The Britannia Tearooms

An Adorable Spot Dedicated to Afternoon Tea Opens in the Midway District | Eater San Diego

Set up to showcase the British tradition of afternoon tea, I found the Britannia Tearooms to be a new stand-alone venue replacing Country Waffles in the Midway District and functioning as an extension of Shakespeare’s Corner Shoppe. Proprietress Selina Stockley, who hails from Surrey and who managed Shakespeare’s for six years before taking ownership 17 years ago, has relocated the elaborate afternoon tea she used to host on Shakespeare’s patio to the Midway location while offering a more streamlined, informal cream tea at the Middletown shop. She scoured thrift shops and local estate sales to decorate the space, inviting guests through a Sherlock Holmes–themed parlor into a main dining area adorned with vintage Tiffany-style lamps and flower garlands; among the custom murals is an Alice in Wonderland tribute in the Mad Hatter’s Tearoom, which can be booked for private parties, and even the restrooms, designated for “wizards” and “witches,” contain Harry Potter Easter eggs. The menu, which will change monthly, includes a starter salad and an array of savory and sweet items—finger sandwiches, quiches, sausage rolls, scones, sponge cakes, and shortbread biscuits—all made in-house. Stockley is serious about tea: she installed a reverse osmosis water system to brew the perfect pot and features some 60 varieties, many blended by her (including a “James Bond” tea with Scottish caramel pu-erh, rose petals, and vanilla). I recommend reservations for the full afternoon tea service, which will be offered at three seatings a day at $49.95 per person; there will also be themed teas (Bridgerton, Harry Potter, Narnia), and a grand opening party is scheduled for Sunday, July 30 from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. with live music and treats for purchase. - Candice Woo