A review of the afternoon tea at Tea with the Duchess in New York City, from the tea and service to the courses on the 3-tiered tray.

Tea with the Duchess

Years ago, in 2017, I had gone to a similar afternoon tea in a speakeasy called Garfunkel’s so I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the Tea with the Duchess was the second iteration of that tea service. Apparently the owner of Garfunkel’s afternoon tea handed over the business to a new owner who relocated and renamed it Tea with the Duchess.

In keeping with the speakeasy vibe of Garfunkel’s, Tea with the Duchess is a little hidden and there’s just a little logo outside the door to indicate what’s inside. You have to step down a couple of steps to enter, then take the stairs up to the second floor (no elevator).

Afternoon Tea Hours

Tea with the Duchess has afternoon tea only on Saturdays and Sundays. They say there are two seating times, one at 12PM and one at 2:30PM, but I made my reservation for 1PM and I was able to without a problem. So maybe it’s more of a suggestion than a rule?

They’re open on the weekends from 12PM – 5PM with the last seating at 3PM.

Reservations

Make reservations online or text the number on their website. Once you make the reservation, you can’t change it unless you email them directly. I had to change my reservation from 12:45AM to 1PM and I had to email them. They answered pretty quickly though and without issue.

If you have any dietary restrictions, let them know at least 48 hours in advance. Children under 12 years old are not allowed.

Dress Code

No dress code is stated but I usually go with smart casual, which is looking put together and neat yet comfortable.

Tea with the Duchess Afternoon Tea Menu

Afternoon Tea
$68 per person
A pot of tea, 8 savories, 1 scone with homemade clotted cream and jam, and 3 mini sweets. You can also get a complementary glass of bubbly with your reservation.

They don’t offer vegan options and vegetarians will receive a double portion of non-meat sandwiches. The menu and prices may change at any time.

How Afternoon Tea Works at Tea with the Duchess

Tea with the Duchess only serves afternoon tea, so when I sat down at my table, I was given just a tea menu. Take a look and let the server know which tea you want to go with.

The tea came out first, followed by a 3-tier tray with the 3 courses of afternoon tea. Afternoon tea is a set menu and you can’t pick and choose what you want to eat, unless it’s a dietary restriction.

Work up the 3-tier tray and eat the sandwiches first at the bottom, then the scones in the middle tier, and finally the sweets at the top.

RELATED: Afternoon Tea Course Order

Setting: ★★★★☆

I absolutely love that the space is only for afternoon tea and there are so few places that do this. It space feels very much like Lady Mendl’s but much smaller in size. They say it’s a hidden speakeasy but there’s no secret entrance.

There is a combination of low tables and regular dining tables. I had the low table at first, but changed seats to a dining table so it would be easier to eat.

Service: ★★★★★

Service was excellent. Very kind and friendly. There was just 1 server but she was very good about making sure to quickly get anything requested, like more hot water or an extra plate.

Tea & Tea Selection: ★★★★☆

On the tea menu were 7 tea options and I wish there were more to choose from since there wasn’t one that I really wanted. I went with the ginger with peach tea which had a strong ginger flavor. The tea was a little weak.

All the teas listed were loose teas and they brought out a timer with the tea pot so we would know when the tea would be ready to drink. This was a detail I appreciated. The tea pot came out with tea strainers since it was loose tea.

Savories: ★★★☆☆

The savories were just ok. Each person gets 2 curry chicken tea sandwiches, 2 cucumber tea sandwiches, 1 deviled egg, and 1 cheese and raspberry on a cracker.

Scones: ★★★☆☆

Each person gets 1 scone and it came with homemade clotted cream and jam. I wasn’t a big fan of the homemade clotted cream since the texture threw me off. It was lumpy, like cottage cheese but it tasted fine.

Sweets: ★★☆☆☆

The sweets were a miss with me. You get 3 mini sweets per person and I didn’t love any of them. It felt like the sweets were an afterthought. The chocolate mini cupcake looked like something you can get in a pack at Whole Foods.

Overall: ★★★☆☆

It’s a cute spot but it falls a little short in food offerings at $68 per person. I wish they offered better and more food for the price.

LOCATION:
LB33 Speakeasy  
154 E 33rd Street, New York, NY, 10016