Sugarplums & Tea combines a bakery and tea room in a picturesque, relaxing setting. Sounds like the perfect recipe for the hectic month of December!
“People like the ambience and the setting here,” observes owner and chef, Paul Lenyo. “They can relax with friends over tea and pastries, and enjoy the view. People like to get together over tea,” he continues. “We have some special events such as mother-daughter teas, and the girls really dress up – some of them are princesses, while some are in their Sunday best.”
A graduate of YTI Career School’s Culinary Arts/Restaurant Management program, Paul served as chef for former owner Marianne Weaver before purchasing the tea room, which was then located at Rockvale Square. In February, the tea room will celebrate its seventh anniversary at the Millcreek community near Lampeter.
Sugarplums & Tea features a bakery and tea/coffee bar that sells loose teas, tea pots and mugs, as well as sweet treats and smoothies (plus ice cream in the summer). Two seating areas are available: the sunroom, which seats up to 22 people, and the library, which can accommodate up to 14 people. The light-filled sunroom, with its stained-concrete floor and limestone-pillar accents, is delightful year-round. The tea room’s library has a quiet character of its own.
the tea ritual is celebrated with Courtyard (“high”) and Garden teas. The Courtyard Tea is a feast for the senses that includes soup of the day served with fresh foccacia bread (or fruit cup with mini scone), four savories that change monthly, a trio of sweets and a pot of your favorite tea. The Garden Tea features a choice of one savory, a small garden salad, fruit cup, a small scone/curd and a pot of your favorite tea.
A pot of tea also accompanies the Trio of Savories (includes a small garden salad) and the Fresh Garden Salad (mixed greens topped with fresh chicken salad with poppy-seed dressing and fresh foccacia bread).
the menu also features hot and cold sandwiches, salads, sliders, homemade soups and quiche of the day. Chef Paul notes that although the menu changes seasonally, Hawaiian Chicken Salad (chicken salad with roasted-pineapple habanera sauce on Hawaiian pineapple bread) continues to be one of the most popular sandwiches. The Apple Walnut Grilled Chicken Salad is also on the most-requested list. Items are made using fresh ingredients, many of which are locally sourced. Desserts and pastries are created by the in-house pastry chefs.
as for the tea selection, Sugarplums offers 120 different varieties including black, green, oolong, herbal/botanical, rooibos, decaffeinated and organic. Like the menu, tea varieties change seasonally; winter emphasizes mint and spice. With the holidays fast approaching, Chef Paul points out that “a selection of teas is a great hostess gift or the perfect gift for a tea lover.” (Paul’s wife, Elaine, takes charge of ordering the teas.) And, with holiday entertaining in full swing, Chef Paul advises you to think “mini desserts.” In his opinion, “Sometimes a little bite of a well-prepared and presented sweet is all you need.” You need not slave away in the kitchen; Sugarplums & Tea can supply take-out trays.
Sugarplums & Tea
403 Bank Barn Ln., Lancaster
717-394-9166
Sugarplumsandtea.com
Hi paul this is george metzler we worked together at kelloggs along with cork l see you opened your own buisness i hope you are doing very well at it. Never pictured you as a chef but it looks like you enjoy it . best of luck to you and your wife.