Emerald Tea Room & Catering — Restaurant in East Peoria

Quick stop for a quick pick-me-up.

I’ve always known about this place and actually came here for a Christmas-themed sample party with my friend Maria back in winter of 2024 but knew I would need to come back and visit it properly. Finally came that time on a hot and sunny Saturday afternoon.

I thought there was a small coffee menu from my prior visit but alas, the owner only makes brewed coffee by request. Emily and I both needed some caffeine so we requested a cup of their normal coffee, despite being offered a flavored one to pick from, too. The owner was super nice and friendly while we sat there and waited for the coffee to brew.

We got our coffee and were offered free refills, which we took her up on before leaving. We decided to sit there for a bit to let the caffeine hit before we hit the town for some antiquing and thrifting. For it being drip coffee, it may have been the best I’ve had in a looong time. I put a little sugar in there and it was the perfect blend of smooth, flavor, and caffeine. They do sell syrups but I am not sure how much tweaking of drip coffee they offer, which is fine with me since I usually like my coffee black.

Despite the small size of the dining area, this place is very cozy. It has the vibe and feel of someone who has been dreaming of a tea room since childhood. They have little knick knacks and various other things for sale besides coffee and a food menu. Speaking of which, I wouldn’t mind popping in for a lunch sometime to see how that is. Any who, if you need a cozy little place for a cup of good coffee and possibly a good meal, Emerald Tea Room might just be that...

The food was excellent! The atmosphere was cozy, and all the patrons were super friendly. One regular even took the time to talk to me about some of her recommendations and proceeded to tell me what her family enjoys as well. It was my first time there, so it was much appreciated. I got 2 different soups because I couldn't choose. The Cream of Zucchini was perfect. The Cheesy Vegetable was good, but I definitely liked the other one better. My husband got the Cesar Wrap, and he loved it. I got the Turkey on Croissant and thought it was very good. My favorite was the pasta salad! I loved the texture and flavor of it! ...

Had a lovely lunch with two friends today. I haven't been to tea room for quite a while, but the food and service was as good as ever. The place wasn't very busy when we arrived at 11:30 am, but by the time we left there wasn't an empty table. I had a lovely salad followed by the bread pudding. Really yummy! I think the prices are...