Tea Room Review: Afternoon Tea at Elixir Tea House in Sarasota, Florida

Just like Beth March in Little Women, I love being home. My cross stitch supplies, my piano, my pantry of carefully selected snacks, and my comfortable bed are all here, so why would I want to go anywhere else? Of course, there are occasions when Xak and I need to travel somewhere, and for those rare times, I always search for a tea house for us to visit during the trip. 

In this case, the occasion for me to leave the house was a happy one: Xak’s cousin’s wedding was scheduled for 2024 Labor Day Weekend (Early September) down in Bradenton, Florida. Although we’ve been to Florida multiple times, neither of us had ever been to that specific area. The Orlando airport that most Disney lovers are very familiar with is about a 2.5 hour drive away, so Bradenton isn’t exactly next door. We were happy to go down for the wedding, but I knew we would be even happier if we had an afternoon tea to look forward to.

My goal was to find an afternoon tea place that was relatively close to where we were staying and also actually open. Since Labor Day is a national holiday, a lot of businesses tend to close or have very limited operating hours. On top of that, most tea rooms are usually only open a few days during the week even when it’s not a holiday.

Luckily, after a bit of research, I discovered the Elixir Tea House in Sarasota, Florida which fit all of my criteria including being open the days we would be down there. Our visit took place on Saturday, August 31, 2024.

Note from Dani: Our visit took place prior to the hurricanes that affected several areas in Florida in September and October, including Sarasota. I’m pleased to see that Elixir Tea House is currently operating as of December 2024.

About Elixir Tea House

The Elixir Tea House opened in 2013 and features an impressive tea menu with over 80+ teas. There’s also wine, coffee, lunch options, and a variety of desserts available for those who (gasp) don’t like tea.

Elixir Tea House stays open much later than a traditional tea house (2-9 PM from Tuesday – Saturday, and 2-6 PM on Sundays), and host different stage events including open mic and comedy nights.

While Xak and I do enjoy a single cup of tea or a pastry, the reason we chose Elixir Tea House was specifically because of their afternoon tea offerings which included the following:

• Elixir High Tea – five sandwiches, pastries, scones, unlimited tea, and champagne
• Petite High Tea – three sandwiches, pastries, a pot of tea, champagne
• Junior Tea Party – two finger sandwiches, pastries, a cup of tea or lemonade

Guess which one we wanted? 😄

Reservations Process

Reservations are required, but you can’t make your reservation online. The phone number is listed in the website’s footer.

When I called to make the reservation the week of our expected arrival, someone took down my contact information and desired reservation date and time, and then told me that someone else from the place would return my call to complete the reservation later. I was a little confused since I figured the reservation would just be done right then and there. Instead, this meant I would have to now answer every unknown call on my phone (if a different number called back) instead of just letting it go to voicemail.

That afternoon during our daily walk around the pond (after 5 pm), I did receive a call from a random Florida number (it was different from the one I called), which turned out to be the call to complete my reservation. I was informed what the high tea experience would include as well as the anticipated final cost for 2 people including tip. During the call, I was asked to provide my name, phone number, email, and also my credit card number to put down a $40 deposit which would apply to the final bill. 

I am not a fan of providing my credit card number over the phone or in public, but at least I was in an area where the only things near me were geese and squirrels which is a lot better than being somewhere with a lot of people like the metro, I guess.

Shortly after, I received an email confirmation with the Elixir Tea House logo on the top which did make me feel a bit better. Hopefully everything would go smoothly when we arrived. 🤞

Parking

A few days later, Xak and I arrived in Sarasota. After a long day of airport security, waiting at the gate, sleeping on the plane, and driving a rental car to Sarasota, Xak and I were extremely excited to relax and have some tea.

We had checked Google maps in advance to get a lay of the land and saw there were plenty of parking spaces in front of the tea house. There were also signs that mentioned that parking was restricted to two hours, even on weekends (of course, we did not see those signs on Google maps).

I asked Xak to park as close to the entrance as possible so we could bolt for the car if we saw any tow trucks coming. Just in case.

We looked at both sides of the road multiple times (for safety reasons, and for tow trucks) before we headed in.

The Tea Room

As we walked through the entrance, we entered a large room with tables and chairs, a window seat, a checkout area with a pastry display, and cash register in front of a wall of teas, and a hallway which had various openings to the private tea rooms.

Our reservation was for 3 PM, but since we were about 10 minutes early, I wasn’t sure if we would be seated. An employee greeted us and we explained we were here for our reservation. She told us they were all set up for us to go back to our prepared room and led us down the hallway to a room on the left.

