The French Bakery
71 Lafayette Circle
Lafayette, CA
925-283-2226
visit website
#14
of 308in CA
Hours
Tues- Fri: 11:00am to 5:00pm
Tues- Fri: 11:00am to 5:00pm
Sat: 10:00am to 5:00pm
Sun: 11:00am to 5:00pm
Our last seating for tea is 3:30 p.m. during the week and 4:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday
Overview
We have just been voted 2009's
We have just been voted 2009's
"BEST TEA HOUSE"
in the East Bay by the readers of the East Bay Express. Thank-you!
At The French Bakery you can enjoy the relaxing ambiance of tea in a quaint old house with three separate seating areas: the Morning Room, the Dining Alcove and the Library. You can also sit down and enjoy a scone and a pot of tea, or a dessert and a Cappuccino in our Bakery Parlour or outside on our patio. We have our own awarding-winning bakery on site, and everything is made from scratch, including our Clotted cream. The only ingredient in our clotted cream is real cream.
We pride ourselves on our homemade luncheon items and our scrumptious afternoon tea fare. We have a very large tea selection of 56 different super-premium black, green, red, and white teas for you to savor at our tea house or to take home, including 24 teas direct from Marriage Frčres, Paris.
We also have a wide selection of Tea Cups, Teapots, and Teapots for One, as well as other tea related gift items.
Reviews
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Food: One afternoon I went to The French Bakery by myself on a whim after seeing it here on teamap.com(I just love tea rooms!). What a cozy and refreshing experience! The ladies there were so kind and accomodating. The tea was of such quality(vast loose leaf options) and the scones, oh. my. goodness. sooo delicious! One of the best I've had in my life. I also ordered some cake to go for my family to try(ofcourse they loved it). You must make it a point to go here to enjoy the sweet treats and sweet staff! |
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- Heather 02/06/10 |
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Tearoom Response
Hello Heather,So glad 'your whim' brought you here the other day. I acquired my scone recipe in England from a Pastry Chef who had worked for the Queen. Thanks for taking the time to write such a nice review. Lynn and The French Bakery Staff |
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Food: The French Bakery is a wonderful little jewel. The atmosphere is charming, the service attentive, and the food is simply scrumptious! I've had wonderful meals here with my Mother and also with my young daughter. It's a great place to have a relaxing lunch with a friend. Lafayette is lucky to have this place! |
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- Betsy 01/12/10 |
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Tearoom Response
Hello Betsy,Your review really touched me. It is for customers like you, and for others who have posted such nice reviews, that I have kept going through these tough economic times. Your support really means so much. Thank you. Lynn and The French Bakery |
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Food: What a wonderful place...Everything was so yummy and the service was great..We have enjoyed tea here several times in the last year and will be coming back several more times in 2010.. I bring all my out of town friends here when I want to empress them with my favorite tea house...Its such a nice warm friendly place...We love it...Thanks for being so good at what you do...Lani... |
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- Lani 01/07/10 |
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Tearoom Response
Hello Lani,Thank you so much for your wonderful review. I really appreciate your taking the time to let us know how much you enjoy The French Bakery. Lynn and The French Bakery Staff |
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Food:  My party and I had tea on the afternoon of the 'Teddy Bear Tea' and perhaps that is why the service was slow. Still, I believe in generous tips for a job well done but the waitress was often very timely and less than amiable. However the food was delicious and everyone in my party greatly enjoyed seeing the tea house appealing to a younger audience. |
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- Kristin H 12/19/09 |
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Tearoom Response
Hello Kristin,Thanks for letting us know that we can improve our service during the Holidays - always a busy time for us. Next year we are going to have more time between weekend event seatings. I am glad you enjoyed the food. Lynn and The French Bakery Staff |
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Food: I use to love this place when it was Lisa’s tea treasures. I recently went here for the holidays with my daughter and some friends. We were seated at our table and our server didn’t arrive for another 15 minutes (only 3 other tables were occupied). When our server arrived, I explained that one of the children didn’t eat PB&J and asked for a plain cream cheese sandwich. Our food arrived about 20 minutes later (still no tea) and there was a cream cheese sandwich with jelly on it. When I inquired if the sandwich had jelly on it and the server said that it didn’t, I then pulled the bread apart and saw that there was jelly on it. The server then debated with me what the child would and would not eat and what the kitchen would and would not prepare. How difficult is it to slap two pieces ... (more) |
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- Sandra 12/13/09 |
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Tearoom Response
Hello Sandra,I am sorry to hear that you did not enjoy your experience here yesterday. Prior to the event you pre-ordered a specially made egg salad child's tea sandwich which we had ready with the food that was served to your table. Unfortunately, you did not let us know that you no longer wanted your pre-ordered sandwich, and that you wanted a different sandwich for your other child as well until after you had already been served. The other child in your party initially received the advertised cream cheese and jam sandwich, but this was returned with a request for PB&J. We changed both sandwiches for you at no additional cost. However, this did take time, since we also had other tables in other rooms to serve. Finally, we did not tell anyone that we were having costumed professional carolers, but rather, as advertised in our flier, to join us in singing some favorite Christmas carols. So once again, I apologize that we did not meet your expectations, but I feel that we did go out of our way to fill your last minute order changes on a very busy day. |
