Tea Box Café

Critics' Pick

Takashimaya
693 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10019
nr. 54th St. See Map | Subway Directions Hopstop Popup
212-350-0180 Send to Phone

Price Range:
$$
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Good

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Reader Rating:
10.0 out of 10
|
2 Reviews | Write a Review
Cuisine: American Nouveau, Japanese/Sushi

Photo by Jennifer MacFarlane

Map Rate & Review

Hours

Mon-Sat, 11:45am-2:45pm and 3pm-5:30pm; Sun, closed

Nearby Subway Stops

B, D, F, V at 47th-50th Sts.-Rockefeller Center; E, V at Fifth Ave.-53rd St.

Prices

$9-$19

Payment Methods

American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard, Visa

Special Features

Business Lunch
Lunch
Tea Time

Alcohol

Beer and Wine Only
Sake and Sojou

Reservations

Not Accepted

Profile

Few pleasures are as restorative after a day of shopping on Fifth Avenue as a civilized afternoon tea at the subterranean Tea Box Café. Located in the basement of Takashimaya, the posh Japanese department store, the small, L-shaped restaurant serves the dual purpose of rejuvenating consumers and showcasing wares. Indeed, much of the tableware and all of the teas are available for purchase just outside the café doors. Forty types of tea are served by the pot; among the best is Genmai-Cha, a green tea (enhanced by toasted rice) which has an earthy flavor and smells like senbei, the Japanese rice cracker. For lunch, chef Taro Mitsuiki changes the menu weekly, so it's always a pleasant surprise when the server removes the lid of the bento box, as if unwrapping a gift. The afternoon tea service includes a pot of tea, pastries, cookies, tea sandwiches, and fresh fruit. — Stephen Weiss

Recommended Dishes

Jasmine tea-marinated shrimp salad with crispy rice noodle, $13; bento box, $19; afternoon tea service, $17

This is by far one of the most relaxing places to have lunch. It is generally very quiet, the people who work there are friendly, and it it fast service. I almost always get the vegetarian bento box and some type of tea. The portions are perfect size for one, and it is a place that you could either eat at alone or with some friends. Great after a day of shopping or treatments at the Red Door Salon, which is right next door.

Extraordinary

food_is_amazing from 10019 | Posted on 4/28/08

Overall Rating: 10 (Highly Recommended)


Food:	10
Service:	7

Décor:	10

Value:	10

Thanks to New York Magazine, I have found my new favorite daytime spot in New York City: Tea Box Cafe. It is simple and elegant, without breaking the bank. As part of the tea assortment, I had the salmon and cucumber sandwiches on pressed rice (which are just wonderful--gluten-free, deceptively small, and delicious), along with some fresh fruit (actually fresh), butterscotch pudding, and a less-than-gluten-free (but well worth it) marble cake. My friend ate the cookies, which, by her account, were a little bit of Heaven. The tea comes in delightful little pots, to be poured into large jade-green cups on saucers. The best part, though, is that it is quiet, unassuming and uncrowded--right on Fifth Avenue. America needs to embrace Afternoon Tea, and the embrace needs to begin in the basement of Takashimaya.

Read All 2 Reviews >>

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