la dolce vita
Posh Houston hotel serves up Italian twist on afternoon tea service
Remi serves tea every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
Uptown Park’s European-inspired hotel has resumed tea service. The Hotel Granduca, is now serving tea every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 12-2 pm.
Afternoon tea had been a staple of Granduca's Alba Ristorante, which closed when the hotel underwent renovations last year. Chef Maurizio Ferrarese has updated the offering for the hotel, which reopened in March. Instead of serving tea at Remi, the hotel's restaurant, tea is offered in the Alba Tea Room that's near the restaurant.
“We offer afternoon tea to celebrate hospitality and tradition,” Ferrarese tells CultureMap. “It complements our Italian-inspired cuisine by bringing elegance and refinement to the experience, in the same way we approach every dish. For me, afternoon tea is about slowing down and savoring. At Granduca, it becomes an extension of our cucina; elegant, seasonal, and crafted with the same care I give to a perfect risotto.”
Similar to an English-style tea service, the Granduca’s Italian-inspired spin features a mix of sweet and savory bites, including:
- Roasted mushroom profiterole puff with goat cheese and black truffles
- Creamy egg salad on whole grain bread
- Prosciutto de Parma puff pastry crisp with lemon ricotta
- Desserts: Coffee tiramisu, lemon curd tart with fresh raspberry, ricotta and pistachio cannolo, and more.
“Our tea has an Italian soul; seasonal flavors, artisanal pastries, mascarpone spread to replace the english clotted cream and savory bites inspired by Alba, Piedmont, and northern Italian region,” Ferrarese explains. “You taste Piedmont in the ‘Tanulla Praline,’ the in-house intake of the Ferrero Rocher truffle in our Kids menu; Alba in the hazelnut pastries, and the warmth of true hospitality in every detail, including our Italian Inspired cocktails. It’s not just tea, it’s la dolce vita, served on a tray.”
Speaking of cocktails, diners can supplement their tea with sips such as the Langhe Bloom, described as “a floral ode to Piedmont,” and the Nebbiolo Negroni.
Prices are as follows:
- Frizzante d’Alba ($79): Includes one glass of prosecco
- Champagne e Tea ($89): Includes one glass of champagne
- Apertivo e Tea ($89): Includes one signature cocktail
- Tea Reale ($98): Includes one caviar bite and one glass of champagne
- Little Truffle Hunters Tea ($39): Includes a special kid-friendly menu for children 8 and under
Reservations are available via OpenTable.
