At The Gables LBI restaurant in Beach Haven, NJ, we take pleasure in serving afternoon tea daily during the season. Our tea menu features freshly-made finger sandwiches and elegant pastries, along with a selection of premium teas, in true Victorian style. It provides the perfect break after a day of exploring some of the many attractions that this historic barrier island and the nearby New Jersey shore have to offer.

The hallowed British institution of afternoon tea is said to have been invented in England in the late 1700s by Anna, seventh Duchess of Bedford, who took to ordering tea and cakes in the afternoon to bridge the gap between luncheon and a fashionably late dinner.

Her Grace’s remedy for what she described as ‘a sinking feeling’ eventually branched into three forms: Afternoon Tea (very proper, with tiny, paper-thin sandwiches, minuscule cream-and-jam-filled scones, petit fours and perhaps a cake or tart), Family Tea (an everyday affair with family favorites like hot buttered toast, pancakes, biscuits—alias cookies—and a plain cake), and High Tea. Far from being an elegant repast, this is by definition a tea at which meat is served — it’s a country-style meal served at about six o’clock in place of dinner.

The Gables also offers customized Private Afternoon Tea Parties, a wonderful way to celebrate a special occasion or just enjoy a gathering of friends.

Afternoon tea is available beginning at 11:30 until 3:30 pm. Relax in this tradition of an elegant Victorian tea, complete with finger sandwiches, delicate pastries, and china pots filled with fragrant teas of your choice.