This historic mansion, built in 1868, offers tours and tea service for groups with advance reservation. It’s a proper spread of sandwiches, chicken salad in pastry puffs, scones, tarts, and more, all made by volunteers. Every party here is a private party, which means guests get the place entirely to themselves. The waitlist is long, so be sure to book well in advance — many fans take spots several months out.

Mindy Fong is a San Francisco chocolate staple at this point, but it’s the tea service at her Grant Avenue shop that deserves extra attention. Stopping by for themed tea services, such as an Ohlone-inspired menu of treats and teas, is well worth it. Seating times are at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m. Walk-ins may be available, but booking in advance is recommended.

Befitting its location in what might be San Francisco’s highest-end hotel, the Fairmont’s Laurel Court does a pricey but fully loaded afternoon tea on Saturdays at 2 and 2:30 p.m., with tons of tea sandwiches, scones, tarts, chocolates, macarons, and petits fours. Reservations are recommended.

Maison Danel, the sparkly patisserie and tea salon, had a rough opening during the pandemic, but it’s now fully open and serving afternoon tea under a big chandelier. Husband-and-husband team Danel and David de Betelu are also boxing up afternoon tea service for takeout, if you prefer to bring the tea experience home or to a park, and it includes petite croissant sandwiches, plus macarons, and other sweets.

Tea service is back at the St. Regis, now available through the Tea Salon at Astra, the hotel’s new-ish restaurant. Offered Thursday through Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m., the service at the St. Regis is for fans of the high life without question. The raspberry macarons are perfect, the various beverages smartly curated, and those tiny sandwiches are king. Guests must make reservations at least 24 hours in advance

The restaurant from the Farmhouse Thai group became a viral sensation during the pandemic, thanks to this over-the-top afternoon tea party in a box. Now, the tea experience is available to experience in person at the San Francisco, Palo Alto, and Menlo Park locations. It’s a fabulous floral experience, packed with salmon, egg, and cucumber sandwiches, scones, cake, and sweets. The tea service has two seatings, Monday through Friday, except for holidays, with advance reservation required.

The Proper Hotel is maybe best known as a dining destination for brunch at Villon or rooftop cocktails at Charmaine’s, but the modern hotel would not want any guests to go hungry between meals. Afternoon tea includes a selection of sandwiches, sweets, and scones, with the option to add on a glass of bubbles. For the holidays, they’re doing a Nutcracker theme, which seems particularly appropriate given the proximity to the Opera House.

This tea room in Alameda takes the British afternoon tradition and infuses it with Malaysian flavors, spreading rendang curry and kaya jam on sandwiches, and folding pandan into chiffon cakes. It’s open for sit-down dining, with a special holiday tea for the month of December. There are also to-go tea boxes, with sandwiches, sweets, and yes, tea, all conveniently packed up (you will need to order ahead of time for the tea boxes, however, so be warned).

Sip Tea Room replaced Secret Garden Tea House with a more modern setting. The tea service itself leans traditional though, arriving on a three-tier stand with sandwiches, scones, clotted cream, strawberry preserves, lemon curd, and sweets. The full afternoon tea experience has two seatings, and runs Thursday through Sunday; reservations are required.

This shabby-chic tea room feels like the best version of a grandmother's attic, with mismatched china, hodgepodge furniture, and even hats you can borrow for the full effect. Bottomless tea can be accompanied by two simple scones, jam, and clotted cream all the way up to an all-out Queen's Tea with sandwiches, crumpets, salad, fruit, and petit fours. There’s a parklet on Church, if that’s preferred, and if there are some hungry folks in your party, there ‘s also “pub fare” such as shepherd’s pie (although it should be mentioned these items do not come with tea).

From the same owners at Lovejoy’s in San Francisco, baby sister Lovey’s in Pacifica also offers tea, scones, sandwiches, and mismatched doilies, but with much easier parking just off Highway One. Afternoon tea is offered on certain days, with reservations required, but as the website notes, there is a “more casual walk-up menu” available for an afternoon pick-me-up.

If you’re looking for something different than cucumber sandwiches and you’re in the San Jose area, iChina offers its version of afternoon tea — but with dim sum. You can order a selection of dim sum a la carte, or as part of a set of steamed or crispy dim sum. There is also a “signature pastry collection” option, featuring a selection of sweet bites such as raspberry lychee mousse, jasmine peach macaron, and a sable with pineapple jam and calamansi curd.