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Banchan. Tapas. Charcuterie boards. People love small bites and variety, but also love a dining experience that is about community, not just food.
That is why afternoon tea’s appeal continues to grow beyond its origins in upper crust 19th-century English society – being given twists that reflect their new homes around the world.
Philly is no exception. We may be losing the classic afternoon tea experience at the Mary Cassatt Tea Room in the Rittenhouse Hotel as of Nov. 15, but the city is not without delicious and innovative options elsewhere! We’ve collected – and visited – as many Philly-based afternoon teas as we could find below, but more keep popping up, so let us know if you’ve heard of one we missed!
The New and Unique
The latest addition to the scene is an Indonesian afternoon tea at Rice & Sambal, which launched this month and kicks off what owners Diana Widjojo and Jennifer Cowden hope will be a regular series, maybe every other month, highlighting the street snacks common in Indonesian and Southeast Asian markets and homes.
“I love tea time. I love the concept of little sandwiches. For me, whenever I go out to eat, I love having variety. Whenever I order my own food, I eat everybody else’s food, too,” said Widjojo, who worked for years at her family’s South Philly restaurant, Hardena. “The way I like to eat, doing high tea is perfect.”
In planning her menu – which will change slightly for each successive event – she made sure to include “half sweet and half savory” and included a mix of things like sticky rice stuffed with spicy chicken and pudding classic to “nona foods” typical of those with Chinese heritage from Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia.
This is an effective way to introduce the culture and food to a Philadelphia audience, notes Tanti Lina, who helped coordinate decor and beverage pairings for Rice & Sambal’s inaugural tea.
Tea in Indonesia centers on informal gatherings for chit chat before dinner or on weekends, “so there is that culture, but not as prominent like in the UK or in Turkey,” said Lina.
“Indonesian tea is a rarity. Mostly we have herbal tea, ginger teas — Indonesia has 250+ varieties in general,” said Widjojo. “Herbal tonics we take to upkeep our health.”
That sense of community is strong, though, and what was an obvious takeaway and goal at the event. Eighteen people arrived as mostly strangers and quickly began laughing over sweet coconut milk toast and pandan cake, savory lamb satay and pan fried flatbread stuffed with egg and ground beef curry, and more “jajam pasar” or little treats.
“Our one-biter is more of a three-biter, and can easily be combined and served in this way, Lina said.
Rice & Sambal, 1911 Passyunk Ave., $75 per person, check their Instagram for schedules
A similar sense of community and accessibility is present at the events crafted by Alison’s Tea Room, a boutique afternoon tea catering service that hosts pop-ups across Philly, like at Ubuntu gallery and the Wyck Historic House and Museum, and at residencies in Chestnut Hill’s HospitaliTea House and upcoming second location in Germantown.
Food-and-beverage industry veteran Laura Russell decided to focus on curating afternoon tea experiences in addition to her regular catering work as a way to “retire from corporate” and because “tea is the ultimate form of hospitality. It crosses over all cultures – everyone understands tea.”
Growing up in Mount Airy, Russell inherited her love of tea from her mother and has passed it down to her 23-year-old son, as well. “For me, it is my go-to to relax. Time for yourself. A great way to celebrate. We have guests who come and bring a book. It is the ultimate relaxation tool.”
Her afternoon tea events include homemade scones with jams and butter, pastries, savory sandwiches and delicate individual pots of tea. And everything is homemade.
“I make 95% of my food. When I used to run accounts, I always had chefs who reported to me. I always had these ideas – so this is 30 years of thinking of what I would do if I were in charge and had full culinary control,” Russell said.
Plus, “I think it’s really important to know what’s in the products. We have so many allergens today. We offer tea for gluten free, for pescatarians, for people with a number of different allergens. The only way I know 100% what is in the product is if I make it.”
Alison’s Tea Room offers afternoon tea two days a week in Chestnut Hill at HospitaliTea at HomeWorks, 8129 Germantown Ave. on Thursdays and Sundays, 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. seatings for $54.22 per person + on Tuesdays in Germantown at Ace Holistics, 319 W. Chelten Ave., for $25-50 per person.
In West Philadelphia, Akwaaba Tea Salon puts a Black-owned, Southern spin on high tea, pairing traditional clotted cream and scones with menu items such as flavorful hot honey fried chicken and Southern peach cobbler.
The space gives celebratory and classy homey vibes, drawing inspiration from its sister property, the Akwaaba Bed & Breakfast — a historic, nearby inn known for its warm hospitality and rich storytelling. Guests often come to the salon in groups and dress for a fancy party, extending the same sense of community and celebration found at the boutique lodging.
