Destination Tea: The Farm House

Update: The Farm House restaurant closed in 2024.

Where: Ellerslie, Georgia
Style:  19th-century country farmhouse
Tea Selection:  2 hot loose leaf teas by Piper & Leaf, 1 cold tea punch
Teatimes:  Christmas Tea and Spring Tea
Reservations: Advance ticket purchase required (seats sell out quickly)
Contact: 706-561-3435 or here
Cost: $35 Christmas/Spring Tea
Destination Tea Tip: The Farm House has a gift shop you’ll likely want to peruse, where the teas and scones served in the restaurant are for sale.

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

exterior The Farm House restaurant in Ellerslie, GA

Destination Tea Notes: The Farm House is only new to us at Destination Tea, because to our chagrin, our initial afternoon tea directory research did not turn up this South Georgia restaurant. In truth, owner Beckie McKenzie is too gracious to brag, but her place has been lauded in the press several times over, for its home-cooked southern comfort food, served on weekends for 4 decades now. As avid scrapbookers, we loved learning from Beckie that she started The Farm House as a weekend craft shop in 1981, and when her mother said she’d like to do some cooking in the kitchen, the restaurant opened with two tables. It didn’t take long before they needed to put on an addition, which is still today the main dining area, the front rooms becoming the gift shop. Keeping the cooking in the family, Beckie’s niece Olivia Rose is now head chef, ushering in a new generation of seasonal events like photo shoots at the farm, painting classes and harvest dinners in the woods. Though it’s a 2-hour trip from Atlanta, our crew left the Christmas Tea talking about returning for the Spring Tea, which is served in the farm’s huge open-air barn. Fair warning, tickets go on sale for these teas months in advance, and sell out almost immediately. Once you see what it feels like to take tea here, you’ll know why. We hope all our tea friends attended at least one memorable Christmas Tea this season, and if not, well, sounds to us like the perfect New Year’s Resolution. Merry Country Christmas from Destination Tea, wishing you all a healthy, happy holiday with loved ones.

sign for The Farm House restaurant in Ellerslie, GA
Turn in at this sign
exterior The Farm House restaurant in Ellerslie, GA
To the left are the animals, and large outdoor covered patio where the Spring Tea is held.
porch decorated for Christmas at The Farm House restaurant in Ellerslie, GA
Porch all done up for Christmas
Christmas Tea at The Farm House restaurant in Ellerslie, GA
Four dining rooms are set for Christmas Tea.
Christmas Tea tables at The Farm House restaurant in Ellerslie, GA
Mock paned windows hung with Christmas ornaments separate the rooms.
homemade gingerbread village at Christmas Tea at The Farm House restaurant in Ellerslie, GA
A handmade “gingerbread village” runs along the wall in the front dining room.
Christmas Tea at The Farm House restaurant in Ellerslie, GA
Our table, with crafted peppermint candy tree centerpiece and Christmas dishware

Tea Selection

mulled cider at Christmas Tea at The Farm House restaurant in Ellerslie, GA
A sample of mulled cider greets guests.
sparkling cranberry tea at Christmas Tea at The Farm House restaurant in Ellerslie, GA
First, an iced, sweet sparkling cranberry tea is served.
Cherry Christmas tea at Christmas Tea at The Farm House restaurant in Ellerslie, GA
Servers are diligent about keeping our cups filled. Today’s seasonal blends from Huntsville, Alabama-based, family tea business Piper & Leaf (just learned that piper is an old English name for a singing tea kettle) are: caffeine-free Mistletoe Grove (Green Rooibos, Apples, Orange Rind, Lemon Rind, Cinnamon, Ginger, Hibiscus, Lemongrass, Rosehips, Peppermint, Lemon Oil, Blood Orange Oil) and Cherry Christmas (Ceylon Black tea, Coconut Rasps, Almond Flakes, Hibiscus, Strawberries, Blueberries, Raisins, Elderberries, Natural Flavor, Raspberries). As Piper & Leaf imports their tea and blends it with fruits and herbs that they forage and grow, it would be cool to know which of these ingredients were locally sourced.
Piper & Leaf Mistletoe Grove at Christmas Tea at The Farm House restaurant in Ellerslie, GA
A warming cup of Mistletoe Grove

Scones & Spreads, Savories and Sweets

hot plate at Christmas Tea at The Farm House restaurant in Ellerslie, GA
The tea menu begins with a hot plate of delicious Tomato Dill Bisque, Hot Chicken Salad and Savory Christmas Scone.
3-tiered tray at Christmas Tea at The Farm House restaurant in Ellerslie, GA
Once our first course is removed, our good friend, the three-tiered tray arrives.
tea sandwiches at Christmas Tea at The Farm House restaurant in Ellerslie, GA
Yummy bite-sized savories include: Tuscan Turkey, Cucumber, and Fig and Goat Cheese Tea Sandwiches, with Cheese Straws
clotted cream at Christmas Tea at The Farm House restaurant in Ellerslie, GA
A mock clotted cream at the ready, so cute served in this glass Christmas dessert cup, which takes us down memory lane, recalling the Holly Berry Christmas Cups that Arby’s gave away in the 1980s.
scones at Christmas Tea at The Farm House restaurant in Ellerslie, GA
Glazed Gingerbread and Cherry Almond Scones with a more moist consistency than a traditional scone (yummy nonetheless), surround a bowl of homemade lemon curd.
desserts at Christmas Tea at The Farm House restaurant in Ellerslie, GA
A sparkling candy cane bow presides over the dessert course: Peppermint Chocolate Bark, Iced Rum Cake, Bacon-Wrapped Date and Santa Hat Meringue.
homemade lemon curd at Christmas Tea at The Farm House restaurant in Ellerslie, GA
To top it all off, the perfect parting favor for an afternoon tea goer: a piping bag of homemade lemon curd.
Christmas bikes at Christmas Tea at The Farm House restaurant in Ellerslie, GA
Festive touches inside and out at The Farm House
DestinationTea
Tea Voyageuse, discovering the world of afternoon tea, based in Atlanta, Georgia.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

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.