Fabulous experience... the owner was so nice and accommodating, our waiter was a gem and the food was amazing. We had the tea for two and everything was delicious. We will definitely go again read more

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This cutesy tearoom was the perfect place to spend time with my mom when she was visiting. Everything was tea-licious. Let's go from most memorable to great: 1) The scones! We need to talk about the scones! The owner said they get made every day from scratch and are turned by hand, which makes all the difference, and boy oh boy was she right. Most scones I've had so far often make my mouth feel like the Sahara Desert afterward, but these ones were absolute perfection. We had the blueberry-orange one and the strawberry-white chocolate one. Both are winners. 2) The tea. As you can expect, they have an enormous selection of tea, and it is very hard to pick one. I eventually settled on a floral blend (yum!), and my mom picked a fruity one, and both were fantastic. There is a lot of tea in the pot, and getting it empty is no easy feat. 3) Sandwiches. As a vegetarian, I was happy to see they had the cucumber one and the egg salad sandwich. Both were very fresh and didn't taste like they had been made 2 days before and popped them in the fridge. 4) The interior. Lace: yes. Frilly things: yes. Lampshades: yes. China: yes, yes, and yes. Floral patterns: yes. Charm: absolutely yes. Their restroom is also worth a visit. 5) Chocolate-covered strawberries. These deserve their own shout out because I for sure popped one whole in my mouth and it was amazing. 6) The service. Maybe weird to put this one in 6th place because they were highly attentive and overall great, but I really liked the food and the tea, what can I say. 7) Everything else (minus the kale salad): cookies, fruit skewer, quiche, jams 8) Price: We opted for the Tea for Two, and it came to $96, which is definitely not cheap but definitely worth it for the experience alone (and the scones!). 9) Kale salad: Was it bad? No. It was alright. But hey, there is only so much you can improve on when it comes to kale. read more

What a delightful Gem of a place. As someone who has often patronized different tea houses around the bay area by the teashore is by far one of the best of its kind. The owner is a total sweetheart and has curated incredible savories, dishes, tea menus everything , there's so much thought love and care that's put into this whole place. My absolute favorite is her potato corn soup, it's so dreamy and creamy. Next time I go, I need to bring home some. I also love the "I hate kale" salad, full of nutrients and healthy things I can't believe I'm saying I adore that salad. Now, onto tea sandwiches in my humble opinion I feel like most typical tea houses give you little tiny petite sandwiches but the Teashore gives you a nice size finger sandwiches! By the way, the scones are DIVINE!!! MY favorite is the French toast one, I'm literally drooling just thinking about it! Lol. The tea menu is extremely expansive. My best friend and I, are favorites is "In Your Eyes" which is so lovely with cream and sugar. I think we tried one called Morning something and we loved it too. The decor is of something out of a dream honestly. The establishment is pink, creamy, with pastels and some blue. The decorations and pictures are very fun and exciting to look at. Very charming and very pleasing to the eye lots of conversational pieces . I especially am fond of the art deco bathroom with the fun jazz music vibes. By the Teashore ranks the highest of the greater bay area tea houses in all categories: charm, passion,, delicious tea, and most of all THE FOOD!!! Long live By The Teashore! read more

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Really enjoyed my experience here. Went for tea with a friend on a weekday afternoon and it was surprisingly busy. We made reservation ahead of time- you need one to be seated inside. Walk ins get patio which is cute too, but on a cold day like today was, probably not the best seating. We ordered tea for two. It comes with two pots of tea, four sandwiches, two scones, a salad, and few other sweets. Our selection: * Tea: Belle & At the Copa- we liked both * Sandwiches: cucumber, curried chicken, ham (written in order of my preference) * Scones: cranberry pistachio rosemary & french toast- both good and come with lemon curd, cream, and jam preserves Salad was meh. It should probably be replaced by some other savory item like a quiche maybe? Sweets were okay- the purple cookie didn't look appetizing but wasn't bad. I would still prefer less food coloring. Fruit skewer was good. Hostess was sweet- personally greeting everyone and chatting with them. Even shared some tidbits about the teacups with us. The place is small and can feel crowded and noisy with tables packed in so closely, there's barely room to walk in between. read more

