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Categories: Coffee & Tea, Tea Rooms [Edit]
Neighborhood: East VillageAstor Place (6)
8th St-Broadway (R, W)
2nd Ave-Houston St (F, V)
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You will not believe that you are NYC when you step into this adorable little living room and step up to order a pot of tea and sit in a rocking chair to enjoy it. The teas on tap come in all shapes, flavors, temperatures and varieties. Often, in fact, she (the owner, dressed in a Mrs. Claus sort of tea woman grandma outfit) will ask you what kind of tea you're in the mood for and then she'll let you know what close matches she has available.
The tea comes in a little pot. All the pots are different. The pot, accompanied by cups and saucers, is placed on a wooden sort of breakfast in bed tray and you take this back to your garden table and just chill, rock and sip. The place is designed to feel like a giant front porch in the south or something. Little stuffed animals are placed around the room and one is even perched on a little tiny rocking chair under a wooden bench in the front of the place.
The whole thing feels like a gingerbread house come to life and it's kind of shocking that this business - only selling tea - is able to bring in enough money to stay open. I'm certainly happy about it though because a visit here is refreshing and thoroughly enjoyable.
Went here on a Friday afternoon for high tea, and shared one of the tea platters which came with sweets and savouries.
Our scones were fresh from the oven and tasted heavenly. The cakes were similarly fresh and delicious. The owner suggested calling ahead to see what was in the oven, and timing your visit around that - not a bad idea at all! Apparently it gets pretty packed on weekends around teatime (4pm), but when we went, it was busy but certainly not crowded.
I was less of a fan of the cucumber sandwiches - having grown up on books where people sip tea and eat cucumber sandwiches, I was expecting something life-changing, but they were fairly bland. This is almost certainly a fault of cucumber sandwiches in general and not of Podunk's in particular.
And yes, it certainly is pricey. But the tea is bottomless. When I go back, I will stick to a plate of scones (the scones really were life-changing...), which would be a much more reasonably-priced alternative.
Oh, they also had these cheese-biscuit type things which were super-yummy.
As for the owner being scary, all I can say is that she was really nice to us. We stayed for hours and had multiple teapot-refills.
Lastly: if you're looking for a super-authentic British tea experience, this isn't really it. I don't mean this at all in a bad way - actually, teahouses in England can be pretty horrific. This is an American version of a British ideal - I mean, you have 50 different kinds of tea, some of them chocolate-flavoured. This is not British. However, if you're looking for really tasty tea-treats, this is a great place to go.
Another random tip: they do accept checks, just not cards.
Alright, from my visits and the favorable reviews here, I get that this lady's got a fantasy of what she wants this place to be and that she gets a little freaked out when people aren't able to see it like she does. But when you go there, there's not really a lot of things to cue you into this, so maybe you'll do something like seems normal at a business in this time and place that sells hot beverages: maybe you'll come in and order a coffee or a latte. Then she'll act totally snotty and unwelcoming to you, when really she could be nice about it and explain what her place is about. We don't all have ESP. Also, the hot/cold demeanor strikes me as bad business, because even if I were to want to live out some sort of prissy rural tea party fantasy, I wouldn't take it to an unpredictable businessperson known for erratic and sometimes hostile behavior toward customers.
That said, it's a pretty room on one of Downtown's most beautiful blocks and I guess the tea is good.
I would agree with all the positive reviews here, but I'll add a tidbit:
get an iced tea in a jar/pitcher (normally $19)
plus a tea sandwich ($19 with a pot of tea)
However, the iced tea is considered your pot of tea, so in the end, you end up spending $19!
I had a wonderful lime + lavender + vanilla black tea with blueberries in it. So refreshing. And it was made with the vanilla because I requested it (as in - don't be afraid to add something to a tea that's listed).
And get the dogwood sandwich: avocado, tomato, asparagus, chicken, and blue cheese + a tasty dijon mustard. Divine.
No tipping is allowed - the owner says it's because of their own superstition - so the value in the end is pretty decent!