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Food: I went for a late lunch with wine, not tea. The tearoom is charming with Victorian decor and the service was outstanding. Even though they had served their Dickens Tea earlier, Cathy still accommodated our group of 7 without a reservation and made us feel so welcome. The food and wine were excellent for all of us. I definitely recommend this place. |
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- Sandra C. 12/09/09 |
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Tearoom Response
Hello Sandra,Thank you for your kind words. Cathy really enjoyed serving your group too. Happy Holidays - Lynn & The French Bakery Staff |
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Food: Excellent food (the 3-cheese & chili quiche was outstanding), tea, wine & service. Were able to squeeze our large group in and everything was wonderful. Can't wait to go back!! |
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- D. Troxell 12/07/09 |
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Tearoom Response
I am glad we were able to fit your group in yesterday and that you enjoyed yourselves so much. Thanks for also be patient while we readied the table for you.Lynn and The French Bakery Staff |
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Food: I really enjoyed having tea at your place. The ambient was so relaxing and the tea cups so cute! All of my friends enjoyed it and we're planning to go back again. |
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- Sonia Lee 12/04/09 |
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Tearoom Response
Hello Sonia,Thank you for your lovely review. I think we have created a very special place for afternoon tea and I am glad you and your friends enjoyed your time here. Lynn and The French Bakery Staff |
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Food: High tea at the French Bakery was exquisite. They offer a wide variety desserts and teas. Their lemon curd and scones are amazing! |
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- Kristin H. 11/29/09 |
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Tearoom Response
Hello Kristin,Thank you for letting us know how much you enjoyed your visit. We look forward to serving you again. Lynn and The French Bakery Staff |
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Food: Excellent tea choices and food choices. Service was also excellent (very attentive and sweet). On a warm day, eat outside. Great location. Dessert is to die for. We are luck to have a place like this in Lamorinda. |
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- Laura Walsh 11/21/09 |
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Tearoom Response
Hello Laura,Thank you for being so appreciative of our food and service and for taking the time to write such a lovely review. Lynn and The French Bakery Staff |
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Food: I was one of this Tea House's customer. The cakes are so good! The decoration is very cute! Unfortunately, the service and the welcome are really deteriorating. Couple weeks ago, I went for a tea during a thursday afternoon (around 3pm). I was the only customer. It took the waitress 45 minutes to bring my tea. 5 minutes more and I was going to leave. Then I came back another day. It was 4:40pm at my watch. I wanted to sit to have a tea. The staff told me that I couldn't because it will close in 20 minutes. 20 MINUTES. First, I could have been finished at 5pm if my tea was served in 5 minutes. Then, when a business says that it closes at 5pm , it means that customers have to be served until 5pm. If the business stops serving at 4:30pm then it has to let the customers know that it closes at 4:30pm. Refusing serving a customer because the tea house closes in 20 minutes isnot acceptable. I am sure that I can find another excellent bakery and tea house in the Bay area with a better customer service. |
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- Mary 11/19/09 |
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Tearoom Response
Hello Mary,Thank you so much for your review. I am glad you think highly of our food. Unfortunately I have had a few staff shortages of late, and I apologize that you have received less than satisfactory service. I certainly want to offer you a complimentary cream tea to try and make up for your having to wait so long for your tea. With regard to our hours of service, we are a bakery and a tea room, and our bakery stays open a bit later than the tea room. We stop serving afternoon tea at 3:30 during the week, and generally stop serving pots of tea around 4:30 since people generally want to linger at least a half hour over their tea. I hope you were offered a cup of tea to go when you came in at 4:40 p.m. Lynn and The French Bakery Staff |
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Food: The most delicious food I have ever eaten anywhere is the chili relleno quiche at the French Bakery. Amazingly rich and luscious, don't compare it to other quiches or chili rellenos. Just enjoy it for what it is, a most marvelous dish. Walk around Lafayette and go back on your diet tomorrow. |
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- Ann 11/18/09 |
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Tearoom Response
Hello Ann,Thank you for your wonderful endorsement! Glad you like the quiche. Lynn and The French Bakery Staff |
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Food: My friend and I had a lovely time here yesterday. The decor is very nice without being fussy. There was a huge list of teas to choose from and the food was absolutely delicious. I will definitely be back soon. Roxanne P. |
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- Roxanne Phillips 11/05/09 |
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Tearoom Response
Hello Roxanne,Thank you so much for your review. We are glad you had such a good time here with your friend. Lynn and The French Bakery Staff |