The room was very comfortably set up with a sectional with pillows along with a low table carrying cloth napkins, plates, silverware, tea cup with saucer, and a massive amount of food on tiered trays with tongs. The walls had a large cherry blossom backdrop, large signs, and Japanese inspired artwork, with lamps, several tea pots, and vases of flowers completing the ambiance. A privacy curtain could be drawn at the entrance, which the customers across from our room had done.

Instrumental guitar music played on the speakers, but I was so surprised that the food was already laid out that I barely noticed.

champagne and The Tea Menu

As we settled down, and I took a ton of pictures, we reviewed the tea menu and the complementary champagne was poured into our glasses. Xak and I don’t drink very often, but this was definitely a celebratory event.

While the food laid temptingly in front of us, both of us wanted to wait for our tea to accompany the meal. This of course meant reviewing the 80+ different flavors of tea that Elixir Tea House had to offer.

Since we chose the option that included unlimited tea, I knew I wanted to start with my traditional English Breakfast to get an order in and avoid prolonging the wait to dive into the food any longer. I figured I could take my time reading through the options later. Tiramisu loving Xak chose the Tiramisu Mascarpone Rooibos. We were asked if we wanted any cream or milk (we chose milk.) Sugar was already on the table (packets, no cubes). As our tea was being prepared, we sipped on our bubbly champagne and examined the trays of food.

The Food

There were two trays on the table: sandwiches and desserts. Instead of a traditional three tiered tray, the food was served on a more artistic and modern tiered display which took up a lot of real estate. Noticeably absent were the presence of scones, but since it was mentioned during our reservation and on the website, I figured (hoped?) that they would be coming soon. But first, we would eat our savories.

Savories

There were five fairly large open faced sandwiches for each of us and including the following:

• Caprese and pesto with mozzarella, tomato, balsamic, and basil
• Salami with lettuce, cheese, egg slice, and a pickle
• Salmon and caviar with cream cheese, lettuce, balsamic honey, and grapes
• Cucumber and tzatziki with dill
• Chicken salad croissant with lettuce and tomato

Usually I put all my sandwiches onto one plate and take a pic, but there was no way they would all fit.

Caprese and Pesto Sandwich

Aside from cucumber sandwiches (and maybe egg, depending on your definition), the tea places I’ve visited rarely serve vegetarian sandwiches. You also don’t see too much mozzarella served at tea. This was a nice surprise, since Xak loves mozzarella. The sandwich was very flavorful with the juicy tomato and the thick mozzarella on crusty bread spread with tasty pesto. It actually took a couple bites to finish, but all those bites were delicious! (Note: this tea experience took place before our wonderful Italian Wedding Anniversary tea party which, of course, featured mozzarella.)

Salami Sandwich

Salami is usually the first to go on our charcuterie boards, and it’s the meat of choice during our charcuterie lite snack times (cheese, cracker, salami). This sandwich was served on French bread and was salty as expected due to the salami and the pickle but had some nice creaminess from the egg and the cheese. I was really surprised to see such a large pickle served at tea, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t thrilled (I love pickles).

Salmon and Caviar Sandwich

I’ve had salmon sandwiches at tea, but I don’t know if I’ve ever had caviar before. Since I eat sushi often, I’ve obviously eaten roe (fish eggs), but it’s not exactly the same thing. I imagine it’s like saying you’ve had wagyu beef before when you’ve only had canned beef stew. (Can someone with more upscale tastes than me please confirm)

Since we were already drinking champagne, why not have caviar, right?

The typical salmon sandwiches I’ve had usually include cream cheese just like this one, but they only taste salty and creamy. The balsamic honey and grapes on this sandwich though made it also taste a little sweet. It was an interesting and flavorful combination, but I don’t think I’m cut out to be a caviar person.

Cucumber and Tzatziki Dill Sandwich

I was actually surprised that the first time I had cucumber and tzatziki sandwiches was literally during my experience at Prince Tea in New York, which was only a month before. At Elixir Tea House, the sandwich had thinly sliced cucumbers and a very large dill garnish. I contemplated if the dill should be consumed and against my better judgment decided I should proceed. Big mistake. I couldn’t taste the tzatziki at all. I don’t even know if I could taste the cucumbers, or the bread for that matter. That’ll teach me to fight my own instincts.

chicken Salad Croissant

Finally came the only non-open faced sandwich on today’s menu. Chicken salad croissants are no strangers to our own afternoon tea menus, however, typically we skip the lettuce and tomato. The filling had a little bit of sweetness, but I was just glad that I was able to taste something other than dill.

