🚌 FIELD TRIP: DRINK ME! TEA ROOM - TEMPE, AZ

Through the Looking Glass

My sister-in-law wanted to visit Arizona for her birthday and I wanted to take her somewhere different & unexpected to celebrate. I had Drink Me! Tea Room on my “Go-Do” list for a long time and hoped this would be the perfect place. We both love food, so I was really looking forward to this experience.

My niece and her grandmother were also coming along for the visit; I made reservations for the 4 of us for afternoon tea.

Reservations Required

Because they prepare each dish fresh based on the guest count, reservations are required. We chose the “Wonderland Full Afternoon Tea” which included savories, scones and sweets and a pot of tea. When reserving, be prepared to pay a deposit of $30 per guest. See below for more info on this.

They have different themes which change periodically. When we went, the theme was “Alice in Wonderland.” As of this writing, the current theme is “Scary Merry Christmas,” which runs through November 17th and then “Winter Wonderland Afternoon Tea” from November 21st-December 29th. They have also had a Harry Potter theme before, so if you’re a Potter fan, keep your eye out for its possible return, maybe starting January, 2025.

Tips for a Smooth Trip

Our reservations were for a Saturday at 11 AM which made for a quick 30-minute drive from Verrado to Tempe. Make sure you check traffic before you go, otherwise… it may take an hour and 30 minutes (or more), which is what my map is saying if I left now (in rush hour).

Also be sure to check the freeway for closures on your return trip before you go. I learned the hard way that entire sections of freeways are often closed here in Arizona and this is especially true on the weekends.

My sister-in-law wanted to visit Scottsdale after the Tea; I told her that would depend on the road closures. She didn’t believe me but got to witness it herself and they all got a kick out of that. Coming from California, it is kind of odd to see a freeway with zero cars. (We were able to make it to Scottsdale though.😉)

A Magical Experience

Overall, I would highly recommend Drink Me! for a party or girl’s day out but let me break it down for you a little more…

The Rabbit Hole:

• There are 5 levels of tea service ranging from Full Afternoon Tea to Sweets Only.

• When making reservations, you can order a different tea service for each person. Meaning, 2 could have the full tea and 2 could have the sweets only tray. I didn’t realize this when I made the appointment. Be sure to check out all tea menu options before making the reservation.

• For your first visit, I would suggest only the sweets tray or maybe the “Literary Tea,” which is a smaller portion size of the sweets & savories. More on why below.

• Okay, if I tell you this now, you have to promise to keep reading: Drink Me! is vegan and gluten free. For me, this was a major selling point as I have a gluten sensitivity.

• The sweets were delicious and the gluten-free factor was undetectable. They are also BEAUTIFULLY decorated and so fun & creative. We all got out our phones and started snapping pics as soon our trays arrived.

• Because we ordered the “Full Tea,” our trays included a variety sandwiches. For me, this is usually my favorite part of any tea.

• At Drink Me!, we all agreed the sandwiches were not our favorite and we didn’t eat most of them. There is just something weird about the texture of gluten-free bread. I tried to like them, but just couldn’t get past the grittiness.

• At the restaurant, each person orders their own flavor of organic tea and each person is then served their own tea pot. It is more than enough tea for one person and I was not even able to finish my full pot. The tea itself was delicious.

• Even without eating most of the sandwiches, the “Full Tea” was plenty of food (and drink) and we all left stuffed to the gills.

• Next door to the restaurant, they have an express tea bar - Drink Me! Tea & Treats - serving gluten-free & vegan pastries, teas, lemonade, lattes & cold brew.

• They have won all sorts of awards like: Best Tea Spot (2022), Best Sustainable Business of the Year (2022), Best New Restaurant (2021), and Best Tea Shop (2021).

• Read more about the story behind how Drink Me! came to be here.

Bottom line: Make plans for afternoon tea ASAP.

Buzz Rating: 🐝 🐝 🐝 🐝 🐝 [5/5 Pastries & Tea] | 🐝 🐝 [2/5 Sandwiches]

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