We Tried the New Afternoon Tea at Dean & DeLuca in Waikīkī

I love everything about afternoon tea.

I love the small bites, the typically beautiful locations and, well, an excuse to indulge in afternoon cocktails. (I’m not much of a tea drinker, ironically.)

So when I heard Dean & DeLuca in the in the Ritz-Carlton Waikīkī had launched a new tea service—and it was only $60 per person!—I didn’t have to hesitate to book a table.

Photo: Courtesy of Dean & DeLuca Hawaiʻi

Afternoon tea isn’t new to Dean & DeLuca, but this menu—dubbed Urban Picnic—is. It launched on June 4.

The service runs from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays upstairs in The Artisan Loft, a light-filled and airy space that made me feel instantly relaxed.

It starts with your choice of teas, which can be hot or iced. The teas hail from around the world, including several from Hawaiʻi. You can also order coffee or a matcha soda.

Or, if you’re like me, you can order a cocktail—or flight of tipsy teas.

The first course is a vanilla scone, which goes with your first sip of tea.
Photos: Catherine Toth Fox

The five-course menu starts with a traditional vanilla scone, accompanied by housemade strawberry jam and mascarpone whipped cream. Dean & DeLuca recently hired pastry chef Miki Yasukochi, who has been making many of its desserts—including the pastries and breads on this menu—in house.

The second course is a saffron seafood chowder.
Photo: Catherine Toth Fox

The second course is a cup of saffron seafood chowder topped with flaky puff pastry. Inside is a creamy soup with chunks of shrimp—but it’s not a lot of soup, which is good since it’s filling and you still have three more courses to go.

The third course is full of savory bites.
Photo: Catherine Toth Fox

The next two courses—savory and sweet—come in baskets, with a serving for each person. (This is the “picnic” part of Urban Picnic.)

The savory course features an assortment of sandwiches and pâté: ratatouille terrine featuring local veggies, Kauaʻi garlic shrimp on focaccia bread, beef katsu sando (my favorite), smoked salmon truffle tartar topped with locally grown finger limes, chicken pâté with a red wine gelée, roasted aliʻi mushroom douxelle with a saffon spread on a croissant crostini, and a edamane-stuffed mushroom.

Normally, I don’t feel overly full in the middle of an afternoon tea experience, but this savory basket was filling. I already felt like I got my money’s worth.

The sweets basket.
Photo: Catherine Toth Fox

Then came the desserts.

The pretty assortment featured a mini raspberry-vanilla mousse cake covered in a white chocolate glaze, mango pudding, crème brûlée, pineapple tart and various macaron (the only thing not baked in house).

I was full—but I somehow managed to eat these, too. Funny how that happens.

The last and final course is a small scoop of kochi yuzu sorbet, tangy, refreshing and a perfect ending to a decadent meal.

Some things to note:

• Pricing is $60 per person, regardless of age.
• Reservations aren’t required but highly recommended.
• Included in the price are two choices of tea or one soft drink. Cocktails cost more.
• Hawaiʻi residents can get a $5 discount with a valid Hawaiʻi ID.
• Guests of The Artisan Loft can get up to three hours of free valet parking at The Ritz-Carlton.