Gillis Grier B&B Victorian Tea: A Delmarvalous Delight

April 1, 2022

Gillis Grier is a relatively new B&B in Salisbury, having only been open a few years, and most of those pandemic years. It’s located in the Newtown Historical District, and is a charming Victorian house owned & operated by only the third owner since the 1800s! The house does boast a few of the original furnishings and is an absolute treasure trove of beautiful things to see and admire!

But beyond being a bed & breakfast, Gillis Grier offers something that wasn’t readily found in Salisbury prior to this: Victorian high tea.

I don’t know when my infatuation with high tea first started but it’s something that I often seek out in the cities I visit, and I’ve managed to attend a number of high teas across the country and internationally. That’s why I can say with confidence that the Gillis Grier high tea is an absolutely delightful experience that is well worth the money.

Held every third Sunday (except in April and December), the tea at Gillis Grier offers a sampling of soup, petite sandwiches, scones, lemon curd and/or clotted cream, desserts and, of course, a variety of teas. You’re welcomed into tea by the proprietress, who explains how the tea will work and then escorts you to your assigned seats. You’re encouraged to embrace the idea of Victorian tea, and I was told that some guests have chosen to come in full costume. But even if that’s not for you, dress is “Sunday nice” and a selection of Victorian hats are available for guests to wear during their tea.

Your table is preset with your food and you’re encouraged to get started but to also “take your time” to spread your experience over the full two hours. Throughout that time, a variety of three teas is served at intervals, and sugar cubes and milk are available for those who prefer their tea with those items. During our tea, we were served a crowd favorite cranberry blood orange black tea, which was delicious and seemed the overwhelming favorite of most guests. We were also served a green tea and an irish cream oolong (somewhat in keeping with St.Patrick’s Day since we attended just after the 17^th of March).

Guests are offered as much tea as they would like to float away on, and if you don’t care for something, the hosts will take it away and bring you one you may prefer.

Halfway through tea, sheets with trivia are handed out and a short competition commences to see who can be the best at that tea’s particular trivia. In our case, it was a multiple choice to fill in old Irish sayings and I’m happy to report that I won (I thank my literary background!) and came home with a lovely teacup, saucer and spoon as a memento!

As noted, guests are not rushed through the experience and are instead encouraged to take the full time to experience the food, tea and company.

We found the proprietress and her friend, who was her co-host for that day, to be wonderful hosts, full of humor, stories, information and good cheer.

There is talk of offering a children’s tea, although that’s not yet begun yet, and private tea is also offered for a minimum of 4 guests and a maximum of 6 guests, at a slightly higher price.

I would absolutely without hesitation recommend this to anyone who loves a high tea experience or anyone who wants to experience one without traveling to a big city to do so (though if you’re ever in Denver, definitely check out The Brown Hotel’s high tea because it’s amazing!) I look forward to going back again for the same but also different experience, as the menu changes each month!

This business is a Shop Local Delmarvalous Delight and I highly recommend it! 

Angela James is a resident of Salisbury, MD and active in the Delmarva community through volunteer work for organizations such as National Folk Festival, Humane Society of Wicomico, Salisbury Pride Parade and more. A fiction editor, author career consultant and public speaker, she’s a small business owner who understands the power of word of mouth and customer reviews.

Delmarvalous Delights highlights the best of Delmarva, along with hidden gems, and shines a spotlight on those businesses that stand out consistently as Delmarvalous Delights.

If you’d like to invite Angela to visit your business, or try your products, please email angie@delmarvalousdelights.com

Business Information:

Gillis Grier Bed & Breakfast

401 North Division Street

Salisbury, MD

https://www.gillisgrierbnb.com/tea-time/

https://www.facebook.com/gillisgrierbnb