This place is so charming. The prices are definitely on the higher side of life, but I'd come back here with a tea-phile any day!
dreadful.
Worst scones I have ever had. Not fresh. Very buttery. Had a dodgy tum afterwards. The woman is living in a fantasy land. I am English and know a lot about tea and scones!!!
Too expensive. Portions are beyond resonable. Nice decor though.
Podunk is my own little solace. Sure, I'll take friends here occasionally, but I love to just spend hours by myself sipping tea. And while I'd prefer not to be bothered, I feel I need to share the secret of sanctuary so everyone can appreciate it properly.
Food:
Each menu is in their own little personally-decorated book, and inside they reveal delicious platters and teas to consume. Green teas, black teas, herbal teas, organic teas, ice teas, inventive teas and even hot chocolate in the winter. The selection's quite large, and, while I'm standardly an Earl Grey girl in the winter, I've tried some of the summer iced teas and green teas--I've yet to be disappointed with a brew. What's great, is if you run out of tea, you can ask for some more hot water until you're fully caffeinated and content.
And oh my god. I must must must emphasize how utterly, sinfully, gloriously delectable Elspeth's cream is. I don't know how she does it, but I live or die by it. Sure, it's not traditional clotted cream, but it's not traditional High Tea that you go to Podunk for. It's American-style, Scandinavian-influence, and above all, casual. And her cream (think whipped but with whole milk and really bad for you in that I-can't-stop-eating way) reflects that, which is why I love it. If I thought it to be socially acceptable to lick the bowl, I would, trust me.
The scones are made fresh, and usually to order, as are most of the pastries, which is why you might be waiting a bit for your hot, yummy food. But what astounds most, is that this is more than your standard sweets with tea. You can get crepes, filet mignon, foccacia, cabbage pie, quiches and salad. All of the food is as sweet and savory, and filling and addicting as can be. Any platter you choose with your tea won't disappoint. Sure, the price might make you second guess, but remember two things: 1) tea is included, unlimited tea; and 2) tips are built in. Oh, and 3) it's really really really good and made fresh!
Venue:
Down near Cooper Union, on the residential 5th St, Podunk is a throwback to small town American grandmother era. The narrow-ish space is decorated with mix-matched lawn and patio wood furniture, rocking horses, old writing desks, benches and rod iron tables. All of the kitschy stuff, makes the tea shop so charming. The bookcases are filled with children's books and works of poetry. And even Elspeth herself reminds you of that sweet grandmother of a friend who made you cookies after school: floral dresses, apron, glasses and cloth hairnet.
Each teapot is unique and colorful, and the smell of goodness wafts through the entire shop. If you can't help but smile when you walk into the small store, than you shouldn't be there. You'll find couples talking quietly, students reading and studying, girlfriends gabbing away. But overall, there's a calm and relaxing atmosphere that makes the 20-ish capacity seem much bigger. You can go, pick a chair and table, a book, and some tea, and travel to your own little happy place in your mind.
Find a place, browse the menu book, go up and place your order, make some small talk, get settled in, pick up your tea and snacks when they're read, eat, drink, and relax. That's Podunk.
So now you know about it, and now you want to go to my tea place, don't you? I knew it, but before you do, I'll let you in on the secret that makes Podunk such a marvel for some and mayhem for others, you ready for it?
THE SECRET: Podunk is run by nice, very sweet people, but they're still New Yorkers. They don't appreciate attitude, just like your Starbucks bartista doesn't. Podunk isn't mean to be Starbucks competition, it's meant to be a retreat from city life. Treat it as such, with respect and reverence and joy, and you will be exceptionally pleased. Think of it as just another trendy coffee spot and they'll make sure you you get the message to not come back.
I walked in here since Amai, my favorite, was packed!
The place was cute! I enjoyed that it was quiet, which is what I needed.
The prices are more expensive and the tea is good, but not really better than others.
