Drink Me! Tea Room: Vegan, Gluten-Free Afternoon Tea with an Alice in Wonderland Twist in Tempe
Have you ever experienced a trip so transformative it sparked a career change? Melissa Harlan, owner of Drink Me! Tea Room in Tempe, Arizona, was inspired during a London visit where she enjoyed afternoon tea at three venues over five days. She yearned to bring that joy back home.
Living a plant-based lifestyle with gluten-free needs, Harlan found traditional afternoon tea menus lacking. "Requests for gluten-free and plant-based options often resulted in just fruit," she shares. "Most places offer one or the other, rarely both."
Determined to innovate, Harlan sketched her business plan on the flight home. Six months later, she left her 19-year corporate career to launch the tea room. She developed vegan, gluten-free recipes, secured a space, and embraced an Alice in Wonderland-inspired theme—perfect for tea parties, given her love for the story. She immersed herself in tea varieties, compositions, and endless taste tests.
Guests (by reservation) enter this enchanting tearoom for Harlan's "modern twist on afternoon tea." One visitor recently teared up, able to order freely without dietary concerns—a moment that moved Harlan too. Her team of expert pastry chefs refined the menu, including a macaron specialist and savory pastry pros.
Harlan's teenage daughter, Haley, manages front-of-house and helped shape the concept; her enthusiasm shines when greeting guests. Stepson Gabe, a barista with bartending experience, joined during COVID-19 and aided the launch. "Having them here has strengthened our family bonds," Harlan notes. A liquor license application is pending, promising spirited drinks soon.
Her supportive husband taste-tests recipes. "If he approves—despite not following plant-based or gluten-free—it's a triumph," she says.
Our Afternoon Tea Experience
We visited with Audrey from Tempe Tourism and Lacy from WildJoy Experiences. Haley served as our tea sommelier, presenting six Alice in Wonderland-character-named teas. We chose the "Petite Tea" with delectable treats and individual teapots. Selections included Tweedle Twins (black tea with black currant and blackberry), Alice (green tea with vanilla and butterfly pea flower, hot and iced), and Cheshire Cat (green tea with cherry and rose)—all exceptional. Over 20 teas are available total.
Scones came with lemon curd and coconut cream. Check our TikTok for a glimpse (we took iced teas to go).
The adorable décor subtly nods to Alice in Wonderland, with seasonal flexibility: Edgar Allan Poe in October, Game of Thrones in November, Nightmare Before Christmas in December, plus Traditional Christmas tea. Each features a themed menu.
Opened July 2020 at McClintock Drive and Warner Road's northwest corner, shop teas online too.
Drink Me! Tea Room
1730 E. Warner Rd., Tempe, AZ 85284 | (602) 206-5469
Hours: Wednesday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Reserve via website.
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