Sipping in San Francisco and Beyond

Fairmont San Francisco

950 Mason Street • San Francisco, CA 94108

415-772-5000 • fairmont.com

Crowning the neighborhood of Nob Hill, with its glorious panorama of the blue bay on all sides, the Fairmont has been one of San Francisco’s top luxury hotels since it opened in 1907. A statue of Tony Bennett stands in front because the late singer first performed “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” at the hotel in 1961. In the back of its glamorous Old World–style lobby and behind 32 faux marble columns, afternoon tea is served on Saturdays in Laurel Court restaurant, beneath a three-domed ceiling and amid murals of California trees and chairs in celadon.

In the Christmas season, the Fairmont is one of the most enchanting places to experience in San Francisco. A 22-foot-tall gingerbread house—crafted from thousands of gingerbread “bricks” cemented by icing and decorated with almost 2,000 pounds of candy from chocolates to candy canes—is displayed from Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day, right in front of Laurel Court. The fairy tale–like creation even has a living room whose faux fireplace has a wreath above the mantel. A little train traverses a snowy landscape behind a white picket fence outside the house. Incredibly, a group of up to eight can book tea or a meal inside the house (for a hefty fee).

Afternoon tea offers 11 loose-leaf teas, created exclusively for Fairmont by the Metropolitan Tea Company, served in gold-rimmed white china. The heady almond aroma of Winter Palace Marzipan Rooibos arises from almonds from Morocco, which boost the marzipan flavor, while Frosty Plum Spice contains pear and plum notes, with a frozen ice wine finish. The Christmas Blend, thanks to cinnamon and clove plus a touch of jasmine petals and candy, conjures up the scent of European Christmas markets.

The five gourmet sandwiches match the grand setting: steak with peppercorn aïoli, pickled mustard seeds, and fried shallots; salmon mousse with capers and fried garlic; and roasted carrots with feta cheese and dill are typical.

“I feel the need to pack a punch into a small package,” says chef Michael Quigley, who uses local ingredients often and changes the menu seasonally. A deeply flavored maple scone with fig jam, buttermilk biscuits, a chocolate budino caramel tart, raspberry oat bars, macarons, and a spiced muffin were the pastries on my visit. The honey is from the hotel’s own beehives on the terrace, while cheese is from Laura Chenel and Bellwether Farms in Sonoma.

“We always change the flavor of the scones—ours is so different from the average scone,” notes Michael. “The Holiday Tea is an elevated experience with higher-end ingredients. We may do duck, scallops, Dungeness crab.” A children’s tea, featuring peanut butter and jelly and Nutella and banana sandwiches, and a full lunch menu is also served.

The Fairmont San Francisco serves tea Saturdays from 2 to 4 p.m., and daily at Christmas time.