AFTERNOON TEA REVIEW: Prince Tea House (Virginia Beach)

Location: Prince Tea House, Virginia Beach, VA
Price: $30 for one, $56 for two, $84 for three
Reservations: N/A
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The confidence with which I'm starting an "afternoon tea review" subheading is either stunning or ridiculous. The fact of the matter is, I love it. I will go out of my way for it wherever I go. And when I can treat someone to something nice, this is my favorite way to do it. Since I plan to treat myself (and others) more, because life is short and tea is lovely, hopefully look forward to more of these.

A few Sundays ago, my friend Phoenix and I were celebrating our friend Katy's birthday, which was in two parts: an escape room (Phoenix's contribution) and afternoon tea (mine). I'd been to the Prince Tea House in Virginia Beach twice before and loved it both times, but I'd never actually done the full afternoon tea spread. We'd all had a look around online and got a general sense of what it was like, but ultimately it would be something of a surprise for all of us. A good surprise, thankfully.

The Tea

Prince Tea House has their own line of tea blends, and I've loved everything I had there. Each person gets their own small pot of tea and chooses their own blend. I went with the Du Hammam Leaf Black Tea (rose, berries, and rhubarb), which was extremely nice. The flavor was more berry-centric than floral. I am an enjoyer of rose-flavored things, but if you don't like things that taste floral, be reassured that the rose in this is subtle. (If you're like me, the Rose Lover Milk Tea will be your best bet.)

The Sandwiches (etc.)

The spread came with four types of sandwiches, as well as wasabi deviled eggs. As noted by other, more experienced afternoon tea connoisseurs, open-faced sandwiches aren't how it's "done." And if that is a deal-breaker for you, that's fair to note. But I certainly didn't mind, nor did either of my friends. And the open-faced style made for a very pretty presentation.

• Pastrami with Swiss Cheese: I'm never been big on pastrami because I'd never had non-gristly pastrami before (and I don't do well with gristly meat). But this was extremely lean, and the melted Swiss on top was perfect.
• Smoked Salmon with Avocado: I'm also not a fan of avocado, but I was determined to try every sandwich as presented and not upset the balance of the menu. I still don't like avocado, but the smoked salmon took center stage in this sandwich and was fantastic.
• Cucumber with Tzatziki: I love a good cucumber sandwich. This was fine, but it didn't really stand out for me. Compared to the other sandwiches it was served with, it was a little bland. Not bad, but nothing special.
• Crabmeat with Garlic Aioli: For me, this was the winner among the sandwiches. The crabmeat was surprisingly light, and the very thin slice of lemon on top was a perfect complement.
• Wasabi Deviled Egg: While the crabmeat was the best sandwich, this was the best savory. I love strong wasabi, so I wouldn't have minded if it was overpowering, but the balance was excellent — enough to enhance the flavor, not enough to cause a visceral reaction.

The Scones

What surprised me about the scones was that they were very crunchy on the outside. Not burned or overcooked, just crunchy and sugary like a cookie. The insides were very soft, perfect for spreading the jam and clotted cream. It's not the way I'm used to scones being made, but it was surprisingly nice.

The Desserts

Prince Tea House has a massive menu of amazing desserts, so I was looking forward to seeing which they put forward. Sadly, despite having seen little samples of their crepe cakes featured in photos of the afternoon tea, there wasn't any to be had here. That was fine, though, because what was on offer was great.

• Macarons: We each got one out of chocolate, vanilla, and pistachio. They were good macarons, but if you're an even half decent bakery or tea room, it's hard to flub a macaron.
• Panna Cotta: I love panna cotta, so this was an easy sell for me. Each little serving came with fruit on top, which I liked but which my friends were a little more picky about. I imagine the fruit selections are seasonal, so your mileage may vary.
• Chocolate Lava Cake: I was actually relieved these servings were small, because they were rich. It was very, very good. But much more than we got might have been too much.

The serving sizes were just right per person. Some afternoon tea orders can be a bit too generous; this may sound like a nice problem to have, but not so much when afternoon tea tends not to be a cheap outing and you don't want to waste food. We didn't leave hungry, but we also didn't leave anything behind (except out of preference). I do wonder if going with open-faced sandwiches, and having just a bit less bread, helped with that.

If you're looking for a 100% traditional English-style afternoon tea, this is not it. But also, if you're that stringent about sandwich presentation and dessert selection, there aren't many places in the US you'll be happy. I'm personally not a huge stickler for traditionalism, and I actually enjoy when each venue puts their own spin on their afternoon tea menu and showcases what they do best.

If you're a very picky eater, bring a friend and swap sandwiches with each other. But speaking as a picky eater myself, I'd recommend that you let yourself be pleasantly surprised by the selection.

Visit the Prince Tea House website.