Chantilly Tea Room Edit

For the longest time I had been searching for just the place to enjoy tea. This is it. What started off as a school project is now blossoming into a full fledged romance. This tea room offers traditional tea in a Victorian-esque fashion which is pleasing to a wide range of ages. The delicate floral accents and design completes their rose garden palette (even the exterior paint is the color of pink rose petals!). Upon walking through the front door I fell in love with the lovely finds filling the space of the boutique, the painted flowers in the archway leading into the dining area was like tripping into a rabbit hole entrance. The service is gracious and greet you with smiles that make you feel right at home, the customers are polite and the servers are no exception to that statement. Every customer is well taken care of regardless of their age. During my visit I enjoyed lunch on their small patio which faces a beautiful desert landscape of Palo verde trees. The contrasting bright green with the garden hues in my reach melted together for an all around pleasant view. Every detail is considered in this establishment and exceeds every expectation I had.
The menu is thorough in detail, so you know what you’ll be having. If any question pops into your mind the servers are well educated in every bit of what they have to offer. I thought it was quite impressive that they were able to recite specials of the day and ingredients. It would not be boasting for them to call themselves culinary rhapsodes. Every server is attentive and friendly, yet it exceeds past the normal “fake hospitality” of most restaurants and cafes. Here all the smiles are as warm as their tea is hot!
The choices of tea here are also of a wide variety should you want to dabble in fruit infusions. From white to black, green and oolong. This place makes it hard to just choose one from a double sided menu and the teas of the day. Offering lunch delights such as salad, soup, and quiche is simply another lovely way this place keeps up its appearances alongside the varying types of afternoon teas. One afternoon tea aimed toward younger children is something to bookmark in your mind the next time you need to treat a little one. That particular one also includes the choice of dress up as an activity. I was able to see “two princesses” being led on a tour during their stay and their interested faces never drifted toward a frown for a second.
Everything is served in nice decorative tableware that doesn’t stray from the elegance. The food is made up and presented in such a fashion that it seems sinful to dig your utensil in. The taste and smell of what you enjoy is also another reason to want you going back for more. I cannot even go into detail without writing a book. This was the first place I’ve eaten where the aroma, and flavor of my meal carried me home, and stayed locked in memory.
The boutique is well lit and offers antique tea sets, cups, and other tea related things. Beside all the tea cozies, and in house made sugar cubes there rests small knick-knacks with more floral accents perfect for bringing a slice of this heaven home. In the back of the tea room they offer teas for sale as well. Every tea on the menu can be found here, and I am proud to say I took home a tin of the tea I indulged in.

This tea room is one I’m happy to visit more often. From the light beautiful music, to the feeling of graceful bliss. The price spent is a fair one for the atmosphere and joy it brings your senses. This place is without a doubt a wonderful place to make memories. I could see this being a choice spot for a couple on a special day, or birthdays and other special occasions. It’s also safe to know that upon advance notice the staff is able to cater to needs such as those with diabetic diets, gluten-free diets and vegetarian diets.
Perhaps the only downside is the “girly” surroundings which could make a few men gulp and want to flee. If it helps I was able to encounter a gentleman enjoying his visit, and giving the establishment praise. Regardless, I could very well see any person of gender and age enjoying themselves here. I in fact intend to do so with a group outing soon!
I hope this rambling bit was helpful; may your visit be as glorious as mine.
<3

Chantilly is one of my favorite restaurants in Tucson! If you’re looking for a Victorian tearoom, Chantilly is your place. The tea selection is a little limited (if you’re picky like me and stick to blacks, oolongs, and whites with little to no fruit infusions), but the food is incredible, and the ambiance is wonderful. They play classical piano music, and the dining area is full of beautiful bone china cups and saucers. They serve several traditional tea services with sandwiches, scones, and petit-fours (though their “high tea” isn’t as filling as it could be), as well as breakfast and lunch. I recommend the quiche of the day if you go for lunch. Also, their house-made lemon curd is the best I’ve ever had.

The teas themselves run from more traditional blacks (Yorkshire Gold, Windsor Castle, Irish Breakfast, etc.), through oolongs and greens (most of these are flavored), to whites and herbals. They also serve iced tea, though I personally think it would be a waste to skip the hot tea service.

They also have a small retail area, where you can buy vintage china pots, cups, and saucers; scone mix; aprons; hats; and other ladylike tea things. You can also purchase the teas they serve (though generally only in small quantities).

All in all, a great place to take a leisurely lunch and enjoy many pots of tea while you look out onto their small garden. One caveat – the decor is quite frilly, so unaccompanied men might feel a little uncomfortable unless they’re pretty secure in their masculinity. Still, the food and atmosphere are worth it!