More Tea

At some point, our tea was served along with milk in a small warm pitcher and honey. While I enjoyed my English Breakfast (which is why I order it all the time), Xak expected a little more chocolate flavor for the tiramisu in his tea.

We were encouraged to try as many teas as we wanted, and Xak and I were eager to take advantage of that offer. We placed our next orders for Caramel Chai (chosen by Xak) and Chocolate Truffle for me. Xak was asked if he wanted milk on the side or a caramel chai latte which intrigued both of us. Xak said he would go with whatever was recommended (turned out to be milk on the side).

Blueberry Scones

After we had finished our sandwiches, we were informed that our scones would be served warm whenever we were ready. Naturally, we spoke up immediately that we were ready 😄.

The scones were already placed on the desserts tray, but were taken back to be warmed. Our sandwich plates were removed and replaced, little vessels containing grape jam and clotted cream (store bought, I asked) were brought out, and the smell of blueberry scones wafted through the air.

It smells so good!!!

-Eager scone loving xak, happily smelling the Scent of Warm blueberry scones

The scones were not your typical cream scones that you rip apart and slather with clotted cream or butter. It was more like a dessert, coffee shop scone. Still, Xak’s scent assessment was accurate: they really did smell good! I ended up taking small chunks and putting some cream on it. I’m not a big fan of grape jam, but even if lemon curd and strawberry preserves (both are my faves) were served, I wouldn’t have used either of them since the blueberry in it was sweet enough. The scone was a little chewier than I expected, but it did have a very pleasant smell.

Even More Tea

As we started to move on to the desserts, our tea orders were served and our previous cups were removed. My Chocolate Truffle tea smelled just like chocolate (success), and Xak was very pleased with his caramel chai, particularly with the recommendation of the milk, as confirmed with his audible approval.

“Mmm!”

–a satisfied Xak, sipping away on his Caramel Chai

Our teas definitely seemed appropriate for the next course.

Desserts

At this point, I was starting to get … full. This is not something I normally say or feel while I’m at tea, however I had already drank a full pot of tea and consumed a fairly large scone and a hefty amount of sandwiches. On top of that, Xak and I also were attending dinner with the rest of the family about an hour after tea. I knew I needed to watch out or else the dress I had brought for the wedding might not work out.

We asked for a rundown of the desserts tray which included the following:

• Peach Cake
• Macarons
• Fruit Tarts
• Napoleon
• Mango Coconut (??)
• Chocolate Strawberry roll cake
• Madeleines

How many desserts could I realistically eat before our car got towed?

Peach Cake

Peach is a common addition to a summer fruit bowl. It’s nice and refreshing, but I don’t normally go out of my way to eat peaches unless it’s present in a cobbler. The peach cake we were served was creamy and had a bright burst of the fruit flavor. I was pleasantly surprised at how tasty it was. Maybe I should go out of my way for peach desserts.

Macarons

Almost every tea place we visit serves macarons and they will always hold a special place in Xak’s and my heart. Any time there are multiple flavors, Xak and I try to split them as evenly as possible so we can experience both. This is extremely difficult because the macaron shell is delicate, but we do our best.

In this case, one macaron was definitely coconut and the other was… well, unidentifiable. I definitely tasted the almond flavor (from the almond flour), and while I’m fairly sure the other one was chocolate due to the color, the bite was really overpowered by the coconut. Either way, they were both still good. Maybe Xak and I should just stick to eating our own full macarons. 😄

Fruit Tarts

The fruit tarts had strawberries and blueberries on top of sweet pastry cream in a chocolate or vanilla base.

Biting into the tart, there was also a layer of chocolate at the bottom, which was a nice surprise and excellent for someone like myself who was drinking Chocolate Truffle tea. The fruit was sweet and overall very tasty. Even though I think tarts are pretty and adorable, Xak and I don’t make too many tarts at home, so it’s always nice to have some at tea (when someone else makes them).

Mango Coconut Dessert

The next dessert was quite intriguing. I love mango, but i usually only eat it plain or in smoothies. At the bottom of the dessert was a layer of graham crust which lit up Xak’s graham cracker loving face.

The layers looked really nice and while there was a ton of fruit, truthfully I don’t think that mango and chocolate tea are my favorite combination.

Napoleon

Napoleons are thin layers of puff pastry with layers of pastry cream, also known as mille-feuille if you watch cooking shows. Essentially it’s like a layered cream puff. I’m not a fan of cream puffs in general nor did I magically become cream puff’s number one fan from eating this, but I did appreciate how delicate the layers were.

Chocolate Strawberry Roll Cake

Chocolate and strawberry are one of the most classic combinations so I was quite excited for this one. The cake was rolled with a nice swirl of strawberry cream and tasted rich and delightful with the Chocolate Truffle tea. The only thing that threw me off was the bitter cocoa powder on the top.

