Lisa’s Tea Treasures is located in Santana Row, facing the Valencia Building. With multiple locations in the Bay Area, Lisa’s is a gem you will want to experience at least once in your college years. The ornately decorated shop serves hot tea accompanied with small, but filling, pastries. Since Lisa’s is on the expensive side, Spoon advises you choose a companion to split the course with you.
Photo by Valerie Tsai
The moment you walk in, you are welcomed by the storekeeper behind the counter, along with glass displays showcasing Victorian tea sets and other quaint accessories. This place is a highly popular tea room with ladies, so you may want to make a reservation beforehand to claim a spot.
A waitress dressed in a Victorian era maid uniform then takes you to your seat. The tea room is decorated with European-styled paintings and an intricate chandelier, reflecting the traditional afternoon tea culture.
After perusing the menu, we selected their most popular tea set: The Duchess’ Delight ($24.95), which includes cucumber-mint tea sandwiches, a fresh apple scone, a ham-and-egg quiche and Boysenberry tea.
Photo by Valerie Tsai
When pouring your tea, don’t forget to use the strainer they provide, so the steeped tea leaves don’t fall into your teacup.
Photo courtesy of Kathy Lee
Lisa’s provides customers with different toppings for your scone. You can select fruit jam, custard sauce or Devonshire cream. Spoon tip: Get either the Devonshire cream or the fruit jam to bring out the best flavors in the scone.
Photo courtesy of Kathy Lee
The cucumber and mayonnaise tea sandwich features a minty flavor that offers a refreshing taste in contrast to the heavier scone and quiche.
When we stopped by, the quiche of the day was ham and egg. Each bite of the cheesy and buttery quiche worked perfectly with its crisp crust. Be warned: If you have a small stomach, this quiche will fill you up fast.
Photo by Valerie Tsai
We finished off the meal with dessert: a lemon tart. The tanginess of the lemon paired with the buttery pie crust and fresh fruits was the perfect finish to our first afternoon tea experience.
Overall, Lisa’s was a delightful experience. The tea room was sumptuously decorated, and when combined with the dainty food and tea, we felt like we were sampling tea back in the Victorian period. Lisa’s is the ideal choice for college students who want to experience something fancy while having the chance to catch up with friends, especially over the summer.