Tindley Tea Cafe — Restaurant in Philadelphia

I'm going to start this review by saying...the manager comped our entire table...The food was good...very good and that's why this review hurts my heart...we had 1245 reservation arrived early and we're seated...one hour and 5 minutes later we still had no food though customers around us were eating and even leaving (they open at 1230 )...i took my concern to the hostess and she said she would talk to her boss...they came out with the food for one of the 5 guests at our table...ten minutes later no more food had arrived and I called the phone number reached the manager and as he told us he was playing our food I requested he come out and speak to us...during this hour we did get drinks but no other contact from a server or any person...the manager came and immediately cut me off saying I don't have to sell it...i wasn't selling i was trying to give him a clear picture of how this was affecting our birthday celebration for our friend...we were from out of town and our car was parked in a garage and had to be out by 4...we didn't have time to just sit and wait til get started at an endless brunch...but he cut me off to tell us he was comping the entire table...i guess that meant shut up...he said he would get the food out and eventually he did...not correctly but that's the least of the issues...we wondered if they would return to get us more food and eventually they did but it was quite some time ago another hour later he appeared and said he would send the server to get our second order...we were basically finished with this place and worried about the parking situation so we ordered lightly and prepared to leave...they messed up the second set of orders...so we got up and left...this could be a great thing many of the servers were hustling and getting people their food...our server was not attentive nor quick nor caring...i wish we had had a great experience cause as I said the food was good and I would have loved to try some more of it but we had to leave and we left around 315pm...unsatisfied...this is my honest review...do better cause this could...

The food was delicious, the music perfect, the servers were friendly, however, the hostess terrible. The restaurant offers a scan barcode for payment options. One of our group paid through this option. After making payment and leaving, the hostess came outside shouting we "you have to pay." Of course we were confused as we did make payment. There were several other patrons who were leaving all watching while one woman stated she was behind my friend and watched her make payment. We went back inside with our receipts and the hostess then stated the computer didn't charge correctly. We then showed her our receipts while we proceeded to calculate our menu items. This went on for 20 minutes. This was embarrassing and not done professionally. As someone who's worked in the hospitality industry for over 25 plus years, the restaurant at this point should have comped any remaining balance. The hostess should have politely approached us and stated there was a computer malfunction instead of yelling loudly on Broad street "you have to pay". What a disappointment, we were so looking forward to this Brunch. I would only recommend this restaurant if they got rid of the clueless woman at the front and I recommend paying cash because we did check our bill and everything was listed correctly. The debacle presented itself when we swiped our cards. Apparently, they have a problem with their computer system. I'm not sure if the unprofessional woman was an owner, hostess or manager; but I'm sure she left a negative imprint...

Tindley Tea Cafe is truly a hidden gem. We were visiting Philly for the weekend and stumbled across it on TikTok. Since our group had dietary restrictions, I called ahead—and I’m so glad I did. John took the time to walk me through the menu and made sure everyone had a delicious option for Sunday Brunch. From start to finish, they exceeded our expectations.

The atmosphere was warm and welcoming. We were greeted with genuine smiles, and the entire staff was professional and friendly. Our waitress (K) was exceptional—patient, knowledgeable, and incredibly accommodating. The food? Absolutely delicious. It brought back memories of soulful Sunday meals at my grandparents' house. And the live jazz playing in the background made it even more special. The vibe was calm, intimate, and perfect for a Sunday brunch.

Now let’s talk food allergies. Finding a restaurant that can handle dairy and egg allergies and prevent cross-contamination is rare—but Tindley Tea Cafe nailed it. Every dish was made to order with care. I was able to enjoy chicken and waffles safely, and they were cooked to perfection. A solid 10/10.

We thoroughly enjoyed our visit and highly recommend adding this spot to your Philly food list. You won’t be...