Austin English Tea Company
12233 Ranch Road 620 N #114 • Austin, TX 78750
512-633-7944 • austinenglishtea.com
Originally hailing from North England, Lancashire to be exact, Sarah Olano has always been quite fond of baking, as her family used to own a bakery and confectionery shop in the area. Sarah grew up helping her “mum” make homemade scones and dainty sandwiches and fell in love with creating scrumptious goods for others to enjoy. Although she was not always aware of the grandiose tradition of afternoon tea as it was just a simple part of her English upbringing, Sarah’s knack and affinity for baking brought her into the tea world. “When I was growing up, we didn’t call it afternoon tea,” she explains. “When you got home from school, it was simply tea and scones. It wasn’t ceremonial or an occasion. It was cakes on a cake stand or cherry pie at 4 o’clock accompanied by pots of tea. It was often without realizing it that I was partaking in something so special.”
After meeting her American husband while traveling to New Zealand and following him back to Texas, Sarah felt the insatiable desire to bake once again. She started selling her confections to cafés and farmers’ markets and eventually stumbled upon an opportunity that was too good to pass up. A quaint tearoom with a commercial kitchen appeared on the market, and it became what is now known as Austin English Tea Company. The décor of the tearoom is a fanciful assortment of mismatched china, pink-and-white checkered floors, and vintage furnishings to create a feminine and whimsical atmosphere that feels as if it might be frequented by Alice in Wonderland herself, if only she was slightly more put together.
Whether visiting the tearoom for a bridal or baby shower, anniversary, birthday, or another celebratory occasion, enjoying teatime at Austin English Tea is both memorable and special. It is currently the only traditional tearoom in the area and remains popular due to its excellent service and tempting offerings. The afternoon-tea service, for $46 per person, features four tasty tea sandwiches, from classics like cucumber and egg salad to more unique varieties such as hummus and spiced carrot; a toothsome raisin scone; and scrumptious sweets which vary from millionaire bars and puff pastry with poached pears and honey to macarons, lemon bars, and cheesecake served in a miniature teacup. On holidays, such as Mother’s Day and Christmas, glasses of Prosecco are additionally available along with a gift of loose-leaf tea. Guests can choose from a collection of teas for their brew of choice with Earl Grey and fruity blends, such as Peach White and Cherry Raspberry, being the most popular.
Sarah notes that many guests of the tearoom have never experienced the joy of afternoon tea before and that part of her love for the business is introducing locals to the cherished practice. “If you don’t do afternoon tea properly, it’s not value for money,” Sarah states. “You have to enter into the spirit of it. It brings an education on this custom and how to eat this certain meal. If you just break a scone in half and try one tea, then it will not be a good experience.” After all, afternoon tea is much more than savoring pots of tea and proper etiquette, it’s about a beautiful and tranquil escape for an hour or two, where the only things that truly matter are good conversation and how much clotted cream is appropriate to slather on your scone. With Sarah Olano’s guidance, Austin English Tea Company has fine-tuned the perfect balance of crafting an upscale ambiance with nods to its English roots while remaining approachable for those who have yet to experience the loveliness that teatime entails.
Austin English Tea Company’s afternoon tea service is available by reservation online for select dates.
