My mom and I had a great time at afternoon tea yesterday. The shop is adorable with a good selection of loose teas, teapots and accessories, and miscellaneous gifts. The tea, scones, tea sandwiches, mini quiches, and desserts were delicious. We especially enjoyed the tart cherry scones and the egg salad sandwiches. The owner was friendly and knowledgeable, and gave us our second pot of tea (each!) to-go. I'm looking forward to going back. read more

I stumbled on this one-of-a-kind establishment while visiting another place on Moody Street. So glad I did! Just a few steps inside transported me to another era. This place had the largest tea selection I've ever seen. Although I wish they had more chai varieties, I was bowled over by many rare blends of other teas. Also a decent amount of organic teas. I didn't have time for a sit-down tea, but owner Sally gave me a great tutorial in various tea types. Waltham isn't exactly in my backyard -- so I need to begin scheming ways to get myself back to try their low or high tea. read more

I am really happy that such a unique and classy business as The Tea Leaf is in Waltham. I am more of a coffee person than a tea person, but I appreciate the amazing thoughtfulness and quality of the teas in this local store which adds a charming touch to Moody Street. read more

in spite of a friendly atmosphere , the afternoon tea was a great disappointment: bread for sandwiches was stale, unimaginative and in small amounts, all pastries were industrial, no Devonshire cream, tasteless strawberry jam, etc.. Not worth the price paid ($70 per person). Tea was good, but the choices were on the sweet side. read more

I genuinely want to go back to this place because I had a great experience the first time. However, on 3 separate occasions over the past few months, I have called to make a reservation (it's res. only) left a voicemail and have not received a call back. On ONE visit try, my friend and I called 7 times over 4 days, leaving 3 messages, and still did not get a call back. This place is very cute and tea is fun, but it is a messy, overcluttered, and apparently not run well. I wish the owner would return calls because I would love the opportunity to return. read more

I had such a fantastic experience at the Tea Leaf. The owner and staff are super friendly and helpful. The atmosphere is comfy, cozy and relaxed. Their tea selection is extensive. It was a nice place to spend a chilly Spring day. I highly recommend this shop whether stopping through to pick up teas for home or to sit and relax for a while. read more

The Afternoon Tea was delicious. Great selection of sandwiches and treats, the scones were the highlight. Great selection of tea to choose from. Very personable and quaint. It was a great way to spend a rainy afternoon in a New England town. Had delightful conversation with owner. Parking is limited to the metered public parking lots on the block behind the stores. But this isn't different from anywhere else in the Boston area. The store had plenty of teas to choose from to take home. You can find just about anything you need to host or make tea at home. read more

First off, it took me more than 3 months to book my tea here. Weeks of me calling, being told to call back in 15 minutes when the owner was less busy, calling back and being told she'd call me back (which she never did). Tried messages through Facebook, tried driving over there in person to try and book it, no luck. I had my friend try as well, and she got the same treatment (we both had Livingsocial coupons for tea). I was very close to giving up and asking for my money back from livingsocial. I finally managed to catch the owner on the phone on a day they were supposed to be closed (a last-ditch effort, since she was always too overwhelmed when they were open to take my appointment) and booked an appointment. She wanted details about what my friend planned to order, a week in advance (how the hell do I know?) and lamented how busy she was with all those selfish Groupon people who'd kept her busy cashing in their coupons. (Coincidentally, she claimed a Groupon rep called during our call to try and convince her to run another deal). We showed up the day of, and as many have mentioned, the space is over-full with tables and knick-knacks. I actually thought the shelves lined with teas was pretty cool, but did not enjoy the foul odor in the room, nor the hammering/jack-hammering going on next door. We were seated so closed to another party that they gave up trying to be discrete and just blatantly eaves-dropped during our entire conversation. Good times. We both got the full tea, which took quite some time to come. My friend's hibiscus tea was awful, bitter and watery. I ordered the chai, which was good, if tepid in temperature. Some of the sweet bites in the tea selection were clearly store-bought and not very good, but the savory sandwiches seemed homemade and fresh; the cod salad and artichoke/garlic ones were pretty yummy and unique. The bread was stale though, which threw me off, and most of the meal was just not very memorable. I know there were some dry scones, some cream-filled pastries, blah blah blah bland and boring. There was no lemon curd or clotted/devonshire cream though, which I think ought to be standard with a full tea. Overall, I've had many better teas, at the Ritz, Taj, Four Season and Upstairs on the Square, so I wouldn't waste my time/money going back to the Tea Leaf. read more