Now if I could only bring my own chair to Amai.. ;)
I'm offering you a take on Podunk from someone who has been going there for seven years (me) and from someone who just went there last weekend for the first time (my bff from San Francisco, Leila, who will be all the comments in parentheses). First, I have never understood why people think it's expensive to have tea, when you get a plate of treats, all the accoutrements, and a pot of tea or iced tea. It's like prix fixe, but there's so much to choose from that my mouth waters when I walk in the door. (Second--remember, I'm the newcomer--the woman there is adorable and would have put anything on the plate we asked for, she is just so nice). Third, the food is fresh or made on the spot--the tea sandwiches are always crisp and new, compared to soggy, fishy-tasting ones elsewhere, and the other things are constantly coming out of the oven (Leila here--when is the last time you saw a cookie sheet coming out of the oven and ate cookies or scones from that sheet five minutes later?). The room holds no more than 20 people, so some sort of ambience develops--you don't have people crammed in next to you, and the music, old swing music or jazz or classical, is soft and in the distance so you can talk or read without distraction (Leila thinks they should cram more tables in so she can eavesdrop better on other people). Last, the food is not just fresh, it's delightful. I'm always surprised to find myself craving scones between visits, but this stuff just gets to me--I need it. All that is included in the price, and so, for less than a mani-pedi, I leave Podunk feeling saner than when I went in, taken care of, full, and content. Good luck finding that combination anywhere else in Manhattan (or San Francisco--I want a West Coast Podunk of my own--and my last word is that the best chocolate chip cookies in the world, the best I've ever had, ever, in my entire life, are as close as Podunk.)
I am SHOCKED at this place!!! I called today as I was walking over to ask if they had outlets for laptops. My laptop was dying and I wanted to do my work as I got some tea. To this the woman on the phone responded 'What the hell are you talking about?' and then the line disconnected.
I figured it must have been a mistake, so I called back, this time a man picked up - and I asked 'is this Podunk, the teashop? I wanted to know if you have available electrical outlets for laptops..'
to this I got a gruffy rude accented response of: "no B*tch. this is a TEA SHOP, we don't sell outlets. don't call here again B*tch."
WTF!?!!?!?
it is my GOAL now to have this place lose as much business as possible.
Little did they know that they were rude to a journalist who does food reviews.
i'm so shocked right now it's unbelievable.
Went here with a friend once about a week ago. We waited a long time to get our "Cream Tea": a pot of tea with some scones, cream, jams, and fresh berries. We got the recommended Ceylon tea, which was delicous. Everything else wasn't so great. Not that it was terrible, but for the price, I expected MUCH better.
The scones were dry.
The cream was NOT real clotted cream, but just regular whipped cream.
The berries had sugar on them - not my thing.
The jams fell short of tasty and were very soupy.
Why do people rave about this place? Do I just not get it? I feel like I've had enough high teas to know.
I agree with another post here that the woman who owns this place is seriously hot and cold. One time I went with my boyfriend and she was so sweet, told us all about the place, and was very kind in general. (The place was empty at the time). The other day I went in and forgot that it was cash only. I remembered as I got to the counter and said, "Hi, you're cash only, right?" She just stared at me. I said, "Sorry, but I was wondering if you were cash only." She said, "have you not been here before?" In a verrrry rude tone. I said, "No, I have, I just forgot and I am notorious about never having cash on me. I'll be right back!" She responded, "we're too busy, don't bother." There were 3 people in the place. All had tea and such in front of them.
So I left and didn't go back. But I did give it another chance yesterday. I had my cash ready and walked in. There were 3 groups, 2 had tea and the third had just ordered. When I got to the counter she said, "well, what do you want." I asked, "what kind of cakes do you have?" She said, "I am too busy serving the room right now. So no."
Umm?? I'm sorry, the reviews are mostly right about the place...the food is delish and the tea is great. I just don't get the customer service issues and how the hell they stay open when so many places are closing.
Not worth it. Maybe once. But never again.
My fella and I decided to meet here for a spot of tea and I'm glad we did. I'm a fan of tea and their houses in general, and it's always thrilling to visit one I haven't before.