By the Teashore - Tea Rooms Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

Such a lovely midweek getaway with the most gracious host/owner. We enjoyed all the yummy treats of our afternoon tea. Would highly recommend for friends to come, slow down and enjoy the ambiance. The service is super friendly and welcoming. read more

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Such a lovely experience! The owner is a gem and was kind enough to spend some time with us and share her story. It's clear she's poured so much thought and attention to detail in the experience -- from the food and teas to the table settings and decor throughout. My friends and I had the best time and can't wait to go back! read more

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Waves of tasty tea and a Maverick sized amount of gratitude for this new and delightful tea room. Owner Angela was so friendly and accommodating, I came early and got seated right away. Food portions are generous and the flavors are spot on. The Half Moon tea is the best option - the Maverick tea is more for the blue wave dessert. Which looks cool but your too full to finish by the time you get to it. Scones are creative and delicious: I had the "French Toast" scone on this visit. Tea variety was great, I tried the Ambrosia tea and paired it with some Puerh...Angela, you get extra points for having Puerh on your menu. Lamps, lamps, lamps...I was so intrigued by all the unique lamps around the tea room, visual entertainment. There is also a piano by the bathroom, so you can play a number or two while you wait! So grateful to have an Afternoon Tea place to frequent in Half Moon Bay...I'll be sailing in again soon. read more

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This little wonderful tea house in half moon bay. The staff is kind and so accommodating. Everything is fresh and so tasty!! All the food is made on-site and the owner is so friendly!! This is going to become a frequent visit when I go to the coast!! read more

By the Teashore - Tea for two - Tea Rooms Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

3.5, it's hard to rate this place because the things that were good were good and the things that weren't just brought the rating down. Let's get to it: Highs: The curried chicken sandwich, tea, and scone, and the great service. Now for the misses/lows: 1.Crowded--guests were bumping into our chair and it was loud. 2. Disliked the egg salad sandwich, it was wet and soupy 3. The dessert which was basically like dollar store cookies was a huge miss. 4. The scone came with cheaper store bought jam and lemon curd and no special Devonshire cream. 5. Pricey for 2 sandwiches and what you get, like the cheap cookies horrible kale salad with weird cheese chunks, half a strawberry, 2 grapes, and one slice of orange for $51. In this day and age I want to support local businesses, but I also want quality and good flavor. 6. Kale salad tastes like some weird health kick ration on a wellness retreat. Horrible. So for what you get, it's hard to say this was fantastic given I didn't like the kale salad, one of the sandwiches, none of the cookies/dessert, or the jams etc for the scone. Given the high price (over $100 for two people who left hungry and felt underwhelmed) and very crowded and noisy tables I can't say that I would recommend it to anyone or return. Hence the 3 stars. read more

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What a charming little tea shop in Half Moon Bay! I brought my 4-year-old daughter here to celebrate a birthday, and it turned into such a special experience. The interior is beautifully decorated with a genuine antique feel--it really adds to the magic. The menu offered so many tempting choices, but we went with the tea for two and also ordered the kids' version for the girls. Everything was delicious. I especially loved the ham and cheese, cucumber, and roast beef sandwiches. The scones were wonderful, and the fruit and quiche were just as lovely to look at as they were to eat. We had such a memorable time and I can't wait to come back again with my daughter! read more

By the Teashore - Tables - Tea Rooms Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

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Adorable new arrival for afternoon tea enthusiasts on the main strip in half moon bay! It mainly serves afternoon tea along with some comfort food like delicious soup!! We shared the half moon tea between 2 people (note there is a small fee to share) but I'd recommend getting your own if you're hungry as it is sized for one, unlike some hotel teas where there is too much food. We ordered additional scones and soups, which helped satiate our hunger. Speaking of scones, they were absolutely delicious (hence we ordered more in different flavors!) but note they are different than the usual scones, they were softer, which we enjoyed. And we enjoyed the potato soup so much, we ordered it twice! The interior is all about comfortable afternoon tea vibes with adorable embellishments that make you look twice. I enjoyed looking at all the decorations piece by piece as I got the sense many had stories behind them. There was space for outside tables and they had patio furniture but it wasn't set up during our January visit so I suggest calling ahead if you need to be outside (ie. for pups!) The service is friendly - chill and not rushed. I admit I was a little uncomfortable waiting at the check in desk for awhile without acknowledgement from the busy servers so I'd gently suggest they just briefly look up and quickly acknowledge waiting customers or invite them to take a seat on the couch while waiting. It's a small gesture but would be much welcomed, as I was very appreciative when the owner walked by acknowledged she would help me shortly. The space is fairly small so I just felt awkward standing there. I noticed the owner personally greets every table to share her story and about items she loves to make like the fresh made from scratch scones and clotted cream. It was a really nice touch to meet the owner and support her business. Highly recommend reservations in advance as it's pretty small and it books out more than a month during busy periods like the holidays. There is free street parking. read more

