We tried Madison's new Lanier House—here's what it was like

Ever since we reported on Madison’s new tea room, Lanier House, we’ve been eagerly awaiting their opening.

We hurried in to try it as they opened this week—and we don’t regret the decision.

Here’s what the experience (and yes, it is definitely an experience) was like.

The tea and eats were top-notch

For our visit, we had afternoon tea, which is composed of three courses of tea and finger foods. Here’s what was on the menu for our visit (but watch out for new menus in the coming months!).

First Course: Lavender earl grey tea and savory bites—English cucumber dill sandwiches, mini bacon and pecan cheese canapés and avocado deviled eggs
Second Course: peach lemon tea with scones—sugar scones with lemon curd and English-style crumpets with maple butter
Third Course: cranberry orange tea with sweet bites—strawberry cheesecake bites, assorted fruit tarts and lavender earl grey cookies

Each element was scrumptious, and the pairings between the teas and the eats were perfect.

Our favorite tea was the peach lemon (we got seconds!), and we couldn’t get enough of the cucumber sandwiches, deviled eggs and strawberry cheesecake bites.

If you avoid gluten or dairy, they’ve got you covered. Just make sure you let them know when you make your reservation!

The atmosphere was lovely

The moment you step inside Lanier House, you can’t help but be happy. The atmosphere is bright and cheery, yet soothing. It’s inside an old house (the Lanier House, if you didn’t guess!) on Martin Street in Historic Downtown Madison, which contributes to the charm of it all.

No matter what table you’re seated at, there will be comfy chairs, plush pillows and a beautiful table setting complete with china and doilies.

As you enjoy, there’s soft natural light streaming in from the old window, fun classical-style music and all the lovely smells you’d expect to permeate a tea room.

The allotted 1.5 hours that we had for Afternoon Tea was spot-on. We had plenty of time to leisurely make our way through the three courses, with plenty of time for chatting as we enjoyed.

As we chatted, we daydreamed about all of the events that could be held at Lanier House—bridal events, baby showers, birthday parties and so many more.

The service was excellent

From start to finish, the service at Lanier House was top-notch. We were greeted by smiling faces and shown to our table, neatly set with gorgeous dishes.

Reagan, who took care of us, made sure to explain everything thoroughly and ensured we had a relaxed time.

Soon after being seated, Reagan came out with the first piping-hot pot of tea, poured it for us and told us what would go best in that variety of tea. She taught us how to signal for when we were ready for the next course (you flip the lid on the pot!) and guided us through the next two courses.

We got to talk with both Tammy, the owner of Lanier House, and her daughter Reagan, the director of marketing. Both ladies were gracious and welcoming, making us feel right at home.

How to plan your visit to Lanier House

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Reading this has got you craving tea, right? We don’t blame you. Here’s how to plan your visit.

Lanier House offers several different types of tea times, including afternoon tea, child’s tea, tea and cookies and bubblies. They have Afternoon Tea service Tuesday-Saturday, 11AM-12:30PM, 1-2:30PM and 3-4:30PM. Be sure to snag a reservation before going!

Lanier House also offers services for private events. You can rent out just the space, the space with an appetizer or the space with Main Street Cafe catering.

Ready to plan your own visit to Lanier House? Here’s where you can find it.