I had the good fortune of arriving into Carefree, Arizona for a work event a little early. Too early to check into my hotel, and being right around the lunch hour, I headed to a place that had instant appeal: The English Rose Tea Room located on Easy Street.
Even the tables themselves were thoughtfully transformed into their own personalized moment, with the tabletops presenting vintage vignettes under a glass table top.
For my afternoon tea, I selected the Duchess of Bedford's Formal Afternoon Tea, promising all things wonderfully presented on a 3-tiered tray, which I love. Their actual tea selection has something for everyone. A good selection of black teas, black blends, fruit blends, green teas and herbal infusions. I was pleasantly surprised at the full page of options!
Service was fast and friendly, but there was no sense of rushing. And the tray of food was as much a feast for the eyes as for the stomach.
And, of course, the presence of real, cubed sugar (avec tongs) did not escape my notice. Bravo!
As I enjoyed my tea, the place filled up very quickly. There were old friends catching up (one of whom was the spitting image of my Grandma Church, who passed away when I was very young. I had to keep reminding myself not to stare.) There were mothers and daughters, a large group of friends, and preparations for a large bridal shower were underway. It was apparent to me that this is a beloved gathering place for the sharing of many special moments.
If you're ever passing through the Phoenix area, take a little detour, allow yourself to be "Carefree" and mosey on down to Easy Street for an afternoon tea. Hopefully, you'll have someone special with you to share that moment with. And while it's not the place to necessarily stop and smell the roses, just down the lane there is a breathtaking garden of sorts to stop and admire the cacti.
To visit The English Rose Tea Room:
201 Easy Street, #103
Carefree, AZ 85377
Phone: 480.488.4812
Open year round, 10:00am to 5:00pm ( Last seating for tea is 4:00pm) Monday through Saturday. Sundays 11:00am to 4:00pm
The tea room is everything you would wish an English Tea Room to be: cozy, romantic, whimsical, and with plenty of homage to the Royals (and HRH's dogs).
Even the tables themselves were thoughtfully transformed into their own personalized moment, with the tabletops presenting vintage vignettes under a glass table top.
For my afternoon tea, I selected the Duchess of Bedford's Formal Afternoon Tea, promising all things wonderfully presented on a 3-tiered tray, which I love. Their actual tea selection has something for everyone. A good selection of black teas, black blends, fruit blends, green teas and herbal infusions. I was pleasantly surprised at the full page of options!
Service was fast and friendly, but there was no sense of rushing. And the tray of food was as much a feast for the eyes as for the stomach.
And, of course, the presence of real, cubed sugar (avec tongs) did not escape my notice. Bravo!
As I enjoyed my tea, the place filled up very quickly. There were old friends catching up (one of whom was the spitting image of my Grandma Church, who passed away when I was very young. I had to keep reminding myself not to stare.) There were mothers and daughters, a large group of friends, and preparations for a large bridal shower were underway. It was apparent to me that this is a beloved gathering place for the sharing of many special moments.
If you're ever passing through the Phoenix area, take a little detour, allow yourself to be "Carefree" and mosey on down to Easy Street for an afternoon tea. Hopefully, you'll have someone special with you to share that moment with. And while it's not the place to necessarily stop and smell the roses, just down the lane there is a breathtaking garden of sorts to stop and admire the cacti.
To visit The English Rose Tea Room:
201 Easy Street, #103
Carefree, AZ 85377
Phone: 480.488.4812
Open year round, 10:00am to 5:00pm ( Last seating for tea is 4:00pm) Monday through Saturday. Sundays 11:00am to 4:00pm
Thank you so much Jen for taking the time to write about us! I was so thrilled to read your blog and find out how much we inspired you! The whole reason for my little tea room is, just as you described, to provide my customers with a special gathering place...where they can enjoy the simple pleasure of having a cuppa (in the middle of the desert!). Please come back again soon! Jo Gemmill, Owner, English Rose Tea Room. :-)
ReplyDeleteHi Jo! Thank you for responding here! It really was such a pleasure to discover this very special oasis in the desert!
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