In fine Southern tradition, many Charleston area churches host spring tea rooms where volunteers prepare and serve old favorites like okra soup, chicken salad, shrimp salad, and tomato pie as well as desserts such as Tipsy Pudding, Huguenot Torte, and Lady Baltimore Cake. The tea rooms usually operate for only a week or two in the spring and are open only for lunch. Below are some of the most notable.
Billed as Charleston’s oldest, Old St. Andrew’s Parish Church, 2604 Ashley River Road, will host the 65th Annual Tea Room and Gift Shop March 12 to 24, 2018, with lunch served Monday through Saturday, from 11:00 am to 1:30 pm. For more information, call 843-270-0793 or click here.
St. Philip’s Episcopal Church Tea Room, one of the oldest, will be held April 23 to 27, 11:30 am to 2:00 pm. The church is located on the corner of Church and Cumberland Streets in downtown Charleston. For more information, call 843-722-7734 or click here.
Two tea rooms operate during Spoleto:
Grace Episcopal Church Tea Room, 98 Wentworth Street, is held May 28 to June 2, and June 4 to 9, 2018, 11:30 am to 2:00 pm. There is also a gift shop, the Church Mouse Boutique, open from 10:30 am to 3:00 pm. For more information, call 843-723-4575 or click here.
Second Presbyterian Church’s “Seconds Please” Tea Room, 342 Meeting Street, is held in the Parish Hall on May 25 and 26, and June 1 and 2, from 11:30 am to 2:00 pm. For more information, call 843-723-9237 or click here.
St. Paul’s Summerville, Tea Room and Gift Shop, is open March 5 to March 10 and March 12 to March 16, from 11:30 am to 2:00 pm. The church is located at 316 W. Carolina Avenue, Summerville. For more information call 843-873-1991 or click here.
(Photo credit: pixabay)
–Tidelines Editors