Akwaaba Tea Salon & Event Space, 3811 Lancaster Ave., $48 or $58 per person.
For a Pennsylvania Dutch-influenced afternoon tea, Elwood in Fishtown has you covered. Chef Adam Diltz’s afternoon tea service is available by reservation on weekends from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. — highlights include housemade scrapple, snickerdoodle, shoofly cake and datch (PA Dutch quickbread). Diltz partners with Oma Herbal teas, which even boxed up the restaurant’s house blend, which can be purchased to take home or as a gift. Elwood also has led themed pop-ups with Philly institutions like the Rosenbach Library.
Elwood, 1007 Frankford Ave., $35 per person.
The Classics
There is still time to experience the Mary Cassatt Tea Room at the Rittenhouse Hotel; grab a reservation and enjoy a light-filled elegant high tea experience complete with harp music and a three-tiered treat menu perfect for little girls having their first tea party, an afternoon out with parents, solo with a book or any reason in between.
Mary Cassatt Tea Room, 210 W Rittenhouse Square, Thursdays through Sundays, 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. until Nov. 15. $70 per person.
Sofitel Hotel’s Liberté Restobar and Lounge hosted weekly afternoon tea seatings for years as Chez Colette before pausing it, but will be bringing it back in December “for a special festive edition featuring seasonal flavors and festive touches.”
Sofitel Hotel, 120 S. 17th St., https://www.liberterestobar.com/experiences.
The Dandelion puts the “British” back in British afternoon tea. Sit in the Rittenhouse Square pub’s cozy dark wood environs and enjoy a pleasantly affordable classic version of either two- or three tiers of sandwiches, pastries and tarts plus your choice of tea.
The Dandelion, 124 S 18th St., weekdays, 3-5 p.m. Menus are $20-60 per person.
Prince Tea House on the edge of Chinatown and Old CIty is the only option we have found that offers afternoon tea daily and without requiring a reservation. The cafe-like space is bright and Instagram-ready, the teas arrive on adorable burners and in unique pots, and the pastries, scones and finger sandwiches include varieties like pastrami with swiss cheese, crab with garlic aioli and wasabi deviled egg.
Prince Tea House, 203 N. 9th St., $60 for two, $90 for three.
Also in Chinatown is A La Mousse with a dessert-only tea menu. Select from the unique, fruit-inspired cakes, chocolates, cookies and pastries on display and enjoy as an after-dinner treat or as a solo or formal date excursion on its own.
Bloomsday Restaurant and Wine Bar in Headhouse Square hosts a ‘Bloomsday and Friends High Tea’ series that spotlights a different fellow local Philly bakery each month; past highlights have come from the likes of MilkJawn and Korean-American bakery Seaforest Bakeshop. The November 7 seating partners with Erby’s Bakery, a scratch-made pastry chef-owned spot in South Philly. Paired with all-you-can-drink teapots, an appetizer soup and a tiered tray filled with Bloomsday treats.
Bloomsday, 414 S. 2nd St., $80 plus tax per person.
Pop-Ups and Seasonal Specials
You can’t get more community-oriented than FRIEDA, a community cafe, gallery and event space at 320 Walnut Street that aims to “nourish you beyond food.” Their afternoon teas pop up sporadically and only take reservations via email – so get on their mailing list in order to find out about upcoming dates. Each afternoon tea is BYOB and starts at 3:30 p.m. on select Sundays, and the cost per person is usually $48 plus tax and a 20% service charge.
FRIEDA, 320 Walnut St., $48 per person.
Historic Carpenter’s Hall tested afternoon tea as an outreach opportunity in 2025 with re-creations of the tea parties that former First Lady Dolley Madison hosted during colonial and Revolutionary America. They have since hosted other themed afternoon tea events featuring a full menu of scones, finger sandwiches and savory bites like lobster puffs.
Carpenter’s Hall, 320 Chestnut Street, prices vary depending on the event, https://www.carpentershall.org/events.
The Rosenbach Library and Museum has also hosted teas, themed around the works of Jane Austen, a Vampyre Tea, and other tea parties in partnership with Fishtown’s Elwood. Keep an eye on their programming page for upcoming events.
Rosenbach Library, 2008-2010 Delancey Place, https://www.rosenbach.org/programs.
Aqimero’s Boozy Teas are on weekends in the Ritz Carlton lobby and includes a “teapot-sized cocktail” and four-course tasting menu designed to share. Reservations can be made for up to six people, and tickets are $90 per guest.
Aqimero, 10 Avenue of the Arts, $90 per person.
