Upgrade your afternoon snack by taking your child out for tea (and hot chocolate and other treats). All the spots below feel “fancy” but not fussy. Many have specialty menu options for children under 12, so no one will give you a judging look for bringing tykes into the tea room.
Wenham Tea House
Where: 4 Monument St, Wenham, MA
Disney comes to the North Shore at this charming tea house, where local actors dressed as favorite characters (Elsa has been known to stop by!) visit to read stories as kids nosh on cream cheese and jam sandwiches, specialty sugar cookies, hot chocolate and lemonade. Check the schedule or call to see when your child’s favorite character will be a featured guest. The Children’s Tea Time also includes adult menu items.
Teatime service: Check schedule online or call for upcoming dates; teas are always at 3:30pm; reservations recommended.
Cost: $30 per person.
With a delicious peanut butter and jelly sandwich headlining the children’s menu, along with cookies, chocolate-dipped strawberries and a pot of hot cocoa, enjoy both a late lunch and treats during teatime in the Taj’s luxuriously decorated French Room. That would give you the perfect excuse to order the lobster profiteroles for yourself.
Teatime service: Saturday and Sunday, 1pm or 3pm; reservations recommended.
Cost: $18 for kids; $30-$50 for adults, depending on tea option chosen.
Abigail’s Tea Room & Terrace, South Boston
Boston Tea Party Museum
Where: 306 Congress Street, Boston, MA
Enjoy a side of history with your treats at this little café in the Boston Tea Party Museum. The children’s menu features mac and cheese and turkey sandwiches if you stop in for lunch; there are plenty of scones, cookies and muffins to pair with cold lemonade, warm cider or tea. “Tea ladies” dressed in colonial garb complete the historical experience. This tea room is one of the more casual experiences on our list.
Teatime service: Monday–Sunday, 11:30am-3pm.
Cost: $2 to $6.95 for tea; prices vary for other menu items.
L’Espalier Afternoon Tea, Back Bay
Upgrade your teatime at this Back Bay locale. The menu is a little more grown-up here—you’ll find smoked salmon sandwiches and wild mushroom tarts on the menu—but the teas and sweets will appeal to diners of all ages. Grown ups may also enjoy the selection of cheese plates and champagne options available. L’Espalier also hosts special occasion teas throughout the year.
Teatime service: Saturday & Sunday, 1:30-2:45pm; reservations recommended.
Cost: $55.
The Courtyard Restaurant at Boston Public Library, Copley Square
Where: 700 Boylston Street, Boston, MA
It’s easy to work up an appetite while wandering through the shelves of the historic Boston Public Library. (Plus have you seen the Children’s Room? It’s a destination in itself.) The library’s restaurant overlooks a beautiful courtyard in the McKim building, and its also a great place for busy shoppers from the Pru or Copley Place to refuel on delicious eats. The menu is classic teatime, with cucumber sandwiches, fruit tartlets and English scones.
Teatime service: Monday-Saturday, 11:30am-3:30pm; reservations recommended.
Cost: $49 for adults; $19 for kids.
Rowes Wharf Sea Grille at Boston Harbor Hotel, Downtown Boston
Where: 70 Rowes Wharf, Boston, MA
For afternoon tea with a beautiful view, you’ll want to find your way to the Boston Harbor Hotel. Available every afternoon, this classic tea is accompanied by views of the harbor and luxury yachts resting at the docks. Choose from the seasonally rotating teas, and then dine on petite sandwiches, scones and sweets like the fancy family you so clearly are (just hide the cheddar bunnies for later). Not driving home? Try one of the cocktails to take your tea to the next level.
Teatime service: Daily, 2:30-4pm.
Cost: $45 per person; $55 with a glass of sparkling rosé.
