Food and Drink Awards 2023

28 | LUXlife Magazine Most Authentic English Tea Room 2023 - Massachusetts he story of Shelly’s Tea Rooms begins in Kent, just before the 2000s had celebrated its 10th birthday. 2007 – a year marking drastic change for a variety of fields. However, none was impacted quite as much as the tea room market, and this is all thanks to the formation of Shelly’s Tea Rooms. Founded through the desire to deliver an authentic tea room experience that combined service, atmosphere, and fantastic food into one neat package, Shelly’s Tea Rooms spent the following twelve years impressing customers throughout the nation. However, by the time it had secured the title of Tea Rooms of the Year for two of its renowned locations, Shelly’s Tea Rooms could sense that change was on the horizon. As such, in 2019, it made the decision that would go on to paint an inspirational picture of the power of perseverance. Shelly’s Tea Rooms, having a deep connection to its roots, hoped that it could bring a slice of England to the US. So, after settling on New England Massachusetts as its new frontier, this humble tea room began its pursuit to be the most genuine English tea room experience that the region had ever seen. There was only one problem – by the time it had finally selected the perfect location in January 2020, the world was thrown into disarray by the COVID-19 pandemic. Suddenly, the hospitality industry was brought to a grinding halt, with little to no sign of normality returning in the coming months. Though most would have given up there, Shelly’s Tea Rooms was different. Instead of cutting its losses and returning to exclusively running its UKbased establishments, it demonstrated what has come to be its defining characteristic – perseverance. True, there had been a monumental amount of money sank into a project that could have remained overshadowed by the unfortunate effects of the global pandemic. But Shelly’s Tea Rooms had committed to its aim, and wasn’t ready to give up and deny the US the chance to indulge in authentic English cuisine. It was only thanks to this unrelenting perseverance that Shelly’s Tea Rooms exists today. Now, it’s known far and wide throughout the region for its genuine love for its heritage – a quality that truly brings something new to New England’s culinary market. As opposed to replicating traditional English tea room recipes and menus, Shelly’s Tea Rooms leverages its origins to deliver arguably the most genuine experience that the US has had the pleasure of witnessing. No longer do the people of Massachusetts need to rely on imitations of English dishes – they now have the opportunity to sample the real thing in one of the most welcoming atmospheres within the region. Authenticity is the backbone of Shelly’s Tea Rooms. It sought to bring a genuine English experience to America – one that wasn’t just an The year is 2007. Tea rooms throughout the UK have been in dire need of a revamp – a way to start offering more to the people of the nation. Enter Shelly’s Tea Rooms. Initially established in Kent in the hopes of revitalising the tea rooms industry, this authentic business would soon find its calling elsewhere. Join us as we take a journey through Shelly’s Tea Rooms’ rich history, and how it made the brave leap from its quaint Kent lifestyle to redefining tea room dining throughout Massachusetts. interpretation, but something real. Through sheer determination to do so, Shelly’s Tea Rooms has grown into something quite spectacular, and has even been nominated to be included in the Marquis Who’s Who of America back in July. This stands as the recognition that Shelly’s Tea Rooms has fought so tirelessly for. Through immense displays of tenacity, and a genuine love for its craft, it now has the chance to spread its story far and wide. And we’re so very pleased to be a part of that journey. Contact: Sean Sinclair Company: Shelly’s Tea Rooms Web Address: https://www.shellystearooms.com/ T • Oct23316

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTY1MjM3