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By the Teashore is, in my opinion, the platonic ideal of a perfect tea house. It does everything right and it made me want to return immediately to enjoy its hospitality as soon as I had left. I went with a group of friends that, unexpectedly, increased by one at the last minute and they handled the addition with grace and kindness, relieving my anxiety about the inconvenience. It ended up being the best tea house experience I'd had in quite a while. Almost all of the items on their menu are made in-house, including the finger sandwiches, which are made fresh each morning so they don't get soggy. The menu is thoughtful and interesting, containing all the items you expect for an afternoon tea, without being boring or trite. This included a house-made, crescent-shaped, lavender-infused cookie that was a lovely shade of purple. I don't normally enjoy lavender-flavored things, but this one had just the right balance and texture and I loved it. I also enjoyed the "I Hate Kale" salad, which was both cheeky and delicious. I was prepared to not enjoy it, but I finished it all. I can imagine it's not to everyone's taste, but it was unique and tasty. The scones were spot-on. I had the Earl Grey & Lemon and had the chance to taste another person's strawberry and white chocolate one, both were delicious and had great texture. The accompanying jam and clotted cream were fantastic. Everyone chose a different tea from a wide selection and they were all great. No one was unhappy with their choice and most shared theirs with others to try! I liked all of the sandwiches, even the ones I didn't expect to like, such as the chicken curry. Among us we tried all the varieties and all were a hit. As a group, we ended up ordering several of the Tea for two selections, which the hostess/owner helpfully pointed out was more economical than each person choosing the individual Half Moon Tea. A few people ended up also ordering additional scones, a la carte, to take home. The owner was there and talked to us a good bit about the shop, answering the many questions with ease, enthusiasm and patience, Our server was the same, taking requests in stride, even from the more difficult among us. We never had to go searching for him and he was on top of everything. The location itself is like another character in the shop's story, being adorably painted on the outside and incredibly decorated on the inside, with a story behind much of the decor. I don't often tell people that they can't miss going to the restroom at a dining spot, but you simply must here because it's fabulous! I loved our experience here and look forward to returning soon, bringing more tea-loving friends to enjoy its charms! read more

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My sis was able to snag a reservation for the last day of November. We got to meet the lovely owner Angela who told us the they had just opened on September 5th. She checked on us often while helpful Paloma took our order and made sure everything was great. They make their scone accompaniments in house! Delightful lemon curd, creme fraiche, and possibly the strawberry preserves. Our order: 1 Fog Tea: choose 1 scone, 1 sandwich 3 Half Moon Teas: 1 scone, 2 sandwiches, includes a mini quiche (so yummy) They also have the Maverick Tea which includes a blue sugar wave bowl with a treat like ice cream and 2 scones & 2 sandwiches. All tea sets come with bottomless tea, salad, fresh fruit, seasonal sweet, and freshly baked lavender lemon half moon cookie! So fragrant and has real lavender buds baked in. Teas we chose: *Lychee Black *Vanilla Black *Ambrosia Black *Decaf Sencha Green Scone Choices: *Blueberry Orange *Earl Grey Lemon *Gluten Free/Vegan Orange Zest, Currants & Cinnamon *GF/V Chocolate Chip Sandwich Choices: *Cucumber Cream Cheese *Egg Salad *Curried Chicken Salad *Roast Beef & Horseradish The space is so cute! Everything is either pink or blue, even the house exterior paint! Street parking is not bad at all. We were there on a Sunday. My favorite tea sandwich was the curried chicken, and it's Angela's fave as well! She said she doesn't like curry but she found a recipe that she fell in love with. Try it out! The horseradish gives an excellent kick for the roast beef, but I would like maybe another thin slice of beef added. Egg salad was tasty and can't go wrong with a classic cucumber cream cheese. Earl Grey lemon scone was fantastic! I got to try everyone's tea and I enjoyed many hot cups of my lychee black tea. Sugar cubes are already on the table. Ask for milk if desired. Lots of photo ops here! The teapot cozies are the cutest things. They serve breakfast in the morning too. Can't wait to go back with friends! read more

