Tea Tavern is Best Kept Secret in Botetourt County

The White Oak Tea Tavern On US 220.

The aroma of freshly baked scones greeted visitors to the White Oak Tea Tavern in Troutville on a recent Saturday.  The scones were part of an elaborately planned scavenger hunt for a young woman who, at her final stop later in the day, would receive a wedding proposal.  (She said yes.)

That was just the beginning of a busy day for Sherry Conrad and other employees at the Tea Tavern.  While checking on the scones and being interviewed by this reporter, the Fincastle resident greeted visitors and got ready for the rush-hour crowd.

Conrad says the building was originally a home owned by the Cloyds family in the 1700’s.   Lisa and Richard Farmer disassembled it from its old location about five miles away in the Amsterdam area and reassembled it on its current site on Roanoke Road (alternate 220 between Troutville and Fincastle) in 1996.  The Farmers made some additions, including a bathroom and kitchen, but Conrad says, “The rest of it is the original structure.”

Lisa Farmer ran a gift shop out of the building, and later it became a podiatrist’s office. The Tea Tavern, owned by Kim Arney, is the third business housed in the antique structure. Conrad says, “The atmosphere’s great.  The building is part of what makes White Oak Teas a success.”  People come for the relaxed atmosphere – the cozy, homey feeling of it.”

The Tea Tavern is open from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday and is closed on Sunday.  There’s a gift shop in the front which sells items such as jewelry, books, and decorations; the restaurant, which seats 20, is in the back. Reservations are requested because the restaurant is fairly small. The upstairs resembles a living room with couches and chairs.  Conrad says it’s designed as a quiet place for people to drink a cup of tea and enjoy a book.

She says a lot of elderly ladies dine at the Tea Tavern and the Red Hat Society meets there.  The restaurant hosts book clubs, Bible study groups, the Newcomer’s Club, and other groups.  People can rent the restaurant portion of the building for showers and other parties when the Tea Tavern is closed.

Sometimes men are a little timid about coming in. “They think it’s going to be a little prissy tea shop.  But when they get through (eating), they’re very content.”

According to business owner Kim Arney, the Tea Tavern sells 21 regular teas and has a variety of special teas.  “We have green teas, we have black teas, we have oolongs and tisanes which are herb and fruit teas,” says Conrad.  They have seasonal teas, such as a Valentine tea, wassail, pumpkin spice, and holiday spice teas and a Tavern signature blend, which is a more traditional tea.

Conrad says, “It’s one of the best kept secrets in Botetourt County.”  They do a little advertising, but most customers find out about the Tea Tavern by word of mouth or on the internet.  She says some people find the Tea Tavern on their annual journey to the Homestead or Greenbrier and stop in.  Then they make the restaurant a permanent stop on their trip.  The business is staying busy even during the tough economic times.  She says the recession hasn’t affected them that much, considering some people are eating out less to save money.  “I think we have a lot of loyal customers.”

One of those customers is Mary Floyd from Fincastle, who has been coming to the White Oak Tea Tavern since she moved from Lynchburg three years ago.  She drove past on Route 220, “and saw how cute it was and just wanted to see what it was all about.”  She and her husband dine there on occasion.  “It’s just so quaint; just a cute little spot.”  She stops in about two to three times a month to shop or eat.  “It feels private; it feels like it’s not a big shop, so it’s kind of intimate.”

By Beverly Amsler
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  1. Hi!! Love the article and I’m the one that said yes 🙂
    The Tea Tavern has always been a special place for our family to visit, so it was fitting that it was used in my proposal! The chicken salad is out of this world – either hot or cold, depending on your mood. And you will always get served with a smile…
    Thank you for including the memory of our special day in your article!!

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