Finding The Queen's Library is half the adventure -- and not entirely in a good way. I never would…read morehave spotted it had I not been given the address that the front door faces (which is 3rd St. not Clay St); it's tucked away with minimal signage, and I was practically standing in front of it before I realized it. First-timers, come prepared. Then there's parking. On the day we visited, a convention across the street had swallowed every available spot in the area. One-way streets, detours, and a full 25 minutes of circling later, I finally made it inside. Hot, from walking 6 blocks away, and frazzled is not the ideal headspace for a genteel tea experience. All of this makes the news of their upcoming move to Stony Point genuinely welcome -- easier access could transform the whole outing. Once you're in, though, the vibe delivers. The room is styled like a Victorian English salon, all refined and atmospheric, with a soundtrack pulled straight from beloved period films -- Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility -- that quietly transports you to the Regency era. The service is polished and professional, the presentation elegant. Having taken tea in both England and Scotland, I can say this holds up -- it's the real thing. The food is authentically English as well, meaning sparse and understated. Don't arrive hungry expecting something hot and filling. It's not that, and England is not known for its food. That said, the chicken salad with lemon infusion was the standout offering. We sampled six tea flights -- three hot, three cold -- and the first hot flight was genuinely fragrant and lovely. The rest were pleasant but unremarkable. The sparkling options were a nice palate cleanser. It's expensive for what it is, so this probably isn't a weekly habit. But as an occasional indulgence -- especially for fans of period dramas and Regency fantasy -- it's a charming little escape. Fortunately, you can go to Stony Point and avoid the parking adventure. And a suggestion for the wonderful owner. Invest in DEVONSHIRE or CORNISH clotted cream. It really makes a difference. ANNNNDDD, I've been drinking tea every since the visit, so it made an impression.

I wanted to enjoy this more than I actually did, especially since I took my sister there for her…read morebirthday and wanted it to be special for her since she enjoys English experiences. Starting with finding the place, I couldn't. I live nearby, know the area, and could not find 221 E. Clay St. There's no signage, and there's no door marked 221 on E. Clay St. Where you actually walk in is 414 N. 3rd Street. But they don't advertise that (except by putting a small sandwich board on the sidewalk WHEN they're open) and won't tell you that, even after asking twice. I literally had to photograph the block, circle 3 doors on the photo, send it to them, and ask them which door do we come to. It was like pulling teeth. You have to book and pay, including gratuity, in advance. It's a gamble, but given the high ratings, I took the gamble. The place is adorable, starting with the gift shop, which is filled with (of course) teas, tea service sets, books (mostly by Jane Austen or similar), accessories, and trinkets. Very lovely. And expensive. You're greeted when you walk in, and the service is very professional. The servers look the part, are well-trained and present the service with explanations and a smile. The tea room is lovely to look at--(mostly) appropriate English style chairs, sofas and small coffee tables, but wasn't at all comfortable for us. We were seated at the very front of the room in two armless chairs, which meant my back was to the rest of the room. I had a view of the door, essentially, and didn't get to even see the rest of the room, which I didn't realize was filled with others enjoying their tea. My sister had a lamp directly beside her head, which she had to turn off to keep from being too hot. There are 5 courses of teas, the first and last of which are palate cleansers. The palate cleansing teas were delicious. but did contain caffeine, which we'd hoped didn't. We asked for herbal teas for our service and was accommodated with pleasure (thank you). Of the main three tea courses, I only enjoyed the first, which was truly incredible, very fragrant. Just an explosion of delight for the taste buds. It was a pink hibiscus blend. The second was a citrus blend, but had ZERO flavor. The third was a ginger blend. VERY ginger-y, but unlike any ginger tea I've ever had. It almost tasted like a savory broth. The food served on the tea towers was sadly forgettable. I did enjoy the lemon chicken salad on croissant, but the chicken salad was rationed so thin, I barely knew it was chicken salad. The other sandwich, likewise, was all bread. Such meager servings! Again, forgettable. I literally forget what was on it. I do remember a slight hint of pimento cheese. The second tier of breads, I could've completely done without. But at $65/person, I wasn't leaving a crumb! Even the desserts were forgettable. I expected the food, as minimal as it is for afternoon tea, to be incredible and full of flavor. It was not. Even the tea sets and towers you served with are not as lovely as the ones they have for sale. I expected to use the good stuff. I was also surprised to see many children's books on one of the book shelves in the tea room. I really would not have been pleased had there been a noisy toddler running around during our tea. I think the rave reviews gave me expectations that just didn't live up to the experience. I love the story of the owners and I want them to do well. I love tea. I love books. It's a terrific concept. They spoke to us about their new location in Stony Point in such a way that almost pointed out all of the misgivings of their 3rd Street (not Clay Street, mind you) location, and that those things (such as the furnishings and decor) would be a major upgrade. I hope the furniture placement (and comfortability), food and other two herbal tea choices, are too.