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I made a reservation two months in advance on their online system and was reminded by email a day before. Parking was easy on the weekend - just go slow and you'll find a spot. The bank closes early if you still can't find a spot nearby. Our server was polite and affable. He introduced himself by name and was able to separate our checks by order. The owner was also very friendly and warm - coming out from the back to greet and introduce us to her business and letting us know everything was made in-house and fresh. The dishwasher had broke that day so she was stuck in the kitchen. We appreciated her coming out to specifically greet the customers. Everything was good and we left full! You can obviously taste the freshness of the food - the sandwiches especially don't have that refridgerated taste, and the decor was superb! Check out the glamorous bathroom ;) We were satisfied by what we ordered and will be back! read more

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It was a completely lovely place for a spot of tea! The owner told us, she just opened in September. This was their first Holiday service. Very cute place, decorated very nicely. It's small though. It didn't feel like the front of the house were coordinated in their service. It just felt off to me. ‍ Food was good. The roast beef with horseradish sandwich was tasty. There was a special holiday sandwich with fig & ham; it felt heavy on the fig jam. The sweets were a nice treat. Tea was plentiful. The soup delicious. read more

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We loved loved loved this place! First, we booked via OpenTable with a reservation but called to add one more and they were able to accommodate. Then once we got there, we met the owner Angela and she was too cute! She walked us through some of the history of our dining set which was beyond nice. We had a group of 7 and everyone loved the food. The handmade scones were to die for! And on top of that, the clouded creme was soooo so good. Will definitely be back. read more

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Loved the ambiance and the food was delicious! Make sure you take the time to go to the loo. read more

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I love an afternoon tea, and my friend recommended we try this place, and I am so glad we did. We weren't exactly sure what time we were going to be able to meet so we weren't able to make a reservation early, but I got there about 20 mins before we were supposed to meet to see if they had availability and they did! The tea room is so cute. I love all the decorations and the vibe. We ordered the tea for two and it was such a great amount of food. Everything was delicious, fresh, and it was a great sampling. The owner was there and we chatted with her a bit. She was friendly and you can tell she put her whole heart into this place. I can't wait to go back. Definitely a great place to meet friends, bring your daughter, etc. read more

Made a reservation months ago but requested outdoor seating. The day before, they confirmed my reservation and that they were able to accommodate. We arrived and sat quickly. We ordered 4 sets - Half Moon Teas which comes a choice of two Sandwiches, one Homemade Scone with Strawberry Preserves, Homemade Lemon Curd and Homemade Clotted Cream, Spring Mix Salad with Herb Vinaigrette, Fresh Fruit, Macaron, Lemon Lavender Tea Cookie. I selected Cream Cheese and Cucumber sandwich, Curried chicken and Earl Grey scone. Service was a bit slow and they didn't automatically give us milk and sugar, but they were really nice. They gave our friend an extra little treat to celebrate her engagement. All the food tasted good and fresh. The scone was moist and I loved the chicken curry sandwich. I would definitely return and understand that they are still relatively new. Definitely a cute spot for tea. read more

