Charming yet modern at the same time.
Thinking of a tea shop, two things automatically come to mind: British people and elderly women in groups sipping tea and nibbling on biscotti in the late afternoon in some stuffy hotel lounge. Alice’s Tea Cup, however, completely shattered that dusty, antiquated image and made me see tea in a hip new light. Created by sisters Hailey and Lauren Fox, Alice’s Tea Cup is a tea shop with three locations across the city. After visiting all three, I believe the crown jewel of the branch is “Chapter 1” located on the Upper West Side, just three blocks west from Central Park. The store is fun and welcoming from the get go. Upon entering, guests are greeted by young employees working in the bakery portion, which encompasses the first section of the store. Here, one can select: tea drinks from a huge selection, espresso blends and daily specials of homemade scones (which often include a vegan option) to bring home.
But the real charm is experienced only by sitting down at one of the tables. Alice’s takes no reservations on weekends and from 10:30 a.m., it is completely packed. During my first time, I committed the faux pas of attempting to be seated on a Sunday at 11:30 a.m. Beyond the bakery section are two dining rooms with a border running along the walls containing quotes from Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland. The tables appear as if they have been set by the Mad Hatter himself. Each Victorian style tea cup and saucer is mixed as a non-matching pair from different tea sets, as well as the tables and chairs from different sets. I was lucky to be seated at the treasure trove table, where a glass case full of Alice in Wonderland memorabilia is displayed. The only standard part of each table setting, is the tea pots in different shades of pastels and goblet-inspired water glasses. Such somewhat random décor adds immense character to the restaurant. Guests feel that tea service can be trendy yet immersed in everyday life, not restricted to fancy or uptight occasions.
Upon sitting down, each diner is given two menus. One is the tea menu with an extensive list of teas, grouped by white, green and black. It can seem somewhat overwhelming since the tea selection is quite large, but the servers are extremely helpful when I explained my lack of experience with tea and love of cappuccinos. We narrowed down to a chocolate chai for its creamy taste. I fell in love and bought some to take home. The food menu spans from eggs, brioche bread French toast, to both sweet and savory crepes. Both lunch and brunch menus include delectable sandwiches and soups. For blue cheese lovers, it is essential that you try the Alice’s B.L.T., which is toasted pumpernickel bread filled with spinach, blue cheese and bacon. If you can only make it to Alice’s once during a visit to NYC, it’s essential to go with “The Nibble,” which includes one pot of tea, choice of a scone, a sandwich and an assortment of mini cookies. It’s served on a three-tier plate set, so guests can experience a traditional tea service but with just the right amount of food.
I left that Sunday morning happy and content with a newfound love of tea time. I enjoyed it so much that I even dared to bring my British girlfriends for another Sunday visit. They, too, loved it; gushed about its charm yet modern at the same time.
Alice’s Tea Cup, Chapter I, is located at 102 West 73rd St. on the Upper West Side (just a five minute walk from Central Park.) It is open daily from 8 am – 8 pm. The breakfast menu is served Mondays thru Fridays 8 am – 11:30 am. Brunch with the same menu, is served from 8 am – 3 pm on the weekends. Lunch and supper menu is served from 11 am to close everyday.
Article written by Molly Mitchell.