At this point, I was definitely pushing my limit and in the danger zone of not fitting into my dress for the wedding. Still, there was one more dessert…

Madeleine

In all the teas we’ve ever attended, we’ve only asked for a box one time. Our visit to Elixir Tea House now makes that count two times. The good news is that Xak loves madeleines so it would be an excellent treat for us to have during our evening tea time at the hotel.

Even More Tea

Some time in the middle of dessert, we were offered another opportunity to order more tea. Xak, not sure what to get, asked for recommendations and was suggested to try Magic Moon, a green and black tea. I had seen Sweet Cherry Tea on the menu and chose that since I like drinking cherry tea at home whenever I run out of lemon.

The sweet cherry tea ended up not actually being that sweet, but it was nice to drink something that I knew wouldn’t keep me up at night. Xak enjoyed his Magic Moon, which tasted like strawberry, and was perfectly content drinking it plain.

As we winded down on the desserts, we knew our two hours of time was coming to an end meaning we needed to bolt soon to avoid the tow trucks. We were also quite full and knew that dinner was only about an hour away (ugh…). Since we wanted to be responsible adults, we decided we would ask for a box for the remaining dessert and the check.

Restroom

It would be extremely foolish to leave without using the restroom. After all, how could I expect to chase down a tow truck after drinking THREE POTS of tea. The restrooms were located in the back of the building, down the hall (I took a left from my room), past an overflowing bookcase holding a large selection of board games.

The restrooms were large and intended for a single occupant. I really am not a fan of taking pics of the bathroom, but there was a pug decal on the toilet, which of course made me smile.

Ginger Fresh Tea and the Loose leaf Menu

As we asked for the check, we were offered one more cup of tea, only this time it wasn’t a flavor we selected. The tea was called Ginger Fresh and it contained licorice, lemongrass, and… ginger (surprise). As our server (who I believe was the owner) poured out the fragrant and pleasant smelling brew, she told us that she drinks it every night before sleeping.

When we took a sip, we realized why she would do that. It was absolutely delicious! Even though I was absolutely stuffed on both tea and food, I could have easily drank an entire pot of this to myself.

We received the check (which could be paid in our room or out at the front), I also asked for the tea menu listing purchasable teas.

This menu is slightly different from the main tea menu you could order in the store. After we drank every last drop of the sweet ginger fresh tea (which required no sugar), we finally got up from our comfortable sectional and moved to the front to close out our checks and order our tea.

Payment

As promised, our $40 deposit was indeed applied to our final bill, and we ended up paying an additional $80~ dollars for a total of $127~ for two people. In addition, I ordered bags of the Chocolate Truffle tea and the Ginger Fresh. In total, the bags was $12.84 (after tax) and prepared upon checkout.

As we headed out the door, we were pleased, not only because our rental car was still there (whew), but also because our trip was definitely off to an excellent start!

Final Thoughts

Typically when I go to afternoon teas, I get very happy at the thought of tradition and classics. I really do love a good cup of tea, but for the most part I’ve noticed tea places tend to treat the tea more like an afterthought. At Elixir Tea House, not only was the food good, the tea was absolutely the star.

I really appreciated the enthusiasm and true love of tea from the Elixir Tea House employees. I was getting hyped hearing the descriptions and also the recommendations on what to add to the teas we ordered. I am grateful for their willingness to answer my questions as I hastily jotted things down in my little tea review notebook.

I’m also EXTREMELY PLEASED that we had a chance to order more Ginger Fresh tea!! Unfortunately, at the time of me writing this review, we’re all out! As far as I can see, there’s no way to order online so we will have to figure out how to obtain more in the future. Streamlining the reservation system or moving it online would also be really beneficial to guests.

We truly had a wonderful time and want to thank Elixir Tea House for giving us such a pleasant experience!

Bonus: Pokemon Go at Payne Park

Xak and I make a point to always pair our tea trips with a garden, a museum, or a walk in the park. We also make sure that we get some Pokemon Go action too. Prior to us arriving to Elixir Tea House, we made a stop at Payne Park to stretch our legs from the plane and car ride and to make sure we didn’t arrive too early before our reservation. The day of our visit coincided with Popplio Community Day, so we were happy to go for a nice walk outdoors.

The park has an enormous playground, a skate park, a disc golf course, and a nice path to just walk around. Florida is quite hot, and that day was no exception. The park did have quite a few trees lining the path which provided some comfortable shade as we walked.

We also caught quite a few Popplio (including some Shinies) which always makes for an excellent day!