I was looking forward to bringing my mom for afternoon team. I thought it would be fun so I called in advance to make a reservation. You would think this would be an easy thing to do, NOT!!!! The woman who answered the phone was totally rude. I asked her not to yell at me and then she told me I was being rude. Really!?!?! If this is the level of customer service you provide why the hell would I ever go there!?!?!? You totally lost customers today. I will be telling my friends and family to steer clear of this place! read more

The Tea Leaf, and owner Sally, are simply wonderful and a great place to enjoy afternoon tea in the area. Most people will try to steer a purveyor of afternoon teas to the more ritzy hotels in Boston, but not only do those become stuffy and overpriced, they usually lack the care and attention that was so obvious steeped (pun intended) in everything I was offered at the Tea Leaf. Sally hand makes everything she serves her guests, whether that is with help or not is irrelevant, I guess, but nonetheless, she has products that are not found in stores and offers them in pride, because, simply, they are the best. Her scones! Jesus, I've never had a better scone in my life. Everything else was also exceptional quality and delicious! And of course the tea, which takes the main stage here, is just as it should be: hot, strong, and served with love. Also the teapots are huge, like, a good half a gallon of liquid huge. And those are per person, so you're never feeling a lack of tea. In fact, I felt like I had tea coming out my ears when I left! I also used a Groupon, and while apparently some people have struggled with them here, I'm not really sure how as it was quite straightforward and not complicated at all. I mean, if making a reservation 48 hours in advance (simply because she hand makes everything so she needs to prepare for your visit) is a problem, then you may want to blame yourself, not the shop owner. I would definitely recommend this place to any who want to explore the tea options in the area, who would like to try an afternoon tea and don't know where to start, or just if you want to buy some tea that's hard to find. Sally has a whole side of her shop devoted to teas you can come in and buy anytime. Also, it just so happened to be my birthday the day we went, and Sally gave me some free "Birthday tea" for me to take home. Just a testament to how much thought and care is put into everything in this shop! read more

Looooooove this place. I used to walk up Moody to catch the Brandeis bus to campus, and stand right across from this place, gazing fondly at it. Great tea selection and lots of cutesy tea stuff too! I got an adorable little tea ball here that I use pretty often, and remember Tea Leaf each time. Ahhh, memories. read more

I called and made a reservation for the Tea Leaf for Friday November 30 for myself and two friends. The owner Sally asked me my name , phone number and if I had a Groupon which I had. She told me that I could use the Groupon for the 3 course afternoon tea and if my two friends wanted to order the same as me it would cost $23.00. OUTRAGEOUS $23.00 for tea a scone, finger sandwich and a pastry. Sally also told me to let her know what my friends were going to order. Never heard of a restaurant/tea house that you had to give your order before you went there. She said they could also order A La Carte but never told me how much that would be. When we got there, I was turned off immediately the room was extremely crowded with not only teas on shelves which that should have been all there was, but an abundance of "stuff". There was pocketbooks, hats, scarves, trinkets of all kinds, nothing to do with tea all displayed very messy and very crowded. She sat us at the last table, there were only six tables. If she got rid of half the "stuff" she could have had a much neater and organized room with more tables. My friend was looking at the "stuff" that was displayed and glanced in the kitchen. The scones were not freshly baked out of her oven, because there was no stove. They were in a box from a store. As stated in other reviews, everything is store bought. After looking at the menu choices we decided to leave and not stay. This is far from being a tea room and nothing like any other tea room we have been in. It was a total waste driving a half hour to be so disappointed, We did have lunch at a great restaurant on Moody Street so the drive wasn't a total waste. We will come back to that restaurant again! read more

