MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee is well known as a brewery city. Given that, having an afternoon beer in Milwaukee is much more common and expected than having afternoon tea. But high along the Milwaukee skyline, tea time has quietly thrived and is even growing in popularity.
Put your pinkies up and take a step inside The Pfister Hotel's Afternoon Tea.
Tea is only served Friday through Sunday from noon to 2 p.m. It's located inside the popular Blu lounge that's on the 23rd floor. Reservations are highly encouraged as space is limited for this popular afternoon hangout. Guests who go to tea time get to pick from 13 different teas from the local company Rishi Tea. Their tea butler walks them through each type of tea. They explain the tastes and allow each person to smell a sample, so they have a better idea of each drink.
For $63, guests get a pot full of tea along with an assortment of small finger foods like tiny sandwiches and pastries like scones and muffins.
"They have this idea that when they come in here they’re going to come in and enjoy their tea, and put their pinky up. And it's fun watching them enjoy the service and the equipment that we have," Juan Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez has been a tea butler with the Pfister since 1983. The hotel first started tea time in 1980. He loves the tradition and ornamentation that an upscale tea time offers.
"The setups that we do, the presentations that we do table by table, so (it's) almost like a personalized service," he said.
For those who aren't as fancy, don't worry. Tea time can still be for you.
"I want to make them feel comfortable without having to have a stuffy atmosphere for that," he said.
The Pfister keeps it casual. Some people come in fancy Victorian dresses with corsets and white gloves while others may arrive in a Brewers tee and cargo shorts. There is no proper way to drink the tea or use utensils either.
Tea time is a quaint and quiet respite from the quarrels of everyday life, to enjoy some quality tea and quench your thirst. For some, this has been a family tradition for decades. Rodriguez has regulars that come all the time.
"The little girls they used to run around in the lobby, now they're grown up. They're coming in with their kids," he said.
But new people are discovering the afternoon activity too.
"We're having a mother-daughter day, so (we) thought this would be kind of a special thing to do," Jennifer Movrich, who was with her daughter Milly, said.
Over the years tea time has become increasingly popular. So much so that the Pfister has changed the offering from a seasonal activity to a year-round one. The hotel said that more people are making reservations and there is a growing desire for private tea parties. Private parties cost $2,500 on Friday through Sunday.
"I think ours stands apart because we do a presentation of the teas. Like we go other places to do tea just so we can experience it as well, and ours we actually sit and talk about and let you smell all 13 of our teas," Sheena Pitts, a tea butler, said.
Originally, the Pfister stopped offering tea during the summer, but demand has picked up. Pitts said the experience and quality of their tea speaks for itself.
"The view, the food, the elegance of our settings, people have - some people have been all over the world to do tea and are like oh my god this is one of the best teas."
Despite making tea time year-round, it will still only be offered three days a week. However, you can order a private party for Monday through Thursday for $1,000.
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