Arteastic

We reserved an afternoon tea session here. Sobella Loreto, the Arteastic owner, was such a great host. She described her background, her passion for tea and art, and her interior space. All the paintings along the walls are Sobella's work. I would describe her space as cozy, relaxed, and inviting with Parisian music playing in the background.

Sobella had us try out her Sri Lankan tea, which I would say was quite pleasant on its own and reminded me of Ceylon tea; it also paired well with cream and sugar. Then, she came out with our afternoon tea treats, which came in three tiers: savory sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and jam, and lemon cake with macarons. For the most part, all of the food was flavorful; the only constructive feedback I did have was that the bread, scones, and cake were a bit dry. Thankfully, the sandwich fillings, clotted cream and jam, cooked apple pieces, and cooked lemon peels added that much needed moisture. For each tier of treats, I do have specific commentary on them:

Bottom tier: All of the sandwiches were flavorful. The first sandwich was a smoked salmon sandwich, which had a thin layer of cream cheese, smoked salmon, and arugula. Within the cream cheese itself were specks of freshly chopped dill throughout. The overall sandwich was fantastic. Next, we had a cucumber sandwich, which also had that dill infused cream cheese with crisp thinly sliced cucumbers. It was so refreshing. The third sandwich was a chicken salad sandwich, which had freshly diced apples and celery that added such a great crunch. The apples did add a bit of sweetness, but it wasn't overpowering. This too was a refreshing sandwich.

Middle tier: The scones were imbedded with warm fall spices and small cooked apple pieces. Delicious! Now, we did have to add their fresh clotted cream and fragrant strawberry jam to add more moisture to the scone.

Top tier: The lemon cake was brimming with lemon flavor and was studded with cooked lemon peel bits. It was a bit dry, though. Nothing that a sip of their tea won't fix. Their pistachio macaron was kind of dense and not as airy as I'm used to; but, the pistachio cream and pistachio pieces throughout more than made up for this. Yummy!

In summary, this spot was a wonderful place for afternoon tea. The price was very reasonable as well at $40 per person. We look forward to coming here again with friends. Sobella also holds painting classes, so there's something else to do here. Come and check out this spot if you're looking for a relaxing afternoon tea spot.

I love this place. So many art work made by the owner! I love the tea, the ambiance. It’s a great place to spend some quite time reading a good book or just celebrate with your friends.

Loved the environment. Met the owners. Beautifully decorated place with an amazing collection and variety of "Tea" from all around the globe. Best English Tea place I have ever seen in Houston. The owner is well educated about Tea and Art. She has displayed her beautiful art work in there and also sells it. The environment and atmosphere was soothing. A separate tea room for small get togethers and parties. Evening tea special orders can also be booked in advance which have a nice combination of sweet and salty items. Loved the place.

This was my first time coming here after passing by this place for over a year. I brought my mom for Mother’s Day and was treated to the best tea experience I’ve ever had. The gallery itself is a marvel to look at. All credit to Sobella and her beautiful artistry. The place itself is very open and welcoming. You get the sense of feeling at home once you walk in. We made the reservation for afternoon tea. Alex greeted us warmly and led us to our table. We were served tea immediately and then the most delicious sandwiches (cucumber and cream cheese, chicken salad, smoked salmon), scones with butter and jam, fruit with crème fraiche, macarons, and tres leches cake slices. It was so delicious. I wanted to stay there all day! Will come back and with more friends!

This place is a hidden gem! The rose and lavender macarons were delicious and unique. A wide variety of tea was available including a Paris tea which I highly recommend! The owners were kind and welcoming. The paintings, China, and decorations were absolutely stunning.