Chron Critiques: Prince Tea House
Zoe Casselman / The Hofstra Chronicle
There are many reasons to visit the East Village, from its vibrant art and architecture to the plethora of vintage shops and cafes. Despite all of the potential spots, I have found a new standout favorite. Prince Tea House, located at 204 East 10th Street, is an Asian-European restaurant specializing in brunch, dessert and decadent afternoon tea.
Upon entering, I immediately noticed the decor, which made an otherwise small space look welcoming and inviting. The cutesy pastel detailing, open seating and wide windows help the space feel sunny and cozy despite the cold February weather.
The restaurant does not take reservations, but looking at their most popular times online and planning around them proved fruitful, as we were seated immediately even though it was a Friday afternoon. The menu comes in the form of a QR code on the table, sending you directly to their website. There, you can view the plentiful food and drink options, containing something for anyone and everyone’s tastes.
My friend and I opted to purchase the afternoon tea for two, which totaled to just over $70 with tax. Thirty-five dollars per person is by no means the cheapest option, but it was beyond worth it for both the quality and experience. Each person gets to pick a flavor of tea from the extensive menu and receive unlimited refills for up to an hour and a half. They will also give you a gigantic to-go cup so you can empty your last pot of tea and take it with you.
We opted to pick one fruit tea and one milk tea and share the two. She chose passion fruit and I chose matcha milk tea. For most of the teas, they allow you to choose your desired sweetness level from 0% to 120%.
The waitress advised us that the matcha was very strong, and most people prefer a higher sweetness level. That was absolutely the right decision because that matcha was by far some of the best I have ever tasted. It was rich and creamy without being too strong or grassy, practically melting in my mouth as I drank it. The passionfruit was equally delicious, as the flavor was strong, sweet and fruity but not overwhelmingly so. Although, for a place that imports their tea directly from France, I am not at all surprised.
Besides just tea, for an additional cost, Prince Tea House also serves a variety of other drinks such as cocktails, mocktails, slushes, coffees, hot chocolate and champagne.
Along with the afternoon tea package, we were brought a tower of goodies. On the top layer were desserts, including mini molten lava cakes, fruit tarts and macarons of various flavors, ours being chocolate and caramel.
The middle tier contained the most immaculate fresh butter scones. They came straight from the oven to our table, and when we cracked the hard shell open, steam poured out. The sugary scone was expertly paired with smooth clotted cream and tart apricot jam.
On the bottom of the tower were the savory finger foods. We had small pastrami and swiss sandwiches on a croissant, a crab-shrimp mixture in a hard shell, chicken salad, cucumber tzatziki sandwiches and wasabi deviled eggs, all of which were beyond spectacular. Even though the portions were small, by the time we’d cleared the tower and had multiple cups of tea each, we were pleasantly full.
Additionally, the quality of the food was matched by the spectacular quality of the service. The waitstaff were kind and quick to help, eager to provide suggestions from what could have otherwise been a very overwhelming menu. It also seemed like they had a sixth sense in knowing when our teapots ran empty, swooping them up and making sure they always stayed full.
Prince Tea House provided the best possible daytime activity on an otherwise dreary February day. If you are ever looking to get dressed up and have a tea party, this is the perfect place in New York City to do so!
