Located on the 2nd floor above a bookshop, Miss Minerva's sets the stage for afternoon tea with an old Hollywood Art Deco vibe. The menu reflects this with sandwiches and salads named for the likes of Bogart and Hepburn as well as afternoon tea options ranging from the Wonka Chocolate Tea to a classic afternoon tea and seasonal tea featuring soup and salad. We tried both the Wonka tea and the classic tea. The Wonka tea was a winner with its range of chocolate goodies, ranging from chocolate covered strawberries to a truly excellent slice of chocolate cake (that was also featured in the classic tea) right down to a solid chocolate spoon for stirring the chocolate flavored tea (you could also opt for hot chocolate instead of the tea). The classic tea was a bit more uneven, with the chicken salad sandwich and an unusual sweet potato sandwich featuring bacon jam and pepper jelly being quite good, while the thick sliced radish and cucumber sandwiches could do with refining of presentation (nobody really likes a thick slab of radish with the skin left on) and more flavor. Even a little extra salt would help. There are many varieties of tea to choose from for your classic tea and they were uniformly excellent. Service is leisurely, allowing time to relax and socialize, which is, after all, the point of afternoon tea. We never felt rushed and service was unobtrusive but professional. Our server quickly provided additional hot water for the pots and generally made us feel welcomed and well cared for. Overall, a very pleasant experience. read more

See all

This was a cute place, I like the experience and the view from the tea room itself was nice. Our server was very nice and attentive. We were the first of the day so we got our items relatively quickly, but the room filled up pretty fast, so I would probably recommend a reservation. We got the tea for two, and I was impressed with the sandwiches and churros. The other desserts on the tray I was less impressed with, a little dry and felt a day or two old. The tea was great. read more

Miss Minerva's Tea Room - Tea for two - Tea Rooms Near Me - Culpeper, Virginia

See all

Tearoom was huge and I was literally the only one there at the time of arrival. The wait staff was very accommodating and friendly. The tea was served piping hot and the food came out pretty quickly. I can't say the food was great, but it wasn't bad either. I never been served green beans before as part of the tea experience. This was definitely a first! The soup was a bit bland. They had a very nice gift shop next to the tearoom. The owner came out to introduce herself and spoke about the tea room's upcoming events. I appreciated that so much! The ambiance was lacking. It's a lot of space to decorate, but it does have potential. I didn't get that vintage tearoom vibe. read more

See all

We made a reservation weeks in advance for a group of 6. We weren't greeted with any enthusiasm or given any information. I asked about the hats to use since I read that on the website. We waited a very long time for service and it was difficult to get the attention of our server throughout our meal. We had to use 3 menus for the 6 of us. 3 items we ordered were not available. The monthly menu on the website did not exactly match the menu offering. We didn't have the utensils we needed. Nothing to serve the sugar cubes. I ordered the 3-course Tea. The amuse bouche and soup were ice cold. When a hot soup was brought as a replacement, we were not given a spoon and again had to wait, while the hot soup got cold, for attention to get a soup spoon. The tiered tray served with the top level teas were messy, items in misc. shapes, not cut neatly, not enclosed in a paper or cup cake liner. Savories and sweets were mixed. Made it a bit difficult to pick up the cobbler. The ham on scone was good, but dry. No clotted cream, jam or butter was offered. One of the ladies in our group used the restroom. None of the many (10?) stalls had any toilet tissue. We notified our server. 45 Minutes later, another lady from our group went to the restroom and still, there was no toilet tissue. So we quickly paid and went elsewhere to use a restroom. Our pots of tea were good but not milk or cream was offered. Overall we were very disappointed in our experience, as I do not think we received the value for the price paid. I am very unhappy that I paid almost $70 for an unpleasant experience. One of our ladies ordered the $20 tea and was charged $30. She showed our server this was wrong and had this corrected at checkout. She previously had tea at Miss Minerva's in the 2 different locations on Davis St. and found this experience not as good. I would much rather be praising this business, unfortunately, this is not the case and feel very unhappy about spending the money for what I received and for recommending to 5 other people to come and try Miss Minerva's. I sent a note to Miss Minerva's kindly letting them know of our experience but did not receive a response. read more

