BonBonerie Tea Room, beside Cincinnati’s famed bakery, charms with mismatched china, floral touches, and kitty-cat teapots. Over twenty-five quality teas—from Golden Yunnan to Cherry Sencha—accompany soups in teacups, fragrant sandwiches, “Tea Lunch,” and lavish desserts. Attentive service, leisurely ambiance, and luscious pastries make the eighty-mile pilgrimage worthwhile.

Fashion once baffled me, all theatrics and pseudo-intellectual chatter, yet tea has become my bridge to its beautiful people. From FrostFrench picnics and Alexander McQueen soirées to Moby’s teashop and eco-chic perfumes, celebrities now cradle cups like talismans. Tea civilizes glamour—and I’d happily share oolong with Madonna.

Central Perc European Café brings a cozy slice of England to Oakwood, Ohio: counter service, friendly banter, hearty sandwiches slathered with Branston pickle, and steaming pots of loose-leaf tea. Mike and Rose Morgan orchestrate generous Afternoon Teas, homespun pastries, and scones amid sunlight, ironstone mugs, and shelves of gleaming English china.

Chic, soothing, and lovingly run, Taste Tea Salon & Gifts marries European-country elegance with meticulous tea service. Perfectly timed brews, ethereal scones, Williamsburg-inspired savories, and decadent chocolate-raspberry finales create a truly “Royal Afternoon Tea.” Afterwards, browse the upscale boutique of imported teas, refined china, indulgent bath luxuries, and whimsical, tasteful gifts.