There are many people that embrace fall with open arms. I never understand these people. They’ll rave about “crisp air”, falling leaves and pumpkins, and I’ll counter with, “Yes, but pretty soon it’ll be dark at 4:30.” I’m an autumn Debbie Downer.
But fall’s not all doom and gloom. Apple picking’s a joy; so are cider donuts; thank god for the return of football. Another positive? Lola’s Tea House.
A co-worker told me about Lola’s last year, and to be honest, I didn’t think much of it. I’m not majorly into tea or anything, so I wasn’t expecting it to be my type of place. But when the weather turns cold, and on dreary Saturdays like the one we just had, tea… tea hits the spot.
Cozy, this Lola’s.
Warm lighting, cute artwork, soft music, free Wi-Fi, gift items and a seriously nice bathroom. Really, it is. Huge, spotless, fragrant, and if I remember correctly, there’s even an ottoman with magazines on it. I feel like you need to know this.
Lola’s has offerings of soups, salads and sandwiches (no crumpets, however). I was drawn to the dessert options, namely the dessert and tea special: a two-cup pot of tea with any three bite-sized desserts.
The desserts were fabulous looking. I was told a baker in Peekskill brings them in. Here’re my three: lemon tart, chocolate and raspberry rugelah and red velvet cupcake.
I mean, what’s not to like about that plate? There were even two raspberries!
For tea, the non-caffeinated Toasty Almond.
Again, I’m not a huge tea aficionado, but this was just great. Very, very subtle. A gentle roasty, toasty almond favor, and a hint of apple, as though someone dropped a teaspoon of hot cider in the tea. So mellow with a beautiful golden color.
I liked it so much, I bought a small bag of tea leaves to take home.
I’m saving the tea until the temps plummet and daylight dwindles. Then I’ll break out the Toasty Almond tea to remind myself: Fall’s not all bad.
Lola’s Tea House
130 Fifth Ave.
Pelham, NY
914-738-2100
5 Comments
1 rinku wrote:
Hey, I love tea! Thanks for posting this, need to try this out soon!
2 Deborah wrote:
Wow, that’s funny, we tried the place last year and it was totally a dud. We waited endlessly, close to an hour, for a simple tray of sandwiches and a few pots of tea, and at least one of the teas was awful (and this is from a tea-lover). It was a family gathering, and while we were happy to be there with each other, none of us ever wants to return to Lola’s again. I hope they’ve worked out the kinks since then – it doesn’t sound like you had nearly the same experience.
3 Doug\ wrote:
That’s interesting — the day I was there it wasn’t too crowded, so the server didn’t look overwhelmed. I wonder if service suffers when it gets busy. Or it could just be they’ve worked out the kinks.
4 Lori wrote:
I went there when it was totally empty. It took 20 minutes to get waited on and another 20 to get served. Professionalism did not seem to be a priority, as indifference reigned. Food was just edible, tea was average, and the tab overall was overpriced. Happy that you had a good experience, but far superior tea service can be found in Manhattan or at Silver Tips in Tarrytown.
5 Diane wrote:
I am glad to see that I am not the only one who doesnt like Lola’s!! I just filled out a survey for her and told her the honest truth about her place! After you have experienced Silver Tips in Tarrytown, there is no way you could eve accept the food, the tea, the price, and the service of Lola’s!