The Queen's Library Tea Room

My husband and I loved the Queen's Library, especially the Dickensian, A Christmas. Carol theme. We started off with a refreshing cold tea which was followed by a flight of three different teas as we worked our way through the lovely sandwiches, scones and sweet treats.

Clarissa and Daniel have created an amazing space and incredible experience. The entire staff was so warm, personable and knowledgeable.

This is by far the best afternoon tea I have had in Richmond.

We are big fans of doing afternoon tea. We have done them in New York, DC, Chicago and even the UK. But this was absolutely one of our favorites ever.

My mother and I had such an incredible experience at this afternoon tea today. I never leave reviews but this was special. We walked in just to check the place out and found out they are reservation only. We were ready to leave, but they didn’t want us to so they checked and saw they had an opening today which they said is very rare this holiday season. We were so happy that they fit us in and welcomed us so warmly. The owners Daniel and Clarissa Luna were so attentive, warm, and informative of the teas and food throughout the entire course. The decorations were so intentional, unique, and cosy and gave such a warm atmosphere. It was more than just tea and food however; they also had a reading of the Christmas Carol and Daniel has several costume changes of different Scrooge outfits! They ended with giving each person a chocolate token which was such a nice and memorable touch. At the end of the experience I ended up having tears of joy and we hugged. And they said that we didn’t have to pay. This is the best experience I have had in Richmond so far, and it is all because of Daniel and Clarissa Luna and their amazing staff (shoutout to Hannah!). If you are in the area definitely stop by you will be glad you did! Truly magical

My daughter and I had the most enchanting afternoon and celebration of the spirit of Christmas that will forever remain with us! Daniel and Clarissa have created what they aimed to - brought us into their home and sent us off filled the warmth from their tea offerings, the delight from the array of sandwiches, scones and macaroons, and the hope that is Christmas from gift they were to us in through the experience. We will definitely be back!!

We thoroughly enjoyed our Dickensian Holiday Tea!! The tea room is absolutely delightful. The tea service did not disappoint with 4 teas including a sparkling tea and all kinds of tasty delights (highlights were the roast beef sandwich, tea brack, scones, and all the sweet treats). We were happy that Ebeneezer Scrooge had a change of heart towards the end. We feared would not have enough schillings to cover all the extras, lol. The three of us Sista Cousins look forward to going to the Queen’s Library Tea Room again! Thank you for such a great experience!

Our party of four visited The Queen’s Library Tea Room with high hopes for a lovely afternoon tea experience. Prior to making our reservation, we contacted the tea room to explain that one person in our group has celiac disease and another is gluten-free and pescatarian. They assured us that they were more than able to accommodate these needs and welcomed the reservation. Unfortunately, the experience was completely contrary to their assurances, leaving us feeling deeply disappointed by their lack of care and attention to dietary restrictions.

We followed the tea room’s policies by specifying our dietary needs when making the reservation, confirming via their reservation notes. We also contacted them 24 hours prior to our visit via phone and text, and each time, we were reassured that they were fully prepared to accommodate us.

However, when we arrived, the experience was shockingly different from what we were promised. Two members of our party were presented with a three-tiered tray overflowing with scones, clotted cream, jam, sandwiches, cookies, and cakes, while the gluten-free tray was woefully inadequate. Not only did it initially include gluten scones (an alarming oversight given the risks for someone with celiac disease), but the offerings were sparse and lacked variety. The tray included just four small pieces of gluten-free bread with chicken salad, four bite-sized cookies, two bites of cheese, and clotted cream and jam with no appropriate gluten-free base to enjoy them on.

For the gluten-free pescatarian guest, the options were even worse: two slices of cucumber, one of the two cheese bites, and two of the small cookies. When we inquired about this disparity, we were told the gluten-free items had been given away earlier in the day to other guests, leaving them unprepared to meet the commitments made for our reservation.

A member of our party spoke with the manager, who also turned out to be the owner, and managed to obtain a few slices of plain gluten-free bread, some extra cheese bites, and cucumbers.They also ended up providing a textured vegetable protein on a slice of gluten free bread but could not guarantee the product they used was gluten free which, essentially, made it inedible. While this was a slight improvement, it fell far short of what was promised and paid for.

Even more disappointing, the owner later stopped by our table but failed to acknowledge or apologize for the error. After we brought it to his attention he finally acknowledged the issue and admitted that we were not served what is typically provided to gluten free guests but made no apologies for it. He further claimed the pescatarian issue was due to the way their system printed the tickets for our reservation.

