Palace Hotel
2 New Montgomery Street • San Francisco, CA 94105
415-546-5089 • sfpalace.com
At its opening in 1875, the Palace was San Francisco’s first luxury hotel, conceived as the grandest hotel west of the Mississippi and equal to the great hotels of Europe. A huge central courtyard was its most striking feature. Today, afternoon tea is served here in The Garden Court, an opulent gold-trimmed room beneath a stunning cut-glass 41-foot ceiling and 10 Austrian crystal chandeliers flanked by 16 columns of Italian marble.
“Back then, this was the horse and carriage entrance where guests arrived,” says Raquel Zambrana, director of food and beverage, noting the ceiling was installed for the hotel’s re-opening in 1909, three years after an earthquake. “Locals love to celebrate special events at the Palace, where we have a very generational audience. Maybe a great-grandmother got married here, and the family returns to reminisce.”
Afternoon tea includes a pot of one of their 14 teas served, blended exclusively for the Palace by Tealeaves, sandwiches, and assorted scones and pastries. The most popular tea is Legacy Blend, a black medium-bodied Ceylon loose-leaf tea scented with rose petals, bergamot, and a hint of vanilla. A plate of berries is always served at tea, and if you want a double dose, order “Nobo Whole Fruit,” a house tea blend of strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, and currants. An upgraded menu can include a glass of Veuve Clicquot, two miniature bottles of Moët & Chandon (Brut for savories, Rosé for sweets), or caviar with blinis.
The five sandwiches use different breads. Turkey galantine with apricot relish and honey mustard is on rosemary focaccia, fennel smoked salmon with herbed sour cream and black truffle caviar is on rye, and cucumber and roast pear with minted cream cheese and crumbled feta is on white bread. A children’s tea and lunch menu are also available.
The Palace is open for tea on Saturdays from 2 to 4 p.m. Extra days are added at Christmastime.
Sharon McDonnell is a travel, food, drink, and culture writer in San Francisco. Her website is sharonmcdonnell.contently.com.
nice