Nothing says elegance like making time for afternoon tea.
Starting the late 1800s, women of all classes got swept up in the craze of afternoon tea. The women originally used it as a way to sit down for a snack between lunch and late dinners. Eventually, tea grew into a social event, with women gathering in small groups to both sip and spill the tea.
If spending an hour enjoying delicious treats while chatting with your best friends over a cup of tea sounds like a dream, then I’d like to introduce you to Asterisk Supper Club.
Asterisk is hard to describe because it’s so completely original. From the floor to ceiling bookshelves to the gorgeous chandeliers, the whole place has the vibe of the country manor of an eccentric lord or lady. Asterisk has a delightful menu for both lunch and dinner, but the reason we visited was for their Afternoon Tea service, which runs from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. daily.
They have a few different options when it comes to ordering your tea service, mostly depending on the size of your group. I went with the Petite Tea Service, which was anything but and I left feeling very satisfied. My service came with a pot of Earl Gray, cream, sugar, four tea sandwiches, one scone with jam and clotted cream, and one caramel tea cake.
First out was my tea. Asterisk serves tea in a kitschy mismatch of china, which I loved. Mine came in a delicate crystal teacup, a traditional floral saucer, and a metal pot. I had plenty of refills throughout the experience, which surprised me. That teapot was deceptively large.
Shortly after my tea came out, the tea sandwiches arrived. They had a variety of sandwiches to choose from, but I went with an egg salad, a chicken salad, a smoked salmon, and a special of the day which was brie and ham on crostini. Every single bite was full of flavor, perfectly balanced, and an absolute treat.
After I finished my tea sandwiches, I poured another cup of Earl Gray and chatted. One of the things Asterisk mentions is that tea service isn’t supposed to be fast-paced. The point is to slow down and enjoy yourself, plus the scones and desserts are made to order, which takes time. That being said, I never felt like I was waiting too long for any portion of the service.
The final piece of the puzzle was the scone and tea cake. The scone was baked to perfection and once I added the house-made jam and clotted cream, I was basically transported to another plane of existence. So. Good. The caramel tea cake was also delicious, but if I’m being honest, at that point I couldn’t stop thinking about how amazing the scone was.
Overall, we spent about an hour at Asterisk. Around us, other groups of people were gathered, happy and relaxed, for afternoon tea as well. It was an experience that I cannot recommend enough and that I will happily attend again.
Asterisk Supper Club is located at 14 North State St. in the heart of Westerville. To check out their menu, including Afternoon Tea, please click here.
