Afternoon Tea By Ali Noller Special to washingtonpost.com Thursday, April 10, 2003

Settle in for a cup of tea. (Nancy Andrews/The Washington Post)

Bailiwick Inn, 4023 Chain Bridge Rd., Fairfax; 703-691-2266
Tuesday, 3:30-5: $22; Sunday, 3:30-5: $27. Scones, sandwiches, pastries, sherry. Recipes available upon request. Not wheelchair accessible. Reservations required; taken up to the day. Easter tea on April 19, 3-4:30: $28; bonnet required. Mother's Day tea on May 10, 3-4:30: $28; must bring your mother. For groups of five or more, a $5/person deposit is required.

British Pantry, 42495 John Mosby Hwy. (Route 50), Chantilly; 703-327-3215
Daily, 1-4. Cream tea: $7.95; full tea with scones, sandwiches and tea biscuits: $16.95.

Casey Jones, 417 E. Charles St., La Plata; 301-932-6226
September-May, second Saturday of the month and occasional other dates, 1-3: $23 adults; $15 children 9 and under. Sandwiches, scones and pastries (monthly theme menus). Reservations and advance payment required. Sold out for remainder of 2003 season.

Ching Ching Cha, 1063 Wisconsin Ave. NW; 202-333-8288
Tuesday-Saturday, 11:30-9; Sunday, 11:30-7. Teas: $4-$20.

English Tea House, 4513 College Ave., College Park; 301-887-1777
Saturday, 2-6. Light tea with scones, pastries, one sandwich: $3.50; cream tea with scones and fruit: $5.95; high tea with scones, sandwiches, sweets and fruit: $10.95. Catering and outdoor cafe now available.

Four Seasons Hotel, 2800 Pennsylvania Ave. NW; 202-342-0444
Daily, 2-5. Tea: $25. Sandwiches (monthly theme menus), pastries, chocolate-dipped strawberries, scones. Piano music. Reservations required.

Green Spring Gardens Park, 4603 Green Spring Rd., Alexandria; 703-941-7987
Most Sundays at 1, tea and lecture program: $22; April through October, Thursdays at 1 with garden tour: $22. Scones, sandwiches, pastries. Canceled if less than 20 reservations are made; reservations required.

Hay-Adams Hotel, 16th and H streets NW; 202-638-6600
Offered as a catered tea only: $35/person. Scones, pastries, berries and sandwiches. Reservations required.

Henley Park Hotel, 926 Massachusetts Ave. NW; 202-638-5200
Daily, 4-6. Royal tea with fresh fruit, chianti and sandwiches: $25; English tea with scone, sandwiches and pastries: $16; tea and scones: $9.50. Not wheelchair accessible. Reservations required.

Hillwood Museum Cafe, 4155 Linnean Ave. NW; 202-686-8505, Ext. 8811
Tuesday-Saturday, 3-4:30. Tea: $7.95 ($12.95 for two). Finger sandwiches, scones, fruit and cookies. Museum tour ($10) requires separate reservations. (Museum and cafe closed during the month of February.) Reservations required.

Jefferson Hotel, 16th and M streets NW; 202-833-6206 or 202-347-2200 Daily, 3-5. Full tea with scones, sandwiches and fruit tarts: $38. Reservations required.

Laurel Brigade Inn, 20 W. Market St., Leesburg; 703-777-1010
Thursday-Saturday, noon-3: $17.95. Sandwiches, pastries, scones. Reservations required. Not wheelchair accessible.

Madison Hotel, 15th and M streets NW; 202-862-1600
Closed for renovations until August 2003, when tea service will resume.

Mayflower Hotel, 1127 Connecticut Ave. NW; 202-347-3000
Monday-Saturday, 3-5; Sunday, 3:30-5:30. Tea: $23.95. Pastries, seasonally inspired sandwiches, scones, etc. Reservations required.

Montpelier Mansion, Route 197 and Muirkirk Road, Laurel; 301-498-8486 (about a quarter-mile from Baltimore-Washington Parkway)
Two or three Fridays a month. Tea: $18. Tea at 3; mansion tour at 2, $2 additional; reservations required. Scones, sandwiches, pastries and clotted cream and jam. (Tea supplies at the Little Teapot at Montpelier gift shop, Tuesday-Saturday, 10-5; Sunday, noon-4.)