I had my Bachelorette event at the Tea Leaf in Waltham, MA last Saturday afternoon. It was THE most enjoyable time I've had in a long time. I've gone to other "high teas" at ritzy hotels and they do not compare to Sally's Tea Leaf. There were 14 of us and Sally made us feel so warm and welcome as if she was our family. She made all the sandwiches, desserts and is an Expert at all the teas! She took the time to tell stories and take pictures and is such a funny, lovely woman! It was so Wonderful! I highly recommend every woman to go there with their friends, sisters, sister in laws, mothers, daughters, Aunties etc. even just for a nice lunch or "tea" together. The prices are very reasonable and it's worth every penny. It was such a relaxing and enjoyable time. I can't wait to go again!!! read more

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My wife purchased a Groupon for afternoon tea at the Tea Leaf. She originally tried making a reservation, but was told they were booked for a while. After a few months, I was lucky to call 2 weeks prior to our tea date and got a Sunday afternoon tea reservation. So, we decided to try it out. We are definite fans of the place. We were impressed with the teas, scones, sandwiches and mini-desserts and would go again. The place has 5 tables, which were solidly booked for the 2 hours we spent having tea there. It looks like it is run by the owner and she's answering phones, preparing the food and serving the food for all the tables. Her mannerisms and ambiance was great in terms of providing a relaxing environment for tea. When we were there, there were also kids (6-9 age range), who were also having tea. She catered well to adults and children and established a great experience for all. read more

It's cozy make reservations and be prepared to enjoy yourself! Sally is a fantastic host, her teas are always hot and full of flavor. Her scones are to die for, I particularly enjoy the Lemon Poppyseed. read more

I decided to visit The Tea Leaf after purchasing a Living Social for an afternoon tea for two. The Tea Leaf is not your typical spot for high tea. It is a small, crowded shop filled with teas, tea accessories, and a few tables scrunched into a corner. One woman owns and operates the shop, and she was very attentive to our needs. All this lends the place charm and makes it feel quaint and intimate. The afternoon tea consisted of scones, tea sandwiches, mini quiche, sweets, and as much tea as you can drink. Since I visited the establishment four years ago, I do not remember the exact details of the savories, the sweets, or the tea, but I know that those scones continue to haunt my dreams. I ordered the wedding tea and found it suitable. I had no complaints about the tea sandwiches or the quiche. The tea platter was loaded up with more cookies, pastries, and sweets than we could possibly consume in one sitting. Oh, but those scones!!!! they were not too sweet and not too dry. In all my food travels, I have yet to find scones that moist. I give The Tea Leaf five stars for the quaint atmosphere, great service, and incomparable scones. I eagerly await the next time I can visit Waltham so that I can stop by The Tea Leaf and pick up a bag of heavenly scones. read more

Lovely place! Really enjoyed our time there. Great selection of tea and books! Good for small groups and a leisure afternoon. (Just be sure to call and make appointment!) read more

This place is great for tea. Adult and kid friendly, without being overwhelming. Great service and food. However, good luck getting the lady to return your calls; she's very busy and you often have to call her a few times to get through. Still a very pleasurable experience. read more

This is actually pretty unusual in this area: a tea room in the British style. Sally offers a pot of tea, and the standard British additions such as scones with whipped cream and jam or finger sandwiches. Sally is so personable that I think part of the reason to go is for her pleasant personality. We enjoyed our tea and scones very much. Sally informed me that coffee is a bad word here, only included on the menu under duress of occasional demand. So I would recommend that when you are in Rome... read more

Came back to the Tea Leaf for the second time during graduation weekend and wasn't disappointed. Great scones, pastries and finger sandwiches with a generous pot of your choice of teas. Sally is very attentive and sweet. Now that my son is remaining in Boston post-graduation we will be back! read more