While the prices were a little higher than some other spots around the city, I think the deliciousness of the tea and the service provided by Elspeth (not to mention the breathing room) are worth extra. I am stunned to read the reviews that slam this woman. I agree with Aria V.-----act like you've been somewhere before and you'll not have a problem.
We split a pot of chocolate-vanilla tea and it was incredible. I am definitely interested in trying some of those baked goods next time.
I will be back over and over again.
This place is absolutely precious! The prices are a little steep for going all the time (10-25 for tea and some snacks), but the atmosphere is really worth it. I haven't had a tea that I didn't like, and I sampled all over from darjeeling to pear blood orange. Both the savory and sweet food is also wonderful. I especially liked the set of 3 savory tarts and the scones. This is all topped off with a super cozy space that feels like grandma's house, well if I were white and my grandma lived in the midwest. Anyway it's a grandma-y feel, which really makes you feel the love.
Felt comforted
Warmed by great tea
Ate yummy food
Read Rohl Dahl anthology and Narnia Pop-up book
Good!
Such an interesting idea. Seat yourself - order at the counter - tea and snacks. Although I was worried there would not be enough food everything is very filling! The tea pies were and the scones were pry the best things we tried. Went on a rainy sunday - no wait. Would be a great place to come with a book by yourself too!
I've always loved this place, with its mis-matched furniture and shelves filled with children's books. I especially love taking a respite in it during the hot summer months. Iced tea is prepared with great care, and sharing scones and sandwiches with dear friends is always a romantic idea. Even when I was a newbie at this place, Elspeth was always very kind- I love that you're not expected to pay until you've enjoyed your tea and scones. And I've certainly taken my time here, sipping tea while doing some readings.
I don't remember the specific circumstance- I'm sure it was a minor misunderstanding that Elspeth wanted to correct- but she once sent me home with a free scone!
Elspeth is the real deal. She reminds me of a storybook character. Truth be told, I think of her like an anal version of Mother Goose. Hey! You have to be a little anal to be a fierce baker.
In addition to enjoying all her scrumptious treats (scones, cupcakes, cookies, the utterly fabulous Magic Bars), I've made it my mission to make her laugh.
One time, I ordered a bunch of brightly colored, individual plastic cupcake holders. I stopped by and just dumped them on her counter saying, "Fill 'er up." She loved it and considered ordering some cupcake holders for herself.
On two occasions, I've randomly stopped by to get a cupcake a few hours before closing. She'll insist I take the remaining cupcakes - all for no charge. I'll insist on paying but she won't hear of it.
This is a great place to meet a friend (or just come by yourself with a book), get some tea and sample the deliciously fresh and yummy selection.
I've ordered so many birthday cakes from Podunk that I've lost count.
Make sure to abide by the house rule: No cell phone chatter permitted!
My friend hosted her wedding shower here. It was a super location for such an event. The homemade goodies were exceptional. Everything, down to the clotted cream, cakes/icings, and apricot-ginger preserves are made from scratch. The tea and treats were displayed "self-serve"-style, so it didn't have that stuffy air of most afteroon tea places. It was nice to feel like we weren't in New York for a few hours!!
I would certainly go back with friends and would recommend this to anyone looking to book for a shower, small gathering, etc...
Pricey, yes, but how can you not love Elspeth and her homemade goodies? My friend introduced me to this regular spot of hers and it charmed me. For the first time, I calmed down and relaxed. (Everything is so fast paced in NY. And it seems accelerated by all the snow and slush -- everything seems to take longer.)
I tried her nibbler (scones, cheese, sweet & savory yum yum yums) with chocolate tea. It was filling. Warming. (They offer other sweet-and-savory assortments of dried fruit, cheese, buttery scones, and crumbly cookies for you to choose from.) I wanted to slip the mini le creuset dutch oven that my friend's beef bourguignon came in into my bag.
Definitely a quaint, intimate place for a shower.
