Friday Afternoon Tea an Inclusive Respite for All Communities

I closed out Pride Month by attending the fabulous and charming Queer Talent Show at Friday Afternoon Tea in Wallingford. This Queer and woman-owned business is a wonderful location with kind and knowledgeable staff, and their get-together for the end of Pride was cozy, loving, and all-around magical. Owned by the amazing Friday Elliott, Friday Afternoon Tea is quite simply the place to be.

It’s a delightful tea shop with dozens of unique flavors and blends available for tea newbies and seasoned tea enjoyers alike. Green teas, black teas, and even matcha sodas line the shelves of the parlor, with options for hot or cold brews, and even a sublime coffee blend that I had the distinct pleasure to sample. Their wares include common blends like Earl Grey and Gunpowder tea, crafted teas based on popular fandoms like Game of Thrones and Avatar the Last Airbender, and dozens more, as well as seasonal blends including a rainbow tea flight for Pride. But if none of those call to you, Friday Afternoon also has custom blending appointments, where you can find your perfect brew with the help of the staff.

The homey vibe of Friday Afternoon’s interior brings a sensation of warmth and community to the space. With lots of great indoor and outdoor seating, and large open windows, Friday Afternoon is a great place for working, reading, and enjoying a cuppa. Upon my entrance, I was especially drawn to their Pride Month decorations, including dazzling pride flags hanging from every corner of the shop, as well as the welcoming energy of the owner and staff. I can’t express the amount of kindness and openness that exude from every worker at Friday Afternoon Tea. Regulars were greeted by name, warm conversation filled the space, and even as a first timer at the tea shop, I felt immediately included and welcomed.

Menus and products at Friday Afternoon Tea

The Evergreen Echo

My introduction began—unbeknownst to me until I prepared this article—a few years ago, when I stumbled across the Friday Afternoon Tea Tik Tok page. I came across Friday Elliott, the owner, speaking about her experience with synesthesia, a neurological condition which causes different sensations (sight, smell, sound, etc.) to blend together. In Friday’s case, lexical gustatory synesthesia causes words—spoken, heard, and read—to have a distinct flavor. Using this ability, Friday blends teas that match their names or concepts, and even with just a few samples of tea blends, you can tell that her palette is refined. Brews are designed with the highest level of care, and the flavors complement each other in new and exciting ways.

Friday Afternoon also hosts a lot of events for building community, including craft nights, book club, and tabletop gaming nights. They are alternative, nerdy, and Queer, and frankly, I think this location would make a good home-away-from-home for just about anyone.

My award!

The Evergreen Echo

 At the Queer Talent Show on the last day of Pride, hosted by fiction author Evan J Peterson, the crowd experienced a cornucopia of Queer fun. The acts included music, cedar bark weaving, reading, and even yours truly took the stage to read a poem or two. The energy was friendly, uplifting, and gay (in both senses of the word). Peterson’s hilarious and positive commentary kept the momentum flowing, and his encouragement of the artists was heartwarming throughout the show. At the end, Friday even handed out some silly awards for each performer, and I will treasure my “Silly Little Guy” certificate forever. There was truly a sense of community built over the course of the show, creating a perfect end to a wonderful (and deeply important) month of Pride.

This writer is a big believer in the coveted and hard-to-find “third places” of the world. For those not in the know, a third place is a social place separate from work and home. Libraries, cafes, and tea shops have long been considered third places, but since the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic and the defunding of public libraries, third places are more difficult to find. That’s why I believe that inviting and open places like Friday Afternoon are so important to share, and especially ones that are made with Queer and marginalized communities in mind.

If you’re looking for a new café and are open to trying unique and nerdy tea flavors, I highly recommend visiting Friday Afternoon Tea.