Afternoon Tea in Los Angeles

My mother thought it would be lovely to host an afternoon tea for the ladies in our family. It was my job to coordinate this event (which was actually turned out to be more difficult than I expected.) After researching some of the best tea locations in the city, I decided on The Langham Hotel in Pasadena. But to get to that decision, I did look at quite a few other venues. I thought I would share our experience and then tell you a bit about what I learned trying to put together an afternoon tea.

The Langham Huntington in Pasadena

Afternoon Tea at The Langham is lovely. We began with a glass of champagne (not included in the price) then moved on to the exquisite savory and sweet offerings. The presentation was beautiful, the service excellent and the food was terrific. The chef has updated the menu; although there are the traditional open faced sandwiches, many are presented in unique pastry shells. We began with scones, moved on to the savory offerings, then to the tasty sweets. There was plenty of food; we ended up taking home several “to go” boxes. At $75.00, it was a medium priced tea. Afterwards we spent a bit of time on the beautiful hotel grounds. We had a lovely time and would recommend it. Be sure to make reservations as it sells out

The Huntington Library Rose Garden Tea Room

Full disclosure, the Rose Garden Tean Room was my mother’s first choice for our afternoon tea. If you are not aware, this venue has undergone an $11 million dollar renovation that was completed in May. Unfortunately, it is nearly impossible to secure a reservation due to the unprecedented demand. I began to try to make reservations back in June. I was willing to go anytime from June to September; however, after multiple tries, I was unable to make a reservation during those months. They are apparently reopening reservations beginning in October. Perhaps if you are incredibly diligent, you may be able to get one. But it is so difficult.

I have not been to the newly renovated Rose Garden Tea Room but was there previously. The tea was lovely; it is hard not to have a wonderful experience when you are in the midst of the Huntington Gardens. At $62.00 for the traditional tea, it is very well priced.

The Biltmore Los Angeles

Celebrating its 100 year anniversary, The Biltmore Los Angeles is still a majestic setting. This is one of my mom’s favorite hotels and although we have been there many times, we have never had the opportunity to have afternoon tea at The Biltmore. Unfortunately this was not to be. Having contacted the hotel several times, I finally reached someone who explained that due to a potential employee strike, the hotel would not be hosting tea until late August. As it turns out, I was then given a date of September 10th which I happily accepted. (the cost is $75.00 per person) A downside of this tea is that you need to pay up front; I ,of course, paid as well. I was then informed that due to management changes, the tea was no longer available on that date. Hopefully the management has gotten it together but at this moment I cannot recommend The Biltmore for afternoon tea. It is a beautiful venue but getting a reservation was impossible. Perhaps you will have better luck.

The Peninsula Beverly Hills

Perhaps the most upscale afternoon tea is served at The Peninsula hotel in Beverly Hills. located in The Living Room, the setting is stunning and affords a view of the comings and goings of the patrons of the hotel. Enjoy a glass of Laurent Perrier champagne then indulge in a fabulous assortment of treats. There are five savory choices including the traditional smoked salmon or cucumber bites. Moving onto the sweets, the strawberries and cream are delicious and the peach lavender tart is definitely worth the calories. The cost of the afternoon tea is a bit steep at $125.00 so that is certainly something to consider. They serve the tea every day which makes the availability slighly less challenging; nonetheless you should make reservations. But if you are looking for a extravagent and memorable event, The Peninsula is the perfect location.

Chado Tea Room

If you are looking for an afternoon tea that is a bit less pricey, you might want to try the Chado Tea Room. The cost of the afternoon tea ranges from $28.95 to $49.00 and although it is a bit less formal than the others described, it is still a lovely experience. We have been to the South Bay location; we found the service to be attentive, the tea sandwiches were yummy and the ambience pleasant. There are three more locations (Hollywood, Pasadena and Los Angeles) an although we have not been to those locations, we assume they are just as charming as the one in the South Bay. There are over 400 teas available at the Chado Tea Room so lots of selection to try and take home.

There are certainly other locations in the Los Angeles area for afternoon tea, but I wanted to focus on those that I have had personal experience with. It you haven’t tried an afternoon tea, it is a lovely event to be enjoyed with family and friends.

XO

Wendy