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Afternoon tea is having a moment in California, with luxury hotels across the state putting fresh spins on the centuries-old British tradition.
At the Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows in Santa Monica, the oceanfront property serves its afternoon tea with finger sandwiches, warm scones, pastries, and Fairmont’s signature Lot 35 loose-leaf teas. The experience returned in August and is served in the hotel’s Fountain Room.
House of Dior in Beverly Hills just launched its own afternoon tea at its third floor restaurant, Monsieur Dior. It features tea, exquisitely crafted tarts, brioche, and mini sandwiches. They almost look too pretty to eat.
The Peninsula Beverly Hills has long made afternoon tea part of its identity. Served in The Living Room, its current 35th anniversary tea includes scones, pastries and Champagne, with several seatings throughout the day.
Farther south, The Resort at Pelican Hill in Newport Beach has introduced a three-part afternoon tea featuring a bread and butter cart, savory bites, and elaborate sweets. Highlights include an avocado finger sandwich with Santa Barbara uni mousse and a rotating selection of cakes.
The Langham Huntington, Pasadena connects its tea service to an even older tradition. Inspired by the original afternoon tea served at The Langham in London in 1865, the Pasadena version features savory bites, pastries, scones, and teas from around the world.
In Napa Valley, Alila Napa Valley gives the ritual an Italian-inspired wine country spin, while the historic Fairmont Breakers Long Beach takes tea to the 13th-floor Sky Room, pairing pastries and savory bites with sweeping views above the city.
From Beverly Hills to Napa, hotels are finding new ways to turn an old-fashioned afternoon pause into a destination-worthy experience. Tea time, it seems, is big time.
