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Ever wanted to hop right into the pages of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and have yourself a tea party alongside the Mad Hatter, the March Hare and the rest of those classic Lewis Carol characters? Now you can: to tie into the New York Botanical Garden’s immersive exhibition, Wonderland: Curious Nature—which is set to open on Saturday, May 18, and run through Sunday, October 27—the gardens will also debut several whimsical food experiences this summer, including a picturesque tea party.
RECOMMENDED: The best afternoon tea NYC has to offer, with scones, sandwiches and more
As garden guests journey down the rabbit hole in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory and across 250 acres done up in sights, settings and scenes straight out of Carol's iconic story, the Constellation Culinary Group will bring immersive, Alice-themed food and beverage moments to life, including trippy cocktails, afternoon tea experiences, a new prix-fixe menu at Hudson Garden Grill and more.
At grab-and-go pastry and coffee spot Pine Tree Café, you'll find Alice’s “Drink Me” Lavender Lattes, served hot or iced; a Queen’s Lemonade inspired by the Queen of Hearts; and themed pastries including Illustrated Wonderland Sugar Cookies and Mad Hatter Chocolate Brownies. There will also be sandwiches, salads and wraps, with all-day service stretching from 10am to 6pm on Tuesdays through Sundays.
The Rose Court will transform into a Queen of Hearts-inspired pop-up at the blooms-filled Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden, where visitors can indulge in the Queen’s berry lemonade, an array of cookies, sweets, and frozen treats such as ice cream sandwiches, complemented by refreshing cold beverages, including an enticing red spiced hibiscus iced tea.
NYBG's full-service, sit-down restaurant Hudson Garden Grill will serve themed menus and specialty cocktails throughout the duration of the exhibit. Prix-fixe options ($60 for three courses) including an Heirloom Tomato & Watermelon Heart Salad, Roasted Freebird Chicken Breast and Cauliflower Steak. You can finish your meal off with sweets like themed “Eat Me” Sugar Cookies, classic petite fours, and house-made scones with clotted cream. The summertime menu will run from May 17 through August, with a fall switchover happening in September.
And for that classic Mad Hatter's experience, the Hudson Garden Grill will also host an enchanting Tea Party Party (so nice, they named it twice), offering pots of tea, savory hors d’oeuvres, tea sandwiches, and a selection of sweets. Offered by reservation-only on Thursday afternoons, the Tea Party Party ($80 per adult, $45 per child) features festive stuff like a Mad Hatter cocktail flight, mini meat pies, and kid-friendly dishes like bunny-shaped sandwiches. And guests are encouraged to break out their Wonderland-inspired best from their closets for an extra dose of whimsy.
Savory treats including Mini Meat Pies, Stuffed Vine-Ripe Cherry Tomatoes, and kid-friendly dishes like Bunny-Shaped Sandwiches for the littlest wonderers. Guests are invited to don their finest Wonderland-inspired attire and costumes for an extra sense of adventure. The experience will run from 4:30pm to 5:30pm from May 23 through October 24.
See more photos of some of the NYBG’s wondrous Wonderland-themed food-and-drink offerings below.
