TL;DR:
- ☕️ BEST Afternoon Tea in Atlanta: Three courses from the savories to the sweet to those scones—and of course, the tea!
- 🍑 Fancy Food with Southern Twist: They keep the classic cucumber and smoked salmon, but you’ll also discover sweet cornbread and georgia peaches.
- 🍾 Ask for Bubbly: For an extra charge, add your choice of champagne to elevate the experience!
- 👗 A Bougie Experience: Dress a little fancier than your Sunday Best–think Kentucky Derby, hats included if you want!
- 🕒 Plan Ahead: This experience only comes around once a year, so set your notifications or you’ll miss it!
Introduction
Colorful flowers, soft music, the scent of lemon and luxury. Welcome to the Afternoon Spring Tea at Ritz Carlton Atlanta. An afternoon tea experience that combines the classic ritual of a three course afternoon tea with southern charm and flavor. Bite into unexpectedly fun tastes while sipping on tea with your pinky up.
A Note to the Reader: This Author doesn’t normally insert herself in a date review, but this particular review is…special. One, this author has sampled multiple afternoon tea experiences all over the world. Two, this author has sampled multiple afternoon tea experiences in Atlanta, GA So trust when she says the Afternoon Spring Tea at Ritz Carlton Atlanta is the best afternoon tea experience in the city and one of the best on the East Coast. And a wonderful date idea for you and bae OR for you and friends OR for you and Mama.
What is Afternoon Spring Tea at Ritz Carlton Atlanta?
Let’s start with What is Afternoon Tea? Set in London, England. The year: 1840. Some time between lunch and dinner, Anna, Duchess of Bedford, found herself hungry…and so she rang for tea with a plate of bread, butter, and cake. Simple and satisfying. Soon, she began inviting her friends over to enjoy the experience with her and, voila! Afternoon tea was born.
NOTE: While an afternoon tea experience originates in the UK, the custom of casually drinking tea comes from China.
Now, What is the Afternoon Spring Tea at Ritz Carlton Atlanta? An annual event hosted by the hotel, this 2-hour afternoon tea experience generally begins in April and runs through Mother’s Day. Held only on Saturdays at 12pm and 3pm, you must make reservations and this author suggests you make them quickly—spots fill up faster than you can pour a cup of earl gray.
Costs: $80 per person, $98 for the Royal Tea if you’re feeling fancier (includes champagne) and $45 for children 3-12 years old. You can park at the Ritz Carlton Atlanta or there is a lot across from the entrance; park for 2 hours for free, till midnight for $20.
The Experience
Several luxury hotel brands across the globe feature an afternoon tea experience, but no one does Afternoon Tea like the Ritz! After being escorted in, you’ll enter beneath an orange blossom arch, the room opening into an array of round tables, warm lighting, and an elaborate floral arrangement at the back for pictures. Have a seat and prepare to be served!
Traditional afternoon tea experience begins with your tea selection, then three courses: Savories (generally finger sandwiches, but these have become more elaborate and creative over the centuries), Sweets (exactly how it sounds, from the simple to the unique), and Scones. The first two courses are served on a wooded plate framed by a gorgeous cherry blossom tree.
- Tea Selection: Six total from their Rare Tea Cellar: two black teas, an oolong, a green tea, a rooibos, and one chamomile
- Savories: Four in total including an egg salad over sweet cornbread and crispy corn that will have you licking your lips and a prosciutto over brioche with truffle cream.
- Sweets: Five total (one uniquely placed in the cherry blossom tree). A standout is a deliciously rich strawberry-lavander profiterole (cream puff); you will swear nothing so fancy could ever taste so good!
Scones: Two—one vanilla bean (this author’s favorite) and a Georgia peach. Brought out fresh and warm, believe this author when she says warm scones have no equal. Served with fruity jam, clotted cream, and lemon curd. If you did not know, this is the best part.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- You can sample multiple tea selections! This feature is rare in the US.
- Royal Tea includes unlimited champagne with strawberries and cream.
- An excellent experience for your fancy and colorful spring clothes.
- If you miss the Afternoon Spring Tea in April/May, the Ritz hosts a similar tea around Christmas.
- Can be reserved for parties up to 8 people
Cons
- Limited availability—only offered on Saturdays at 12pm and 3pm, April through Mother’s Day. And when it’s over…you gotta wait a year before she comes back.
- Limited tea selection: There is a wide variety (which this author found pleasing), but generally six is too small a sample for an afternoon tea.
- Some may find the price to be elevated for the experience. From this author’s perspective, $80 is pretty average.
Tips and Recommendations
- Follow @ritzcarltonatlanta on Instagram and turn on your notifications. You’ll want to know the moment they open their books for Afternoon Spring Tea so you can quickly make a reservation.
- Dress UP! Make this an occasion you look great for. Don’t be afraid to be extra—afternoon tea experience is designed to be extra.
- If your bae is male and finds this date idea a little too…girly, lol, then make it a girls date. Or a Mother-Daughter date; the Afternoon Spring Tea at Ritz Carlton Atlanta is the perfect Mother’s Day gift.
Final Verdict
This author wouldn’t have believed an afternoon tea experience made for a great date—not for boy/girl couples anyway. But! Multiple couples scattered in the room proved her wrong and had a wonderful time. Spend the moment rating the food, choosing what you love best, indulging in the champagne. And don’t forget to grab a picture before you head out…
- Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐️
Oh, and here’s the best part of this fancy date: if you’re feeling really, really good after all that food and champagne, just book a room at one of the best hotel brands in the world. Where do you think this author wrote this review from?
