Tau
User's reviews
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The Roswell Teahouse
I've visited this teahouse before with my newspaper friend who wrote an article/ review about a year or so ago. My experience back then was satisfying - for an afternoon lunch on a weekday. However, I went back a few days ago over the weekend and the service was lacking. I shop at the farmer's market and other shops reon Buford Hwy, and I can find tea of equivalent quality and flavors. If needed, I make special requests from friends abroad to bring some tea from the off-beaten path. But that's not the point. The point is to experience tea in a cozy little place with my date - especially if we both drove 45 minutes from downtown to get to Roswell. I can understand them being busy and not receive service right after being seated. Or that we weren't a 'high priority' since me and my date weren't ordering a lot there (we already ate elsewhere in downtown Roswell for lunch). But to 1) forget our teas, and 2) not receive my dessert cake until the tea was almost gone is a serious lapse in service. Eating cake with a tea that has cooled to room temperature is insulting. Even though there were 'free refills' on the tea, I was annoyed enough with the lack of service and left without finishing my pot. In the end, that wasn't a place for us anyways, and maybe even you if you're younger than 65. This is definitely not a place to bring a date or a place to hang out after lunch. If you' a tea purist, there are better and exciting finds on Buford Hwy Asian grocery shops. The lack of service makes Starbucks seems stellar. Maybe they were having a bad day, but in business, you never have a bad day in front of a customer.
Tearoom response:
Hi, I am so sorry about the service, I will certainly take it up with my staff. I do have to add that we were completely at full capacity on Saturday and when that happens we kindly have to ask for your patience at certain times. However, if your tea was getting cold you can always ask for a hot refill at any time, as you know we give unlimited refills and unlimited flavors, so you can take your time and do your own tea tasting from our wide selection of 100 teas.
I certainly do not seek to compete with buford highway, since we are a very diffrent type of business, our teas are carefully selected from several direct importers and carry one of the largest tea menu in the Atlanta area.
The comparison with Starbucks....their business model is to serve as many cups of coffee at a high speed rate (the fast-food version for coffee and tea). We absolutely have a complete different business philosophy and are part of the 'slow-food' movement. To eat dessert and drink a cup of tea, one should NOT be paced by time.
Anyway, I sincerely hope you give us another chance, I know you will not regret!
carine (owner/chef)