In a quaint little white heritage house in Abbotsford with Victorian decorations that are nicely balanced between whimsical and modern, is Serendipitea. Entering makes me feel like I’m walking into a neighbourhood secret, especially on days with the farmers market; the street also hosts a couple of unique stores and a cupcakery. This Monday was a perfect spring afternoon to share a Mother’s Day outing with my Mother and Grandma.
Not only a perfect outing for family, but a perfect day for herbal tea, we ordered Lavender Sunset and Pink Grapefruit; my grandma not being a tea person ordered hot water and lemon. The tea selection here is varied, but not too much to feel overwhelmed and not tiny to not find a choice. The one downside was our server, if you’re going to work at a tea place, please take time to know the tea menu so you can at least recommend a few teas; even it’s another person’s recommendation. I would hope that people coming in would know the difference between black and herbal teas already. For example, my Mother ordered the Lavender Sunset, a tea that primarily uses spearmint which was unknown to either of us, until another lady pointed it out.
The food is exquisite and right on par for an afternoon tea. After becoming primal I’ve eaten a couple of dry scones so I’m wary of them, but these were light and buttery piled high with Devonshire cream and jam. (They get extra bonus points in my book for having Devonshire cream instead of regular!) I’m a bit of a stickler for service though and because I love my food, I want to know what I’m eating. We’re all accustomed to knowing what an egg salad sandwich looks like, but walking us through the tiers gives that extra step of customer service that shows how attentive a place is and treats us like one of your friends. Unless I wanted to surprise someone, like giving a non-primal eater a bowl of mashed cauliflower in replacement of potatoes, I wouldn’t give a guest a plate of food without some explanation.
All in all, Serendipitea is a great place to come for afternoon tea – delicious food in a light and airy décor; perfect for a little drive under blue skies with windows down out to Abbotsford, unless you’re lucky enough to live out there already.
Happy Mother’s Day!
