The Essential Guide to Afternoon Tea in Austin
From the Driskill's 1886 grandeur to gongfu pours on South Lamar — where Austin actually takes its tea.
Tea Rooms.org Editors · August 12, 2026
Austin is not a city anyone associates with doilies. And yet the capital quietly runs one of the strongest tea scenes in Texas — split between grand hotel services downtown, a genuine English tea room culture in the neighborhoods, and one of the most serious Chinese tea houses in the American South.
This guide covers the full range. Every listing below is verified against the venue's own published information — hours shift seasonally, so confirm before you drive.
The Hotel Services
Austin's hotels treat afternoon tea as an occasion, and the four services below are the city's formal tier. The Driskill's tea in the 1886 Café & Bakery is the institution — Texas's most storied hotel pouring under original tin ceilings. Goldie's at the Austin Proper adds caviar canapés and champagne upgrades in a garden-inspired sunken bar, while the Four Seasons' A-Tea-X and Hotel Ella's Goodall's Kitchen round out the reservation-required set. Expect $$$–$$$$ and weekend-heavy schedules; book ahead at all four.
Afternoon Tea at The Driskill (1886 Café & Bakery)
$$$$Downtown · Austin
Long-running weekend afternoon tea service inside the 1886 Café & Bakery at Austin's historic Driskill Hotel. The three-course service includes scones, finger sandwiches, French pastries and petits fours with premium loose-leaf teas and a sparkling beverage; a kids' menu is offered. Reservations are required and weekend seatings frequently sell out.
Afternoon Tea at Goldie's (Austin Proper Hotel)
$$$Downtown / Second Street District · Austin
Weekend afternoon tea served Friday through Sunday in Goldie's Sunken Bar, the garden-inspired ground-floor lounge of the Austin Proper Hotel. The service pairs curated teas with buttery scones and mascarpone cream, caviar canapés, finger sandwiches, seasonal pastries, and French macarons. Sparkling wine and champagne upgrades are available, and reservations via OpenTable are recommended.
A-Tea-X Afternoon Tea at Four Seasons Hotel Austin
$$$Downtown / Rainey Street District · Austin
The Four Seasons' seasonal A-Tea-X afternoon tea, served daily from 1 to 3 pm in Live Oak, the hotel's lobby-level bar. Rotating themed menus (such as the spring Roses & Rosé service) feature scones, delicate tea sandwiches, fragrant loose-leaf teas, and tea-infused specialty cocktails. Open to the public with reservations via OpenTable; guests must be 8 or older.
Afternoon Tea at Goodall's Kitchen (Hotel Ella)
$$$Central Austin / West Campus · Austin
Daily afternoon high tea served 2–5 pm at Goodall's Kitchen inside Hotel Ella, the historic Goodall Wooten House near the UT campus. Tea towers carry sweet and savory bites — traditional tea sandwiches, pastries and confections — with a glass of bubbles and a selection of Austin-based Zhi organic teas. Reservations are required with at least 48 hours notice.
The Tea Rooms Proper
For the classic tiered-tray experience without the hotel formality, Austin English Tea Company carries the British torch, Brentwood Social House folds a vintage tea service into a beloved neighborhood café, and Rocheli Patisserie approaches tea from the French pastry side. North of the city, Georgetown's San Gabriel House B&B serves a Victorian afternoon tea worth the drive up I-35.
Austin English Tea Company
$$$Four Points / Northwest Austin · Austin
British-owned tea room inside Michelle's Patisserie in northwest Austin serving a traditional English afternoon tea on mismatched vintage china. Seatings feature loose-leaf teas, homemade tea sandwiches, desserts, and handmade scones with jam and cream, with optional Prosecco pairings. Also hosts private parties, showers, and corporate events, with catering and to-go orders available.
Brentwood Social House
$$Brentwood · Austin
Cozy neighborhood café and bakery whose reservation-only afternoon tea runs Thursday and Friday at noon and select weekends at 1:30 or 2 pm, booked through Tock. Adults ($40 Thursday, $50 Friday–Sunday) receive a three-tiered stand with three tea sandwiches or savory pastries, a scone with butter and jam, three desserts, and a pot of tea; a children's tier is offered. Wine, prosecco, DIY mimosas, and beer are available alongside.
Rocheli Patisserie
$$$East Austin · Austin
French patisserie in East Austin serving a reservation-only high tea Tuesday through Sunday alongside its regular bakery counter. The high tea features tiered towers of delicate French pastries and tea sandwiches. Seatings are typically offered at late-morning and mid-afternoon times.
Afternoon Tea at San Gabriel House B&B
$$$Georgetown
Elegant three-course afternoon tea served on vintage china in the dining room of a historic Georgetown bed and breakfast, followed by a tour of the home. Private group teas (8–16 guests) are scheduled Tuesdays–Thursdays at 12:30 pm or Sundays at 2 pm at $59 per person plus tax, with gluten-free accommodations available. Booking is via online reservation with a per-person deposit.
The Serious Leaf
Then there is the other Austin tea scene — the one built on the leaf itself. West China Tea House pours gongfu-style from a deep list of Chinese teas and doubles as a retailer. Zhi Tea blends and sells loose-leaf with a tasting bar, The Lion's Den focuses on herbal apothecary blends, and Moment of Tea keeps a modern tea-bar counter. No tiered trays here; this is where you go to actually taste tea.
West China Tea House
$$East Austin · Austin
East Austin tea house from West China Tea Company, importing artisan and farm-direct Chinese teas served in the traditional gong fu cha style. Guests can sit for tea service, take classes, and shop loose-leaf teas and teaware from the company's direct-import catalog. Open into the late evening most nights as an alcohol-free gathering space.
Zhi Tea
$East Austin / Springdale General · Austin
Longstanding Austin tea company (18+ years) with a tasting room in the Springdale General complex in East Austin. Serves single-origin teas from around the world, high-quality matcha, herbal blends, puerh, and house-made artisan tea drinks, with tea flights and freshly brewed pots available in-house. Also sells bulk loose-leaf tea and teaware, with a wholesale program.
The Lion's Den Tea
$East Austin / Airport Blvd · Austin
Owner-operated, alcohol-free "social sanctuary" on Airport Boulevard specializing in elevated tea lattes and ceremonial cacao drinks. The sit-down space doubles as a community venue with open mic nights, karaoke, and tarot reading bookings. Online ordering runs through Toast, with an event calendar and Etsy shop linked from their site.
Moment of Tea
Zilker / Casa de Luz Village · Austin
Second-floor tea lounge at Casa de Luz Village, a wellness-focused pocket of the Zilker neighborhood near Barton Springs. The space centers on unhurried tea sessions and community gathering under the motto "come for the tea, stay for the community." Open Wednesday through Sunday afternoons.
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