Update: Beginning 2023, Ivy Tea House only serves private parties of 10 or more.
Where: Historic Norcross, Georgia Style: Cottage chic Tea Selection: 24 loose leaf teas Teatimes: Friday 12, 2 or 4, Saturday 12 or 2 Reservations: Pre-paid reservations with 4-day notice Contact: 470-424-4715 or Reserve Here Cost: $40 Spa Tea; $39 Seasonal Tea; $39 Southern Brunch Tea; $31 Ivy Tea; $30 Children’s Tea Destination Tea Tips: Plan return visits to sample all four scrumptious tea menus, but if you can only do one, we say it’s a toss-up between the Seasonal Tea and Southern Brunch Tea. And bring the gents! Wednesday to Friday, a lunch menu is served alongside afternoon tea, but you may find the Brunch Tea or Southern Tea filling enough to satiate the heartier appetites. “This was actually substantial,” testifies one serious eater for whom past afternoon teas had been too dainty (love you, Dad).
Destination Tea Notes: Little did Nicole Outler know that she was granting our wish when she opened Ivy Tea House in historic Norcross in March 2019, but she’s earned our gratitude and adoration all the same. Since the closing of the Faded Rose in Chamblee, long have we awaited a tearoom in our neck of the woods that embodies all the things we love about afternoon tea: a beautiful space with creative touches; knowledgable and gracious service; reasonably-priced, fabulous, scratch-made goodies; and of course, quality teas. Get thyselves comfortable, because this review wins the Award for Most Pics. How else could we properly give you a virtual tour of Ivy Tea House’s abundant afternoon tea offerings?
Ivy Tea House is the perfect place for converting your friends and family into afternoon tea lovers. Firstly, hand-crafting delicious food is a talent pastry chef Nicole comes by honestly. Her parents are long-time caterers who formerly ran their popular Bleu House Cafe out of this location. Smartly, Nicole — who also designs wedding cakes for her Gingerspice Bakery — renovated the space, keeping her brother’s homemade focaccia on the menu, and invited family friend Tammy Johnson to join her in the kitchen, as the savory master. The two combine forces to concoct super scrumptious culinary imaginings for afternoon tea (which they imagine in double servings!). Importantly, tea is not an afterthought here, as it can sometimes be at venues with serious kitchen cred.
Over the course of our many visits since this teahouse opened, we’ve seen exciting developments, like the new outdoor seating on the covered patio. As this young team continues to expand their creative vision for Ivy Tea House, we’ll be on the lookout for updates to share with you. For now, feast your eyes on this.
We’d gladly take a romantic tea in rain or sun on this covered patio, ensconced in greenery and shaded with simple DIY wooden blinds.
Can you picture our excitement at first sight of this filigreed logo?
Pretty glass-topped cane tables can be difficult to scoot up to for the long-legged. Dad made do by straddling the table legs to get in close and personal with our tea tray.
Nicole emphasizes her appreciation for Norcross’ greenery with a pocket garden as wall art.
The teahouse has two rooms which seat about 36 diners.
Nicole worked on the renovation herself, and we enjoy her choice of fabric on the upholstered banquet wall.
Long windows allow natural light into the space, which is grounded by a dark grey-blue floor.
Befitting its name, the teahouse’s windows are framed in ivy.
Winking Bailey’s cups want you to know that its BYOC here (bring your own champagne).
Fall entry table set up includes candles, loose leaf teas and other gifts for sale.
Hello from Angela in her happy place
Tea Service
On our family visit here a week after Angela’s grandmother’s passing, we set a place for her. Our thanks to the staff at Ivy Tea House for helping us honor her in this way.
Lovely flower centerpieces, and fun blue glassware
Part of the adventure is discovering beautiful teacups around the table.
We like every tea we try here, including the smoky Lapsang Souchong, black Vanilla, black Southern Peach, rooibos Vanilla Berry Truffle, green rooibos (a first) Lemon Merengue, roasted Genmaicha and spicy Chai tea.
Fall 2019 tea menu has several new teas to try – always delicious!
A refreshing preamble, iced water infused with cucumber, or on another day, grapefruit, in vintage glassware
Found another great cup!
