The best restaurants for holiday tea: elegance in Dallas, simplicity in Fort Worth
Afternoon tea is a bargain.
But holiday tea is expensive.
Depending on the level of decoration, a leisurely December afternoon tea can cost as little as $35 for two, or as much as $200.
Here’s a look at afternoon teas, including some Dallas destinations worth a look:
Restaurant DeGolyer
The best availability for a special holiday tea is at the Restaurant DeGolyer, the restaurant inside a 1930s designer home in the Dallas Arboretum, 8625 Garland Road (Texas 78), Dallas.
The DeGolyer is serving tea at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. every day, and has good availability for $62 on the heated outdoor patio.
The more coveted indoor tables are available only after Christmas, for $69.
But who doesn’t need a relaxing afternoon the week after Christmas?
The menu starts with chestnut-cranberry soup, followed by tea sandwiches, pastries and scones, with chestnut, currant or Earl Grey teas.
The prices include the Arboretum and its Christmas Village, along with parking. Allow for the 10-minute walk from parking; 214-515-6511, dallasarboretum.org.
Kimbell Café
The Kimbell Art Museum, 3333 Camp Bowie Blvd., has turned a simple afternoon tea into a Fort Worth tradition.
The Kimbell Café’s tea service is an absolute bargain at $35 for two — a fraction of the price at elegant hotels. It’s booked the next few days, but reservations are available from 2 to 4 p.m. weekdays later in December and weekends after Christmas.
In some ways, the Kimbell Café tea is better than those expensive versions.
The decorations aren’t as elaborate. But the museum’s Kahn Building is beautiful.
And the Kimbell’s tea is better.
Chef Peter Kriedler serves teas carefully chosen from Texas-based Sterling Tea of Rockwall. Each extra pot is only $5, so try several.
A recent selection included ginger-peach tea, English breakfast, strawberry hibiscus, “Lone Star” chai, China black, green, Earl Grey, organic white, bourbon-pecan, chicory-spiced “Voodoo Brew” and jade oolong.
The Kimbell also has decaffeinated options to preserve the holiday serenity; 817-332-8451, kimbellart.org.
More Dallas hotels
▪ The French Room at the Adolphus, 1321 Commerce St., is Dallas’ definitive holiday tradition.
But it’s also almost completely booked.
Watch resy.com for a reservation for the $75 tea, served at midday daily. The menu includes creative items such as tandoori chicken salad tea sandwiches, vanilla chai scones and sticky toffee pudding cake. Caviar is extra.
A children’s tea is $35; 214-651-3615, adolphus.com.
▪ The Hotel Crescent Court, 400 Crescent Court, Dallas, offers its Nutcracker Holiday Tea at midday weekends.
It’s also totally booked. But if something opens up, the price is $100, or $130 with champagne, and $30 for children; 214-871-3200, crescentcourt.com.
▪ This isn’t an afternoon tea or a hotel, but the Zodiac Restaurant inside Neiman Marcus, 1618 Main St., Dallas, has reservations available until about Dec. 14 or after Dec. 26 for its $55 daily holiday lunch buffet; neimanmarcus.com.
Also in Fort Worth
▪ Maiden, 1216 Sixth Ave., offers a vegan afternoon tea service Saturdays for $55, $35 for children, both with unlimited teas.
The only noticeable difference is that the plant-based tea sandwiches are made with cashew-butter pimiento “cheese,” say, or chickpea, The sweets and breads are comparable.
Maiden, a fine-dining vegan restaurant, has tables available at midday Saturdays in December and will expand the tea in January to both weekend days; 817-953-8327, maidenvegan.com.
▪ La Lotería, 122 E. Exchange Ave. in Mule Alley, offers a $70 afternoon tea from 2:30 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays in December.
Chef Tim Love offers tea and trays filled with sandwiches, sweets and Godiva profiteroles, all served in what is usually a private club at Tannahill’s Tavern.
Reservations are required; 817-682-5224, laloteriaftx.com.
▪ The Ashton Hotel, 610 Main St., is booked solid December for its $60 Saturday tea and “Teddy Bear Tea.” It’s weekly all year, so try January; 817-332-0100, theashtonhotel.com.
