Podunk

My friend and I come here at least once a month for tea and have yet to have a bad experience. To start, the place is incredibly cozy and charming. I adore the mismatched tea sets, tables and chairs and think it works to create an atmosphere that is ideal for enjoying an afternoon tea. We’ve also taken quite a liking to every staff member we’ve encountered, especially the owner (who we’ve nicknamed «queen of tea»). She’s incredibly knowledgeable and we can tell that she deeply cares about her establishment and what she provides to guests. They even give tea recommendations to go with the food you are ordering. I also once saw that the recommended tea for my order was decaffeinated and asked the owner if she had another recommendation more to my liking, and she gave me 3 other options that she thought would «compliment» the food best. And then the food that comes is always delicious and perfectly portioned. My friend once wanted the tea sandwiches but asked if it was possible to substitute out those that contained meat as she’s a vegetarian, and the staff accommodated her request without hesitation. I can’t really say enough good things about this place. Every time we come here we have a fantastic experience; the food, staff, atmosphere, and especially the tea, are all top notch, and worth coming back to again and again.

This place was one of my favorite spots for the 3 years I lived in the East Village. It is truly a gem. A quaint café to relax over a nice pot of tea and delicious little treats. Great for catching up with old friends or just escaping the hustle and bustle of the city. I always received kind and wonderful service on my visits. You really should stop in if you’re ever in the area.

This is one of the most special spots in my City. I have take many, many folks here — every experience has been wonderful, special, delicious, meaningful! The food is always yummy, delicate, and inventive, pared with wonderful tea. And, I’ve also used Elspeth’s extraordinary skills to cater events. Love, love, love, the Podunk!

i’ve traveled the world for the last twenty years & this is my favorite tea room on earth. leave your entitled, developed world expectations at the door. this is a space where having tea is about checking in with yourself, clearing your senses, listening to your friends, receiving the necessary universal sign, building relationships, affirming community, sharing without imposing your silly id, and letting go of all that the system wants to oppress us with– all of this while eating some of the tastiest treats one who hungers for food made w/​love can savor.
this is a place i often told no one about so that it could be my sanctuary in new york. my sacred reflection space. my rejuvenation destination. but i’ve been so selfish for so long, and i want others to experience what has helped heal and strengthen me in this chaotic time. podunk has helped give me room to grow & now i want others to experience it.
so, if you’re bold. if you’re seeking something rather than looking for something specific. if you’re tired of the glorification of stress. if you want what goes in your body to better reflect listening & understanding. if you’re ready to have your comfort zone gently challenged. if you’re at a point in life when where you go must nurture something inside as well as provide something outside. if you’re in the neighborhood & love tea sandwiches as much as moi– podunk is THE spot.
see ya there. no need to go if you’re closed up inside & believe the whole world is here to cater to your convenience & insecurity.
definitely go if you believe the inside is more important than the outside.
love, beau

I had made a reservation in advance and they were super accommodating when I had to switch days, so I was expecting great service. Unfortunately, I was running about 5 – 10 minutes late (at 12:30pm on a Saturday) and my friend was frantically texting me «you need to get here NOW.» I couldn’t imagine why — I assumed maybe it was super crowded and they were going to give our table away (knowing it was a small place).
I got there and my friend is sitting on a bench outside in the cold, shivering and waiting for me because the owner rudely wouldn’t let her sit in the EMPTY shop to wait the 5 minutes for me. She even asked her if she could sit and order her own tea (bringing them more $$) while waiting but she barked back at her that she needed to wait out in the cold for me. I understand that it is the policy, but sometimes you need to be flexible in order to appease your paying customers. What ever happened to «the customer is always right?»
Once I got there and my friend thawed off — she was still pretty heated about the whole thing, we sat and had a very nice tea, however, the vibe was already very icy between my friend and the owner. The tea service was great (albeit a little pricy for tea & scones) and the waitress was very helpful with recommending teas, it seems like the owner is the issue. The tea service was not any different than other cute tea shops in the city, so if they want people to come back, they need to make them feel welcomed.
Overall, the place is super cute, but being treated poorly will always outweigh the positives. The owner needs to work on her customer service skills as now I will not be raving about the place to friends or bringing them more business as I would have earlier.

Lovely, great selection of tea and sandwiches.

A lovely oasis of peace and serenity, the one untouched by the condo-​fication of East Village. We had a great unhurried time catching up with an old friend over tea and some sweet and savory canapes. At no time we felt rushed like it often happens in the chain establishments. A very homey, quirky décor and a homey vibe — great place to decompress!
Elspeth was super-​attentive helping us make our selections. Will definitely come back!

