Wonderland has never felt closer — at least not as close as Anoka. But the clock is ticking… Oh no! You’ll be late for your very important tea party at The Mad Hatter! Make sure you dress in your finest attire to attend high tea, or your coziest outfit (no judgment from hyperactive cartoon characters here). The Mad Hatter restaurant may look like a regular house in the ‘burbs, but it’s far from it. Walking in is like entering the story of “Alice in Wonderland” with clocks on almost every wall, remarkable employees, mismatched teapots and oh so many fancy tea cups. It’s a very immersive experience that proves how tea can be just as effective at building community as its more American cousin, coffee.
“It’s very versatile [as] you can use it for fun like a tea party or for relaxation,” Columbia Heights High School (CHHS) Global Foods and Foundations of Food teacher Ms. Autumn Trzaskowski said. “There [are] many different ways you can use it and even drink it. I drink chai in the mornings to wake me up and have heard lavender tea is a good destresser!”
To attend, you first have to make a reservation. I made mine around October and it was on the books for January, but luckily, someone canceled so my party was able to go sooner. High tea, also known as “tea time,” has a starting rate of $15 with a $45 add-on charge per person, and you can add other accoutrements for around $10 to $15. Before even going, it was already a $100 commitment for a group of three, but it was worth it. Taking part in this centuries-old tradition includes a teapot and a menu of 20 different tea flavors: herbal, black, green and many more for whatever you desire. It’s unlimited tea and hot water that you can refill as much as you want. If you would like several kinds at once, though, it’s an extra charge per pot.
Along with the tea comes a three-tier platter of snacks and sweets made up of a combination of flavors. The bottom tier is scones (two different flavors per person along with apple butter) plus lemon curd and whipped cream to spread on your scones. The next tier is finger sandwiches: cucumber and mayo, cranberry muffin with chicken salad filling (my personal favorite). Last is the top which is all deserts I enjoyed both the scones and deserts those were all very good but we ended up not eating a lot the second tier Because of the weird combinations after trying everything because personally, the combinations weren’t to my taste both the people I went with seemed to not really enjoy the cranberry muffin thing but I ate theirs. Nobody Liked second tier in general but they still ate it. Teas that stood out from the copious options include the royal wedding tea, a very fruity and delicious mint flavor, and Birthday cake which looked interesting but everyone agreed upon the first two, Birthday cake would’ve been our next option.
“I really enjoyed the scones and the different butters and jams,” Brittany Pekarek (11) said.” One of my favorite teas was the mint one [as] it tasted like a fresh piece of gum. Overall, it was worth the wait — a bit overpriced for me, but I think the atmosphere and the kind employees make up for it.”
If you’re still hungry and unfulfilled with your snacks, you can ask for a brunch menu too. There are only a few options on it (sometimes not good sign, but also sometimes a sign that the chefs and bakers make these limited items really well), but the food was right, especially compared to the price. A pesto burger with fries and Swedish meatballs were both enjoyed by our party in addition to the tea time fare. Since it was my birthday they offered a cake slice which we thought was free but it wasn’t, the slice was quite big though and was delicious and had fresh like strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries on the top.
Overall, The Mad Hatter is a fun experience that can also be spendy! If you enjoy tea and feeling like a sophisticated European, this will be the perfect experience — just make sure to save up and plan ahead.
