Tea and Sympathy

Yes, T&S is a bit cramped, but on the rainy day my friend and I went, it actually added to the ""coziness"" of the meal. The food was just ok - maybe I would've been more impressed with another dish. However, the selection of teas is massive and our choices were spot-on delicious! A whole charming pot to yourself. It would be a lovely place to linger, providing there aren't other waiting to be seated. more

American gal here who loves all things British. After watching my fav Britcoms, I wanted to try some of the traditional British foods, i.e. Beans on Toast, (by the way - these are all TO-DIE-FOR!) WelshRarebit, Cheese&Pickle Sandwich, Steak&Guinness pie, Chicken&Leek pie, Lentil Casserole, Cornish Pastry, Cheese&Onion Pastry. This place is fantastic! Who says British food is terrible? NOT ME! The menu is loaded with comfortfoods that Americans love, Bangers&Mash (Sausages&MashPotatos) Welsh Rarebit is like GrilledCheese - ONLY MUCH BETTER! Oh any by the way - handsdown - THIS IS WITHOUT A DOUBT - the place that has the best Mac&Cheese in the USA! Everything on the menu is delish as well. Oh and the TEA!!!!! So many choices - all of them so delicious. And don't get me started on the apple spotted dick for dessert - don't eat it or else you will want to move in here! Pros: Delish Food, High Tea, Great Beverages Cons: Small, Cramped, Children permitted more

They are direct about not wanting you to lounge around if others are waiting and aren't shy about scooting you out. But the food was amazing. My friend and I went for Sunday brunch and the wait wasn't too bad. We had the Full Veggie and the Bangers and Sausage plates, tea, coffee and treacle pudding for dessert, which was phenomenal. It's kind of on the expensive side, but you'll get a truly authentic British breakfast. I would definitely go back. Pros: food, tea, authenticity Cons: small space, the outside wait, ushered out more

If coming to Tea and Anthipathy (yea u heard me) during conventional dining hours, expect a good long wait on the curb till tables open up. Once inside 2 things immediately hit u. 1) The attention to detail put into the quaint British kitchen decor. 2) That u'll be seated about 2 inches from the next table. Expect your server to hurrily rush u a menu with another hurried rush to get u out. In between u'll be treated to some great tasting British grub at a reasonable price. I recommend the bangers and mash, if for no other reason than its just fun to say. Pros: Good Food, Quaint Atmosphere Cons: , Rushed Service, Long Wait for Table more

I went with a friend on a Saturday afternoon for tea. We waited about 20 minutes, but it was worth it. We ordered the tea for two and were brought out a wonderful pot of tea and a three tiered tray of delicious sandwiches, scones, and other sweets. We walked away full and satisfied. The space is extremely small and your sitting on your neighbors lap, but worth it for the food and charm. Pros: Charming Cons: , Always a Wait more

A very good place to enjoy British style tea. The food is very tastey and they carry a number of items for vegetarians. They do not accept reservations, and have a policy of rushing people out when there is a number of people waiting. However, the food and tea still make the experience worth while. Pros: Good Tea, Tastey Food Cons: Crowded, No Reservations, Rushed Out more

English restaurants these days are well designed, and have always been clean. This place is FILTHY and it looks like the interior of a shed ! What a mess ! And when you come out the smell of welsh rarebit clings to you like, well, a bad smell. The food is nice, but then its pretty hard to screw up Myers sausages, mashed potatoes and tinned beans isn't it ? The staff are usually pretty rude and everything is way overpriced. Only come here if you are English and desperate. Pros: Myers sausages Cons: Stench, Rude service, Overpriced more

It's cozy and cramped and also has 'rules' that patrons are required to abide by; one of them being an $8.50 min order. Considering T&S's small size and the fact that people may be tempted to sit and sip tea all day long, the rules are understandable BUT they're still a bit of a turn off - a tad bit too fascist for my liking. Still, it's not a bad place. Service was quite decent - very British - no beating about the bush with this lot; if they need the space, they'll tell you to move. Not a big fan of English food but I do love English tea and that they seem to do pretty well. Definitely worth going to once, but not the kind of place where I'd become a regular. Pros: Good tea Cons: $8.50 min. more

and a lot of british products, but they could be so rude!!! They should get a better staff. Try ""Myers of Keswick"", they are less pretentious. more

Never knew that tea could be so fantastic until I had a cup of the blackberry tea at T&S and now I'm in love! Mismatching teapots and teacups, 10 tables crowded into a tiny room, friendly funky British wait staff, and British food that actually tastes pretty good. I've been lucky enough that I haven't had to wait more than 10 minutes for a table. Very cozy and quaint place to catch up with a friend over tea and cakes, or salad and meatloaf pie...I've heard that Anna Sui is a big fan, and T&S are supposedly publishing a book on the shop. more

Came here around 9-ish on a Monday night to grab dinner w/ a friend. There was one table (out of 9 total) available for us, but we were so close to the table next to us where the couple was making out that it was a bit awkward. Service was ok - not great, and my mushroom shepard's pie was ok. My friend's mac & cheese was a little better. Chocolate cake for dessert was dry and not very rich. I've been told this place is better for brunch, but w/ cramped surroundings and lackluster food, I'll book a flight to London before I return to this British stop. Pros: Quaint, Unique Cons: British Food, TINY space, Cramped Seating more

Tea & Sympathy is quaint, cute and dainty with a good selection of leaf teas (which you can get by the pot with infuser) and probably THE BEST macaroni and cheese in New York. This place is tiny, so be prepared to be waiting outside for available tables. Once inside, expect to be sitting extremely close to strangers. The prices are good and the wait staff are harried but friendly. If you yearn for traditional English food, and you are not claustrophobic, this is a great place. Pros: Quaint atmoshere, Good prices, Good food Cons: The wait outside, Can be loud, Tables are too close more

I went to Tea & Sympathy for the first time yesterday. I'm an extremely fickle 15-year-old who usually hates anything and everything that isn't Italian or fast food. But I loved this resturant. Although it is small, we went around 2:30 and it wasn't that crowded. I enjoyed it and i hope you do too! Pros: chocolate cake, tea Cons: small size more

I am English. I eat here all the time because it has all that is best about an english cafe. It is small but the food is worth it. If only they would serve cheese and pickle sandwiches in the evening. Anyway, Try Everything :-). Highly recommened. Pros: authentic Cons: small more

You come here for the food, but the experience may make you think twice. The cheese and pickle sandwiches and the cream teas are lovely, and will warm the heart of any homesick Brit ex-pat or Anglophile. But it's just so tiny, you're practically sitting on your neighbor's lap, and the servers can be nice, but are often overwhelmed and cranky. Pros: Great food Cons: Too small more

This tiny cafe (or ""caff"" if you're going for full-on Blighty realness) serves up British comfort food that is as close to the real thing as you're going to get in NYC. Expats will revel in beans on toast and Welsh rarebit smothered with branston pickle--all knocked back with properly prepared pots of tea or British drinks like Ribena or Irn Bru. Yes it's bland, fattening, and a carb nightmare: that's the point. Expect playful cheekiness from owner Nikki and staff. more

This tiny restaurant in the West Village is great place for afternoon tea, some Welsh rarebit or scones with potted cream. The salad portions are big as well as desserts. The vegetarian and regular shepherds pie are unfortunately a little on the bland side. Do read the sign on the door, they are very clear on their seating policy. Best bet? Avoid the place during rush hours and go at off-peak times, between lunch and dinner for example. It'll make your dining experience more pleasant and the wait staff less stressed out. Pros: good food Cons: service more