High Tea with the Minis - Guest Post from MiniMunchers!

With the Royal Wedding mere hours away, I have all things British on my mind. What better way to celebrate The Wedding then by enjoying the wonderful English custom of High Tea here in New York City? Carla Sullivan, the Mommy Muncher from MiniMunchers, was kind enough to share her picks for enjoying High Tea with children. Cheers!

Some traditions are worth keeping (or starting), and high tea in NYC with your mini(s) happens to be one of them.

While dining with your children can be difficult (can I say even disastrous) at times, High Tea for a special occasion, i.e. Mother’s Day or even a momentous birthday, for some reason lends itself to well-behaved children. Could it be the scones with clotted cream, tea sandwiches and silver settings? I am not an expert but I think it is the fact that mommy (or daddy) is sharing a unique experience.

Here are a few of my family’s favs in the City – Cheerio!

Russian Tea Room - One of the LAST remaining iconic restaurants in Manhattan, the Russian Tea Room is a treat for children and adults! Just step into this jewel-box restaurant, and your tot will know it is a special day! Conveniently located on the same block as Carnegie Hall, it is a great place to come after a concert or a carriage ride in Central Park. The children’s tea is $25 a child (under 12) and the multiple courses will be sure to please any budding foodie.

Alice’s Tea Cup - True to it’s name, Alice’s is THE place to tea. With quirky décor at each of its three locations, you do feel like you have stepped into a child’s fantasy land when entering these whimsical restaurants. What you might not be ready for is the extensive menu – Alice’s does MORE then tea – featuring such wonderful (and appropriate) items for Minis as Apple slices with peanut butter or Nutella, celery sticks with peanut butter (obviously NOT nut-free) and homemade banana bread. Word of caution – each location has an adorable shop that you WILL have to drag your minis away from.

American Girl Café - Tea and Dolls…what could be more perfect? Served at 4pm daily, at $20 a person, the food and selection is surprisingly good (for both adults and kids) and who can resist the teeny highchairs for your tot’s doll! I personally love the questions on each table (“What do you want to be when you grow up," “Who is the person you admire most,” etc.) to stimulate fun and entertaining conversation between you and your mini.

Bemelmans Bar at the Carlyle Hotel - If you grew up on Madeline books and are hoping to get your Mini equally hooked, High Tea at Bemelman’s is a must! With live music and Madeline dolls scattered throughout the restaurant, the scrumptious buffet-style tea is a treat for all the senses. Although the Saturday tea service is on hiatus until October – it is a great special occasion destination if planning a special outing in the City in the fall/winter. The price however is NOT something to look forward to. At $20 for children 3 and under and over 3 at $40 a child, you might as well take this time to have your Mini start counting their pennies!

A ten-year resident of Manhattan, Carla Sullivan is the founder and “Mommy Muncher” of the internet’s only source of kid-friendly restaurants in NYC, www.MiniMunchers.com, the Ultimate Source for Children's Menus in New York City.

To check out restaurants children's menus or see reviews on these and many more NYC kid-friendly spots visit MiniMunchers.com. You can also find MiniMunchers on Twitter (@minimunchers) and on Facebook.