It is time once again for the Gracious Hospitalit-i-TEA Blog-a-Thon. The theme this week is Tea Room Ventures and Venues. Share all about one of your favorite tea rooms. Use photos and descriptions to tell about the decor and ambiance, menus, service, and what makes this tea room special to you. Does this tea room have a gift shop? What kind of special treasures does it contain?
My favorite tea room is the Joy Garden. It is the place I take guests when I want a formal and beautiful tea. As you can tell from the photo, this tea room is inside a glass conservatory. There are lovely gardens all around the building including a huge rose garden.Inside the tea room everything is feminine and pretty without being too fussy. The tables are spaced well enough apart that conversations can be private. There is no raucous laughter here; everything is serene.
In keeping with the tone of the tea room, the waitresses are well spoken and unobtrusive. They wear pretty aprons and have sweet demeanors. They are very knowledgeable too, able to answer any questions about the food or the tea offered.
The food is some of the best tea room food I’ve had. They follow traditional tea service with soup and salad presented first followed by a tiered tray of scones, tea sandwiches and sweets. Great care is taken with every item, both in the taste and the way everything is garnished and decorated.
The Joy Garden staff knows how to make tea. Tea arrives at the table at just the proper temperature and strength. And they keep refilling the pot without being asked.
There is a gift shop that sells lots of tea items. Much of the merchandise is quite affordable and just right for a little keepsake of the day. They carry a selection of tea magazines too. Tea magazines aren’t readily available except by subscription so it is especially nice to be able to see what’s new.
The Joy Garden is just outside a village with lots of antique shops. It makes a great day out to go antiquing followed by a delicious tea. I recommend the experience to everyone. Find more information about the Joy Garden on their site.
Just a note: I have no affiliation with this tea room or owners. I'm simply a happy customer.
