Julia Faye Briggs takes pride in her establishment. After all, it's a combination of a life-long passion. Briggs catered tea parties long before opening Tea by Julia Faye. After retiring, she pursued her passion and opened the tearoom. Tea is not some arbitrary event for Briggs; she knows how to do it right, offering an assortment of tea party themes to those planning an event (see tea party themes).
In her quest to continue learning about her craft, she has gained several certificates from attending and completing numerous courses at the annual World Tea Expo. She's been attending the event for seven years running. She recognizes that she did not realize her dream on her own, so inside the tearoom, she gives glory to God with a little sign that states "Welcome Jesus!" Her website also confirms her Christian faith with scripture. This could be offensive to some, but her faith is important to her and she does not hide it.
From honoring the Bread of Life to breaking bread with friends, soup and salad started our five course meal. The soup was a hearty pleasant cup of creamed vegetable soup. The cup was a bit of a tease, but everything is dainty at a tea. Plus, you must be mindful as you eat the little nibbles, they do add up to a full stomach.
Everything at Tea by Julia Faye is homemade. The cranberry scones were invitingly warm, like they just came out of the oven. Not too hard on the outside and delightfully fluffy on the inside, the scones were served with lemon curd and a wonderfully earthy and spicy Rishi Masala chai, as perfect a selection as you could get for a Christmas tea. The tea blended cardamom, ginger, cloves, cinnamon and black pepper. The black pepper definitely gives a little kick to an otherwise smooth and velvety experience. This is one for your tea collection.
Our tea stand also includes mini-corn muffins with bits of brocoli, a chicken salad served on a croissant, as well as a tea sandwich with turkey between thick slices of raisin bread dressed with cranberry sauce. I was a little hesitant about the latter, not being certain whether the raisin bread would result in an overkill of seasonal savor. However, it was delightfully surprising, fitting the occasion perfectly and bringing the flavors of the season together successfully.
Although, I visited Tea by Julia Faye during an event, I can see how this could be a very relaxing spot to come to with friends or by yourself, preferably with a good book. It's an exceptional treasure of uniqueness in a market full of box bookstores with overpriced pre-packaged baked goods, under-evolved tea selections, and Wi-Fi plug-in ability. Tea by Julia Faye gives a great option for stealing away if only for a spot of tea.
Website: Tea by Julia Faye
Atmosphere: Casual and relaxing
Dress: Casual (if going for an occasion, then break out the tea hat.)
Price: Very affordable
