I love surprises. The good kind. The sweet kind.
I ran into one of these such sweet surprises when I discovered Satori Tea Company on a lark on my McCoy’s MeCation in San Jose this past weekend.
For those of you who don’t know, I grew up going to afternoon tea with my mom on a regular basis. It was our thing. It was our chance to catch up with one another after school, eat some delicious food and share with her all of my hopes and dreams (with a little gossip mixed in here and there) – all while sipping our cups of tea. My senior year of high school, we went daily whenever we could, because we knew we wouldn’t have that opportunity the following year. So afternoon tea, or high tea, has always held a special place in my heart.
Finding a good tearoom that measures up to those I remember from my youth, like the long-gone Lady Primrose in Dallas, is no easy quest. Until now. On a lark, I decided to take my Step Up Women’s Network alum mentee, Rosy, to tea, while in San Jose for Oprah’s The Life You Want weekend. We had gone to tea together once before in Beverly Hills, and it was now becoming our tradition, much like it had been for my mom and I.
I walked around downtown San Jose and stumbled upon Satori Tea Company. This place hits all the points I deem crucial when it comes to an exemplary afternoon tea. And, it’s no surprise as owner, Victoria, partook in tea classes as a child and then found herself later studying the art of tea while studying abroad in England as a college student.
- There is a wide and interesting selection of teas – a wall of them, actually, that you can sample-sniff.
- They offer a wide and tasty selection of flavorful, authentic, homemade tea sandwiches.
- They serve true clotted cream (as well as lemon curd and jam) with their scones
- They add their own twists on the classic tea, like these crumpets topped with their homemade yum – I mean – rum butter.
Housed in an unassuming space, its front door faces a parking lot. Nothing magical on the storefront…but then you go inside. Magic. Pure magic.
Poms hang from the ceiling, beautiful antique furniture abounds (SO beautiful that I kept trying to buy it), and servers are dressed in beautiful, feminine frocks. I felt transported to a Mad Hatter tea party in the middle of downtown San Jose. Not bad for a Friday!
- English cucumber & cream cheese
- Egg salad with green onion & dill
- Pear, gorgonzola cream, & arugula
- Apple, cranberry, almond chicken salad
- Herbed turkey, pesto, & pepper jack
- Smoked salmon, cream cheese, capers
- Ham, English cheddar, & fig butter
- Peanut butter & jelly with sprinkles
I am still dreaming of those oh-so-tasty tea sandwiches (8 varieties, including ) and the Breakfast Club pink tea, which is the comforting taste of cinnamon toast meets bread pudding meets morning porridge. Yes, really. I actually left with a tin of this, I was such a fan!
And, my purchase didn’t stop there! They have a beautiful selection of antique teacups, tea sets and teapots, so I also picked up some delicious Christmas gifts for friends and family.
Best of all, it reminds me of the sweet and tasty tearooms of my youth. Satori Tea Company is a warm, inviting, delicious, whimsical little world that invites you to share tea, swap stories and make memories – like the ones my mom and I have – that will last a lifetime.
If you’re in the Bay Area, I can’t recommend highly enough that you schedule a visit to this tantalizing tea room. You will thank me for the recommendation.
**Stay tuned for some delicious recipes from Victoria of Satori Tea Company, coming soon here on BeautyFrosting!
xoxo,
BF
BF Asks: What’s your favorite tearoom?