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Food: We wandered into the French Bakery when we were looking for parking for the restaurant next door. We will be coming back regularly now! So glad we came in. It is a cozy, relaxing, happy little place with teas and food to die for! I had a lovely warm chevre spinach salad, and my daughter & husband had delicious sandwiches with a fantastic split pea soup. Don't pass up the dessert menu! We had the ice cream sundae in a teacup! There are also lots of interesting goodies tastefully displayed all around the teahouse that you can purchase. My 6-year old daughter was in heaven! |
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- Cindy Francisco 10/18/09 |
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Tearoom Response
Hello Cindy,I am glad you and your family wandered in the other day. Thanks for your lovely review. Lynn and The French Bakery Staff |
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Food: My husaband and I had Lunch at the French Bakery last Sunday. It was an enjoyable experience together with an excellent meal. The French Bakery brings offers good food and delicious desserts in a relax and elegant surroundings. |
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- Dr. Luisa F. Hansen 10/18/09 |
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Tearoom Response
Hello Dr. HansenWe really appreciate your review, and we are glad you had an excellent meal here. Lynn and The French Bakery Staff |
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Food: Wonderful! Wonderful! Wonderful! Delicious quiche and scones with great service and a HUGE selection of loose leaf teas to choose from. |
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- Wanda P 10/15/09 |
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Tearoom Response
Thanks Wanda for your 'wonderful' review. Lynn and The French Bakery Staff |
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Food: They have so many teas I couldn't begin to remember (except sugarbush--couldn't forget that). The little sandwiches are great and the scones fabulous. This is a bakery so the many sweets are out of the world. |
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- Linda Servis 10/03/09 |
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Tearoom Response
Dear Linda,Thank you so much for your compliments, and especially for taking the time to write your review. Lynn and The French Bakery Staff |
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Food: I had a delicious lunch at the French Bakery Teahouse. The egg salad sandwich was so fresh and good that I had the 4 tea sandwiches for dessert, which were also soooo good! I love relaxing with my favorite apricot tea in the beautifully decorated, very clean, peaceful Teahouse. Gina and Cathy were so friendly and helpful in explaining the menu as well as the history of the Teahouse. I talked to Gina afterwards and she was so knowlegeable, warm and welcoming, a definite asset to the French Bakery Teahouse. I am so glad we have such a nice Teahouse in Lafayette. I will be back with a friend the next time. |
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- Mary 10/02/09 |
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Tearoom Response
Hello Mary,Thank you for your kind words. It was very nice to meet you yesterday. I hope to see you again soon. Lynn, Cathy, and Gina |
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Food: What can I say about this place other than you have to experience tea here. The sandwiches were fresh, and they had plenty of filling unlike some other places where they all have too much mayo, or just a smear of filling. The tea I ordered was brewed just right, and the waitress Cathy was very helpful. I also really enjoyed the scone - one of the best I have ever had, and you can tell that the desserts are made there. In a lot of places you just get a purchased petit four cake. This place is a gem. Long may it live. |
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- Lisa K. 09/25/09 |
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Tearoom Response
Hello Lisa,Thank you for taking the time to write your lovely review. Lynn and The French Bakery Staff |
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Food: I love the French Bakery and take all my friends there! I love introducing people to the art of afternoon tea and this place does an awesome with food, atmosphere and service. Please go and try it for yourself! |
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- AnninaP 09/18/09 |
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Tearoom Response
Dear Annina,Thank you so much for your review. You are a valued customer. It is so nice of you to bring in so many of your friends to our Tea House. Lynn and The French Bakery Staff |
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Food: I visited last week for the first time with a friend who is a regular customer. I really enjoyed the relaxed and friendly service, and my lunch was wonderful. I ordered the roasted veggie sandwich which came stacked with marinated eggplant, zucchini, red peppers, feta cheese and portabella mushrooms. I am not a vegetarian, but I could become one with this sandwich. Yum! I had a hazelnut mousse (can't remember the exact name) for dessert and it was to die for. If they had had another one, I would have taken it home. Next time I am going to have the apple tart tatin. I will definitely be back. |
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- Squiggle 09/17/09 |
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Tearoom Response
Hello Squiggle,The dessert you loved so much is called the Hazelnut Croquant. I am glad you really enjoyed your meal here. Lynn and The French Bakery Staff |
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Food: This tea house is my absolute favorite of all the Tea Houses in the Bay area. I have been here 4 times now. The scones here are definitely the best, snd the clotted cream is heavenly! There are no Costco frozen items served here. There is also a huge selection of loose leaf teas. My favorite is Eros from Mariage Freres in Paris. Long live The French Bakery & Tea House. |
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- Carol Daniel 09/17/09 |
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Tearoom Response
