The idea was that each of the three dining rooms would offer direct access to a garden, so visitors never felt uprooted from the main attraction. It became a tea room after Huntington’s death in 1928 and underwent many changes over the years in décor and menu at times being used as more of a cafeteria. Plans to renovate, redesign and restore it had been brewing for some time, but the pandemic closure allowed them to start the project, which ultimately cost over $11 million.įarneth said what visitors to the new venue will see is about 50% the original structure, including that fireplace and the tall windows in the main tea room, and 50% new spaces like the herb room and a large rounded terrace nestled against the Shakespeare garden. “It was originally built as Henry Huntington’s billiard room,” he said, sitting by the ornately carved wooden mantle around the fireplace, “with an access to the bowling alley.” The original building dates back to 1911, when architect Stephen Farneth said it was used for a far different purpose. And of course, there is no shortage of fresh floral arrangements, culled from the gardens. The chandeliers were repurposed from the house. There is botanical art work from the Huntington’s collection. Pretty much every detail inside the soon to reopen space is a reflection of the beauty that lies outside its walls. “You feel steeped in history and nature,” Huntington’s President Karen Lawrence said. The blend of indoors and outdoors is at the heart of the redesign. “There’s fennel. There’s flowers that we harvest… We’ll be garnishing the various tiers of sandwiches and whatnot.” “We’ve got bay leaf growing along the back,” he explained, standing in the herb garden that’s next to the structure. He wanted to present a fresh take on all the favorites plus some seasonally selected features to showcase what’s in bloom. His menu for the Tea Room, which reopens on March 24, will be dynamic too. “Without a doubt, it’s a dynamic place,” he said of the Huntington. The building is surrounded by buds and blooms on all sides and executive chef Jeff Thurston said he finds no shortage of inspiration just stepping out of the kitchen. The project cost $11.2 million and was funded through philanthropic gifts.New design features three distinct dining rooms, each adjacent to a garden.Wednesday and can be made up to three months in advance The Huntington's restored and redesigned Rose Garden Tea Room reopens on May 24.*This post has been updated and revised from one that appeared originally in 2017. *Their original location is the one we went to last night, on Broad Street in Pawtuxet Village (Cranston, RI). They're also known for their crepes, so by all means, order from that part of the menu and enjoy. And if you're a neophyte when it comes to all this, the servers are usually really great about recommending which blends to try. And you won't find a more extensive menu anywhere else in the state - from more caffeinated to caffeine free, brews for energy and for chillaxing, and one that literally blooms before your eyes (called Halo Blooming Tea in case you want to give it a whirl). With their 2nd space now on Broadway in Providence, there are two locations for kicking back and decompressing over a nice hot pot of tea. The interior is all dim lighting and exotic decor, just the right combination to make you feel as though you're somewhere far away from Governor Street in Providence. We drank mint tea at Tea In Sahara though and absolutely looooved it! The owner does one heck of a Moroccan high pour when serving your tea too. Tea In SaharaĪs a rule, any drink with even the slightest hint of mint is a no go in our book. *Their other location is in Harvard Square. Just trust that they have a tea to make just about anyone feel happier, healthier, and maybe a bit more glam too (because those detox blends continue to be a thing). So many options in terms of hot or cold brews that we can't even begin to list them here. If you're lucky enough to grab a seat facing Thayer (students with laptops abound!), Tealuxe is a fab place to sip and people watch. Now, if like us, you happen to find yourself in need of some quality tea time this season, here’s a short list of other best spots in the area to plant yourself. Immediately following, we ducked into Scastea (nee The Elephant Room) down the street on Broad for some hot tea, and time to kick back and digest. Also, a ton of gluten free, vegetarian, and vegan options this year. And we really went to town, digging into salads, noodles, soups and breads, mains, and tons of delectable desserts (including Knead Doughnuts). With booths and delish eats from over 40 top restaurants, markets, and caterers in the OS. It was a veritable foody paradise last night at Rhodes on the Pawtuxet, courtesy of the RI Food Bank’s annual Empty Bowls event.
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