Frequently Asked Questions
GENERAL HOURS
We are Open Tuesday through Friday 10:30am-3pmSaturday Hours are 10am-3pm (Serving Full Afternoon Tea Experiences only)
We are closed on Sundays and Mondays unless otherwise posted on social media
• Please note that the last Full Afternoon Tea Experience seating is at 2pm, and the kitchen stops taking new walk-in or to go orders daily at 2:30pm unless otherwise arranged (this will NOT affect any scheduled tea reservation times or event times).
FULL AFTERNOON TEA PRICING & MENU INFORMATION
Our Full Afternoon Tea menu changes monthly and can be viewed on our Facebook or Instagram pages. Our Full Afternoon Tea Experience is currently $34 per person plus tax and gratuity (we do offer a Mini Tea Tower for children aged 10 and under for $20/person). The tax will be automatically added to your bill.20% Gratuity will be added on all groups of six or larger and on all Event Teas.
Event/Celebration Tea Experience pricing varies depending on the event. The pricing usually ranges between $30-$50/person plus 6% sales tax and 20% gratuity. The tax and gratuity will be automatically added to your bill. Please see Event page for upcoming events and pricing.
*On dates that we hold our Event Teas, there will be no General Menu served so our staff can fully accommodate the event experience.*
Upcoming Event/Celebration Tea Experiences (reservations can be made starting 30 days prior to the event and require a non-refundable $20 table deposit to guarantee the booking)
September 27th - Return to the Shire Hobbit Tea
November 1st - Wicked Tea
December 3rd - December 30th
Christmas Holiday Celebration Tea** See details that follow:
CHRISTMAS TEA EXPERIENCE INFORMATION
Dates: December 3-30. We will be closed on December 1, 2, 7, 8, 9, 15, 16, 24, 25, 26, 31.
Our Christmas Tea Experience is $42/adult and $30/child (12 & under) plus required tax, and 20% gratuity that will be added to the bill. There will be a $20 non-refundable booking deposit required for each table of 6 or less that is due at the time of making your reservation. If you need to change your date, the number of guests, add allergies and/or dietary restrictions, you will need to call or email. The table deposit will be deducted from the final bill at the time you check out.
This tea experience includes hot tea or coffee, scone with cream & jam, savory second course of either stew or mac & cheese, and a three-tiered display of tea sandwiches, sweets and treats (please see menu). We will have gluten free options available for an additional $5/person. Gluten free must be requested a minimum of 48 hours in advance. We are able to accommodate vegetarian or nut free at no additional cost if requested in advance. If same-day menu modification is necessary, there will be an additional $4 menu modification charge per individual. We will NOT be able to accommodate the following: sugar free, dairy free, egg free, fat free, salt free, soy free, onion or garlic free, or any combination of dietary restrictions.
All reservations for groups of 6 or fewer will be through our online reservation system at
southern-serenity.resos.com
LARGE GROUPS – Groups greater than 6 require full prepayment to guarantee seating of multiple tables next to each other. Full prepayment is due at the time of booking and is only refundable if cancelled within 7 calendar days of your reservation (large group cancellations will incur a nonrefundable $25 credit card processing fee). We will have limited available dates and times to book whole café large groups of up to 34 guests. Please email with all large group inquiries at VirginiaIsForTeaLovers@gmail.com.
Reservations are booked by table. We CAN NOT guarantee tables next to each other for reservations made separately wanting to sit together. If you want to be guaranteed a table with family or friends at the same time and on the same date, it will have to be done through a large group booking. We are not able to make any last minute dining room table movements or rearrangements.
We will not be serving a general menu during the month of December. There will only be reservation and some walk-in seating for the Christmas Tea Experience.
Please arrive on time for your tea experience. We plan a maximum of 2 hours for your reservation from the time it is set, not the time you arrive. If you arrive more than 15 minutes late, the first and second courses will be combined to give you time to enjoy your tier within the remaining allotted timeframe.
All children must be accompanied by an adult at all times and must remain seated and not allowed to roam the restaurant. There are no tables of “kids only” allowed for the sake of our guests’ experience and safety of staff and valuable décor and china. Please accompany all minors to the restroom and guide your child on proper dining etiquette.
DIETARY CONCERNS
We are able to accommodate some but not all dietary restrictions. We are able to accommodate Gluten Free (+$4), Vegan, and Vegetarian for a Full Afternoon Tea Experience if notified at least 48 hours in advance. We are not able to accommodate Dairy Free, Sesame Free, Sugar Free, Low/No Salt, Low/No Fat, No Onion/Garlic, Gluten Free plus Egg Free, Gluten Free plus Nut Free, or Grain-Free for our Tea Experiences. We are unable to accommodate requests for combinations of restrictions (example Gluten Free + Dairy Free, Nut Free + Egg Free, etc). Please note allergies when making your reservation and we will reach out if there are any issues meeting your request.Same day notifications will incur an additional $4 charge for special dietary requests, as will all accommodations to be Gluten Free.