This Thursday afternoon found Harvey, Qi, and Mike amongst a subtle blending of pastel colors and sweet smells. The place, Savoy Tea Company, located on the Fayetteville square, might look like a quaint tea shop, with shelves of tea paraphernalia and vintage seating. It is that, indeed. But it is also a place to find a tasty lunch, with more tea and coffee to wash it down than you could hope to imagine. With that said, let's rate it! Our rating system is structured within four primary categories: Atmosphere, Food, Lunch Bargain, and Service. But we're not your average, snooty critics; we have a few quirks that make us unique, along with our open minds, and hungry bellies. ATMOSPHERE When we arrived (approximately 11:30am), there was a small tea tasting going on in the back of the shop, being run by (who we later recognized as) Bill, father of this family-owned shop, a Certified Tea Specialist (What's that? The World Tea Academy explains). The shop smelled wonderful, due partly to the fresh samples of hot and iced tea at the counter. The dining area, small but dainty, was modestly filled. Each chair and table could've been an awesome find from a vintage estate sale, complementing the wooden cabinets and shelves at the store's front. Imagine the dining area as a flower, planted in the heart of a tea shop. At some point, the flower budded, grew, and bloomed, becoming a natural adornment of it's surroundings. In short, the place looks cool. Oh, and there's lots and lots of tea. SCORE 8/10 Bathroom We believe bathrooms are crucial enough to be a subcategory of Atmosphere, deserving of its own score. Again, we've relied on Harvey's refined opinion, the debonair chap. "Bathrooms are very clean," he reports, "and well decorated, though It was a little bit of a mission to get to them." SCORE 8/10 FOOD There's no way we could eat at Savoy and not partake of its namesake! (For a look at their menu, click here.) It's summer, it's hot, and thank the stars that Savoy carries delicious iced tea. Harvey ordered a Vanilla Lime Coconut, Qi downed an Ozark Sunset, and Mike sipped on his Green Apple Peach--pinky up! For now, there are no free refills on these delicious concoctions, which makes sense, as they are individually mixed by hand. But if there were some way of ordering a pitcher...many taste buds would be quenched. |
It's pleasant to visit a place that only serves lunch food, like you've discovered some hidden gem among stones. Just the fact that there is no dinner menu, suggests you are getting a bargain—a bargain of simply existing. Each sandwich is between $7 to $9, suggesting a higher quality, and it is. Paired with an iced tea, that's roughly $11 or $12. Not bad, but perhaps not a lunch item you get everyday, and that's okay! SCORE 6.5/10
Qi's Tip of the Day No, Qi didn't indulge his wild side this time. Rather, he indulged his gracious side. We noticed that, when paying for our meals, there was no option for a non-cash tip. We all felt obliged to tip well, considering the positive experience. Qi, being the benevolent soul, had brought cash, however, and sternly reminded us that a bit of cash goes a long way. So, remember fellow lunch enthusiasts, remember to bring some cash when you visit Savoy Tea Company. They deserve it, believe us! |
None of us can recall a visit to Savoy's not received with warm, prompt, and friendly service. Perhaps it is working in a place that smells so wonderful all the time, or perhaps there is something very hip to being a tea aficionado. Either case is true. When we arrived on Thursday, it seemed we had carried other guests on our tailcoats. Within a few minutes, the shop went from modestly full to adequately full. And our server, with the help of Bill and a cook, set to getting our food prepared and our teas poured, all in around 12 minutes. Impressive food, preceded by impressive service. SCORE 8/10
As it's only our second blog, you won't be scolded for not remembering how our scoring works. Let us remind you that it has somewhat to do with the numbers, somewhat to do with the individuality of the restaurant itself. After much deliberation, Harvey, Qi, and Mike agree that Savoy Tea Company receives the following score:
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