Alice's Tea Cup is located in New York City. The original location or chapter is right near Central Park on the corner of 73rd and Columbus while the second chapter is located on the other side of Central Park in Lennox Hill. I went to the original location right as they opened on a weekday.
Atmosphere
While I usually begin this review with a focus on the inside atmosphere I have to mention the underwhelming exterior. The bright orange patio furniture with the stained purple awning was an unpleasant contrasting aesthetic. The front of the tea house was very much colorful chaos (and not in a fun Wonderland way). The vibrant signs, tea canisters, and knick-knacks of every color were a little overwhelming. Upon entering the main dining area of the tea house I noticed the lazy decor, not exactly on par with what one would expect of an Alice in Wonderland-themed tea house. Other than the paintings on the walls of the bathroom, a few Cheshire stripes, and a couple of shadowbox tables, there really wasn't any fun, perfectly topsyturvy Wonderland-themed decor.
Tea Experience
Once I was seated, I quickly noticed how incredibly uncomfortable the seating was, with the banquet being a low wooden bench with no cushions in sight. The shadowbox table was such an interesting and unique idea to house various vintage Wonderland-themed items. It's a shame that it was so incredibly scratched, but still fun and one of the very few positive elements.
If you've read any of my reviews prior you know how I feel about bagged sugar. Such a simple switch to sugar cubes elevates any tea experience instead of making it feel like a breakfast chain restaurant. I have a similar feeling regarding the honey, so easy to put in a small dish. On to the tea itself, I had the Silver Needle Jasmine tea and "The Nibble" afternoon tea option that included one scone, unlimited tea, one sandwich choice, and assorted mini cookies. I chose an egg sandwich with a plain scone. Now, I know I'm going to get a bit pickier here but what am I if not thorough? The presentation of the tier was okay, but typically you eat from the bottom and work your way up with sandwiches at the base, scones in the middle, and sweets at the top. Starting with the sandwich as you can see a whole sandwich is not cut into traditional finger food-friendly pieces which made for a bit of a messier tea-eating experience, especially with an egg sandwich. Like a reflection of the environment, the sandwich was a disappointment with burnt eggs and extremely soggy greens. I should've stopped there but I carried on to an incredibly dry scone and was served with their "homemade" clotted cream which was far from its traditional English counterpart. The only truly edible aspect of this tea was the cookies. They weren't great but the bar was so far below the ground it was in Wonderland.
Overall Score
Unfortunately, the magic is missing in Alice's Teacup. From the mediocre cookies, burnt egg sandwich, and bland/ill-fitting decor, to the incredibly uncomfortable seating, this is an absolute skip for anyone looking for an afternoon tea option in New York City. Alice's Teacup earns a gracious rating of 1.5/5.
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