If you were a fan of Alice in Wonderland or Mary Poppins as a kid, you might’ve wanted to host a tea party of your own. There’s something about the sophistication of tea that draws people in and makes them want to talk with British accents. Whatever the reason, some kids are really into serving make-believe tea to their stuffed animals.
Photo by Christina Robinson
If you ever found yourself drawn to the idea of dressing up and sharing conversation over tea biscuits and honey pots, The Lincoln Tea Room in West Chester will bring your childhood dreams to life. Imagine you and a couple real life friends, drinking real life tea and eating real life tea biscuits (fake British accent optional). Here’s how a friend and I made the most of our real life tea party.
Photo by Christina Robinson
For all of you history buffs, this tea room is located in one of West Chester’s most historic buildings. The first ever biography of Abraham Lincoln was written right in the attic of the same building. Tours of the building are still done through the Borough so make sure to ask the staff if you’re interested.
My friend and I recently heard about this place and, as a couple of tea enthusiasts, were anxious to check it out. Since the room is in the basement of the building, we walked down the stairs into a dimly lit room that smelled like popurrí. On first impression, it looked exactly like what you could imagine Abraham Lincoln’s Great Aunt’s dining room looked like. Beautiful linens were draped over the backs of chairs, candles and little glass containers of candies were snuggled on lace doilies throughout the room, and shelves of knick knacks took up real estate in each corner. It felt exactly like the kind of place you’d want to go for a relaxing cup of tea. We were greeted by the lovely owner of The Lincoln Room herself, Amy. She was very welcoming as she showed us to our table and helped us decipher the long list of teas they served by the pot.
Photo by Christina Robinson
We had a hard time deciding which teas to try, but we finally landed on a black tea blend named Paris and a blend of four black teas. I suggest getting a pot of tea per person. Each pot of tea gave us about four cups, which was plenty for each of us to have our fill and try each other’s. Both teas were refreshing and delicious. As if the decor of the tea room wasn’t enough to make you want to visit grandmom, the honey came in pots and the sugar in cubes. It was adorable and classy and made us feel like such ladies.
Photo by Christina Robinson
We got a complimentary plate of fresh fruit at the table, and each dish came with a small side. We ordered a couple soups and scones for lunch, which came in even cuter little dishes. Amy made the food herself, and you could definitely taste the difference. The chicken noodle soup was incredibly flavorful with thick noodles and tender chicken (literally chicken noodle soup for the soul). For the scones, Amy brought us Devonshire cream (like a less-sweet whipped cream typically served with scones) and lemon curd. Ask to try their house-made whipped cream. It’s like nothing you’ll ever try out of a can.
Before you leave, make sure to check out the bathroom. Amy is pretty proud of her collection of Lincoln memorabilia, and the bathroom’s the main stage. We probably stayed a little too long, but it’s hard to walk away from a warm cup of tea, great company, and presidential trinkets.