Foreword:
Hello, dear friends. Hope you're having a wonderful day upon reading this post and thank you for visiting another blog entry at, "Elle and the Peach." This article is one that is near and dear to my heart. Upon writing this entry, I made a visit to The Ginger Room. During my time there, one of the Ginger Room’s guests said something that resonated with me so profoundly. She said that the art of tea drinking has the ability to "ease one's soul." I hope this post does the same for you <3 Enjoy.
-E
Angela had always dreamt of starting her very own tea room and in 2019, she decided to do exactly that. Let us start with the origin of the tea room's name. Upon a long-standing cycle of stomach aches, Angela's fiancé, Dr. Karl suggested she try a special, cold-pressed ginger juice remedy that he used in his time growing up in South London. Shortly thereafter, not only did the fresh ginger juice halt Angela's stomach pains, but the health benefits were above and beyond. Soon enough, she was making several variations of cold-pressed ginger juices and ginger teas and made the decision to start a business to share these benefits with others. This, in turn, manifested into what we now know today as, "The Ginger Room."
The Ginger Room is one of the first black-owned tea rooms in Alpharetta, Georgia, and continues to rank highly amongst tea rooms in the Atlanta area. The building where The Ginger Room vacates is one of the oldest houses in the Alpharetta, Georgia area, and is known as the The Skeleton-Teasley House, which was originally owned by one of the first doctors and postmasters in the Alpharetta area, Dr. Oliver P. Skelton.
As I approached the historic Skelton-Teasley House on Roswell Street; it felt as though I was about to take a step back into time, a cinematic moment. It was in an established neighborhood, but looked just a tad out-of-place next to the tall, modern development next door. Refreshingly so. The facade was somewhat plain, with a dash of stately charm. The historic marker in front stated that it had indeed been originally owned by a person of significance – one of the first doctors and postmasters in the Alpharetta area, Dr. Oliver P. Skelton. The plaque also noted that the building sat on one of the highest elevation points in the city and is amongst the oldest buildings in the area.
Upon stepping inside, I noticed the creaking of old wooden floors. It was heartwarmingly nostalgic, and reminded me of my Grandfather’s childhood home in Mississippi; reminiscent of a time long gone. I was greeted by a large, antique chandelier hanging in the main tea room. Lovely robin's egg blue walls fill out the room, accompanied by an old brick fireplace and another wall covered with damask wallpaper. In the front sat a sweet and elaborate table set for five. To the right, were two large chalkboards placed on either side of the window for coffee and juice menu options. A young manager presented me with an extensive menu of teas and pastries. I love that the menu has an assortment of classic teas such as English Breakfast, Earl Grey, and Jasmine Tea. Additionally, the menu also has some fun and unique teas such as Peach is the New Black and Lemon Meringue. However, one of my favorite teas was the one named, Prince Harry and Meg’s Royal Wedding Blend, the menu states it is composed of tasting notes such as Rooibos, Apple, Calendula, and Wild Rose Buds. The menu also hysterically states that one of this tea’s tasting notes is “Camping in South Africa.” If you know, you know.
Lastly, my favorite thing about The Ginger Room is the fact that they offer afternoon tea and high tea. Both options offer a wide array of delicious quiches, scones, croissants, and sandwiches accompanied with a choice of tea. Whether you fancy a pot of tea and nostalgia or your soul just needs a bit of easing, The Ginger Room is indeed the perfect spot.
