Destination Tea: The Carlyle

Where:  Upper East Side, NYC
Style: Sultan’s lounge
Tea Selection: 20+ loose leaf teas
Teatimes:  Daily, 3 to 5:30
Reservations:  Required
Contact: Reserve here
Cost: $115 Imperial Tea; $95 Afternoon Tea
Destination Tea Tip: Proceed towards Bemelmans Bar on the ground floor – you’ll reach The Gallery first.

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

Destination Tea Notes: An establishment of luxury living in Manhattan, The Carlyle was built in the 1930s, and has been visited by every American president since Truman, as well as British Royals and kings and queens of Denmark, Greece, Spain and Sweden. Named for British essayist Thomas Carlyle, this hotel naturally offers a daily afternoon tea with authentic clotted cream. Though, the scene in The Gallery where tea is served favors a different part of the world, inspired by the sultan’s dining room at The Topkapi Palace in Turkey (fittingly one of the top 5 tea producers, with the highest per-capita tea consumption). The low-lit room is a hub, with guests passing through to the famous Bemelmans Bar or hotel lobby, which on the upside treats you to a parade of New York characters, but may also create a bit of busyness during afternoon tea. We enjoyed the varied tea selection, large scones, and pastry assortment, only wishing that our tea strainers had been unnecessary, as we prefer a good tea to be served decanted. You know that we are at our most nit-picky when it comes to $100 teas, so you will see that our Afternoon Tea Scorecard reflects the little misses we do not expect to experience at such a vaunted New York City afternoon tea. Even so, we do not regret splurging on this taste of old New York.

Tea Selection

Scones & Spreads, Savories and Sweets

Destination Tea’s Afternoon Tea Rating