Many of you may not know I have a slight obsession with tea. I always order a cup of hot tea or a glass of sweet tea when I dine out. I’ll even go into grocery stores when I’m aboard just to look through their tea selection and buy the ones I’ve never tasted. It’s interesting to see all the flavors of tea that aren’t available in my home country. At this point, I may be a tea expert since I could tell you the most common flavors of tea in almost any country.

Due to my love of tea, I have always enjoyed the idea of having an afternoon tea in a fine dining setting. This is why for my 21st birthday, I decided a few close friends and myself should celebrate by having an Afternoon Tea. And what better place than going to one of the finest restaurants in San Francisco located on the top floor of Neiman Marcus.

I booked a reservation online because I read you need one (especially for afternoon tea). The tea service is only available during specific times so make sure you book in advance before the spots fill up.

Afternoon Tea is served daily: Sun-Thur 2:30 – 4 pm; Fri-Sat 2:30 – 5 pm

I was a bit nervous when we got there that the staff would see a bunch of 20 year olds and be rude to us. After all, we were having High Tea inside of a department store only the wealthy can afford. However, the staff was very lovely and greeted us with smiles when we walked to the front desk to be seated.

Three of us opted for the signature tea service for around $50 per person, but they also have a Grand tea service and Royal tea service. It just depends if you want wine or just tea.

Afternoon Tea Menu

4 Tea Sandwiches
Freshly Baked Scone
Fruit Preserves
Devonshire Cream
A Variety of 4 Petite Sweets

Choice of Dammann Frères Tea

I ordered the Jardin Bleu tea which is a “blend of teas from india and china, flavored with rhubarb, wild strawberry and cornflower petals.” I really enjoyed this flavor but they also have a few other flavors I would love to try in the future. They have a tea flavor for everyone, so I would recommend going with whichever flavor you gravitate towards.

Afternoon Tea at Neiman Marcus inside of the beautiful Rotunda is definitely all about the experience. It’s the perfect place to go if you want to dress up and feel wealthy with a group of close friends while sipping your tea and eating small snacks. If you’re looking to eat something more appetizing, they do have a regular menu as well. 

If you would like to have lunch or afternoon tea at The Rotunda, make your reservations by clicking here. Reservations are a must due to the restaurants popularity!

-Ayla♥