I shall be in Rome for one week in ealy december and am wondering where is the best place to have a high Tea. Any ideas? Thanks

What is your definition of high tea?

If you are looking for "a fairly substantial late afternoon or early evening meal at which tea is served," I'm afraid you're out of luck.

If you're looking for afternoon tea with dainty sandwiches, pastries etc.,
you will probably be able to get it -- for a price -- at Babington's Tea Room on the Piazza di Spagna.

Caffe Greco on Via Condotti, off Piazza di Spagna, also serves tea, but whether they would have all the accoutrements, I have no idea. They have small sandwiches at lunchtime, but I'm not sure they would have them in the afternoon.

Why would anyone want to have high tea in Rome to start with?!?

>Why would anyone want to have high tea in Rome to start with?!?<

I also wonder.

That tea room off the Spanish steps was some kind of expensive. Be prepared for sticker shock if you do decide to have formal tea there.

Thanks for your reply Eloise.

This is an important matter for an Englishman. Babingtons sounds just the ticket.

That's interesting...everytime someone posts about tea in London, someone always responds that tea is only for tourists. Hmmmmmm.....

John: a note about Babingtons.

I was just dying for a cup of tea when in Rome last December and headed to Babingtons. I glanced at the menu on the door and yes, prices were completely outrageous. It was not the prices that stopped me, it was the overwhelming smell of mould that confronted me when I opened the door. I am very allergic to mould and just can?t abide the smell, so I you might find it OK. I wonder if anyone else has had this problem?

You can find afternoon tea (not high tea) at several of the five star hotels. For example the Hotel De Russie :
http://www.worldsbestbars.com/city/R...avinskjBar.asp

regards Ger

Babingtons, Ugh! I agree with O'Reilly.
However I do like Cafe Greco, but had wine, not tea so do not know what they offer regarding high tea (rather doubt it). Personally I don't think high tea in Rome is something that would be easy to find.

There is high tea served in the lobby of the Excelsior Hotel on via Veneto. Quite nice, IMO.

BC

P.S. OReilly, a friend told me about the mold thing recently also! This was not always the case, so it makes me wonder what's going on.

I like the sound of "high wine" at Cafe Greco. . .