Afternoon tea is not just an elegant affair, it is an intimate tradition when shared with a loved one. It deepens and strengthens relationships – it gets one talking and sharing, while sipping aromatic teas and indulging in traditional teatime fare.
The custom of afternoon tea dates back to the early 19th century British aristocracy. According to lore, Anna Russell, the seventh Duchess of Bedford, instructed her servants in the strictest privacy to bring to her bedroom tea, bread and butter with little cakes. Her vice was eventually exposed, the delicious pastime was taken up at court and the present practice of afternoon tea was born, or so the story goes.
Although most of us living in Plano cannot claim ties to an aristocrat of any sort, we can still enjoy the tradition of an afternoon tea with a mother, daughter or loved one in celebration of the upcoming Mother’s Day holiday.
The Chocolate Angel Café and Tearoom
Located inside the High Street Antique Mall in Plano, Chocolate Angel Café and Tearoom serves tea with Southern hospitality in a vintage setting. Afternoon tea includes an assortment of pimiento sandwiches, petite quiches, white chocolate cranberry scones, tartlets, fruits and wonderful teas. Ask for the roasted almond tea with hints of nuts, caramelized almonds, baked apple and cinnamon. Chocolate Angel also has a location in Richardson.
Into My Garden Tearoom
In this unassuming little tearoom, steps away from historic Downtown Plano, guests will find frilly tablecloths, ornate teapots, floral china and a nice tea menu that ranges from a three-course afternoon tea to an elegant single course. The experience is complete with tea fixings like sandwiches, scones and pastries, along with preserves and freshly-made Devonshire cream. Young tea lovers will enjoy pouring “pink tea” from one of the shop’s child sized tea pots while enjoying heart shaped mini muffins and flower shaped sandwiches.
Mother’s Day Tea Party at ArtCentre of Plano
A special first-time event, The ArtCentre of Plano will host a Mother’s Day Tea Party on May 12 on the lawn of the historic Saigling House in Downtown Plano. The tables will be beautifully set with antique and bone china on loan from family collections of ArtCentre staff and board members. Cultured Cup, a specialty tea business in Dallas, will have a tea blend made specially for this occasion, and Plano’s Chocolate Angel Tea Room will delight guests with small bites paired with each cup.
Tea at Taschen
Venture into downtown Dallas for this very special tea service surrounded by books in the Taschen Library inside the chic Joule Hotel. Once guests are seated in the lucite chairs for a communal tea, fixings are presented in tiered plates, along with a too-pretty-to-eat version of a deviled egg – the Joule Egg. Champagne flows freely as guests mingle. The Joule sources some exotics teas and rare blends, and serves them in boldly colorful cups. Guests are even encouraged to pick up books from the shelves to browse through during tea.
Tea at Dallas Arboretum
Nothing beats this beautiful garden setting for an intimate tea experience. Served inside the historic DeGolyer House at the Dallas Arboretum, guests can indulge in a seated, three-course, high tea experience while enjoying the vibrant colors of the garden. Tea sandwiches, chocolate truffles, pecan clusters, chocolate covered strawberries and tarts are served along with a variety of tea options. The price for the tea also includes general admission and parking, so make sure to allow time to enjoy Dallas’s finest gardens.
Tea at The Adolphus
Afternoon tea at The Adolphus is a regal experience. Everything here – from the atmosphere and the service to the food – makes a visitor feel like royalty. Tea is served alongside housemade finger sandwiches, tea cakes and sweets on custom china, in the setting of the newly remodeled French Room. Some guests might miss the painted cherubs from the previous years of dining in this establishment, but the white plaster walls and gilded Louis XVI-style chairs are guaranteed to evoke the feeling of a trip across the pond.
Where is a mother’s Day tea all across the cities near me in frisco, Allen,, Mckinney. We did the Mother’s Day tea & The Dallas Arboretum last year & its hard to beat that one! My mother will be 70 this year in July & she cannot walk far. Please send me the entire list that will be better for her.
Thank you so very much!
Sherry Bates & Family
Sherry, This is one that is in downtown Plano that we highly recommend: https://planomagazine.com/second-annual-mothers-day-tea-party-at-artcentre-of-plano/