GREENTREE TEAROOM
521 West Short Street • Lexington, KY 40507
859-455-9660 • greentreetearoom.com
When Gay Reading and John Martin got together in 1999 to open Greentree Tearoom—a combination tearoom and antique store in the historic center of Lexington—they had a clear idea of the kind of place they wanted it to be.
“Our idea was to serve tea in a restaurant the way you would at home,” explains Gay. “We wanted a place that reflected local traditions.” Their concept was for a restaurant that would serve a light luncheon, based on the British tradition of afternoon tea.
The five-course menu at Greentree Tearoom is set so that guests don’t have to spend time ordering at lunch; it changes monthly. “We always start with a soup, hot or cold, depending on the season. Then we serve hot scones right out of the oven,” Gay says. “We will not serve scones after they’ve cooled down,” he insists. The scones are accompanied by lemon curd or jam and Fayette Cream, the Greentree’s own version of clotted cream.
The third course is a light entrée. “The dishes on our menu are traditional Southern luncheon fare,” Gay explains. He describes them as things his grandmother would have served when she entertained, such as pimento cheese, asparagus crêpes, and mini hot browns.
The final two courses are traditional tea savories and sweets, served from a buffet in the center of the tearoom. “You can go to the buffet, take as much as you want, and go back as many times as you want,” Gay points out. “No one leaves here hungry.”
Along with luncheon comes a cup of hot tea. “We serve just one tea, but it’s poured constantly,” Gay points out. “We keep your cup full.” Like the tearoom’s menu, the tea changes monthly, typically a blend of Darjeeling, Nilgeri, or Assam. “We buy bulk tea from Indian estates, and we blend our own. We try to pair our teas with what goes well with the menu for each month.”
Over the past 17 years, the Greentree has become the place where Lexington celebrates special events—from birthdays to baby showers. “We provide a nice service,” Gay says, “especially for young people in today’s culture who want to have an affordable but elegant place to host a special event.”