Miss Minerva's Tea Room - Tea Rooms Near Me - Culpeper, Virginia

See all

This was my first time here and I absolutely loved it. The service was incredible as was the food. Also, very comfortable atmosphere. I am definitely coming back! read more

Miss Minerva's Tea Room - Afternoon tea - Tea Rooms Near Me - Culpeper, Virginia

See all

Dry and stale...food and service. Took nearly 2 hours for our tea and food to come out, plus we had a reservation. Tea pots were dirty. The vegetarian options were basically a snack for toddlers. The restrooms were superb though, although not part of Miss Minerva's. read more

Visited just before Christmas for my birthday. My friend and I always go for tea for our birthdays and we decided to make the trek down to Miss Minerva's. Didn't start great that the GPS took us to the old location. Staff didn't greet us when we walked in despite being right behind the counter. They were doing a Christmas Carol Tea, no other option was presented so that's what we did. They listed the items on the menu but there was no description. The French onion soup was good. The shepherds pie was just over cooked vegetables with mashed potatoes on top. The salad was cold quinoa with some dried cranberries and some veggies. The desserts were ok but tiny. Everything needed salt. The tea was good but the tea pot spout needed to be cleaned. They didn't use a tea cozy so it was cold halfway through the pot. They don't brew the tea in the pot so it was a little weaker than I liked since we didn't get to choose how long it steeped. The girl who was serving us was sweet and pretty attentive but seemed new. For the price I was pretty disappointed. We have been to several places in Northern VA. Some are the same price and others are less expensive. They definitely provide a better experience. If you are just looking for a fun afternoon I think this place could still give you a nice experience. As someone who has been to over half a dozen tea places, I'm very likely a bigger critic than most. If I lived closer I would consider giving it another chance. Unfortunately, with the 1.5 hour drive, it's unlikely. read more

See all

Excellent visit to the new location of Miss Minerva's Tea Room in Culpeper. Had a most delightful afternoon tea with a large pot of their Cinnamon tea and a mixed selection of sweet and savory bites. Scones were excellent and the roasted vegetables and chicken salad croissant were on point. Charming interior room with art on the walls, in the historic State Theater, right across from a small book store. Waitstaff was attentive, brought food out quickly and correctly, and everything was delightful. I will certainly be back again in the colder months for another afternoon tea! read more

Miss Minerva's Tea Room - A few savory and sweet bites to accompany my tea - Tea Rooms Near Me - Culpeper, Virginia

My sister and I have been wanting to go here for years and finally got the chance to go and it was horrible and we were very disappointed. Ambiance was non existent, when you go to have afternoon tea you expect cute or fancy, this was neither. Mostly bare walls with some art taped on with masking tape. Tables were very plain set ups. Food was not good, mostly store bought items, nothing of note. The cookies were stale (see pics), the sandwiches had no flavor, nor were they attractive (see pics)and the scones were ok. They gave us 1 pat of butter and 2 tbsp of lemon curd the two of us to share (see pics). Lets get to the tea- the pots were beyond filthy (we have gone to many places and never had the inside of the pots look like this-see pics) Before everyone says tea stains I have tea pots I have been using for over 30 years and they don't look like that and no place we have ever had tea looked like that. My sisters tea cup was dirty, I asked for cream for my tea and it was curdled so i had to ask for a whole new cup minus the cream. The place only had 2 other tables one was there when we got there and already had their items, the other came after we had been there for 30 minutes. Regardless of this the staff was inattentive and at times flat out rude. We asked for water as soon as they sat us and didn't get it until after everything else came out over 30 minutes later. Had to literally wave the waitress down to get new cup because of the curdled cream. They refused to let us see our check, they said they dont print or write them up. Our 2 teas were $40 each but they charged our card $96, with no explanation. We left very sad that a place we had been so excited to go to was such a disappointment. We wont go back and wont recommend it read more

See all

It's been a minute but I'm planning to take a group there soon. It's always elegant and charming.

