Above | Sandwiches, soups, quiches and delicious salads with homemade dressing are just a few of the temptations here. And don’t forget to browse in the restaurant’s adjoining tea emporium.
Everything is made fresh. Pastry chef
Brandon Patterson is a Johnson & Wales graduate. He and the Jenkinses never tire of coming up with new ideas. “Pretty much all the recipes are
family ones or recipes we picked up,” John Jenkins said. “We own hundreds of cookbooks.” With luscious delights to eat, soft
music providing a calm atmosphere and an array of décor, the tea experience is not to be missed. Fussy and stuffy? Renate Jenkins says no. “People stay for hours,” she said.
“They lose track of the time. They’re so caught up in the ambiance.” The owners see to every need. Diners
pour tea through a small strainer to prevent any loose leaves from getting into the cup and set the pot on a warmer with a candle below. All tea accessories can be purchased in the emporium.
And coffee lovers are not to be left out. They are served fresh ground coffee in an individual French press. Renate differentiates the afternoon
tea experience from high tea, which is a bit stuffier. Visitors never know which teapot
they will get on their table, a different one could arrive every time. The china on the table doesn’t match, but customers love it, Renate said. It’s part of McDuff’s eclectic style. And just about everything, from the
décor on the walls to the knickknacks on the furniture, is for sale. “Everything is somewhat eclectic,
which is typical of a tea room,” John says. John and Renate bought the former
General Mercantile/Fayetteville Drug Company building in 1999, renovated it and first opened the tea emporium
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Make room for one of the 15 rotating desserts, including the popular strawberry nut cake and homemade ice cream in the summer.
