 | Crown & Crumpet, San Francisco, Californiaposted by TeaHouseTimes Admin, ADVERTISER TEA RELATED PRODUCTSFriday, June 25th 2010 @ 2:34 PM |
Crown & Crumpet, A Room with Tea and Wit, opened in the newly revamped Ghirardelli Square in San Francisco October 2009. Crown & Crumpet may have been inspired by proper English tearooms, but owners Amy and Christopher Dean have truly brought the afternoon tea experience into the 21st century with a salon designed with colors that pop, and a fresh, stylish feel. The Deans liken their newest venture to a “tearoom that might have been opened by Paul Smith, Cath Kidston and Vivienne Westwood” and have declared it a “doily-free zone”. The 1500 sq ft space seats 45 guests inside the tearoom and an additional 20 in an outdoor seating area. There is also a chic rustic communal table and cozy living room area- complete with fireplace- which seats 20 guests and serves as the perfect spot for a chic bridal shower, baby shower, or any intimate gathering.
Crown & Crumpet offers a range of tasty food and beverages, starting the day off with a breakfast menu, then a light lunch followed by a proper afternoon tea service. Tea service includes a large selection of mouth-watering teas, a three-tiered tea stand filled with an assortment of tea sandwiches, homemade scones served with clotted cream and jam, and a variety of delightful sweets and pastries. In the evening, the tearoom serves small bites and features an aperitif bar. Pastry Chef Caroline Romanski stresses that Crown & Crumpet endeavors to choose organic ingredients from local suppliers when possible, as well as work with sustainable resources.
Crown & Crumpet also boasts a retail section that could easily stand on its own. The shop within the tearoom allows guests to take a bit of their Crown & Crumpet experience home with them. Visitors can expect to find colorful (and hard-to-find) British candies, unique jewelry, fun gifts for all ages, and Crown & Crumpet’s signature tea cups, saucers and teapots displayed in their charming wood cabinets, along with artwork from photographers, print-makers, and painters from around the globe.
A bit about owners Amy and Christopher Dean: As a native San Franciscan, Amy Dean’s childhood was filled with countless tea parties held in the eucalyptus groves of the Presidio. Amy’s European education combined with a career as a prop buyer and set dresser for feature films and music videos and Creative Services Manager for Ralph Lauren stores in the UK lead to her opening an antique store, La Place de Soleil, in San Francisco with husband Christopher Dean in 2001. Born in London, Christopher Dean is an antiques dealer extraordinaire with a passion for ceramics and 18th century furniture. Amy and Christopher met in London at a dinner party held at a home formerly owned by novelist George Eliot. Their mutual love- make that obsession- with tea, antiques, travel and shopping drew them together instantly. After tying the knot at a lavish afternoon tea party ceremony in England, Amy and Christopher moved to Amy’s home of Northern California. The Deans achieved their dream of opening a tea room like no other in 2001 and now live in sunny Marin County with their darling daughter Daisy and their two wacky dogs, Stanley and Otis.
Crown & Crumpet, 207 Ghirardelli Square, 900 North Pt, San Francisco, CA, 415-771-4252 - www.crownandcrumpet.com
From the May/June10 issue of The Tea House Times. To view the most recent issue, please register / log-in at http://www.theteahousetimes.com for free access.