Caveat: To be fair, I learned that the owner of this shop is fairly new. It looks like she's just owned it for a couple years... the previous owner had appointed the tearoom with floral, chintz, lace and a more comfortable vibe. Miss Minerva is a character (life sized old lady doll) that guests could take photos with on their visit! Perhaps the new owner just needs a bit more time to acclimate. That being said, here's my take: Small, plain, simple tea room...this place needs some creativi-tea!! I've been to dozens of tearooms in my day, and this one is by far the homeliest... not homiest! It's not that is just ordinary, but a tea room should be charming, cozy and inviting. The ambiance here was lackluster and boring. The decoration fairy needs to make a pit stop and bippety boppety boo-tea-fy this space. I mean, it's not totally without appeal, but it's certainly absence the charm and quaintness of most tearooms I've visited. There were several hats and Mickey Mouse ears just tacked on the walls, on plain hooks and a table in the back just piled with a jumble of hats. A cool vintage hat rack with the hats artfully displayed would be more aesthetic. And the Mickey ears should be featured on a single wall, and perhaps the owner could create more of a theme. Perhaps a Disney corner? A hutch filled with tea accoutrements would do wonders to spice up this humdrum space. I was itching to give her some interior design ideas, but hopefully she will get some inspiration from tea magazines or Pinterest!! Nuff' said there... The "gift shop" selection is limited, just a few tea cups and tea things on small shelves and a clearance table. I bought a few cute tea lid holders that prevent drips which were unique. The tea selection is pretty extensive so I was impressed by the choices. I purchased quite a varied "pot"pour"ri of teabag blends and she sells a wide range of loose teas too! The prices were reasonable on the teas, some of the tea items were a bit pricey. The owner, Ashley, didn't have much on hand for take out. We went there midday and the owner said she was out of just about everything. No scones for us... bummer. With hours to go before she closed, it would have behooved her to have some tea treats "to go" for her walk-in customers, especially during Covid, take out desserts would boost her business! (Her shop is located on a busy street in the center of historic Culpeper with lots of foot traffic!) All she had left were some mini cinnamon rolls so we ordered a 1/2 dozen. They were sad little, hard biscuits that we really couldn't eat. Although the owner was sweet and friendly, she really needs to "steep" up her hospitali-tea game and create a more welcoming atmosphere to her guests. We left feeling deflated. I am a avid sinensophile, I love everything tea and seek out tearooms wherever I go! I'm hoping Miss Minerva's will spruce up her tearoom so that she will survive the pandemic because I really want to love this place and come back next time when I make a reservation! The tea menu looked appealing and from glancing at the only table occupied, the food looked lovely. Maybe my second impression will be better!! read more

See all

Quaint shop with wonderful staff. Wide variety of teas. You can smell the tea before you select, get another if you don't like it. I don't eat carbs, but the sandwiches and desserts looked wonderful and my friends enjoyed them. I had a homemade tomato soup that was delicious. A fun lunch for all. read more

We had the best time at Miss Minerva's Tea Room yesterday. This was our first visit and most definitely we will be back! Ashleigh, the owner, took care of us and is such a lovely hostess. She shared so many personal stories about her love for tea, her business and her family! All of her delicacies were homemade and delicious! Her tea selection is very impressive as well! She has a wide variety of beautiful hats for you to enjoy while you have your tea. I can't say enough beautiful things about Miss Minerva and Ashleigh! Thank you both for a fabulous afternoon! read more

See all

Adorable tea room. Good selection of teas to choose from. Good price point. Good service. Full tea with sandwiches, savory, and dessert was perfect. read more

Miss Minerva's Tea Room - Full service for 2. - Tea Rooms Near Me - Culpeper, Virginia

Miss Minerva's is a delightful tea room. The atmosphere embraces you with the warmth of hospitality. The selection of teas is first rate - the offerings include woman owned small business, Serendipity and many others. The tea service is exceptional. For the holiday yea we had chicken salad, traditional cucumber sandwich, fabulous mouth watering scones with clotted cream (truly yummy). With many other scrumptious foods. There were 3 of us this time (3rd visit). Highly recommended Also the owner pays a living wage with shared tips. Very progressive! read more

We've been a patron of Miss Minerva's under 3 different owners over the last 13 years. This is one of our favorite tea rooms across the United States. We were so happy the new owner ensured the business would stay open, especially with COVID when so many businesses are closing. The food continues to be wonderful. The new owner is bringing new tea choices to the menu. The tea room is also getting a refreshed look. This is a wonderful tea room with fantastic food! We appreciate the afternoon tea has more savories than sweets. read more