By the Teashore - Tea Rooms Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

I saw this spot randomly on IG one day promoting that they're recently opened. I was very excited and booked everything online (i like that they offer a "special request" section if you want your reservation to be even more special). I even dressed up for the occasion lol. Upon arriving, u might have to find parking on the street since it's in the downtown area of Half Moon Bay. I love the pink aesthetic from the outside, the tables and chairs set up a cute little vibe for u and ur gfs to chit chat. We got sat inside of a corner per our request. The interior has many things to look at. We ordered the mid tier set. The wait was quite long for a couple of pastries and tea, i would say almost 45 minutes or more. We got the beef radishes and egg sandwiches choice. Tasted great, i liked the beef one more, the egg salad was ok, quite bland. I also like the half moon cookie. I believe my total was somewhere around $50. For a nice tea time with my mom, it's not bad and i would come again another time. The inside is quite intimate, so if you're not ready to share what you did last weekend with strangers, I would recommend to sit outside lol! read more

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My friend and I came for Sunday afternoon tea! The tea house is adorable and decorated so quirky. The tea menu they had at the restaurant was much larger than the one online, we had many options to choose from. We both did the "half moon tea" option which came with two sandwiches. I've done a few afternoon teas and assumed the sandwiches would be small tea size, but they were big sandwiches! Just fyi if you're not too hungry. All sandwiches are made to order in house. I had the chicken curry which contained craisns which I loved the sweet and savory combo, it was delicious. I also had the egg salad which was pretty good too! The scones were huge & baked perfectly, still so soft on the inside. It was paired with homemade lemon curd (which was to die for) & homemade clotted cream! Our service was great and attentive & the owner was even there and she was lovely! This is such a cute place for a girls afternoon & the price point is great too! read more

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10/4/25 - Amazing experience! My boyfriend and I went here to celebrate our early anniversary and it was a wonderful time! The owner was so sweet and let us change our time last minute, because luckily they had an open spot for afternoon tea! We ended up going with the Maverick Tea set and did a pot of Pu-erh tea! I think out of all the tea times I've gone to, this one is the most worth it and the price is fair! Loved coming here and the staff were all so sweet! Also fun fact! The owner said most of the stuff was from her own house! So cool! Note that they did extend their hours to 4 pm btw, so more chances to try the afternoon tea! read more

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My recommendation is to give this place another month to pull it together. Location good, parking available but staff couldn't tell us if the handicapped spot next to the tea shoppe was for customers? Cute ambience inside and out We had a reservation for 1:30 but waited over 20 minutes to get a table and only when we pressed as my friend with a cane needed to sit. Strangely the owner never made eye contact with us as she hosted, went to kitchen, served tea, etc. Only 1 tea pot came out, no silverware. There was a tiered tea tray for each of us which was overkill on a small table and no plates for our food. We ate off the tea tray, strange. The food was tasty enough. Not much of a selection of sandwiches or tea yet. They said more will be coming. We had to ask for silverware. I love tea shops and I'll give this place another try but they should check out Lovey's or Lovejoys to see how tight space can be efficiently utilized. read more

By the Teashore - Tea Rooms Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

I know this place has just opened, so I am bumping my review up a little bit to three stars. I have notes! They don't have a parking lot, but it was easy enough to find street parking. I wasn't super familiar with Half Moon Bay, but it's pretty easy to find/navigate around. This is a cute location, right on the main street of HMB, and it's nicely decorated. The bathroom has a very chic Art Deco look! We had a 1:15 reservation, and got there a few minutes early, and waited to be seated. The place was pretty full, and the staff seemed busy and harried. We did finally get seated with menus. Then, eventually, someone came to take our order. There are three different tea options, and it was a little hard to tell the difference between them, so we got the middle one. The menu wasn't super clear if the tea food comes with a pot of tea, but we both ordered tea. And then waited. They brought our food out before our tea came out. The waitress said, as she put down our food, "Oh, didn't someone bring you your tea?" which was kind of an obvious question since there were no teapots there. The food looked good, but we noticed that they just give you the three-tiered tray, and there's no plate to eat off of. Also, there was a fork and spoon there, but no knife, which you actually need for putting the delicious lemon curd on your scones. We did ask the server to bring us a knife, but she never did. After a few minutes of eating sandwiches, the server brought our tea out. Except oops, the tea that my friend had ordered wasn't available (which we just found out about now). And her second choice also wasn't available. So she ended up settling on Earl Grey, which came out fairly quickly. I understand that places run out of things, but it would have been good to learn this earlier in the meal, not halfway through the service. As you can see from my picture, for whatever reason, they don't use some kind of filter with the tea service, so you end up with tea grounds in your cup. I have been to a lot of teas over the years and never had an experience like that. The food we had was tasty, but I felt like there were just a lot of misses with the service. And they really need to get some strainers/filters for the tea and plates to eat off of. I'd probably try this place in the future, but I'd give it time to grow and fix some of these foibles. read more

