Dining like Royalty at Crown and Crumpet’s Annual Holiday Tea Party
January 7, 2017
This past Christmas, I was lucky enough to have my sister treat me out to Crown and Crumpet’s annual holiday tea party, as a present for my birthday! The tea house partners with the historically glamorous Sir Francis Drake Hotel every single year starting around November so no need to fret if you missed out this year! The hotel, located in the heart of the bustling city of San Francisco, is right across the street from the winter wonderland of Union Square. Crown and Crumpet, known for being “a room with tea and wit”, has become a huge hit for hungry customers looking to flood their friend’s Instagram feeds with beautiful photos of their afternoon tea breaks.
When you first walk into the hotel, you’re greeted by a cozy lobby complete with a full bar! How amazing does that lobby look?! Despite having grown up in the SF bay area, I’ve never actually stepped foot into the Sir Francis Drake. The whole feel of the hotel is very retro but still upscale. Right away, my sister and I turned to each other and said “American Horror Story!” This hotel totally reminds me of the hotel in the series!
(The Sir Francis Drake hotel lobby)
This festive holiday experience starts beginning in November with dates going on until the end of the year. I made my reservation by calling in, and the woman who placed my reservation asked for a credit card number to hold my spot. The credit card would be charged a $40 “no show fee” in the event that you decide to not show up without informing the business. After being seated, you are offered an assortment of different teas to choose from, as well as a bubbly drink! You can choose to have either apple cider or champagne. We ALL know which drink I opted for hehe, and the owner was kind enough to let me know that there were complimentary unlimited refills. I MAY have gone a little overboard and had like 4 glasses of champagne, but in my defense, it was to celebrate my birthday, haha!
(Me with a glass of bubbly!)
Besides the beverage options, their holiday luncheon set also comes with warm savories, sweet treats, and an assortment of luncheon essentials. Also because this is classic San Francisco, they did not forget to include gluten free and vegetarian options. While you wait for your food, the staff members come by with a Christmas Cracker (no not food, seriously Google it!) and gives you a little history lesson about the origin of the tradition. She had my sister hold hands and sing a Christmas song together before breaking open the cracker to unveil a cute paper crown, a “bad joke”, and a little souvenir to take home (I got a “diamond” keychain)! I thought the Christmas cracker really added to the Crown and Crumpet holiday experience, but I saw a couple of middle aged men look extremely uncomfortable with the whole process of holding hands and singing together, but I digress :P
(My sister and our food!)
After opening the Christmas cracker, our food came out shortly! My personal favorite, besides the bubbly of course, had to be their scones and assortment of jams! The blueberry scones were delicious and very moist on the inside. I was too excited to remember to take any photos of the food, but I do have a picture with my sister and the beautiful tier of food! Although the food on the plates look small, don’t let it fool you! The meal leaves you feeling full but not stuffed, which is something that I actually really appreciate in a dining experience.
All in all, I have to say a big thank you to my sister for taking me out! Did you guys have any interesting dining experiences over the holidays? I’d love to hear about it! :)
0 comments