Destination Tea Reviews/Georgia

Destination Tea: Sweety’s Café & Ice Cream Bar

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Where:  Canton, Georgia
Style:  Industrial chic
Tea Selection: 25+ loose leaf teas by Tea Leaves & Thyme (yes the former teahouse sells a line of teas!)
Teatimes:  Wednesday – Thursday 12 to 3:30; Friday – Saturday 12 to 5; Sunday 1 to 3:30; Princess Teas; Christmas Teas; Private parties by reservation
Reservations:  24-hour notice
Contact: Reserve here or 770-617-2100
Cost: $55 Gluten-free and Dairy-free Tea; $50 Afternoon Tea; $20 Mommy/Daddy & Me Mini Tea (ages 2 to 10); $15 Mommy/Daddy & Me Dessert Tea (ages 2 to 10)
Destination Tea Tips: On your way in, pass Reformation Parkway turnoff (where construction is affecting this entrance) and take the next right on Railroad Street to find the back entrance of The Mill on Etowah. Signs will point you towards “The Shoppes,” and you will check in at Sweety’s shop (but not be having tea there…you’ll see). Leave plenty of time to shop the 48,000-square-foot Cotton Mill Exchange in the complex, where 200 booth vendors sell everything from antiques to clothes, local art, jewelry, home decor and yes, teacups!

Prices and teatimes are subject to change. Please see our Georgia Afternoon Tea Directory for the latest details.

Afternoon tea at Sweety's Cafe & Ice Cream Bar in Canton, Georgia

Destination Tea Notes: When Sweety’s launched their “Tea for Two” to-go boxes in 2023, they were so popular that co-owner Cheryl Lott decided to introduce an afternoon tea service this year, in partnership with Kim Jordy, of the former grand dame teahouse Tea Leaves & Thyme. If you’re new to Georgia’s afternoon tea scene, we’ll tell you, this means that Sweety’s afternoon tea has some serious expertise behind it. Their menu explains, “This partnership is a dream come true for owner Cheryl, who cherishes many fond memories of tea time with friends, family and her own children at Tea Leaves & Thyme.” Everywhere there is evidence of Cheryl’s deep understanding of the beauty and meaning of the afternoon tea tradition. Sweety’s aims to honor Kim’s legacy, which they do accomplish, through serving a delicious, generous, scratchmade menu alongside Kim’s teas properly decanted and kept warm at the table. Even the tables are set with china collected over 50 years by Cheryl’s dear friend: “As you sip your tea and enjoy these special moments, know that these dishes carry with them a legacy of love, hospitality and community.”

Inside this huge 123-year-old renovated cotton mill, we appreciated Cheryl’s cleverness in finding a quieter corner down the hall from the shop, to seat her tea parties. Besides, it gives her a chance to add to the experience the charm of a tea cart, for rolling out the tiered trays for delivery. You’ll guess the dessert item that surprised us at this afternoon tea, once you recall the full name of this business: Sweety’s Café & Ice Cream Bar (the homemade ice cream recipe is co-owner Talia Mrozinski’s). Making this yummy experience even more joyful, Angela was joined by one of her favorite local milliners and tea friends, Elena Wittman of ArtofHats Studio, whose beautiful creations we both wore to tea, of course.

Afternoon tea at Sweety's Cafe & Ice Cream Bar in Canton, Georgia
The Railroad Street back entrance for easier access
Afternoon tea at Sweety's Cafe & Ice Cream Bar in Canton, Georgia
Sweety’s homemade soups, sandwiches, salads and homemade ice cream are sold out of their shop (afternoon tea seating is down the hall). Their website explains, “Cheryl chose the shop’s name to honor her mother-in-law, who has taught her how to love people through food for over 30 years. Many of the recipes used at Sweety’s are family favorites, passed down and enjoyed by the Lott family for more than 50 years.”
Afternoon tea at Sweety's Cafe & Ice Cream Bar in Canton, Georgia
After you check in at Sweety’s, your host will walk you down the hall to this seating area.
Afternoon tea at Sweety's Cafe & Ice Cream Bar in Canton, Georgia
Marble tables pull up to a long corner banquette in tufted brown.

Tea Selection

Afternoon tea at Sweety's Cafe & Ice Cream Bar in Canton, Georgia
We anticipate deliciousness as we spy some of our favorite teas from our teatimes at Tea Leaves & Thyme (there is a second page of teas). We are each invited to choose a pot, and we go with one of our all-time favorites — Snowflake — and decaffeinated Apricot. All of the listed teas are available for purchase!
Afternoon tea at Sweety's Cafe & Ice Cream Bar in Canton, Georgia
Teapots are brought to the table ready to pour (making the provided tea strainers superfluous), and kept warm over tealights.

Scones & Spreads, Savories and Sweets

Afternoon tea at Sweety's Cafe & Ice Cream Bar in Canton, Georgia
We begin with a delicious homemade butternut squash soup.
Afternoon tea at Sweety's Cafe & Ice Cream Bar in Canton, Georgia
Two plates were needed to serve us 3 scones each! Our favorite was the Apple Scone with Apple Cider Cinnamon Glaze, served with homemade Sweety’s cream and individual jars of imported lemon curd. Drop scones came in Blackberry Earl Grey and Lemon Poppyseed, each one glazed.
Afternoon tea at Sweety's Cafe & Ice Cream Bar in Canton, Georgia
Out rolls the tea cart with the savory course.
Afternoon tea at Sweety's Cafe & Ice Cream Bar in Canton, Georgia
Fresh finger sandwiches were very tasty, including Pumpkin Cinnamon Cream Cheese with Pecan on Cinnamon Bread, Dilly Cream Cheese on Cucumber Round, homemade Pimento Cheese on Cinnamon Raisin and one each of Sweety’s signature chicken salads, Waldorf (with mint-tarragon dressing) and Original (with dillweed dressing). We cut the chicken salad croissants in half to be able to taste each one.
Afternoon tea at Sweety's Cafe & Ice Cream Bar in Canton, Georgia
Dessert includes several specialty items made in-house: Sweety’s homemade Pumpkin Spice ice cream with pumpkin cookie; Sweety’s soft and not too sweet rum cake and Sweety’s crunch bars (peanut butter crunch bottom with chocolate and butterscotch topping). Chocolate macarons and Cinnamon Spice Cake Balls round the dessert course to five items. We loved the mini light green milk glass bowls for the ice cream, definitely an atypical afternoon tea dessert, but a welcome one!
Afternoon tea at Sweety's Cafe & Ice Cream Bar in Canton, Georgia
It’s impossible to wear one of Elena’s tea hats without being stopped by an admirer because her beautiful designs are one-of-a-kind. Shop her ArtofHats Studio store online.

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DestinationTea
Tea Voyageuse, discovering the world of afternoon tea, based in Atlanta, Georgia.

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