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Overall - we had a nice experience at By the Teashore. It's cute, quaint, and well decorated. I can see parking being a hit or miss depending on how busy it is. We went on a Sunday at 1pm and was able to find parking pretty close. I want to give this place a 5 stars so bad but you can tell that this is still pretty new to them being that they just opened. The place is tiny. Like very very small with walking room so narrow, it's easy to knock over someone's 3-tier plate. We came in for our reservations (looks like they are doing reservation only for now) and was packed at the front of the door until someone came to the front. Every worker saw how busy it was but kind of just ignored/looked away to go to the kitchen without saying anything like "we'll be right with you" or any assurance that they are aware there's a bunch of people bundled up hoping to ask a question or check in. Glad we got there around 1:30 because if we came any earlier than 11:30, teatime would not be available. They were already sold out of a lot of things we were hoping to get. I noticed a lot of people not getting utensils and having to ask for it, including us. We were not provided any forks for our salad. And no spoons for our tea. Remembering small things like this can help avoid having to walk back and forth in such a small space. Other than that, you can tell that everyone is trying their best.. it just needs a bit more time to really get in the groove of things and take some of the feedback that customers provide! The staff are sweet and attentive. The roast beef sandwich and blueberry scone was my favorite. We had the caffeine free red tea because they were out of the fruit tea, but I'm glad I tried this one because it was soooo good with milk and sugar. Will be coming back again!! read more

By the Teashore - Tea Rooms Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

We had a great afternoon tea! Loved all the cute decorations, such a cozy place. Tea sandwich's were amazing! And the earl grey scone with lemon curd and clotted cream was delicious. The staff were so warm and welcoming. I can't wait to come back! read more

Our experience here was so great! We all loved the tea we got and the food was delicious!!!!!! The service was great and the ambiance was just perfect! The morning room tea was amazing, I will be back! read more

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I'm not a huge fan of tea places. But my wife is! And this place was great! The service, food, tea, ambiance, etc. was all excellent. My favorite was the peach tea, blueberry orange scone, and roast beef sandwich. We will return soon! read more

By the Teashore - I ate all the food before I could take a pic. Here's the bathroom. - Tea Rooms Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

This is such a lovely tea house. I've been to several tea houses in Northern California and this one was by far the best. By FAR. The food was delicious. The owner makes all the food from scratch! The owner/chef was on the premises. She walked around and spoke with each table. Such a lovely person! The tea sandwiches were lovely. My friend particularly enjoyed the curried chicken tea sandwich. As a vegetarian who eats a lot of vegetables & grains, I enjoyed the "I Hate Kale" salad, but my friend, who does not eat this kind of thing on a regular basis, mentioned how good it was too. It was a nutty mixture of couscous and small bits of kale. There were even pine nuts (which are not really nut) in it. The Pièce de résistance, however, were the scones. There are six varieties, and also a gluten-free variety. I tried the Cranberry Pistachio & Rosemary. I've never had a better scone. It was served slightly warm and practically melted in my mouth. My friend ordered the Strawberry & White Chocolate w/Himalayan Pink Salt scone. We each tasted the other's scones and agreed that they were both amazing. I believe those two flavors are the top flavors at By the Teashore. I highly recommend them. The scones were so good in fact that I took two home and my friend took one of each home! In addition to the food, the ambience and decor are perfect. The walls are decorated with vintage photos and other ephemera. Each tea pot has a cute little cozy. The chairs are comfortable. They are the kind that come up a bit on each end of the backrest so women can hang their purses off their chairs without them sliding to the floor. Outside, the entire establishment is painted pink, so you will definitely not miss it. There is an eating area out front for warm days, or if you have a dog with you. The railing is decorated with colorful tea pots repurposed as planters. The porch is decorated with a variety of Victorian paraphernalia, including several vintage-looking bird cages. read more

