These Are the 25 Best Places for U.K.-style High Tea in the U.S.

By Stacey Leasca
April 24, 2018
Courtesy of The Drake, a Hilton Hotel

Now that Meghan Markle, an American, is set to walk down the aisle with Prince Harry, an arguably extra-British Brit, it’s perhaps time to start blending just a little bit of both cultures into our daily lives. The best place for Americans to start might be joining the well-known U.K. tradition of high tea.

“The drinking of tea not only became a social event for the upper classes, it altered the time and manner in which they took tea,” U.K. site Afternoon Tea explains. “Afternoon Tea became the bridge between meals because many wouldn't eat their evening meal until maybe 8pm. As such, Afternoon Tea became a 'mini meal' in itself.”

The site further explained that the tradition of drinking tea in the afternoon soon trickled down to the working masses, only on a slightly different schedule.

“A wearied factory worker wouldn't arrive home until six in the evening, and when he did, he was famished,” the site explained. “Thus, in the industrial areas of the U.K. (northern England and southern Scotland), the working classes evening meal evolved: high tea.”

Luckily for Americans interested in taking part (and according to the American Tea Association there are a lot of you), there are plenty of places to do so.

To help you identify the very best places to sip your tea, Yelp compiled a list of the best places for high tea all around the nation. Keep scrolling to learn where you should go and tip a glass in honor of Meghan and Harry.

  1. Davis, CA: Tea List
  2. San Francisco, CA: The Rotunda
  3. Atlanta, GA: Tipple & Rose Tea Parlor and Apothecary
  4. Stony Brook, NY: Robinson's Tea Room
  5. Las Vegas, NV: Tea Lounge
  6. Plymouth, MI: Sweet Afton Tea Room
  7. Gold Hill, OR: The Teapot on Wheels
  8. Chicago, IL: Palm Court
  9. Miami FL: Cauley Square Tea Room
  10. Granite, MD: The Granite Rose Tea Parlour
  11. San Antonio, TX: Madhatters Tea House & Cafe
  12. Oviedo, FL: The Lemon Lily Tea Room & Bakery
  13. Georgetown, CO: Dusty Rose Tea Room
  14. Denver, CO: House of Commons
  15. Phoenix, AZ: Tipsy Tea Party
  16. Rockville Centre, NY: Chat Noir
  17. Richardson, TX: Bangkok At Beltline
  18. Salem, MA: Jolie Tea Company
  19. Toms River, NJ: 600 Main Bed & Breakfast and Victorian Tea Room
  20. Oak Park, IL: Serenitea Cafe and Boutique
  21. Scottsdale, AZ: Lobby Tea Court at the Phoenician
  22. Annapolis, MD: Reynolds Tavern
  23. Anoka, MN: The Mad Hatter
  24. 24 Ann Arbor, MI: TeaHaus
  25. Philadelphia, PA: Mary Cassatt Tea Room
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