The most fleeting season in DC—cherry blossom season—is arguably the most beautiful, and it’s the time of year most synonymous with the city. One way to celebrate the short-lived blooms is to indulge in a long afternoon tea. This time of year, many hotels and other spots that offer a regular afternoon tea adopt a cherry blossom- or cherry-inspired menu. And while seasoned Washingtonians know that the cherry blossoms peaking throughout the region couldn’t be more different from the cherries you can eat, it’s all about embracing a DC rite of spring. Here are 10 of the best places to find cherry blossom afternoon tea around DC.
The St. Regis
Downtown DC
One of the only places to offer afternoon tea within an easy stroll of the White House, the St. Regis has become a springtime favorite for its elegant cherry blossom tea. To welcome the blooms, the hotel transforms its lobby lounge into an extravaganza of opulent floral installations and bouquets. It’s a fitting backdrop for the afternoon tea ceremony, which serves a selection of Dammann Frères tea as well as a cherry blossom blend created specifically for the hotel. Pastries and desserts are served artfully hung from the branches of a small cherry tree, whose trunk is surrounded by savory nibbles. The St. Regis’s cherry blossom afternoon tea is available Wednesdays through Sundays until June 1 and is $109 a person.
Pendry Hotel
The Wharf
It’s a boozy affair at the Pendry Hotel’s cherry blossom tea. Served in the hotel’s sleek bar, which is reminiscent of the interior of a European train car should you be traveling via the Orient Express, this afternoon tea is centered around a trio of Sakura teas, which are made with real cherry blossom flowers, spiked with alcohol (two with gin, one with vodka), and accented with ingredients such as honey, fresh lemon, vanilla, and blackberry. The teas are complimented with sweet and savory snacks like chicken salad tarts made with dried sour cherries; chocolate, strawberry, and cremeux Sakura profiteroles; and Sakura tea-infused madeleines. The Pendry’s cherry blossom tea is offered each Saturday from March 23 to April 20 and is $80 a person.
Fairmont Hotel
West End
Afternoon tea is served al fresco at the Fairmont Hotel this spring, which is a fitting locale considering the hotel’s courtyard will be filled with its own blooming cherry trees. Toast the season with a flute of G.H. Mumm champagne; spring-inspired savory tea sandwiches like a cucumber and sunflower cream or prosciutto, blueberry goat cheese, and lemon on rye; and cherry blossom-inspired sweets like lychee and cherry ganache macarons, cherry and cassis beignets, and cherry, rose, and vanilla scones served with clotted cream and strawberry jam. The Fairmont’s cherry blossom tea will be served each Saturday and Sunday from March 23 to April 14 (exclusive of Easter Sunday), and is $95 a person.
Waldorf Astoria
Downtown DC
The Waldorf Astoria’s soaring atrium is one of the most stunning interiors in DC, and during cherry blossom season it explodes in a riot of festive floral installations including a nearly 20-foot-tall replica of a cherry tree. The hotel’s cherry blossom tea is served amid this splendor each Friday through Sunday through the end of June. Indulgent bites like cherry financiers, cherry orange scones, and smoked salmon sandwiches are served alongside a full menu of teas including a cherry blossom tea brewed with sweet candied cherries. The Waldorf-Astoria’s tea is $90 or $105 with a flute of champagne.
Willard InterContinental
Penn Quarter
Perhaps nowhere in the DMV is more synonymous with afternoon tea than the Willard. Legend has it that the hotel was the birthplace of the term lobbying and was the first place outside of Kentucky that the mint julep cocktail was served. Today it’s famous for its Peacock Alley, which underwent a major renovation in the spring of 2023 that ushered in new changes like peacock feather-inspired wallpaper but also kept the historic 1901 terracotta floors. Tea here is simply special. Savory sandwiches;, sweet treats like yuzu meringue choux, lychee strawberry mousse, and mango violet shortbread; loose leaf tea; and champagne are served to the backdrop of a live harpist. The Willard’s cherry blossom tea is served each Friday through Sunday and is $90 or $105 with a flute of champagne, $106 with a glass of Japanese whiskey punch, and $65 for children.
Salamander DC
South of the National Mall
The Salamander DC is still undergoing renovations, but its afternoon tea is in full swing for cherry blossom season. Come in for treats like dark chocolate cherry scones, foie gras with peanut butter and cherry jelly tea sandwiches, lychee jelly cream puffs, tea (of course), and a flute of champagne. The tea will be offered Wednesdays through Sunday, March 20 through April 14, and is $95 a person.
The Ritz-Carlton Pentagon City
Arlington
Santé, the Ritz-Carlton Pentagon City’s Mediterranean-inspired restaurant, is celebrating the flowering season with an afternoon tea for both children and adults. Adults can look forward to house-made tea sandwiches, scones, pastries, and loose-leaf teas, and a glass of sparkling wine; for children, there will be kid-sized nibbles, hot chocolate or tea, and take-home teddy bears. The tea will be served on Saturdays and Sundays from March 16 through April 14; it costs $84 for adults and $55 for children under 12.
Blue Duck Tavern
West End
The Park Hyatt Washington’s Blue Duck Tavern has become known for its Tea Cellar, which allows guests to sample brews from all over the world. During cherry blossom season, guests will find a traditional three-tier tea tray with elaborate and innovative blossom-inspired bites like yogurt panna cotta with Sakura blossoms, Japanese matcha roll cake, mini duck tartines with cherry preserves, and lapsang souchong-cured salmon, all accompanied by a selection of teas and an optional glass of champagne. Blue Duck Tavern’s cherry blossom tea will be offered Saturdays and Sundays from March 16 through April 14 and is $75 a person, $95 with a flute of champagne, and $30 for children under 12.
Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens
Forest Hills
Hillwood, the former estate of Marjorie Merriweather Post, the indefatigable businesswoman, heiress, hostess, collector, and one-time owner of Mar-a-Lago, is a stunning place to take afternoon tea. The estate’s Merriweather Café will be serving trays of sweets like Sakura cherry profiteroles and chocolate tulips, as well as spring tea sandwiches like prosciutto and spring pea and salmon salad. Hillwood’s cherry blossom tea offers the rare opportunity to sip tea within a blooming, cherry tree-filled garden. The tea will be offered from March 15 through April 14 and is $40 a person.
Opaline Bar and Brasserie
Penn Quarter
Opaline, at the Sofitel, has a cherry blossom tea that is best enjoyed outside on the brasserie’s patio, which offers a whiff of French-inspired elegance and excellent people watching. Enjoy cups of loose-leaf tea with a menu heavy on all things cherry, such as cherry blossom cheesecake and chocolate cherry scones, as well as savory options like brie and apricot tartlets and pesto puff pastry twists. Opaline’s cherry blossom tea is served on Saturdays from March 16 through May 4 and is $78 for adults and $59 for children under 10.