How did I not know about this lovely tea room before now? Loved it… Went here with a group of girls on a Sunday afternoon. We had scones, cheese crackers, cookies and lots of tea. I would’ve like to have seen the mini sandwiches a bit fluffier with substantial fillers but they tasted good. The homemade (I think) jams and whipped butter were great. Quiet little spot off 5^th st in the East Village.

I rarely write reviews so the fact that I am taking the time to do this should be telling. My friends and I had a reservation for 4 people for tea. 1 of us arrived earlier, 2 on time, and 1 was going to be delayed by 20 minutes due to train issues. We kindly asked, repeatedly, if the 3 of us could take a seat inside– either be served now or wait (whatever worked best for the restaurant), and were told we could not be seated until the 4^th person arrived. We even offered to get up if they needed the table in the 20 minutes we were waiting for the 4^th person in our party to show. This isn’t a huge deal but the fact that it was extremely cold outside and that the restaurant was TOTALLY EMPTY, made this rude and ridiculous. I would not recommend Podunk to anyone given the lack of common courtesy and respect to customers.

I went there to meet a friend of mine. My first time there. Place looked super cute. I went in and there was this girl at the counter, short hair, glasses. I tell her I am waiting for a friend and that we will be two people and she tells me that I cannot sit and have to wait until my friend gets there (I just want to add that the place was empty! Only 2 people sitting).
I was astonished.
Then asked her if I could then sit and order my own tea while I was WAITING for my friend and she repeated the same thing: «sorry you need to wait for your friend and then you can order».
I will never ever go back to that place. It was ridiculous the way she talked to me and very rude.
So, sometimes, it doesn’t matter if the place is super cute, if, in the end, the people who work there have ZERO customer service skills.

Four years ago I left a glowing review hoping to add a positive note to another I read about this place. I did not believe the bad reviews. I wanted to like it.
I have not updated my good review, because– actually– I have not been in since then.
Shocker…last year when I returned to Podunk… the owner was repeatedly so rude to each of her customers –that I was totally embarrassed that we brought friends there to relax over tea.
Example: one person asked to purchase cookies to take home. She yelled, «THIS IS NOT A BAKERY!!» okay… since everyone seems to bother you, why would you like them to stay and eat them in your shop? Reading the reviews sounds like sometimes pleasant, sometimes awful.
I now retract my previous stars.

This is a beautiful and cozy tea spot! I was expecting a tiny café but it led to a comfortable and warm layout of tables and chairs and books! I could curl up on one of the benches and stay there all day. It was a perfect day to do afternoon tea. I missed the opportunity in London with a busy itinerary. I asked for a table for 4. Even my daughter loved it as she’s into tea parties now. The owner even complimented her for behaving so well. She offered a cup of clotted cream to her but we told her it was ok. Our waitress was a delight. She gave recommendations on what to get with the tea pairings. And, she was extremely sweet and bubbly. It was like chatting with an old friend. The owner was friendly as well.
I had the luncheon tea– cucumber sandwiches, dessert, cream, and jams with green jasmine tea. Hub had the assorted– cucumber, ham, turkey, walnut-​date, cheese, baby scones, jam, and cream. His cousin had this and that– savory mini pies, dessert, cream, and jam. For the dessert, they give a choice of cake & cream, cookies, or tea cake. I opt for the cake and it was a vanilla cake w/​raspberry & cream. Hub’s cousin had the chocolate cake. As a tea lover, I drink all kinds of teas but jasmine has the most fragrant notes of all. It’s wonderful with the sandwiches and cake. I had one of the baby scones, it was magnificent. The next time I return, I will opt for all scones, and sweets minus the sandwiches! ;)
It was a much needed R&R. Who knew tea time could be so relaxing? It provided a nice time to catch up and chat. It even soothe and calm my 3 yr old daughter. She had a few bites of the cake & raspberries. Plus a few sips of the jasmine tea. What she loved the most was the little book shelf. Fortunately, it had an assortment of children’s books with lovely illustrations that kept her busy. Thank you Podunk for a great experience. I will def return to try other teas and sweets!