Another memorable visit to By The Teashore. Brought my sister this time. She loved the experience! We might have a new Christmas tradition :-) The Christmas vibe was so charming. The snowflake project such a simple, delightful, and mindful activity. The Christmas specials were quite tasty. I enjoyed the potato corn soup flavors. Who knew that quinoa and cranberries could taste so good. The little tower desert was scrumptious! Thanks for the excellent service and memories made. read more

By the Teashore - Tea Rooms Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

A lovely tea room, offering delicious afternoon tea and warm hospitality. Last month, after an early showing of the last Downton Abbey movie, we had a 1:30P reservation for afternoon tea. We arrived just in time (account for traffic toward HMB in October!) and waited a few minutes in the sitting area while our table was being prepared. Vintage photo albums, photos, and a variety of teapots, dishes and serveware to look at. There were about three other tables of patrons in various stages of dining and one part of the room set up for a party of 10 yet to start. After we were seated, our orders were taken promptly. Thankfully, we didn't have to wait long at all before our teapots and food arrived. We skipped breakfast to make the early movie time and we were pretty hungry! Service was cheerful and attentive throughout our visit. We opted for the Half Moon Tea each and split an extra sandwich. The table fit everything, but just so. Everything tasted fine. The highlights for me were the lemon lavender cookie (it is what it says it is!) and sandwiches - roast beef, curry chicken and egg - each on pillowy soft bread. They just hit the spot. By the Teashore is far from home for me, so I can't visit often but if I plan on being in the area, I hope to return for another afternoon tea. read more

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Everything was delicious and so filling. I think the price is very reasonable for all the food you get. I couldn't even finish everything on my tower. I had the half moon tea with the cucumber and egg salad sandwiches, and the strawberry white chocolate scone with sea salt. I'm already thinking about returning it was so fun and beautiful inside! read more

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Mom, sister and I had the tea service here and enjoyed it! The sandwiches are not premade. They aren't made until they are ordered so they are super fresh. The lemon curd, preserves, and clotted cream are also yummy and homemade. The scones are too! We had the maverick tea service. The owner is super nice and friendly. I was a pleasure speaking with her. The building is adorably decorated and be sure and check out the bathroom decor as well. Parking was easy and the neighborhood quaint. We definitely be back. read more

By the Teashore - Maverick tea service (2 scones and 2 sandwiches as well as other goodies). - Tea Rooms Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

Not sure about the negative reviews but my experience was nothing other than stellar. The vibe of the front as you walk up is quaint and charming. The options were plentiful. They have a breakfast menu 10-11:00. Lunch 11:00 until close. Breakfast is simply three or four items with tea. The lunch menu offers three levels of tea service . The tea selections are plentiful you can choose from traditional, green tea or flavored teas. You can also request honey and milk to go with your tea. We opted for selection number two on the menu. It consisted of a variety of two sandwiches, salad two scones and desert. I'll start with the amazing ingenuity of the "Ocean wave" it was a blue candy wave filled with vanilla ice cream and a gummy shark sitting on graham cracker "Sand". Loved the presentation as well as the desert, which also came with a macaroon and a 1/2 Moon lemon lavender cookie. The next level were the savory and sweet scones homemade accompanied by homemade clotted cream, homemade lemon curd and strawberry jam. The absolute hands-down, best scones I've ever had. Lastly, were the sandwiches, chicken salad and roast beef with horseradish. I would've preferred to have the chicken on a more denser bread such as a rye or similar, but the chicken salad itself was delicious and plentiful. The roast beef was tasty and tender, and just the perfect amount of horseradish. Everything on the plate seemedseemed to have been homemade, including the cookies (with the exception of the macaroon). The attention, to detail presenting the food was admirable. The owner made the clotted cream and the lemon curd. It's obvious she planned and created this intimate tea house to make you feel at home. I'm looking forward to my next reservation to try different menu items. read more

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If you're in Half Moon Bay, By the Tea Shore is an absolute must visit. Angela, the owner, pours so much love and care into everything she serves. She makes everything completely from scratch -- and you can truly taste the difference. The scones are incredible (she spends hours perfecting them), and even the butter and jams are homemade. It's the kind of place that feels warm, thoughtful, and special from the moment you walk in. If you appreciate real, handcrafted food made by someone who genuinely cares about quality, this little spot is a gem. Don't miss it. read more

