Destination Tea Reviews/Florida

Destination Tea: The Chattaway

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Where: St. Petersburg, Florida
Style:  British charm
Tea Selection:  Yorkshire Tea
Teatimes:  Daily, 12 to 4
Reservations: Reservations required
Contact: 727-303-5776
Cost: $45 Afternoon Tea; $25 (ages 11 to 16); $20 (ages 10 and under)
Destination Tea Tips: This is a cash only establishment. If needed, there is actually an ATM in the tearoom. Hostess Amanda Kitto will contact you the week of your tea to confirm your tea sandwich selections.

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

outside The Chattaway in St. Petersburg, Florida

Destination Tea Notes: We had the honor of meeting Lady Chattaway herself (owner Jillian Frers’ alter ego), whose idea it was to convert The Chattaway’s game room into an English tearoom back in 1999. Built in 1921 to serve as a general store and later a sandwich shop, The Chattaway is known for its shaded, sprawling outdoor dining area, but after Jillian, originally of London, married into the family and joined in the running of the restaurant, she sought to create a charming indoor dining room where afternoon tea could be served as well. To arrive at your afternoon tea, you’ll cross the outdoor patio’s tropical scene accented in pops of bubble gum pink and kelly green, duck past the kitchen, and step into the cool blues and whites of the relaxing indoor tearoom. We enjoyed exploring Jillian’s vast Wedgwood collection and ceramic plaques with witty sayings that border the room. Service is friendly and accommodating while also leaving us to our leisure, which you know is a necessity at afternoon tea. The one disappointment at this afternoon tea is that we had been sure a British mum’s recipes would fill the tiered tray, when in reality only the tea sandwiches are made from scratch on premises. As we nod at the authentic clotted cream served, we long for authentic British scones to accompany it. In the end, this doesn’t stop us from enjoying toasted crumpets and warm blueberry scones with cream and jam, all washed down with strong, hot tea in beautiful china teacups.

entering The Chattaway in St. Petersburg, Florida
Painted tropical scenes abound at The Chattaway on clawfoot bathtubs (like the one at back left above) that fence the outdoor patio.
English tea room in The Chattaway in St. Petersburg, Florida
It’s quite the contrast entering the English tearoom at back, where pretty tablecloths sit beneath perpetually blue skies.
blue skies over afternoon tea at The Chattaway in St. Petersburg, Florida
British memorabilia decorate the room to set the scene. We love the red and blue chairs with UK flags on the seat.
British royal memorabilia at afternoon tea at The Chattaway in St. Petersburg, Florida
For decades, this tearoom has welcomed Anglophiles seeking to gather to celebrate or mourn alongside the British royal family.
Lady Chattaway's mum at afternoon tea at The Chattaway in St. Petersburg, Florida
All in the family since 1951, The Chattaway passed from Jillian’s mother-in-law Helen Lund to Jillian’s husband Everett and herself in 1988, and then upon his passing in 2002, Jillian became sole owner. Today Jillian’s children and grandchildren are on staff and playing live music on the patio, as her mother’s portrait watches over the tearoom.
Coronation Queen's Ware by Wedgwood at afternoon tea at The Chattaway in St. Petersburg, Florida
Poignant, spotting this Wedgwood creamer, made in 1953 to commemorate Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation, a journey that has just come to its end. Loving that this line of china embossed with the Queen’s cypher, “ER” (Elizabeth Regina), is stamped “Queen’s Ware.”

Tea Selection

teapot, creamer and sugar bowl at afternoon tea at The Chattaway in St. Petersburg, Florida
Pretty teaset, with tea at the ready
make mine a builder's at afternoon tea at The Chattaway in St. Petersburg, Florida
To properly doctor this traditional British blend (Yorkshire black tea), we stir in sugar first, then milk.

Scones & Spreads, Savories and Spreads

three-tiered tray at afternoon tea at The Chattaway in St. Petersburg, Florida
Cucumber sandwiches are automatic, and for our two additional choices we go with chicken salad and shrimp salad.
scones and crumpets at afternoon tea at The Chattaway in St. Petersburg, Florida
Although crumpets were historically served with tea, we rarely encounter them on the tiered tray, so this is a treat. Blueberry scones are sprinkled with sugar.
jam, lemon curd and clotted cream at afternoon tea at The Chattaway in St. Petersburg, Florida
Jam, lemon curd and clotted cream are served in cute cordial cups with thoughtfully included condiment spoons for our scone course.
desserts at afternoon tea at The Chattaway in St. Petersburg, Florida
Dessert includes strawberries, macarons, petits fours, éclairs, Battenberg cake, and Oreo brownies.
three friends at afternoon tea at The Chattaway in St. Petersburg, Florida
Afternoon tea for three. Big smiles for how much love there is at this table.
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DestinationTea
Tea Voyageuse, discovering the world of afternoon tea, based in Atlanta, Georgia.

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