I have never had a 'traditional tea' before but after receiving the Groupon alert, I thought it seemed liked a great way to spend a few hours doing something new and different. The shop itself is easy to find, cozy, with the English/Victorian flair on the walls, tablecloth, etc. The scones were warm and wonderful, the cream, although not typical English cream, was simply delish! The three tier plate of bitesize sandwiches were varied and not just the simple cucumber/cream cheese you would expect. It was like taking a bite from countries all over the world. The tea itself was not as strong as I would have expected for an Earl Grey but lovely just the same. I will visit again for a relaxing afternoon and tasty treats. read more

Hi Sally!! Long time customer. My friend make reservations for a birthday celebration for me. Thank you so much for a wonderful birthday celebration!! My Mom couldn't make the ride as she is elderly; she has many fond memories of visiting your establishment!! My friend is now a new fan!! Looking forward to seeing you again in July! read more

A friend made a reservation for afternoon tea at this shop. We are hardcore tea drinkers, and we had said for some time that we should try this place. When we sat down we were given a list of teas to choose from. There were no prices on the menu that I saw. It went downhill from there. The tea was not properly brewed. Not only was it not loose tea, it was entirely too weak and not very hot when it was served. The tea sandwiches were on grocery store wheat bread, and the fillings were, shall we say, processed. The scones were small and tasty. The other "sweets" were the kind of petits four and mini cupcakes one can buy by the box at BJs or Costco. Ditto the two quarter-sized "quiches.' The full service for two was made up of two normal size scones, two sandwiches cut in fourths and six extremely tiny petits fours. The table setting was attractive. When the check came I was flabbergasted. Having had tea at the Taj Hotel in Boston with another friend (Christmas gift), and at the Four Seasons with still another friend (birthday gift), where in both places we were served luscious pastries and smoked salmon tea sandwiches, with strong, hot tea in silver tea pots, you can imagine my surprise when the Tea Leaf in Waltham charged the same as the two luxury Boston hotels: $23.00 per person. With tax it was $49.00 before tip. Caveat emptor... if you would like to spend $50. on tea for two, go to the Four Seasons and get your money's worth. read more

The owner, Sally Collura, knows way too much about tea! She will provide you with excellent advice based on your tastes and awesome tips for enjoying the best tea experience. I shop here for loose leaf tea for myself and as gifts. I also enjoy eating here as well, as it is an amazing experience as you have a great selection of various sandwiches, scones, and desserts to choose from. The scones are warm, moist, and delicious with the jam and freshly made whip cream. The sandwiches provide an excellent array of tastes with the various fillings. Finally, the desserts give you that sweet edge you need after the main course. Top all this with great tea and conversation--and you've made my afternoon. read more

What a wonderful experience! The Tea Leaf is like being on a Hollywood Movie Set. What atmosphere...what great food and owner, Sally Collura is the perfect hostess and chef. The tea was fabulous brewed perfectly, and the scones and crumpets were to die for. This was a total experience. Call for reservations...you won't be disappointed...either for lunch or high tea! read more

A one person run tea house. I have been there several times as I am a local and each experience is like visiting my great Aunt Sally. Sometimes is a great visit and sometimes, its overwhelming and can't relax. Someone really, really needs to tell the owner that THERE IS TOO MUCH STUFF in the place!! Tea houses are suppose to project a calming experience. NOTHING CALM about having the table next to you stacked with nick-knacks. My boyfriend who is a little adhd can't handle the place, he loves the tea service but the amount of stuff, its just too much for him. Such a shame. If she got rid of the stacks of stuff, we would be there more often than at the coffee house. Food: delicious Tea : perfect Service: varies, people can be very cruel and show up extremely late, this creates a domino affect for small business owners. If you try to pull that in Cambridge, they simply give your table to someone else. She does her best and tries to please everybody which ends up often causing her stress and others who show up on time to wait. read more

