JST
User's reviews
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The English Rose Tea Room and Gifts
I am never disappointed when I go for tea at the English Rose. Hands down my absolute favorite respite for tea in the entire Bay Area. Beautiful table settings and presentation, creative and delicious food offerings, and a joy every time I go there. I can't recommend it highly enough. I do wish that they offered ALL of their teas (for purchase) in tins...it's getting a little old having the tea that I buy there be put in a paper bag.
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The Pleasanton Hotel
Taking a quick peek inside the Pleasanton Hotel tea room after having gone to The English Rose just around the corner, I didn't think that high tea in this establishment could possibly compete. I must say I think I was wrong! Though the selection of teas is quite short (I do wish there were more flavored blends) I found the food served to be fantastic. I would have appreciated some savories in place of the large number of desserts offered; however I thought the sandwich selection was exquisite and I will definitely be returning for tea here!!
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Lovejoy's Tea Room
I had very high expectations for Lovejoy’s after reading their ratings and seeing so many positive reviews for this tea room. I have been to several tea rooms in the Bay Area and this one was on my list to try. In several ways Lovejoy’s did not disappoint; however, in a few ways it did. We were seated at a lovely window table in the corner. I was delighted by this and was hoping for a table near the window. The tea room is large enough that although there was a ladies’shower going on at the same time, the noise level was not too loud and we hardly noticed the party was there at all. The sandwich selection at Lovejoy’s is quite extensive and the ones we had were very good. My girlfriend and I both chose to have the Queen’s Tea. We chose the fig and olive tapenade, the artichoke hummus, the chicken and asparagus, and the chicken apple walnut tea sandwiches. All of the sandwiches were absolutely delicious (I would skip the chicken and asparagus next time though). However, I was disappointed to see that the sandwiches were not cut uniformly. Each sandwich is cut into 4 triangular pieces, and several times, I was left with a section of sandwich that was one bite with hardly any filling in it! While this would be somewhat alright if one were going to eat the whole sandwich, it was disappointing when one is splitting all the sandwiches with their companion. Water also must be asked for – there is none at the table. The coleslaw was absolutely wonderful – I normally don’t eat it at all – I’m not a fan. But theirs was delicious. The salad was alright – it was a little odd to have the leaves scattered on the platter alongside the bowls of coleslaw and dressing and have each of us just scoop some up onto our plates, but it was fine. The rest of the food was good and plentiful, and we left very full. The one other disappointment was the décor – I was expecting something a little more refined…than what looked like left over antique items scattered over the walls. Tea related antiques would be better maybe…but it didn’t feel remotely as elegant as the pricetag would suggest. Our server was very attentive, coming 3-4 times to make sure our teapots were fresh and hot. That was very much appreciated. The tea itself was quite good. Overall a nice experience, but there are several other tearooms near to me that I prefer.