Tea is bottomless here – yes! Guests may each choose a pot of hot tea or free refills of an iced version. Here, our young reviewer enjoys a Vanilla Berry Truffle rooibos iced latte — a yummy sugar- and caffeine-free choice for kids.
On our every visit, Ari is accommodating and an excellent tea guide, this time offering to prepare us her recommended blend of Rose Petals with English Breakfast and Earl Grey. Love it!
In the summer, iced teas are served in gigantic 32 oz. mason jars, and we are grateful for the generous servings because these teas are all so delicious! The Rose Petal tea’s perfume is perfectly aromatic without being cloying, and the Green Garden is a table favorite.
Scones & Spreads, Savories and Sweets
Hello Nicole!
In keeping with their golden logo, a sea of shimmering tea trays
The best parade ever: The Tea Tray March.
Spa Tea
Wisely acknowledging the growing trend towards vegan/gluten-free/refined-sugar-free diets, Ivy Tea House wants to offer an afternoon tea that still feels like a special treat, even if it is a super healthy one. The Spa Tea is gluten-free and refined-sugar-free. It includes Smashed Avocado & Radish on Cauliflower Toast (amazing!), Nori Quinoa Roll, tasty Chicken Satay Lettuce Wraps…
…and assorted fresh veggies with magical tahini dip (tween-approved).
The Spa Tea desserts include granola yogurt parfait, vegan chocolate pecan brownie (so good) and fresh fruit.
We return to try another Spa Tea in fall 2019. This time it features a flavor-packed fresh quinoa salad with red onions, broccoli, arugula and brussels sprouts.
Ivy Tea House knows that a healthy afternoon tea should never be drab. We rave over these dijon chicken wraps with basil pesto and radishes, and avocado toast on cauliflower rounds.
New to the dessert course of the Spa Tea: gluten-free blueberry breakfast cake-let with cream cheese and granola.
Seasonal Summer Tea
Ivy Tea House’s Seasonal Summer Afternoon Tea is DIVINE!
The Mediterranean Couscous-filled Endive and creamy, citrusy Shrimp and Grits magically disappear very quickly. To complete the course, there’s arugula and crostini topped with herb-and-citrus marinated goat cheese, tarragon shredded chicken, and marinated artichokes.
Matcha scones are paired with homemade jam and cream, and dessert is a moist Brown Butter Pineapple Upside Down Cake, with Orange Blossom Water Merengues that melt in your mouth. Naturally, our teen reviewers go straight for the shock blue ones.
Seasonal Fall Tea
The lesson is this: never miss a seasonal afternoon tea menu at Ivy Tea House. This one introduced us to scrumptious new items chicken-sausage-stuffed mushrooms with parmesan, spinach and artichoke puff pastries, and the king of this course: roast beef and blue cheese crostini with arugula pesto.
Pumpkin scones served with blueberry lemon jelly, ivy cream and lemon curd are followed by a rye tarte tatin, walnut macarons and fruit salad with fresh herbs.
Seasonal Winter Tea
The Winter Tea is a delicious vegetarian Indian menu.
First arrives a chaat similar to Indian bhelpuri, with onion, cilantro and mustard oil, puffed rice and peanuts. “Chaat” describes many different dishes offered as snacks by Indian street food vendors. Toasted garlic naan and crisp papadum is paired with cilantro, tamarind, and chili chutney (which we happily add to all our savories as well).
Each item in the savory course is delicious: Yogurt Rice with Pepper and Mustard Seed Chhonk (an infused oil), Tofu & Black Lentil Tikka Masala and Aloo Gobi with Sweet Potatoes and Cauliflower.
Chai scones are paired with Ivy Cream and Orange Marmalade, followed by the dessert course, a dreamy Mango Lassi Mousse, and exotic Fig and Pistachio Barfi (an Indian fudge).
Southern Brunch Tea
Make way for the hearty Brunch Tea!
We love the Brunch Tea! Savories include smoked salmon tartine with capers and dill, mini bacon quiche and chicken sausage balls.
The Brunch Tea includes golden raisin scones served with jam, lemon curd and “ivy cream,” the teahouse’s homemade substitute for Devonshire cream. Somewhere between a butter and a whipped cream, it is SO good!