I don't know where to start here. Here's the deal- I frequent tea at places downtown multiple times a year. I didn't have high expectations, but didn't expect store bought treats for 24 bucks a pop when I can go to the four seasons for 32. My sister and I showed up 5 min late and our friend was waiting for us. It was busy- 90% capacity I'd say. Owner sat us, eventually took our order after waiting maybe 15 minutes. She immediately says we have a great friend by she waited for us...because we were late. Klassy. Anyways, we are eventually served, and the sandwiches were fair to say the best. Service took forever. Oh, and when owner delivered our tiers to us, once again she mentioned how my sister and I were late and we had such a great friend. Are you kidding me? The scone was ok. The treats were awful. Macaroon dipped in chocolate, those rainbow cookies, and some tart with a cherry. The tea was the highlight which is great, but the food and service was less than stellar. Here's the kicker of it all. Go to Target after you have tea at this place and you'll find the Exact Same treats she served. Maroon dipped in chocolate, the rainbow cookies, and the cranberry orange scones. Not even kidding. I will never go back there, ever. read more

My friend and I planned to meet at Tea Leaf on a Sat afternoon. She was seated since I was running late. Once I arrived, I heard the party next to us thanking the woman who works there for taking them even though they didn't have a reservation. My friend and I continued to be ignored for 20 minutes until we put our coats on to leave. The woman then told us that we needed a reservation. I replied it would have been nice of her to tell us that before seating us, but she was already walking away. The store is tiny and cluttered. The tables are right up against one another. The service is terrible. Needless to say, we won't be returning. read more

I enjoyed the afternoon tea tremendously. The food was dainty and delicious as well as the tea. Also lots of fun stuff to shop besides tea. Will definitely come back. read more

I just had my sister's baby shower at the Tea Leaf yesterday and it was great. The owner, Sally is a pro! She did everything so I could just relax and enjoy the party. The scones were amazing. Leading up to the shower, Sally worked with me over the phone and was super helpful. My sister was very touched that she even got a gift from Sally. It was a really nice experience. read more

Love this place! Have been there twice for afternoon tea (both of which I just so happened to have groupons for). The food is amazing! The tea is great! The whole place has a cluttered english cottage feel to it. It's all run by one woman, so definitely plan to take your time in there! She has a huge amount of teas and other items for sale as well, and has one of those point cards she stamps every time you buy a box of tea - I think you get a free box once you fill it up or something? read more

Serving ONLY an old crowd. I was sad to learn that the owner decided not to allow persons younger than 12yo to be at her restaurant. When I spoke with her on the phone, she said that she made this decision because young kids bother her other customers and she couldn't know who would behave in her restaurant. While I was offering suggestions for maybe hosting one day a month to offer kid-friendly tea service, she was not interested in hearing my concerns and hung up on me. I couldn't believe it. It is sad that tea is so exclusive now that a parent cannot find a tea room to share this beautiful experience with his/her child. I've had tea around the world with my kids, and I enjoy the ceremony and experience- if you can't teach children, how will they learn? I surely won't support a business with such a narrow mind of thought that isn't interested in fostering a love of tea across the generations. Sadly, this tradition will die out with older generations if none of the young are able to experience it. read more

The Tea Leaf is a great place to slow down and take a deep breath. Sometimes life can move TOO fast. When it does - head to the Tea Leaf. The variety of teas, baked goods, and sandwiches allows me to attend with my husband and son for lunch or the ladies for high tea. The scones are to DIE for and now that they come in to go packs - I drop by even MORE frequently. Add to that the gift shop, sales of goods for local charities, and the business card swap - this gem is my favorite oasis on Moody Street! read more

It doesn't say anywhere prominent that this is by appointment only. We went in here to be rudely turned away. I understand its by appointment, but we we're potential customers trying to understand what the store had to offer and all we got was brusque rudeness. .. never sampled the food and I guess we never will... read more

Over priced for what you get. Being English I got very excited when I learned about this place so I am disappointed. I doubt if I will be returning as it is too expense for the small amount you get for Afternoon tea read more

