The Tailored Tea
1010 Troy-Schenectady Road • Latham, NY 12110
518-608-5137 • thetailoredtea.com
“Being in a tea house was the farthest thing on my radar,” chuckles The Tailored Tea’s owner, Jared Bafaro. Working as a chef for 23 years in exclusive, award-winning restaurants, afternoon tea didn’t seem to cross his mind as a path for his culinary endeavors until one of his friends was the Executive Chef at The Tailored Tea. After experiencing afternoon tea there, Jared fell in love with the sophisticated fare and began to see a career opportunity for himself. Jared bought the business from the previous owner in 2015, and the rest is history.
In a 218-year-old white house strikingly contrasted with dark shutters, teatime is well-suited to be served here. The historic building, otherwise known as The Ebenezer Hills, Jr. Farmhouse, was built by a twice-enlisted Continental soldier during the Revolutionary War. The locale is steeped in American history and exudes classic charm in every corner. The afternoon-tea menu is brilliantly designed to reflect the integrity of the home as well as the reputation of the tradition of tea. Tiered stands holding savories, scones, and sweets are gracefully presented to each table as guests swoon over the tasty bites placed before them. Jared makes everything from scratch, changing the menu every six months to keep things interesting. Along with serving tea, the tearoom additionally offers breakfast, brunch, and lunch.
The most popular tea services for $20 per person, include “The Hudson,” which affords a choice of three tea sandwiches, one scone, and a sampler of mini desserts, and “The Mohawk,” which includes salad or soup, a duet of scones, and a sampler of mini desserts. The “Historic Hills Tea” boasts a combination of the aforementioned options for a heartier selection of foods. A “Children’s Tea,” for $15 per person, consists of a choice of two sandwiches, a scone, and a mini sampler of scrumptious desserts. For the sandwich selection, the chef recommends turkey with cranberry and mayonnaise on multigrain bread, cucumber and mascarpone on whole-wheat bread with a bit of honey, and smoked salmon and cream cheese with scallions on pumpernickel. Each service comes with a pot of tea of the guest’s choice.
When visiting The Tailored Tea, one can be assured that the food and beverage will be sourced locally. The fabulous teas served at the tea house come from Divinitea, a company based nearby in Clifton Park. Best-sellers include fruit-forward brews like Raspberry Apple Tisane, Very Berry, and Cranberry Pear Smash, in company with English and Irish Breakfasts that interestingly outperform the Earl Grey.
If you are searching for a calm and rejuvenating respite away from any hustle and bustle, The Tailored Tea will save a seat for you. “It’s a nice little spot where you can go off the beaten path and enjoy a good meal at an affordable price,” Jared says. Regardless of whether you are a seasoned tea devotee or a novice that is intrigued by the concept—akin to Jared’s story—you just might find that The Tailored Tea is indeed your cup of tea.
The Tailored Tea is open Wednesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Reservations are highly recommended.
