Tea Cellar, Park Hyatt Hotel

Washington, DC,  March 2014

4 out of 5 stars

The Tea Cellar has a great tea selection and food, but the space is loud.  The cost of tea is separate and not included in the afternoon tea price.

Atmosphere.  It’s not your typical afternoon tea environment.  The Tea Cellar is part of the Blue Duck Tavern, a modern and contemporary space, decorated with a combination of blonde and dark woods and chrome fixtures.  Very nice, but the plain wood tables without table clothes made me feel like I was eating at friend’s kitchen table.  There were more comfortable looking tables with couches and private spaces surrounded by glass.  I would reserve one of those tables next time.  Our table was next to the bar area and it was loud and hard for us to hear each other.  Even the wait staff couldn’t hear us when we asked questions. 


Tea/Food Quality.  The selection and the quality of tea (Rare Tea Company) are terrific.  The tea menu includes over 30 teas, divided by category, such as herbal, performance, white, and black.  They are served by the pot and vary by price, from around $8 and up, in addition to the cost of the afternoon tea.

We ordered three pots of tea for five people and that was plenty.  I recommend ordering one of the performance teas (tea blooms into a flower).   We were very pleased with our tea choices, which included underwater garden (lovely taste and smell), Japanese Gyoroku tea, and the Earl Grey (both very nice).  I am partial to Earl Grey at afternoon teas, and this was an excellent one.  Not too strong and very fragrant.  The tea was served in glass teapots. 

The Park Hyatt offers savory and sweet items on a buffet table, which is self-serve.  When we arrived, they were out of the savory items, and it took a long time until they were replenished.  That was not a problem though because we loaded our plates with desserts in the meantime.  The sweets were terrific.  We all loved the scones, orange, fruit and nut, jams and crème.  Not too sweet and a nice texture.  Others included gluten free brownies, chocolate-covered strawberries (nice), mini pear tarts (our favorite), raspberry macaroons, chocolate custard cup, mini berry tart, chocolate cookies, and apple cinnamon cake.

When we received the savory items, we were pleased.  We had mushroom soup (delicious), crab and egg salad (very nice combination), lentil and pumpkin salad, and brie with a dollop of fig jam on a baguette slice.  All were open-faced sandwiches, which seemed to go with contemporary atmosphere.

Service.  The service could be improved.  When I made the reservation, I asked if they had an afternoon tea, and was told that it was $32 per person.  However, when we arrived, they said they changed the policy and it was $40 a person without tea.  We asked to speak to a manager, and they honored the $32 price, which was appreciated.

Cost.  $40 for the sweets and savory items, and an additional cost for the tea. 

Would we go again?  Yes, but I thought it was odd that the price of afternoon tea did not include tea.  For a good cup of tea and multiple selections, this is the place to go, but for a cozy and quiet environment, I would look elsewhere.