I tried the Afternoon Tea at the Tea Leaf recently with my sister and mom for a Mother's Day gift. The afternoon tea is pricey, but definitely worth it. My sister and I both have Celiac, which means that we cannot consume any gluten. The Tea Leaf was amazing in accommodating us. The afternoon tea consists of a large pot of tea for each person, two scones with fresh whipped cream and jam, a tower of sandwiches, and baked goods. My sister and I were shocked that the GF options were the same (if not better) than the gluten options! Our scones were blueberry and lemon (my mom, who can eat gluten, had chocolate coconut and another flavor which I cannot remember) and they were still warm from the oven! Topped with the whipped cream and berry jam they were absolutely delicious. We also got 5 mini GF sandwiches each in various flavors (my favorite was the cucumber sandwich or the veggie sandwich) and an array of baked goods (my favorite was a peanut butter cup wrapped inside a GF chocolate chip cookie). The tea was great too, but I was truly blown away by the quality and variety of the GF options! Completely worth the price, especially if you need to eat gluten free! My mom liked her gluten options too, but I can't speak for the taste of hers (she says they were delicious though!). Service was a little slow, but the place is run by one woman, so that is to be expected. Highly recommend! read more

A few of us went to this place last May 2011. We had a reservation for 2:30pm but weren't seated until 3:00pm. There was a lot of unecessary items there for sale that had nothing to do with a tea house. There were tea pots and teas for sale, of course, but then there were hats, scarves, pocket book foolishness. This place is small so if she got rid of this stuff there would be space for more tables. I haven't been there since so I don't know if that stuff is still there. Thought the prices were steep also. Wouldn't go again. read more

I had the pleasure of my first visit to The Tea Leaf this afternoon. The owner, Sally has quite an extensive tea menu and I was quite impressed with her knowledge of tea as if she has her PhD in tea. I chose Vanilla, it was decadent. Then, as other reviewers have mentioned, the scones arrived. And were they good. Heaven! Next, an assortment of lovely little sandwiches and desserts. Everything was served on beautiful, old English china. When my girlfriend and I got chatty (we overstayed our visit), Sally very pleasantly offered to get us fresh, hot tea. What more can you ask? I purchased the vanilla tea and look forward to many more visits to The Tea Leaf. On another note: I read some of the other reviews, which were a painful reminder of my college-waitressing days where people expect the impossible and assume much. Case in point: Sally is a one-woman operation. Everything is made from scratch. To run a tea house by one's self is a quite a feat. So uninformed guests glance around and think, 'But there's an empty table there,' or 'We can squeeze those strangers in at our table.' People: There is only one Sally running around taking great care to please her guests. Sad, ladies, just sad. As for reservations ("appointments," how gauche...), this would be an absolute necessity so the sole proprietor can give good service to every guest. I saw Sally serve my table of two, serve another table of 6 women, answer several phone calls, greet an acquaintance and her two small children and all the while, giving us very good service. Another thought: Great place to for a get together with girlfriends, celebrate a birthday, or have an elegant bridal/baby shower. How about a mother/daughter tea? The possibilities are endless. read more

My mom, son and I walked in yesterday at 11:55. I'm British and love a good scone. The place was empty -- we were asked if we had made a reservation. We hadn't. We were told that there was a party of 4 coming in at 12:00 and she would have to fit us in around them. Once the huge party of 4 arrived, she still hadn't taken our order and then preceded to whisper that these 4 women were on their lunch break (so were we) and that to be taken care of and if my son made any noise, I was to immediately leave. Needless to say, we just left. All I can say, is good luck on running a business with only 4 customers. Also, as soon as you walked in the place smelled like an old attic which turned my stomach - shouldn't it have smelt like freshly baked scones and goodies????? Absolutely shocking experience. read more

I was so excited to take my 6 year old daughter out for her 1st real tea. The place is small and quaint...a little on the cramped side if anything. Our visit was over school spring vacation and it seemed like a few other people had the same idea. There was only 1 woman working and she did a fairly good job. But seriously, there should have been more staff on hand! The tea was yummy and enjoyable. The food was OK. What really bother me was that when I was standing in line waiting to use the restroom, I saw that all of the tea pastries and goodies were pre-packaged and purchased from the grocery store!! I have no clue if the tea sandwiches were freshly made, I just happened to see the desert packages. I really should give this place 2 stars for this as I would expect to be served homemade treats at a tea shop, but as I had a good time with my daughter, I think 3 stars is fair. I will say that I will doubtfully be back. read more