Where: Midtown Miami, Florida Style: Romantic chic Tea Selection: 7 teas Teatimes: Daily, 12 to 3 pm Reservations: 24-hour notice Contact:Reserve Here and indicate “afternoon tea” in the reservation request Cost: $40 Royal Afternoon Tea; $35 Afternoon Tea Destination Tea Tips: Reserve your teatime well in advance, especially if you have an indoor or outdoor preference because this restaurant books solid.
Destination Tea Notes: Little Hen doesn’t hold back when it comes to dramatic, romantic design, giving this popular brunch spot a movie-set feel. Flowers are everywhere here, from colorful throw pillows everywhere to sumptuous fresh arrangements inside, and looks-like-the-real-thing outdoor vining wisteria and rose arch. Even friends just passing by stop to pose in the floral arch on the side patio because they know a ready Instagram scene when they see one. Little Hen is a lovely setting for afternoon tea, which we discover has a surprising, but not unwelcome, menu item included. Our teatime coincides with a busy lunch service that has Little Hen full inside and out, and we notice servers working hard, always kind and solicitous. With a couple of tweaks (read below), this would be an afternoon tea service we recommend.
Vintage beach umbrellas with fringe and vining wisteria might trick you into thinking this January tea isn’t chilly (thankful we reserved indoor seating!)
So much to admire in the interior design — glass chandelier, deep blue velvet chairs, inlaid floor tiles…and we spy tiered trays at the ready.
Gold accents in the velvet couches and curtains and lighting
Loving this more secluded nook with upholstered bench seating, drop lighting and gold ceiling tiles.
Our seating for four is upholstered armchairs around two round, gold tables, decorated with fresh flowers.
Tea Service
We begin our royal teas with a glass of champagne. Can we take a moment to appreciate a man who comes to afternoon tea properly dressed, pocket square and all?
Each guest is served a large, seven-cup pot of tea of their choosing. Our server tells us our choices, but all of us do not receive the teas we ordered, and one pot comes to the table with a tepid brew. They are kind enough to bring a fresh pot when asked.
Though the china is very pretty, and in-keeping with the floral theme, three of our four teacups are chipped on the rim.
Appreciating this beauty, with her new tagua bracelet from Miami/Colombian artists Rafael and Gloria Vega. Also known as “vegetable ivory,” tagua seeds come from an endangered palm tree that grows in South America.
The Little Hen’s House Tea is an herbal tisane made with mint, lemon and a touch of honey.
Scones & Spreads, Savories and Sweets
The unfortunate news upon our arrival is that there will not be a dessert course, as they are out of macarons. We are kindly offered extra sandwiches or scones (we choose sandwiches), but when we ask if there is another dessert they could substitute, we are told no. We note chocolate and nutella croissants are listed on the regular menu, and agree we would have enjoyed these sectioned into smaller pieces for our afternoon tea. Perhaps one could view the waffle course as the dessert? That’s the surprise menu item!
Some of the bread on our tasty tea sandwiches has begun to crust with staleness, but we enjoy the fillings: egg, chicken, tuna and smoked salmon with cucumber.
Large blueberry and cinnamon scones are buttery and flaky with a unique crumb that we guess involves cornmeal. Very tasty, as are the waffles, which receive a thumbs-up from several in our group.
Clotted cream and homemade strawberry compote (so fabulous) are accompanied by a newbie to the afternoon tea table: maple syrup, for your waffles of course.
Greenery screens the patio from the street corner, and teak tables tucked under these retro beach umbrellas give the outdoor seating flair and privacy.
The oft-photographed flower arch
This long patio provides enough shade to make this a darling spot for a sunny brunch or teatime (you request indoor or outdoor seating when you reserve).
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.