The Brunch Tea desserts include mini cinnamon rolls (yes!), peach-pistachio squares (our favorite pieces are a bit crispy and chock-full of nuts) and fresh fruit.
Southern Tea [now combined with Brunch Tea: The Southern Brunch Tea!]
The Southern Tea may be our favorite. In case you can’t automatically see why, read on. And hello, Ari!
Another filling tea menu, the Southern Tea includes Sweet Potato Rounds with cranberries and goat cheese (clever to use sweet potato as a substitute for another bread), tomato pie, and the outstandingly wonderful deviled tea egg with pepper jelly and jalapeno. Also, we are treated to our first butter pecan scones…
…which are served with jam, lemon curd and ivy cream. Desserts include fresh fruit alongside fabulous banana pudding parfait and praline brownie, both so rich and creamy, but not overbearingly sweet.
Afternoon Tea
The Afternoon Tea is the teahouse’s “just right” afternoon tea offering.
What you see here is a serving for one! The Ivy Tea House doubles down on its menu items, which for the Afternoon Tea include a choice of three savories: avocado toast, ham and brie sandwich, smoked salmon toast, tarragon chicken salad profiterole and (pictured) egg salad sandwich, pimento cheese phyllo cup or cucumber sandwich on focaccia. Just look at this freshness.
The scrumptious scone of the day with jam, lemon curd and ivy cream is included with the Afternoon Tea, as well as classic cream puffs and lemon squares for dessert. Yes, please!
Children’s Tea
Ivy Tea House sticks to popular kids menu foods (cheese, bread, chicken, PB&J, cookie), but adds a bit of refinement and choice ingredients to make their Children’s Tea feel special. Note: our Children’s Tea savories include peanut butter and jam phyllo cups, chicken kebobs and pimiento cheese sandwiches, but since our visit, the menu now serves chocolate and strawberry cup, ham and pimiento cheese pinwheel and chicken kebobs.
Warm, generously-sized chocolate chip cookies are served fresh from the oven!
Bordering the gravel parking lot, wouldn’t this wooded area make the perfect setting for a fairy garden tearoom?
Creating outdoor seating under a canopy during the pandemic
In cooler months, “walls” are added to the outdoor tent, leaving one side open to the air.
I’m so glad you have a lovely tea house in your area now. (Just wish there was one in mine!). Everything looks so delicious. If I’m in the Norcross area, I will certainly visit!
Our patience was rewarded, and we hope yours will be too someday! In the meantime, if you ever make the trip down, we’d love to meet you there. Hope you are enjoying the summer!
This place is everything you say it is! One of the best tea-houses ever. As to the honorary seat for Grandma, I am speechless (except in my heart). Thank you.
First of all, this is by far the best post I’ve seen on Destination Tea. Congrats Angela!
Wow, this tea-house certainly exceeded my expectations! Offerings were ample and scrumptious. Kudos to the folks behind the scenes that make it a very special experience. This one should be a “must visit” on any tea-lover’s list. Go, you won’t be disappointed!
We love comments! Destination Tea's comment policy shares a guiding principle with afternoon tea etiquette: please be gracious. We welcome honest comments that are not rude or scathing.
I’m so glad you have a lovely tea house in your area now. (Just wish there was one in mine!). Everything looks so delicious. If I’m in the Norcross area, I will certainly visit!
Our patience was rewarded, and we hope yours will be too someday! In the meantime, if you ever make the trip down, we’d love to meet you there. Hope you are enjoying the summer!
This place is everything you say it is! One of the best tea-houses ever. As to the honorary seat for Grandma, I am speechless (except in my heart). Thank you.
Beautifully written Mom, and most welcome.
First of all, this is by far the best post I’ve seen on Destination Tea. Congrats Angela!
Wow, this tea-house certainly exceeded my expectations! Offerings were ample and scrumptious. Kudos to the folks behind the scenes that make it a very special experience. This one should be a “must visit” on any tea-lover’s list. Go, you won’t be disappointed!
So glad you like the post, Marie. We agree, the ladies running Ivy Tea House are too gracious to be proud, but they deserve to be!