Dear Carol,Thank you so much for your review. We pride ourselves on the high quality of our food. My scone recipe was given to me by an English Pastry Chef who was the youngest chef ever to work for the Queen. We look forward to seeing you again soon. Lynn and The French Bakery Staff |
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Food: We just had my daughters 8th birthday party here with a total of 8 girls and their American Girl dolls. It was a fun experience, the girls and moms loved it. The food was prepared just to an 8-year-old's liking. The tea was delicious, and the scones to die for! The girls had the entire 'library room' for their party but enjoyed peeking in all of the different areas. The staff was exceptional and made certain we had everything we desired. |
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- Kelly 08/17/09 |
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Tearoom Response
Hello Kelly,I am so glad you and your girls had such a good time at The French Bakery. Lynn and The French Bakery Staff |
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Food: I have been bringing my grandaughters to this tearoom for many years now. It has changed hands and names a few times now.I still stuck with it.The teahouse hold many fond memories for us.The Christmas teas and other specialty teas were always a must attend for us.I have got to know the staff over the years.We certainly missed Doreen when she left but were over joyed that our favorite waitess Cathy stayed on.We requested her everytime and always got a warm friendly smile and great service from her.Sadly the teahouse went through some changes and she no longer worked there.We stopped in recently and to our surprise there she was!We will be coming back on a regular basis. |
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- Susan 08/09/09 |
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Tearoom Response
Dear Susan,Thank you for your wonderful review. I am very happy to have Cathy back where she belongs too. I hope to meet you on your next visit. Lynn and The French Bakery Staff |
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Food: Anita is gone! She was the person that held the 'front of house' together. Without her the service is really lacking. So lacking it takes away from the good food and quality teas offered. I don't plan to go back. The owner needs to step up her customer service. |
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- Tea Cat 08/07/09 |
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Tearoom Response
Dear Tea Cat,I am sorry to hear that you were disappointed with the service you received here the other day. We were very sad when Anita left to move into her new house and plan her wedding, but luckily I was able to hire Cathy who has 11 years of Tea House experience, and who also worked here for several years when it was Lisa's Tea Treasures. As you know everyone can have a 'off' day. Friendly and knowledgeable service is our number one goal, so I hope you will give us another chance, especially since you still consider our food to be good and you like the high quality of our teas. Please have a pot of tea on us as a further enticement to return. Lynn and Staff |
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Food: The French Bakery is one of the better tea rooms in the bay area. It had been at least a year since my last visit to this establishment, and I was pleased to see that it was doing well. All 3 seating areas were filled with patrons enjoying an afternoon tea. I definitely recommend calling in advance to make a reservation. I ordered the $18 Parisian tea which included 4 different types of tea sandwiches. On the day that I went, I was served egg salad, chicken tarragon, ham and cheese, and cucumber. For savories, I was served a profiterole stuffed with mushrooms and a spanokopita. The desserts were bite size pieces of cheesecake, poppy seed pound cake, and chocolate cake. The scone was delicious. By far the best scone I have ever eaten at a tea room. Apparently, the own... (more) |
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- mdb 03/24/09 |
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Food: I hadn't been here in a couple of years, but was very excited to return. Sadly, my experience at The French Bakery wasn't nearly as memorable as my previous visits, when it wasn't the French Bakery. I remember there being a waitress named Anita on my prior visit who was warm and friendly. I hope she hasn't left, because her charming service and tea-knowledge was sorely missing the day I was there. The portions were quite a bit smaller than before, though the desserts were just as good as I remember. For the price, I will probably not be back and continue going to my other favorite tea spot in Pleasanton. |
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- tea gal 03/12/09 |
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Food: I recently had a luncheon here with a friend. The quiche is absolutely delicious and the best I have ever tasted. I had peach tea, perfectly brewed. I will definitely be back again. I purchased scones to bring home to share with my boyfriend. The scones are very good. I highly recommend a visit to the French Bakery as time well spent. |
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- Catherine 02/27/09 |
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Food: My family and I have tea almost weekly, travelling far and wide to try different places both at home, on vacations, and abroad. The French Bakery Teahouse is by far our favorite. The perfectly brewed, highest quality Mariage Frere teas, the best scones you will ever experience, the fluffiest and most flavorful quiches will be found here. The service is warm, genuine and friendly. Every visit is a pleasure. You can't go wrong. Hmm...I just hope it won't be too difficult for me to get a seat after I've shared this with Teamap visitors. |
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- Anna 02/25/09 |
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Food: What a lovely place to have tea. A friend took me here last week and it is adorable. The waitress was really knowledgeable about the many different kinds of tea served and the food was delicious - especially the scone and the clotted cream was the closest I have had to the real thing since England. I will definitely be back. |
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- Annie 02/16/09 |
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