scone with preserves and clotted cream, and a pot of tea. Finally, Sketch in London is a unique destination for food, art, and music, hosting art exhibitions and diverse musical genres. Its rooms range from a Shakespearean forest backdrop to a princess-like pink-and-copper dining room. Afternoon tea here includes delicacies such as caviar and quail egg, macarons, and various cakes. #EnglishTearooms #AfternoonTea #FairytaleSettings #ManchesterTeaRooms #LondonTeaRooms #RyeTeaRooms #LiverpoolTeaRooms #DevonTeaRooms #UniqueDiningExperiences