Drink Me! Tea Room
1730 E. Warner Road, Suite 5 • Tempe, AZ 85284
602-206 5469 • drinkmetearoom.com
After returning from a magnificent trip abroad to London, where dabbling in the delights of English culture sparked newfound interests, Melissa Harlan knew she had to bring her recently discovered love of teatime back with her to the States. “The thing that my family enjoyed the most was afternoon tea,” Melissa explains. “On the flight home, I started writing a business plan and immediately wanted a tearoom in my neighborhood.” A family adventure quickly turned into a brand-new business endeavor, and the rest is history.
Drink Me! Tea Room opened in July 2020 to rave reviews despite the dilemma of starting a business in the middle of a global pandemic. That success could be due to the whimsical and fun personality of the space that invites playfulness and creativity to bloom in an ambiance where wonder and curiosity are celebrated. Though the décor is rather modern with clean lines, black-and-white furnishings, and a few specialty elements, like a hedge wall that serves as an Instagram-worthy photo opportunity, the tearoom’s Alice in Wonderland theme reigns supreme in stylistic nuances, menu items, and, of course, the tea blends. “Alice in Wonderland has been my favorite book for my whole life,” Melissa notes. “We’re really focused on the literary version of the story. Books are everywhere, and illustrations and poetry from the book are displayed.” If you’ve always wanted to partake in a Mad Hatter Tea Party, then this spirited spot is beckoning for you to visit.
From the moment you walk in the door, every element of the experience is brilliantly tied into the theme. Four different tea services are available to choose from, depending on your mood and appetite. The Wonderland Tea, for $54 per person and the most popular reservation option, is a full afternoon-tea menu including savories, scones, sweets, and a pot of tea; the Double Savory Tea, for $26.50 per person, features a pot of tea and two of each of the savory items on the Wonderland Tea menu; the Literary Tea, for $36.50 per person, includes savories, sweets, and a pot of tea; and the Children’s Tea, for $21 per child and for ages 5 to 11, boasts a PB&J finger sandwich, shortbread cookie, meringue “mushrooms,” fresh fruit, and an herbal tea or lemonade. Of note on the menu are the Cucumber & Cashew Cream Crisp, Almond Chess Board Cake, and the Key Lime Tart, as well as unique organic tea offerings perfectly suited for Alice herself and her cast of characters, like a butterfly pea flower tea that turns your cup a magical shade of blue when steeped. Colorful tea cocktails are also available to add a bit of pizzazz to your afternoon respite.
Every food item at Drink Me! Tea Room is made completely in-house and is 100 percent gluten-free and vegan-friendly, which was a deliberate decision made by Melissa, who follows a plant-based diet. “Many people don’t know until the middle of the tea that it’s totally vegan and gluten-free,” she chuckles. “I wanted to turn the tables so that most of our guests are included, and there’s no extra penalty if you need non-dairy milk or gluten-free options. It eliminates worry, and I totally relate to how frustrating that can be at normal restaurants.” Apart from the tearoom’s gracious recipe accommodations, there is a desire to remain a sustainable business. The tearoom is a green-certified business and has won awards and grants for their great efforts toward reducing waste and avoiding environmentally hazardous materials, so the staff utilize composting methods and recycled products to properly manage energy efficiency and to decrease their carbon footprint.
Beyond the eye-catching tiered stands of enticing treats and mild obsession with Alice in Wonderland lies a larger-than-life love of people that is palpable in everything Melissa does. When afternoon tea concludes at Drink Me! Tea Room, the last crumbs of an Earl Grey macaron will be swept away, and the infusion that was delicious down to the last drop will be in the past, but it will be nearly impossible to forget the quality of service and care, and for that, you will be “curiouser and curiouser” to return once again.
Drink Me! Tea Room is open Wednesday through Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Reservations are required. Exciting tea events for holidays and themed gatherings from Downton Abbey and Bridgerton to Harry Potter are held throughout the year.
