Let’s meet at Lovejoy’s

Lovejoy’s Tea Room has been for me a fantastic recent discovery. Occasion was one of my friend’s mother visit to San Francisco; so we organized this “all women afternoon tea” at this fantastic place. Lovejoy’s is a british style Tea Room, a very cozy spot, with a relaxed and pleasant homely atmosphere. If you are a group it is better for you to reserve a table much in advance, I learned that mostly in the spring it is very busy. But one or two persons can easily find a little spot to enjoy a fully British tea experience.

What contributes to this place’s warmth is a combination of fantastic food and accurate selection of tea, the mismatched cups and plates that make the scenario intentionally understated and familiar, the fancy mix of different form and size of tables and chairs, sofas and armchairs covered with old embroidery and of course, the kindness and modest elegance of the staff.

Menu and prices vary, but all choices will make you happy, guaranteed. You can choose different combinations of delicious tea sandwiches, spring greens, warm scones served with preserves, Devon cream, lemon custard, fresh fruit. All is served on nice cakestands and placed with the tea pots and cups on your main table and the small side tables that surround you. So at some point you are totally immersed in a heady scented and lively atmosphere, busy like small bees in their hive, completely social and coordinated to let the tea and food flow above the table, pass on cups, sugar, cream… “have you tried this?” “oh I should have a little bit of that” “mmmhhh the scone is still warm” “may we have more water in our pot?” “”please don’t confuse the strainer of the red bush with the black berry!” “we run out of custard”… And you go on for a couple of hours of authentic enjoyment of heart and palate.

Lovejoy’s website is here.