See all

Just had my first Afternoon Tea at Miss Minerva's in Culpeper. Va. The food served was fresh and we ate everything. Serving sizes are pretty typical for a tea, perhaps smallish but the price was $40 per person, including the tea pot, so not unreasonable. The seating was decently comfortable and there's a good amount of space between tables. The service was fine, but I can tell they don't really make the food until you actually show up, and it took a long time to get food on the table. I would have appreciated a small snack if it was going to be awhile. We parked behind Davis Street where the parking is plentiful, don't waste time looking for parking on Davis Street. I think Miss Minerva's is much more worth it than other Tea Rooms even in Richmond or Fredericksburg. The food was better, the seating was better, and although it took a while I wasn't in a hurry. It isn't London Tea Room level, but it was only $40 and quite nice. read more

I visited Culpeper a few month ago and we were walking down the street and noticed this cute tea room. We called the number and by chance they happened to have same day seating. The staff was all very friendly to us and they had lots of delicious treats that made it into a very special afternoon. After the meal and some nice conversation with the owner she even gave us some tea to take home as a gift. read more

See all

A very special ladies' tea, with hats even! Sweet attentive service. My favorite tea was Ashleigh's Blend.

My husband and I have been patrons of this tea room for many years. I believe this new owner has been in this business for about a year. And, with Covid, it has been a difficult year for all small business owners. We were there yesterday to celebrate our 44th wedding anniversary. The food was excellent (as usual), the music was delightful and the business was exceptionally clean. It was nice to see the changes that the new owner is bringing to the business. I like that I can shop the gift shop without bothering the other customers as they are enjoying their tea. I look forward to more of her changes in the future. I am glad that she doesn't do "take out". Tea is not meant to be a fast food experience. I know that trying to figure out how much food to prepare each day is logistically difficult. I am also aware that she has individually wrapped her leftover food and given it away free to shoppers in Culpeper. You can't run a business unless it makes a profit. I have experienced "tea" at the Ritz Carlton in Tysons Corner, at the Pink Bicycle Tea Room at the Occoquan, at the Coach and Horses in Warrenton, and at The Tea Cart in Berryville. Each was a unique experience. I am very pleased with my experience at Miss Minerva's Tea Room. read more

Charming location, charming tea room, and charming servers. A wide selection of delicious teas that they will refill for you with a second choice of tea if you want. I was very impressed with the teas. The scones, tea sandwiches, and parties were delicious as well. I just wish they had each been more than one bite, these were très petit . I have been to many teas, East Coast, West Coast and in the UK where I have had wonderful experiences and this was lovely, too. It made for a great afternoon with friends and family. Thank you! Plus the bathroom was done up beautifully for a tea room! read more

My friend and I had a "full English tea" at Miss Minerva's today and had a great time. The tea room has a tea 'sniffing' bar where each of the teas are available to smell before deciding. The shop has lovely tea cups and saucers, along with all of their teas for sale. They also have a special room with a selection of hats, fascinators, jewelry and scarves, guests could dress up in. Perfect for the little lady in all of us! I chose a coconut pashoung tea and my friend, the Kashmir chai. Both were great, though I would pick a stronger tea next time probably. The teas were each served in a pretty tea pot and the yummies served on a nice china plate. They even were able to accommodate my vegetarian diet. Of the sweet and savory, my favorite was definitely the sweet! Their savories included cucumber with cream cheese (no bread- which was a little weird), veggie quiche, mini cheese wraps, and for my friend chicken salad on a croissant, a ham something or other. My only complaint and suggestion is that perhaps they focus more on traditional tea savories, like cucumber sandwiches, watercress, and cheese instead of slightly disjointed savory variety. I would definitely go back- super cute place. read more

Miss Minerva's Tea Room - Tea Rooms Near Me - Culpeper, Virginia

See all

It was a delightful treat that my daughter gifted me with a visit here. I enjoyed the many selections of tea to accompany the tiered plate of tiny sandwiches and sweet treats. The gracious new owner was very helpful with our choices of flavorful teas from her shop. The gift selections were also fun to purchase as a reminder of our special day together. read more

