The Tea Journal · No. 1 · September 2026
Hard to believe it has been nearly a year since we opened at our new home — and just as long since we last sent a proper update. We would like to make these a habit. Monthly, preferably. The Tea Journal is our chance to strike a different tone from the rest of our mail: a plainer conversation, catching you up on the goings-on and behind-the-scenes here at the tea room.
But first, a long-overdue thank you. Thank you to the friends who assembled chairs and acted as our on-call moving crew. To our parents and family, who lent endless help in almost every way imaginable. And of course, thank you to you, our guests and friends of the Tea Room. You have allowed us to serve countless guests, provide for our community and our staff, and live our dream. We have been open nearly a full year at our new location, and we cannot wait for many more.
And so, without further ado — welcome to The Tea Journal. This first issue covers the many exciting changes coming to the tea room, and ends with a peek at the Brighton Room before we opened.
On September 24th we switched to our new fall menu — and it is a good one. Here is what to expect.
Our sweet scone is a pumpkin and fresh-chopped cranberry; the savory, a butternut and sage scone with an olive-oil spread.
The top-tier sweets are an incredible pecan pie and a pumpkin gob. If you have never met a pumpkin gob, picture house-made cream sandwiched between two soft pillows of pumpkin cake. Alongside them: a new tart-cherry macaron, and one last secret item.
The savories are just as satisfying — a turkey and roasted-red-pepper aioli finger sandwich, a new Waldorf salad with seasonal ingredients, and a roasted-corn and herb autumn salad.
For those who favor High Tea, the additional savories include our sausage roll with an incredible new recipe, and a leek and goat cheese quiche.
And of course, new seasonal teas. We are pleased to introduce Pumpkin Harvest, our limited-time fall blend — the perfect cup as the weather (hopefully) begins to cool. Available in the shop and with your tea service while supplies last. We will also be pouring two existing blends that pair beautifully with an autumn afternoon: Canadian Vicar and Maple Walnut Sencha.
See the full fall menu, or reserve a table for the new service.
As we have settled into the rhythm of tea service, it has freed up time to focus on what has made the Tea Room special for over a decade: our themed events and experiences. They are back in a big way, and our calendar is filling with new ways to dive deeper into the world of tea.
September 20 & 26 — Hobbit Trivia. A very special tea service themed around the fine foods of Middle Earth. Trivia winners take home prizes that would make Smaug jealous — and yes, there is a costume contest.
October 4 — Tea Etiquette. Afternoon tea has a surprisingly technical set of customs and manners. Learn them from a certified expert, and by the end you will be ready to dine with royalty.
October 7 — Mastery of Tea. Take your tea knowledge to the next level with a certified tea sommelier: leaf grading, shading and yellowing, and the stories behind tea's most storied blends. Includes a guided tea tasting and a scone with cream and jam.
October 30 — Murder Mystery Tea. A multi-course dinner and show. Join Jest Murder Mystery Co. as everyone tries to work out who the murderer is — it could be you. A perfectly macabre evening for Halloween eve. Tickets go live soon.
November 4 — A Social History of Tea. Hear tea's remarkable journey from the 1600s onward and its role in shaping Britain and the U.S., with storytelling, history, and a matching tea tasting, scone, cream and jam.
December — Father Christmas. One of our most beloved events of the year, designed for our youngest tea drinkers. Booking dates will be released later this year.
Browse and book what's on over on our experiences page.
You may have caught a teaser on our socials (if you do not follow us yet — you should; it is where the most up-to-date announcements and the fun bits live). We cannot announce it just yet, but the reveal happens on September 24th. Some of you have already guessed what it is.
While digging through old photos, we found a picture of the space before the remodel began. It may be hard to tell under that handsome brown-painted floor, but that was the Brighton Room. Questionable flooring aside, the room had obvious charm — wood paneling, glass doors, and molded ceilings.
We took down the wall on the left to combine it with the oddly small dance studio next door. (Sometimes we still dance in there, for old times' sake.) Today the Brighton Room is bright and cozy, and where we host many of our private parties.
We are terrible at keeping secrets, so here is a little of what is coming: a special charity retail event, our journey toward a liquor license, exciting changes to the shop, Christmas menu news, interviews with the staff, and much more.
Cheers,
Josh, Nate, and the Tea Room