We also contacted the tea room to share our feedback and disappointment. However, despite their attentiveness during the reservation process, we have yet to receive any response or apology.

This experience was not only disappointing but also concerning from a food safety perspective. For a business claiming to accommodate dietary restrictions, failing to honor a reservation and putting a celiac guest at risk of cross-contamination demonstrates a serious lack of understanding and care. Moreover, the failure to address the issue thoughtfully and professionally during and after our visit shows a disregard for customer service and the trust guests place in establishments like this.

Unfortunately, The Queen’s Library Tea Room fell far short. What could have been a valuable learning opportunity for their staff instead became a frustrating and disheartening experience for our group. We hope they take this feedback seriously and improve their approach to accommodating guests with dietary restrictions in the future.

For others seeking a memorable tea experience, other than The Jefferson, we highly recommend Floris. They served delicious food and did a spectacular job ens

My daughter (5yo) and her friends had an amazing time at the Frozen Princess Tea. The owners were gracious and accommodating. We will definitely be returning.

It was AWESOME!!! I have been wanting to do high tea now for a while. Today I took the opportunity to have tea with my brother, sister, and brother in love (all from out of town) and we LOVED IT!!! The whole experience is very cool. When one thinks of high tea, we tend to think of a high posh stuffy white glove type experience. Well, tea at the Queen's Library is definitely an elevated service but in a more relaxed and comfortable environment. Daniel, one of the owners, gave exceptional service and provided indepth knowledge of the teas being served. He was kind, patient, and hospitable. The environment was warm, inviting, and very comfortable. We loved the service, the ambiance, the teas, the food, the classical music play list and the ability to enjoy each other's company. This is a hidden gem that definitely needs to be celebrated. Thank you for a wonderful experience. We will be back!!!

We had a wonderful time. The food was delicious and the teas were awesome. It is such a cute tea room. We can’t wait to go again.

I won a gift voucher for a tea for two and had the date booked in September. The morning of my reservation was canceled due to a plumbing emergency and the owners said they'd work with everyone to either refund or reschedule. I have emailed, texted, and called and have not heard back from them at all. Very unprofessional.

Bought a ticket for a masquerade ball in May. The same May that they knew there was a possibility of cancelation. After 6 months, with no correspondence in between, they announce a week and a half before the event that they have cancelled it. After spending money on dresses and etc, they did refund the money for the event itself, but now that other balls are sold out, I have nowhere to wear what I spent my money for. Pissed off doesn't even cover it.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 1

Service: 1

The Queens Library Tea Room was the place we elected to hold my daughters bridal shower. Having never been to the location personally we were unsure of what to expect. Afternoon Tea is a staple for us and we love the idea. First thing, Clarissa and Hannah are amazing! From our initial greetings to the end of the event. The atmosphere was phenomenal. The Tea service was grand. Their sparkling tea was a surprise and was great. I cannot say enough about the Afternoon Tea and the people that provided this wonderful service. Additionally several of the invitees had never had a traditional Afternoon Tea, and comments were made after the fact that this will now be a staple sought after continued experience.

Dietary restrictions: Clarissa and the staff listened about dietary need and adjusted the menu to suit our guests

Parking: Located downtown by the convention center parking should be fairly ample and easy, however during a day there is an event in the convention center parking becomes difficult. There is plenty of parking about 5 minutes away if you don't mind the walk in.

Wheelchair accessibility: Although there is a small step into the facility, they have a portable ramp to place. Once inside the main room and lavs are handicapped.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: English Tea Sandwich, Egg Salad Sandwich, Cucumber Sandwich, Afternoon Tea, Sweet Savory Assortment

Great experience for Bilbo Baggins Birthday celebration!!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Afternoon Tea

What a lovely place to have a Baby Shower/Sprinkle! The atmosphere is very relaxing and the hospitality is warm and genuine. The staff is willing to accommodate your every need. The food was delicious! Parking was no problem on a Saturday. A gorgeous historical building in downtown Richmond!

Dietary restrictions: Gluten-free is available.

Kid-friendliness: Hosts welcomed children with no problem.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: A Variety of English Sandwiches Including the Traditional English

Very Disappointed !
We had booked a tea and were notified that due to a plumbing issue our tea would have to be rescheduled. I asked if we could have a certain day and was told "Absolutely! we will schedule that right not"
NOW I find out that they are closed on that day - NO COMMUNICATION from Queen's Library Tea AND NO REFUND.
Very Disappointing !

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 1

Service: 1

Was closed