The Queen's Library Tea Room — Restaurant in Richmond

Our party of four visited The Queen’s Library Tea Room with high hopes for a lovely afternoon tea experience. Prior to making our reservation, we contacted the tea room to explain that one person in our group has celiac disease and another is gluten-free and pescatarian. They assured us that they were more than able to accommodate these needs and welcomed the reservation. Unfortunately, the experience was completely contrary to their assurances, leaving us feeling deeply disappointed by their lack of care and attention to dietary restrictions.

We followed the tea room’s policies by specifying our dietary needs when making the reservation, confirming via their reservation notes. We also contacted them 24 hours prior to our visit via phone and text, and each time, we were reassured that they were fully prepared to accommodate us.

However, when we arrived, the experience was shockingly different from what we were promised. Two members of our party were presented with a three-tiered tray overflowing with scones, clotted cream, jam, sandwiches, cookies, and cakes, while the gluten-free tray was woefully inadequate. Not only did it initially include gluten scones (an alarming oversight given the risks for someone with celiac disease), but the offerings were sparse and lacked variety. The tray included just four small pieces of gluten-free bread with chicken salad, four bite-sized cookies, two bites of cheese, and clotted cream and jam with no appropriate gluten-free base to enjoy them on.

For the gluten-free pescatarian guest, the options were even worse: two slices of cucumber, one of the two cheese bites, and two of the small cookies. When we inquired about this disparity, we were told the gluten-free items had been given away earlier in the day to other guests, leaving them unprepared to meet the commitments made for our reservation.

A member of our party spoke with the manager, who also turned out to be the owner, and managed to obtain a few slices of plain gluten-free bread, some extra cheese bites, and cucumbers.They also ended up providing a textured vegetable protein on a slice of gluten free bread but could not guarantee the product they used was gluten free which, essentially, made it inedible. While this was a slight improvement, it fell far short of what was promised and paid for.

Even more disappointing, the owner later stopped by our table but failed to acknowledge or apologize for the error. After we brought it to his attention he finally acknowledged the issue and admitted that we were not served what is typically provided to gluten free guests but made no apologies for it. He further claimed the pescatarian issue was due to the way their system printed the tickets for our reservation.

We also contacted the tea room to share our feedback and disappointment. However, despite their attentiveness during the reservation process, we have yet to receive any response or apology.

This experience was not only disappointing but also concerning from a food safety perspective. For a business claiming to accommodate dietary restrictions, failing to honor a reservation and putting a celiac guest at risk of cross-contamination demonstrates a serious lack of understanding and care. Moreover, the failure to address the issue thoughtfully and professionally during and after our visit shows a disregard for customer service and the trust guests place in establishments like this.

Unfortunately, The Queen’s Library Tea Room fell far short. What could have been a valuable learning opportunity for their staff instead became a frustrating and disheartening experience for our group. We hope they take this feedback seriously and improve their approach to accommodating guests with dietary restrictions in the future.

For others seeking a memorable tea experience, other than The Jefferson, we highly recommend Floris. They served delicious food and did a spectacular job ensuring that offerings for guests with dietary restrictions were equal in quality and presentation to...

I came here with a friend for their Tea Break ($15/pp) experience from 10-12 on a Friday. Two hours is a perfect amount of time, in my opinion. Their afternoon tea is a little shorter, at only an hour and a half.

We had our selection of seating options, as there was only one other group there at the time. We chose to sit in two comfy armchairs by the window. We had one small side table, which they set our treats on, and the window ledge area. The entire space was very charming and thoughtfully decorated. We had a few small snacks, which were light but tasty.

THINGS TO NOTE: Reservations are required and are available on the site. I'm not sure when exactly the window closes, but I was able to register the morning of. Parties are asked to share a pot of tea, though you can switch the tea as often as you like. There is a tea menu you can select from, which I assume is a subset of all of their available teas. The treats are pre-selected for the day and the experience, so you don't get to choose them.

Overall, I really liked the experience, and I thought it was good value for the price, though I can't speak for their other options. Our hosts were quite willing to engage and share stories - there's apparently history to each piece of furniture.

I am only giving it four stars because there's a limited selection of tea at a time (it's a large selection, but not as extensive as the other tea shops in town, and groups must share a pot of tea). The tea was delicious and comes from a fantastic tea company, but personally, I'd just prefer to have my own pot of tea. I also am more of a white tea drinker.

If you're looking to have a tea experience, this is a great spot. If you're wanting to get a leisurely cup of tea, there are other options in Richmond with greater...

Very cute place in a great location! Hosted a few ladies there and overall had a pleasant experience. It was easy to book, and I actually really liked the ability to prepay. The only reason this isn't 5 stars is because the service onsite was not great. There were numerous times we tried to flag down the server for help and she just didn't notice us. She wasn't doing it on purpose she was just a bit oblivious. At one point our tea for the table just sat empty for almost 15 min. Also waited an inordinately long time for the second course. ( At the end we felt a bit rushed by the staff which was ironic.)

I also noticed they didn't have any clotted cream. They didn't mention it when they put the lemon curd on the table, so finally I asked and the server said they were out. It might seem like a small thing, but having scones without the cream is disappointing for folks used to having a traditional afternoon tea. ( I have had afternoon tea in a variety of places and contexts, including the UK). The food overall was tasty and filling. The savories especially were great. They managed to make multiple people at the table enjoy egg sandwiches who normally are not fans of them, so that was no small feat! The sweets were just okay, but overall satisfying. The tea selections were divine and wound up being our favorite part. I would go back if someone invited me, but will likely explore other options...