This is a lovely place with a really friendly owner. The cakes are all home made, and there's an amazing selection of teas, which she'll happily help you navigate. It's pretty pricey by my standards, but she'll refill your pot as often as you want. If it weren't for the rather uncomfortable seating it would be easy to spend a long, long time here.
She said it gets busy at the traditional teatime (mid-late afternoon at weekends) but whenever I've been it is pretty quiet.
No tipping - don't even try!
This place feels like a grandmother's living room. (If you have a cookie-baking type grandmother, which I do not).
All the cozy home touches are really nice. (Galoshes under the bend. Ice skates hung up on the wall, etc.)
And the tea was perfect and the people at the counter so friendly! If my grandmother were the tea-serving type, it would have felt like home entirely!
And the hot chocolate is probably the best I've ever had, anywhere. Seriously.
We came in a little before noon Saturday- only two others that early- and ordered the Cream Tea for 2. Each of us had 2 of our very own fresh-off-the-oven rack scones (one plain and the other stuffed with strawberries), mini bowl of berries with mint, and 2 1/2 cups of Lady Grey tea. The lavender, the clotted cream and preserves, the buttery, crumbly SCONES- what ecstasy!
A wonderful accidental stumble-upon. Loved the mismatched furniture and dishes, the smells, and the service.
Wish I could come every day!
Simply delightful solace from the city. You'll feel you've tumbled into a antebellum Yankee salon.
First time here. It was a lot of fun. The food was yummy and the apricot tea delicious. Such a charming little tea house. A bit pricey but you pay for the experience and quality. Take a look at my pictures of the place! I also blogged about it here with details: http://eula.wordpress....
If you ever feel like taking a vacation while you are in the city head over to Podunk. My friend is a fan so we shared some tea and some freshly iced cupcakes that were very tasty. We talked to the proprietress who I found to be super friendly and engaging so I am SUPER dubious about the two negative reviews. I want to come back and have a full tea. A little pricey but a special treat for sure.
I *do not* recommend this establishment.
Yesterday my friend and I met here. He purchased a specialty pot of tea. The table was small, I arrived after him, and our time was limited; I did not. As we left, a man who seemed to be the owner stood behind the counter and yelled violently at me. He called me a b*tch several times, kept repeating that it was not a "f*ing mcDonald's" and said he never wanted to see my prissy b*tch face again. My friend and I stood there aghast as the owner continued ranting for 2-3 minutes. We just stared at him and left.
I caution against management with such uncontrolled, visceral anger. It would have been far more effective for this owner to kindly suggest that I purchase a pot of [jasmine, etc] tea when I next return.
I thought it was curious that the place was mostly-deserted. Now I am not surprised.
I visit Elspeth every free Sunday I have. She makes me delicious teas using the freshest ingredients, and sometimes throws some things into the pot I didn't even know I would like. She knows her customers, and knows what they would enjoy before they even order. I love the selection of books, and the feeling of stepping out of the city and into Elspeth's country kitchen when I'm there. She's a true gem in the neighbourhood and takes pride in her community.
went there last night and had rustic tea set and cream tea set with a friend... and absolutely loved everything...! the rustic tea set came with a great assortment of vegetables and delicious cream cheese for focaccia bread which was a bit hard for my liking but still tasty... also loved the dates filled with walnuts and that cute baked fruit with parmesan cheese(?)... then the cream tea was just so much fun... and yes, to respond to the review below, it was not "real" clotted cream but it wasn't whip cream either... maybe it was the lady's own version...? the the same for homemade jams... well, it was more watery than the regular ones you find but probably because it was homemade and used less pectin... thought that strawberry jam with chopped mint was delicious... and the berries did not have any sugar on top...
ok, now on to the issue some of these people here have experienced with the lady...
i used to go there quite a bit when it opened years ago but then stopped after experiencing what some of these reviews mention about the lady... i've never experienced her rudeness directed at me but did overhear her being mean to other people...and her husband was pretty stiff and had some sort of interesting dynamic going on with her... they were kind of bickering at each other... personally i think she might be bipolar since she reminded me so much of this other lady i used to know who suffered from it... so i want to cut her some slack... or maybe she's really a wolf in sheep's clothing... who knows...
however the tea is just so delicious so i will definitely go back... it might not be so soon since it's not cheap but i do think it is worth every single penny...
will let you all know if i get yelled at...
