There is a certain kind of lunch that slows the whole day down, and Tennessee tea rooms have perfected it. Think chicken salad tucked into a croissant, warm scones, and glasses of sweet tea served in rooms full of quiet charm.
These are the spots where a midday meal feels less like grabbing food and more like sitting down to Sunday dinner with people who like you. Many of them keep short hours and only open a few days a week, so a little planning goes a long way.
From the mountains of Gatlinburg to the antique halls of Collierville, here are seven tea rooms across the state worth clearing your calendar for. Save this list, because half the fun is picking which one you visit first.
1. Lulu’s Tea Room, Powell, TN
Chicken salad on a croissant is the star here, and it earns the attention. Lulu’s leans into home-cooked-style plates, with sandwiches cut into quarters, quiches, and fresh baked goods rounding out the menu.
The setup is simple and satisfying. You can order chicken salad on a croissant with two sides and a glass of sweet tea, which pretty much sums up the whole promise of this list.
Baked goods deserve a mention too. Homemade cake shows up fresh, and a Tea Tier gives the table a little event feel without much effort.
You will find it at 3703 W Beaver Creek Dr in Powell, with a free parking lot and free street parking. Hours run Tuesday through Friday from 11 AM to 2 PM, so this is a weekday lunch stop.
Dine-in and takeout are both options, and the tea selection gets called out as a highlight for good reason.
2. Applecake Tea Room, Knoxville, TN
Banana nut bread has a way of stealing the show at this Knoxville favorite. The tea room medley plate pairs a scoop of chicken salad with banana bread finger sandwiches, chips, and fruit, giving you a little of everything.
The chicken salad is the reason people keep coming back, smooth and generous on the plate. Pair it with the country-style lunch fare and you have a meal that fits the Sunday-dinner feeling perfectly.
Decor is rustic and warm, the kind of setting that makes the room work for anything from a solo lunch to a full group gathering. It has even hosted a proper tea party for a Girl Scout troop, which tells you the space knows how to celebrate.
Find it at 11312 Station W Dr in Knoxville. It opens Monday through Saturday, 11 AM to 2 PM, and closes Sunday.
Free parking is available, and the tea selection is a noted strength. Dine-in and takeout keep things flexible.
3. Wild Plum Tea Room, Gatlinburg, TN
Set in Gatlinburg’s Arts and Crafts Community, this teahouse brings mountain scenery to lunch. The old-world style suits the rustic setting, and it makes the drive up feel like part of the meal.
The menu reaches beyond the usual tea room fare. Alongside chicken salad served with fresh fruit, you will find dishes like lobster pie, roasted beets with feta and toasted walnuts, and corn and wild rice with smoked sausage.
Scones and the flourless chocolate torte give the dessert side real weight, and the house Wild Plum tea is a signature worth trying. The tea selection is a recognized highlight.
A few practical notes matter here. Wild Plum is open Thursday through Saturday, 11 AM to 3 PM, and reservations are required, with a wait common even then.
Prices run roughly 20 to 60 dollars per person.
You will find it at 555 Buckhorn Rd. There is outdoor seating, a kids’ menu with high chairs, dogs are welcome, and parking is plentiful and free.
4. Miss Marenda’s Tea Room, Sparta, TN
Small-town Sparta holds one of the more charming lunch surprises in this roundup. Miss Marenda’s serves comfort food in a space decorated with antiques, and there is an antique shop upstairs to browse after you eat.
Chicken salad is the standout order, and the home-cooked entrees back it up nicely. The whole thing feels quaint in the best way, a quiet room where lunch takes its time.
Tea drinkers get plenty to explore, with numerous offerings and a noted great tea selection. The menu also stretches into brunch, small plates, and dessert, so there is room to build a meal your way.
Prices are easy, generally 10 to 20 dollars per person. That makes this an affordable stop if you are passing through the Cumberland Plateau.
Located at 5 E Maple St, it opens Tuesday through Friday, 11 AM to 2 PM. Coffee is a strength, service moves quickly, and free parking is available in a lot and on the street.
5. Nostalgic Tea Rooms, Collierville, TN
Tucked inside the Sheffield Antiques Mall, this Collierville spot delivers English tea in the middle of a treasure hunt. Browsing the mall and stopping for a proper tea makes for an easy afternoon.
The chicken salad plate holds its own, often paired with tea and scones served with cream. The British tea is a repeat order for regulars, and the great tea selection is a listed highlight.
Family-run and calm, the room works well for celebrations. It has hosted birthday high teas and group gatherings, so the staff know how to make a table feel special.
Beyond the tea and sandwiches, the kitchen offers heartier options and standout desserts, giving the menu more range than you might expect from a tea room.
Find it at 684 W Poplar Ave. Hours run Tuesday through Saturday, 11:30 AM to 3 PM, and Sunday from noon to 3 PM. Parking is plentiful and free, and both dine-in and takeout are available.
6. Miss Ashley’s Tearoom Cafe and Catering, Clarksville, TN
Clarksville’s entry keeps longer hours than most tea rooms, which makes it easy to build a whole outing around. Miss Ashley’s covers breakfast, lunch, and dinner, backed by a large tea selection.
Favorites here tend to cluster around a few dishes. The spinach quiche, the scone with cream, and the chicken salad all earn regular praise, and trying more than one variety of chicken salad is part of the fun.
The room is welcoming and inclusive, listed as an LGBTQ+ friendly and transgender safe space with a gender-neutral restroom. It is the kind of place that treats every guest like a regular.
Nashville visitors have found the trip north pays off, calling it well worth the drive. That says a lot for a lunch spot.
You will find it at 494 Kraft St. Hours run Tuesday through Friday, 9 AM to 4 PM, and weekends from 9 AM to 6 PM. Delivery, dine-in, and takeout are all offered, with free on-site parking.
7. Fork of the South Southern Tea Room & Candy Martini Bar, Franklin, TN
Choosing your own teacup off a wall of about 100 decorative options is how the meal starts here. That single detail sets Franklin’s Fork of the South tea room apart from the rest of the list.
The room itself is small and full of character, roughly seven tables set inside The Factory at Franklin. Vintage-style music from the roaring twenties through the forties plays while you settle in.
The menu leans into Southern tradition with freshly brewed teas, house-made pastries, and light bites by day. Favorites include the chicken salad, cucumber sandwiches, and chess squares, plus savory sandwiches, scones, and sweet treats that leave you full.
There is a twist worth knowing. It shares its space with a candy martini concept, and the tea room sits inside a general store and sugar factory, so there is plenty to explore around your table.
Located at 230 Franklin Rd #8D, it is open daily with hours running as late as 8 PM on Fridays and Saturdays. Free street parking is available, and dine-in and takeout are offered.
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