I went here with some friends and loved it! We chose some fancy hats for our tea and ordered our "Tea for Two." The food was absolutely fabulous, as was the tea. It may not be enough for someone with a hearty appetite, but it was perfect for us. The service was friendly and the atmosphere was nice too. I realize that having "tea" is not for everyone, but if it's something you enjoy, you will definitely like Miss Manerva's! read more

Always a special experience when visiting. Even the process of buying tea refills for my daily enjoyment is lovely. Smelling the varieties of teas. It may seem expensive at when buying in bulk, but in comparison to Teavana, Miss Minerva's delivers quite bargain. read more

The food here is absolutely delicious. Everything is homemade. The scones are fluffy and authentically biscuit-like and not the American-style dry scones. Service is excellent but not intrusive. Great tea selection. Try the strawberry kiwi tea. read more

I live in Culpeper and have always wanted to come here. A friend and I went and I was surprised at how filling the sandwiches were! It has an elegant feel and the staff is so very sweet. I would definitely recommend coming here. read more

Stopped in here to pick up some tea leaves for my wife. They have a nice selection of teas at pretty reasonable prices and they were very friendly here. They also have a tea room here, if you have a young daughter theyll love it. read more

plan to check out some unique shops on street while here. on saturday there were several ladies dressed up. multi generation of family from baby to great grandma. read more

Took my granddaughter's there in June of this year as a special treat for doing well in school. I was totally disappointed in what they thought were scones. Being from Canada I know what they are and how to make them. We got over sized chocolate chip cookies disguised as scones. Dry and not very good, as for sandwiches, a sliver of one for each of us (adults) with minimal filling, and one slice of cucumber with a savory topping. I know what REAL English teas should look and taste like, they don't compare. We won't be back again the disappointment was that great. read more

Miss Minerva's...my Mother and I have been going here for years and just loved the service and the luxurious abundance of treats served with the amazing selection of teas. The ambience has always left something to be desired, it kinda looks like the waiting room for a doctor and/or a used car dealership office with a few tea shelves and the sweet sounds of a nameless pianist playing Gershwin into a coma. Don't fear, there is the obligatory 'dress up' room where adults can put on hats and feather boas while they indulge in fine tea and conversation. But, alas...no more. The last time my Mother and I went it was not the indulgent experience I remembered. The scones were tiny, picture the size of a little round shortbread cookie and were served with one fingertip of clotted cream and jam. As we had just returned from London and Scotland we were fairly shocked to see this, but we ate them and looked forward to the next course of finger sandwiches. Unfortunately, we were only served one finger sandwich, which was good, and a plethora of what the woman serving us called 'savories' obviously code for 'hors d'oeuvres that one finds in the frozen section of Costco and then heats up on demand.' After asking the waitress for milk for my tea, and having her stare at me in confusion and ask me if I want her to put it in the actual tea pot, I was wary of asking the inevitable question, "where am I, and what happened to Miss Minerva?" When we wrote an email to the tearoom letting them know that as returning customers that loved the place we were really surprised at the tiny scones, non existant finger sandwiches and the lukewarm tea, the owner assured us that we were wrong. She said that somedays she doesn't do sandwiches as a service to her gluten free customers and for her every day regulars. Though we were the only customers in the tearoom for the hour plus we were there, it was nice to know that this woman has masses of anonymous customers with Coeliac disease that she indeed changes the menu for. Too bad she wouldn't treat us, the customers right in front of her, with the same courtesy. "Your tea was perfectly warm, our menu has never changed", she said. When it comes down to it, this is not the place to come if you want an indulgent traditional British Tea. If, however you want a Nurse Ratchet like owner slapping your wrists and assuring you that all is well in the nuthouse, this is the place for you. read more

Nice and quaint. Got together with two friends so that part was delightful. Truthfully I found it very expensive. I left starving!

This quaint place was a lot of fun! Had an excellent peach tea that was a perfect quencher for a muggy day. The owner was friendly and chatty, and definitely supported the community. Delightful tea and company. When we are in town again, we'll be certain to stop by. read more