By the Teashore - Tea Rooms Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

What a sweet tea house, new to the peninsula. Charming interior, friendly attentive service, tasty bites to sip and enjoy. A great addition to the downtown area...brunch on the weekends, tea service during the week as well, Ala cart available! read more

By the Teashore - Tea Rooms Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

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If you're seeking a slice of Victorian charm with a dash of indulgence, By the Teashore Tea House offers a delightful experience that transports you to another time and place. This traditional tea house, nestled in a quiet part of Main Street, exudes the elegance of a Victorian parlor, with its ornate furniture, floral wallpaper, and soft, ambient lighting--perfectly capturing the cozy, refined atmosphere of an English tea house. From the moment you step inside, you're greeted with the rich scent of brewing tea and freshly baked goods, setting the tone for the meal ahead. The service is impeccable; the staff is attentive without being intrusive, always ready to offer a recommendation or refill your teacup with a smile. I opted for the classic English breakfast, which came with perfectly scrambled eggs, a generous portion of sausages, fresh fruit, and, of course, a steaming pot of traditional English tea. The scrambled eggs were light and fluffy, complemented by the savory richness of the sausage. The fruit was fresh and vibrant, a refreshing contrast to the rich, comforting flavors of the eggs and sausage. The tea selection was extensive, and the Earl Grey I chose was fragrant and soothing--just what you'd expect from a place that takes its tea seriously. What truly sets By the Teashore Tea House apart, though, is the ambiance. The Victorian English decor, with its mix of stained glass and art deco lamps, antique furniture and cozy seating nooks, feels like stepping into a forgotten era where time slows down and every sip of tea is a moment to savor. The porch is pretty in pink with vintage chairs. It's the ideal spot for both casual afternoon tea with friends or a special gathering. read more

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Dined today at 10:30 AM, 09/26 to celebrate a birthday. I do have multiple notes on things for improvement but one thing I want to prioritize is the lack of food safety and lack of resolution to it. We were served a brownie for the birthday celebration and shortly after consumption we felt extremely nauseous. We had already paid for our meal but subsequently started to feel worse and noticed there was visible mold on the brownie remaining. Upon review of the initial photos taken, there is additional mold on the ones we had consumed. We alerted our server immediately and very nicely showed her the mold on the remaining piece to which she replied, "Oh" and walked off with it without a word. We waited an additional 10-15 minutes hoping for some form of resolution or acknowledgement to which there was none. We decided to leave and before we could make it to the car just a block away, my partner puked their guts out. I did as well not too long after. While we were willing to overlook the various other shortfalls, food safety is unacceptable. We would like someone from management to reach out and resolve this promptly because this is extremely concerning. I have attached pictures as evidence. This was a very disappointing and unfortunate birthday celebration. read more

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Such a lovely spot. I went to By the Teashore with my mom and my daughters, and it was the perfect setting for a relaxed, special afternoon together. The food was really good, the tea was delicious, and the ambiance was just so well done--cozy, charming, and calm without feeling stuffy. On top of that, the owner is incredibly sweet and welcoming, which really adds to the whole experience. We all left happy and would absolutely come back. Great experience all around Such a lovely spot. I went to By the Teashore with my mom and my daughters, and it was the perfect setting for a relaxed, special afternoon together. The food was really good, the tea was delicious, and the ambiance was just so well done. Cozy, charming, and calm without feeling stuffy. On top of that, the owner is incredibly sweet and welcoming, which really adds to the whole experience. We all left happy and would absolutely come back. Great experience all around read more

By the Teashore - Afternoon Tea - Tea Rooms Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

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A lovely experience by far! So quaint & everything is done to perfection. From the decor, to the menu set up, to the service. I felt like we were on a taping of Check Please (with no cameras). When everyon left around closing, I was able to freely walk around & take in all the decor. Every wall, corner & was perfectly organized by themes. It's a small place, but sooo much to take in & not overly cluttered. The outdoor space is also super quaint & the decor is also well thought out. They even had a painting outside that we had growing up in our house! read more

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