Tea rooms on Long Island: 5 to try

Afternoon tea, a quintessential English custom, is widely believed to have been invented in 1840 by a hungry duchess.

The story goes that Anna, the Duchess of Bedford, needed a little something to satisfy her appetite before her evening meal at eight o’clock. She concluded that a light snack of tea, bread and butter, and cake would do the trick. The habit caught on within her upper-class circle, and the late-afternoon tea break would soon become a fashionable social event, according to the British Museum.

Luckily, you don’t have to be part of upper-crust society to partake in an afternoon tea. Long Islanders can indulge at one of several tea rooms, many of which offer traditional fare such as finger sandwiches and pastries served on delicate China.

Jill Zucker, 50, of Stony Brook, said she frequents tea houses on special occasions and also “just because.”

“I like doing something different. A little special. And dare I say ‘girly,’ ” she said. “I also happen to like tea . . . I like trying and sharing the flavors with my friends.”

Zucker said she has visited Robinson’s Tea Room in Stony Brook and The Secret Garden Tea Café, located in Port Jefferson, and adores both — though for different reasons.

“Robinson’s is more replica British tea with a . . . cut-out of the queen, whereas Secret Garden is exactly that — flowery, bright and white,” she said.

At The Mad Batter Tea Room & Café in Blue Point, owner Delia Mckernan said she strives to provide a setting where visitors can sip, snack, chat and relax.

“My wish is that one feels like they’re in a cozy home, where time stands still,” she said. “Where you can sit and reminisce with a close friend or family member while enjoying fresh tea sandwiches, a multitude of savories and, of course, a warm pot of tea.”

The café’s menu includes nearly 60 different kinds of tea, served in teacups reflective of the Victorian era. They also have a variety of scones, including lavender, white chocolate cranberry, pumpkin and lemon blueberry.

Karen Page, 58, of Huntington, said she recently held her daughter’s baby sprinkle — like a baby shower, but smaller — at the café and was impressed with the cuisine as well as the interior.

“It is decorated with an ‘Alice in Wonderland’ theme, which is both beautiful and whimsical,” Page said, noting she especially appreciated the “attention to detail, from table settings to dessert. It was perfect.”

TEA HOUSES

Chat Noir Tea House, Rockville Centre;
chatnoirtea.com; 516-208-8521.

The Mad Batter Tea Room & Cafe, Blue Point; bit.ly/47Grdz4; 631-363-3100.

Red Salt Room at the Garden City Hotel; Afternoon tea Saturdays only from noon to 4 p.m., check website prior to visiting; gardencityhotel.com; 516-877-9385.

Robinson’s Tea Room, Stony Brook; robinsonstearoom.com; 631-751-1232.

The Secret Garden Tea Café, Port Jefferson; thesecretgardentearoom.com; 631-476-8327.