The place in it of itself is a delight. The tea options of splendid (and tasty)… Everything from the nibbles to the scones to the sandwichs are insanely amazing. This is just as good as high tea quality as those 80 quid/​pound experiences I had in the UK — except more fun because you have nifty mismatched furniture, colorful dishes, and nifty wall decorations.
The server is also super helpful, kind, and warm.
Just be warned that you might not want to bring your tall friends (as in 5 feet 6 inches and taller) here because it is rather squeezed for space.
The only reason this place doesn’t get 5 stars is that you have some rather obnoxious people that come here. There was first an early 20s (maybe late teens) bridal party of girls who had very pitched screams and ahing that deafened the rest of the rest of the small space.
You also had some very rude people that were loudly demanding to the server, and I kind of felt bad for her.

We stumbled across this place and it was perfection. Adorable and quaint with eclectic
furniture and tea pots, the tea selection is phenomenal and the owner delightful. She makes all the pastries and sandwiches herself, from the traditional cucumber sandwiches to the incredibly light and tasty mini scones. We appreciated her tea recommendations (including one made from rose petals) and her willingness to let visitors linger and chat and enjoy. The perfect afternoon spot for tea with girlfriends you love!

This is a lovely, cozy little tearoom. Unpretentious with the friendliest owner and staff. I’ve been to the Horseguards in London and paid over $ 80 for a very similar tea and food not nearly as good. The owner makes everything in house and helped me pick my tea. The little savory pies are great. Highly recommend the chicken pie… it’s got an Indian kick to it.
The only thing I would recommend to the owner is a little more padding for the chairs
I read the other reviews before visiting (like I’m sure you’re doing.) People who complained about slow service I think miss the point of a tea. Having tea is about slowing down and unplugging. If you don’t have time for that, go to Starbucks.

Podunk is such a wonderful little place to relax and have afternoon tea at. I would come here everyday if I could. I really loved the atmosphere and ambiance of this little tea room. Such a great place to unwind with some earl grey and have a nice chat with a friend. This place is not the best for groups. I have only come with one friend and there was only one table available at the time.
The owner is such a sweet lady. It is a family business and she does everything herself. She makes wonderful tea and little sandwiches. The tea list is pretty extensive, good selection to choose from. The décor is very cute and vintage looking. There is a lot of mismatched furniture and mismatched dishes and cutlery and I love it! It reminds me of my favorite Disney movie: Alice in Wonderland! The music was very peaceful and everything contributed to a delightful afternoon tea experience.

Great place to unwind by yourself or with others after a long day, or in my case: post-​summer-​finals.
I came in around 3 pm and basically had the whole place to myself. I had the old friend’s tea which came with cucumber sandwiches, cookies, a slice of cake and a scone. There was also clotted cream and two kinds of jams, apricot & raspberry I believe. There’s an extensive tea menu covering your earl greys to your rooibos teas; I opted for the lady grey which is earl grey plus rose. The tea was really fragrant and everything from the scones to the cucumber sandwiches was delicious.
For those who are saying that this place is really small… it really isn’t. I’ve been to places where I’ve had to pull out tables to get out lest I be trapped between my neighbor’s elbows and the wall (I’m looking at you Balthazaar & Buvette).
This place is a great value for the price you pay so grab some friends or a book, sip some tea and relax.

I would go here EVERY DAY if I could.
Here’s the thing: people are mean.
The owner of this tea house is a sweet woman that makes astounding afternoon tea and decadent food to match.
It’s clear she’s had to deal with a lot of attitude from prissy little brunch biootches over the years and, to be honest, that’s kind of heart breaking. (See reviews below)
If I closed my eyes an pictured the perfect tea house it’d be Podunk.
Knick knacks on the walls to look at and chat about as you share tea with a loved one, peaceful music playing from behind the counter, and one of the best teas I’ve ever had (coconut vanilla black tea).
Maybe our experience was enhanced because we visited on a Tuesday afternoon (we were the only people in the store.) but I think this is an experience anyone, tourist or local, needs in their life at least once.
Plus she composts all the spent tea.
Go ahead, try to open a better tea house,
I dare ya.

Really cute & quaint place. Adorable furniture. Reminds me of Alice and wonderland. Great for tea, chit chat & books.

I’ve been to quite a few tea rooms so I was excited to go to one during my visit to NYC. I had a reservation but was about 30 minutes late. I called and they said that it was okay. I arrived and there was only 2 other people in the entire place. Podunk is extremely small. The maximum sitting capacity is probably around 20. They have an extensive tea list and their prices are comparable to all of the places in the SF Bay Area. Unfortunately, the downside is that there is no restroom here and you’ll have to go to another business to use the bathroom. To me, this place is just okay. I didn’t love it or hate it.