6 cozy & quaint New Hampshire tearooms

Tea is not just a beverage. At these six New Hampshire tearooms, it’s a full-on event.

Tea is hot in New Hampshire, and we’re not just referring to the temperature of the brew. Tea is an event—a happening. It’s a congenial pick-me-up, a way to celebrate special occasions and gather with friends. There’s nothing better than being surrounded by luscious pastries, delicate china, fine linen, and an afternoon tradition that dates back over a century.

People have been drinking tea for thousands of years, but it wasn’t until about a century ago that the meal called afternoon tea became a thing. It was introduced in England by a duchess in 1840 who got hungry after lunch and before the traditional 8 p.m. dinner hour and asked the servants to fetch her a tray with a pot of tea, bread, and butter, according to Historic UK. From then on, it became a custom with the ladies of the posh class to a set table in the drawing room with the finest china and trays of little sandwiches, scones, and steaming porcelain pots of tea to enjoy their food and each other’s company.

The custom came to New Hampshire at the turn of the 20th century when several tearooms opened on the Seacoast. Lucky for us chaiophiles the following six tea establishments offer that same experience today.

1. Honey Cup Café and Tearoom

Location: 50 Bridge Street, Manchester

Cost per person: $42

This café in the heart of the Queen City is exactly what you think of when you think of afternoon tea. The décor is vintage chic with white tablecloths, festooned with pink flower bouquets, gold-framed mirrors, tin ceilings, antique bureaus, and China teacups with painted roses.

No need for a reservation Tuesday-Sunday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., when a cafe menu is served. Afternoon high-tea service is available by reservation on Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m. or during regular hours for six or more guests in a party by appointment. The fancy weekend service includes a pot of tea and three tiers of treats including homemade scones with clotted cream or lemon curd, tea sandwiches, and an assortment of home-baked treats like petit fours, Madeleines, and macaroons.

If you prefer a cocktail with your tea, the café serves champagne, mimosas, Aperol spritz, and other potent potables for an extra charge. Honey Cup also hosts special events, including book clubs and special-themed teas.

One happy Yelp reviewer wrote “A friend suggested this place to meet for tea, so happy she did! The ambiance is very speakeasy vibe. … Very quaint and welcoming. You can sit in the cafe and order or if you’re looking for something a little fancier, they have a tea room with service. Great selection of teas and baked goods …  The service was excellent. From start to finish, this place was such a treat.”

At Honey Cup Café & Tearoom in Manchester, afternoon tea is steeped in tradition. (Stacy Milbouer)

2. Arianna’s Tea Room

Location: 200 Pleasant Street, Concord

Cost per person: $44

Arianna’s Tea Room is a traditional English-style tea room in the Odd Fellows mansion on the campus of Presidential Oaks senior living facility. This is the real thing, considering the owner is from Great Britain. The sweet, little venue is open Saturdays and Sundays, noon to 5 p.m., and promises, on its website, “to make afternoon tea once more is a graceful event enjoyed in leisurely surroundings — a place where friends come together and exchange news over tea where the light is kind, cakes are unabashedly frivolous and the pace is decidedly calm.”

The full traditional tea service called “Arianna’s Delight” includes soup and a selection of two fresh scones with strawberry jam and Devonshire cream, mini quiche, cheese, cucumber, curried tea sandwiches, and three dessert offerings (and a pot of tea, of course!). There are also smaller selections that range from $23 to $27 per person. Tea takers can also order a non-alcoholic rosé made with sparkling white tea with cranberry and ginger for $6.

One Facebook reviewer wrote, “Had a pleasant afternoon at Arianna’s Tea Room … Enjoyed Arianna’s Delight (3-tier) afternoon tea. As we lived in England years ago, I can say it was a trip down memory lane …”

3. The Cozy Tea Cart

Location: 104A Route 13, Brookline

Cost per person: This is an à la carte menu which varies in price for each item.

This shop/café is about all things tea. You can buy it, drink it, and learn all about it here, from preparing and serving it to its history and health benefits. The café portion of the shop serves Wednesday through Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. You can order tea party favorites a la carte, including savories, scones, pastries, sandwiches, and a wide selection of tea, of course.

Shop owner Danielle Beaudette knows a lot about the brew. She’s a certified tea specialist through the Specialty Tea Institute of New York and has traveled to Asian countries, visiting tea estates and bringing special blends back to Brookline. She offers a series of tea lectures that can be attended in person at the shop or online. 

One Yelp reviewer called the tearoom “Cozy and quaint, ” adding that “The traditional tea party experience was well executed with classic teapots and tea settings, unique blends of teas offered, and finger sandwiches and baked goods to accompany the tea.”

4. Silver Fountain Tea Room and Parlor

Location: 103 Silver Street, Dover

Cost per person: $18 to $38

You can experience a true high tea in the lush, Victorian-themed Silver Fountain Tea Parlor in the Silver Fountain Inn of Dover. There are dozens of richly infused teas to choose from and a three-tier selection of sandwiches, salads, and home-baked scones and pastries including petit fours, cake, and macarons. They also have special signature luncheons with themes like the Roaring ’20s, Mad Hatter, and Downton Abbey-inspired teas. The tea parlor also offers etiquette classes for children from time to time.

“I took my daughter here for high tea for her birthday, it’s absolutely beautiful and the staff are fabulous,” wrote one Yelp reviewer. “It was a real treat for us to get dressed up and do something fancy, the food was delicious, and the tea was absolutely wonderful.”

5. The Barn at Harrisville Inn

Location: 797 Chesham Road, Harrisville

Cost per person: $35 or $40 for parties of 10 or more

Just in time for spring, the Barn at Harrisville Inn will begin serving afternoon tea on Thursdays and Saturdays by reservation. You’ll be served fine tea in delicate china followed by a tiered tray of scones, savory sandwiches, small pastries, cakes, and fresh fruit, all sourced with local vendors.

The room’s rustic charm meets Victorian elegance with pretty linens, silver flatware, and charming porcelain cups and teapots. The barn is attached to the 1842-built Persia Beal-built bed and breakfast and is decorated with cool paintings of jazz musicians done by one of the owners.

Be sure to make reservations ahead of time.

6. Fezziwig’s Food & Fountain

Location: 112 State Street, Portsmouth

Cost per person: Varies with the menu

For a funky, fun tea experience head to Fezziwig’s Food & Fountain in downtown Portsmouth. Fezziwig’s offers a full-service espresso bar, teas from around the world, a classic soda fountain, Parisian crêpes, craft sandwiches, breakfast all day, and exquisite pastries. The vintage décor is Victorian—after all, the place is named after Ebenezer Scrooge’s generous, fun-loving boss in Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.”

One Trip Advisor reviewer said they were “struck by the location and interior. Very inviting! Varied tea services ALL delicious! Ms. Penny Dreadful was a wonderful hostess! We will be returning!”

This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.