I read the yelp reviews and after a brunch at a noisy joint, my friends and I wanted to have tea at a quiet place. I remembered Podunk so I called information to see where it was located. It was in the East Village which was perfect since I was in the vicinity. As soon as we entered this place, we were in awe. It was the cutest shop ever! All the drinks are sold by the pot; small or large. I ordered a pot of hot chocolate which was AWESOME! The owner warned me that it was rich so I asked for some milk on the side. She warmed the milk up for me so my hot chocolate would stay warm. I mixed half of the milk with the hot chocolate and it was the best tasting drink I've ever had in my life. For a small little pot, I drank several cups which made me very full. Along with my drink, she gave me a small plate of whipped cream, cinnamon stick, and two short bread cookies. My friend had the oolong tea and this was the first time I didn't add any milk or sugar; the tea was that good! When we were ready to leave, the owner insisted we not leave any tip. She saw it as a bad sign and asked us not to leave any. Well, fine by me!
One draw back is that they don't have a bathroom but I'd still go! The place has great teas, great ambience, and it's a very cozy place where you can chill for hours with a book or just knit with classical music playing in the background. I loved this place.
Elspeth makes the homemade baked goods the way your grandmother used to... except better (because my grandmother didn't bake).
Run by Elspeth, a sweetheart in her apron, bonnet, and round-rimmed glasses, and with all the slightly mismatched furniture, ice-skates hanging from the bookshelves, and a fantastic children's book collection (babar!), you feel instantly at home in her little shop. (Once, when I was short on cash, she explained that she would normally just let me pay her the next time I came in because she had allowed several forgetful people like me to pay her on the honor-system in the past, but just a week prior there was someone that, for the first time, didn't bring keep his promise.)
I live for her raspberry scones and the caramelized-coconut-bar dessert (that she always tells me the name of but I always forget). On rainy days, when I'm feeling blue, Podunk is always on my stop home for a warm scone to carry home.
If you are with a friend and you can splurge, go for one of her sandwich/scone/tea sets. They are well-worth it on special occasions. Otherwise, her strawberry-lime iced tea is wonderful (and I am not a fan of the fruity teas) and again... the scones!!
This place is very cute with homey touches like children's books and knickknacks; however, I'm giving it three stars because it is just crrraaazy expensive. For $11, I'd rather have a cocktail than a glass of tea!
Delightful! I used to live right across the way on this quiet, tree-lined portion of 5th St. Elspeth is like a character right out of a book. Everything is fantastic (albeit a bit pricey). Walking in the smell overtakes you and a sense of calm makes the city disappear.
Cute little tearoom on a quiet block of 5th Street. The tea set was a mix of cakes and goodies and since it was summer, we opted for the iced tea. Unfortunately, we did not enjoy the spices that it was brewed with - too gingerey or bitter or something. Would go back, but not for the iced tea...
lovely, sweet and charming. yummy cupcakes too
My experience was very similar to Courtney B's.
I have never been as badly treated in an establishment as I have been treated at this place. My husband and I stopped in for a mid-afternoon tea. We were the only ones in the place at the time, but when we sat at a table near the window, we were told that we couldn't sit there because that table was meant for 4 people. (Did I mention no one else was there???) After we ordered our pot of tea (which was ridiculously expensive), we waited 20 minutes without getting our tea. When I went to inquire, the woman at the counter said something about how they would be more attentive to our service if we were actually ordering more. I was floored by this, and when I told her that one second thought, we no longer wanted our tea, she said that was fine and maybe we had better leave. When I said to her that I was shocked by her extremely rude comment, she started to freak out and called her male colleague who then came out of the kitchen--he started swearing and yelling at me and my husband. Realizing that these people weren't exactly rational or sane, we left.
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