Table is set for afternoon tea at the Grant House Restaurant in Vancouver, WA. Photo: KGilb.
The best afternoon tea I’ve had to date? Definitely the Empress Hotel in Victoria, BC, but I’m always on the lookout for a new favorite. So, two weeks before Christmas, I treated myself to afternoon tea at the Grant House Restaurant in Vancouver, WA.
The main dining room at the Grant House is cozy and intimate with polished wood furniture and a matching pair of fireplaces. The wood floors are covered with oriental carpets and there’s a smattering of old-fashioned wall lamps with chimneys and glass shades spaced evenly around the room. On the afternoon we visited, it was also decorated for the holidays with candles, wreaths, and festive holly berry arrangements.
Once seated by the hostess, we didn’t have to wait long. Our waitress arrived with a pot of tea (English Breakfast, or something similar) and a good assortment of sweets, savories, and fresh fruit. Tea sandwiches included ham and Dijon mustard, cucumber, and thin slices of tomato with pesto and cheese. All very tasty, but more than one bite each would have been better.
Where the kitchen really excelled, however, was in its selection of sweets! Hazelnut bars, raspberry crumble cake, lemon tarts, cranberry/walnut cookies, and scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam. More than enough to satisfy any sweet tooth.
The Grant House serves afternoon tea every Friday from 2-4 pm. When we visited, the food was good; our waitress was friendly and helpful. And the price, at just $15 per person, was quite reasonable. But please note, reservations are strongly recommended. For more information, please call 360-906-1101 or send an email through the contact page on their website. You’re in for a real treat!
The Grant House is located at 1101 Officers Row in Vancouver, WA. (easily accessible from I-5) For directions, map, and additional photos of the restaurant, please click here.