Normandie Farm Inn, 10710 Falls Rd., Potomac; 301-983-8838
First and third Wednesdays, 2:30-4:30. Tea: $18. Buffet service: scones, pastries, sandwiches, fruit, popovers and pastries. Music. Reservations required.

Oakland Manor, 5430 Vantage Point Rd., Columbia; 410-730-4801 or 800-730-4802
First and last Thursdays, 4:30-6. Tea: $15.75. Sandwiches, scones, pastries. Reservations required.

Oatlands, 20850 Oatlands Plantation Lane, Leesburg; 703-777-3174
Thursday-Saturday, May 15-June 28, excluding June 14; noon and 2 p.m. Tea: $17.95/adults; $8.95 children 8 and under. Sandwiches, scones, sweets. Reservations required. Reduced-rate tours available in conjunction with tea.

Ritz-Carlton Hotel - Pentagon City, 1250 S. Hayes St., Arlington, 703-415-5000
Daily, 2-4:30. Tea and scones: $20; full tea with sandwiches, scones and cakes: $26; royal tea with scones, sandwiches, cakes, champagne and strawberries: $31. Reservations required.

Ritz-Carlton Hotel - Tysons Corner, 1700 Tysons Blvd., McLean, 703-506-4300
Monday-Friday, 2-4:30; Saturday and Sunday, 11:30, 2 and 4. Full tea with sandwiches, scones and cakes: $28; royal tea with champagne and strawberries: $38. Reservations required.

Ritz-Carlton Hotel - Washington, 1150 22nd St. NW; 202-835-0500
Friday-Sunday, 2-5; Afternoon tea $32. Scones, sandwiches, pastries. Reservations required.

Stone House Tea Room at the Norris House Inn, 106 Loudoun St. SW, Leesburg; 703-779-2933
Theme teas approximately three weekends a month and first Friday of the month (see schedule at www.norrishouse.com); Tea: $20. Sandwiches, scones, pastries, fruit. Reservations recommended. Not wheelchair accessible.

Strathmore Hall, 10701 Rockville Pike, Rockville; 301-530-0540
Tuesday and Wednesday, 1-3. Full tea: $17, paid in advance. Scones, sandwiches, salads and pastries. Live music, usually harp or piano.

The British Collection and Tea Company, 119 S. Royal St., Alexandria; 703-836-8181
Tuesday, noon-6; Wednesday-Sunday, 10-6. Full tea with turkey, cucumber and ham sandwiches, scones and cream and cake: $12.50; with sherry: $14.50. Reservations required only for large parties (over eight).

Teaism - Dupont Circle, 2009 R St. NW; 202-667-3827
Tea served a la carte, daily.

Teaism - Downtown, 800 Connecticut Ave. NW; 202-835-2233
Weekdays, 2:30-5:30. Traditional tea with sandwiches, pastries, ginger scones: $15. Asian tea with salmon, nori and sticky rice, tofu, pickles, sweet bean paste buns, green tea ice cream, sweets: $15.

Teaism - Penn Quarter, 400 Eighth St. NW; 202-638-6010
Daily, 2:30-5:30. Traditional tea with sandwiches, pastries, ginger scones: $15. Asian tea with salmon, nori and sticky rice, tofu, pickles, sweet bean paste bun, green tea ice cream: $15.

Washington National Cathedral, Massachusetts and Wisconsin avenues NW; 202-537-8993
Tuesday and Wednesday, 3-4, following 1:30 tour (children's choir Tuesday and Wednesday at 5:30; organ practice at 12:45 Wednesday). Tea and tour: $20, paid in advance; call for reservations Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, 10-4. Scones and a variety of finger sandwiches, muffins, chicken, ham or shrimp salad in miniature popovers, etc. Gift certificates available. Booked through May 2003.

Watergate Hotel, 2650 Virginia Ave. NW; 202-965-2300
Daily, 3-5 in the Potomac lobby lounge. Scones, pastries, fruit and tea: $15; full tea with daily menu of sandwiches, pastries and scones: $19. Reservations required.