What to Serve at Your Next Tea Party
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Developing the menu is half the fun of throwing a tea party! If you are considering hosting a tea party (maybe for the first time!), it may seem a bit overwhelming to create the perfect menu. We’ve got you covered with our favorite menu items here! Once the menu is set, we also recommend asking each guest to contribute to the meal (a sort of potluck) to evenly distribute the contributions.
Keep it fun, and remember that the menu can be whatever you want it to be! We have hosted everything from afternoon teas, cream teas, soup and tea, cookie exchanges, brunches, and more!
How to Select the Perfect Tea
We recommend offering a variety of tea selections (both regular and decaf) to ensure there is something for everyone. We typically ensure we have 3-4 teas to offer at our tea parties. English breakfast tea is a classic and traditional choice that we recommend always having available. This tea is available in both caffeinated and decaf varieties. Depending on the occasion and time of year, you may also consider offering flavored teas that match the occasion. For example, an apple and cinnamon spice tea or herbal tea pairs beautifully with an Autumn tea party. Mint, orange, and chai teas are great for winter teas, while lemon, strawberry, and cherry-flavored teas are great in the summer.
The quality of the tea you purchase is also an important consideration.
We highly recommend Taylors of Harrogate tea, which you can usually find at your local grocery store or on Amazon. The links below will take you to some of our favorites that you can find on Amazon:
Consider purchasing a tea sampler to easily provide options for your guests. Harney & Sons offers an Assorted Tea Bag Sampler that is sure to include something that will appeal to everyone at your tea party!
Misty Mountain Tea Shop on Etsy offers delicious, high-quality teas with fast delivery. We especially enjoy their black teas, so we have lots of recommendations for certain flavors below! This shop also offers tea samples, herbal teas, oolong teas, Rooibos tea, and so much more!
Some of our favorite black teas include:
Creamy Vanilla Black Tea - great for any time of year!
Peppermint Vanilla Black Tea - this tea is great for a winter tea party!
Elderberry Black Tea - a great way to welcome summer!
Peach Apricot Black Tea - ideal for a spring or summer tea!
Strawberry Lemon Tea - a big hit in the spring and summer!
Apple Spice Black Tea - a delicious addition to an Autumn tea party (though we drink it all year!).
Black Forest Chocolate Cherry Tea - enjoy any time of year, but this is especially comforting in the winter!
Winter Wonderland Mulled Spice Black Tea - the name says it all!
The Great Pumpkin Spice Tea - we believe Snoopy would approve….
You can see their full list of green teas here.
Check out their extensive herbal tea offerings here.
For special events, we highly recommend Pleine Lune tea, a flavored tea from France. Pleine Lune translates to “Full Moon” in English, and the combination of vanilla, almond, hazelnut, and notes of honey makes this tea truly incredible. It is available online here.
Don’t forget to also provide whole milk (or almond milk for dairy-free guests) and sugar cubes!
There is just something fun about having sugar cubes at a tea party! We highly recommend offering a combination of white sugar cubes and Demerara sugar cubes. You can also find European-Style Brown Sugar Cubes here. We guarantee your guests will love them!
Build a High Tea Menu
Afternoon teas typically consist of 3 courses. If you have a 3-tiered tray, the first course goes on the bottom, the second course goes on the middle tier, and the third course goes on the top tier. If you have a 2-tiered tray, we put the first course on the bottom tier, the second course on the top tier, and the third course on a serving platter.
First course (bottom tier) - savory treats (pick 2-3 that align with your theme)
Ham & cheese egg cups or mini quiches
Stuffed mushrooms
Sandwiches: cucumber and herbed cream cheese, egg salad, chicken salad, apple butter and ham, turkey and cranberry, and more!
Crostini: toasted baguette + goat cheese + apricot jam + crushed pistachios (the varieties are endless!)
Soup varieties
Mini salads
Second course (second tier) - scones with jams and clotted cream
Scones come in many different flavors! You can usually find scones at your local grocery store or bakery.
Consider food allergies: If you have guests with food allergies or special dietary needs (gluten or dairy allergy, sugar-free, etc.), we highly recommend checking out the Bee Well Bakery LLC shop on Etsy (their second Etsy store is here, and it is the same bakery). Their baked goods are SO delicious, shipped and delivered quickly, and meet many special dietary needs. Our favorite baked goods from this shop include their High Protein Irish Soda Bread Scones, Keto Pumpkin Scones (select pumpkin or whatever flavor you want in the dropdown menu), and High Protein Pumpkin Spice Cookies (choose the flavor from the dropdown menu). When you order from Bee Well Bakery LLC, use the discount code BLOOMING10 at checkout (in either of their Etsy shops) to save 10% on your order!
Third course (third tier or platter) - sweets
Petit fours
Mini cupcakes or cake pops
Small cookies
Chocolate-covered pretzels
Chocolate-covered strawberries
Mini donuts
Mini pies or cheesecake
Quick breads: pumpkin, lemon poppy seed, etc.
Banana pudding with vanilla wafers, served in small (3-4 oz) dishes
As mentioned above, we highly recommend the Bee Well Bakery LLC shop on Etsy. Their baked goods meet many special dietary needs, including gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, paleo, AIP, keto, and sugar-free.
For a TON of High Tea Menu options, sign up to receive our newsletter and get a free PDF of our “Tea Party Checklist & High Tea Menu.” This PDF includes a full page of menu ideas for a delightful High Tea Party.
Other Menu Ideas
This is your tea party, and your menu can be whatever you want it to be! The possibilities are endless, with additional ideas including:
A brunch-themed tea party with waffles and all the “fixings,” including maple syrup, strawberry compote, homemade whipped cream, crumbled bacon, fresh fruit, chopped pecans, and mini chocolate chips.
Cookie exchange: Ask everyone to bring a designated number of their favorite cookie to share with everyone at the party. Consider asking them to bring a copy of their recipe as well! You may consider offering sandwiches or another savory food to balance out the sweets.
Soup sampler: Ask everyone to bring homemade soup for everyone at the party to sample. We offer soup bowls in our “add-on” offerings. Feel free to reach out to us to discuss further!
Friendsgiving tea: Ask everyone to contribute a Thanksgiving-themed dish (mini stuffing dishes, turkey and cranberry sandwiches, etc.).
Charcuterie board: Choose a theme for your board, and ask each guest to bring food to contribute. For example, an Autumn-themed charcuterie board might include crackers, pretzels, apple slices, caramel squares, dark chocolate squares, white chocolate-covered pretzels, ground mustard, various cheeses, and a brie wheel. Other examples include crostini, crackers, goat cheese logs, baked brie, marinated olives, apple butter, and various meats (salami, prosciutto, etc.).
Rent Your Tea Party Essentials Today
Tea parties bring people together, offering a delightful blend of tradition, culture, and enjoyment through each unique type. Whether it's the sophistication of afternoon tea, the robust offerings of high tea, or the charming simplicity of cream tea, these gatherings create memorable experiences that enrich social connections.
Enjoy a stress-free tea party by booking with Blooming Teaware Rentals - we make sure you have everything you need for a successful tea party! Delivery and table setup services are also available!