Relax and Renew at Local Tea Shop

While busy traffic careens along Merrick Road throughout the day and night, a new relaxing spot for a cup of tea and scones has opened. Teapot offers a refreshing oasis from the hustle-and-bustle of urban life. Opened in September 2009, the cozy tea room offers a view of Mill Pond along with fresh sandwiches, pastries, and salads and the store's wide variety of teas served on elegant fine china. The owners, Sadia Ahmed and Nidhi Shah, are first-time proprietors to a tea shop but their graciousness, can-do attitude and uniqueness, are bringing in customers as well as birthday parties, Girl Scout troops, bridal showers and corporate events.

"Our business is unique because nothing else on Long Island can offer our ambiance along with the high-quality food," said Ahmed. "We decided to open our tea shop in Bellmore because it is a great, close-knit community."

The restaurant, which seats 30 to 35 people, is decorated with pink walls and other feminine touches, such as flowers, dolls, candles and even a Victorian settee. The shop offers 35 different types of teas, including black, white, green, herbal, and oolong. Some of the more popular teas are English Breakfast, Chocolate Soufflé, Tropical Mango, Orange Spice, Raspberry Rose Petal, and Strawberry White.

For Valentine's Day tomorrow, Teapot is offering a special prix fixe menu of $39.99 per couple. The Valentine's Day Brunch includes a choice of four different sandwiches: tomato with vegetable cream on white bread, walnut mousse on cinnamon raisin bread, rosemary roasted chicken with arugula and tomato on a cranberry walnut roll, white cheddar cheese with a green apple with herb mayonnaise on a croissant, or egg salad with baby spinach on a croissant; pastries such as red velvet cake, strawberry shortcake, cheesecake, and chocolate mousse; two scones and a pot of tea.

When it is not catering to romantic or quiet teas, the shop welcomes children for special three-hour birthday parties. The owners work with each family to choose a theme, such as an American Girl doll party, arts and crafts, etiquette and manner lessons or dress-up parties. Guests can have fun and dress up in fancy hats and boas and use miniature tea sets. If the children do not like anything from the standard menu, Teapot offers peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, mini muffins, M & M cookies and chocolate milk or regular milk served in a teapot.

"We usually have six to eight parties a month," said Ahmed. "The charge varies and we customize the party depending on what the parents and children are looking to do. For children's parties, we talk to the parents to customize it for their needs. We are also flexible on our hours for parties. Our parties are best suited to girls [age] 6 and older."

Teapot is open Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. For those who are too busy to stay at the tea room, Teapot offers a to-go menu with a variety of sandwiches, salads, pastries and teas to take home.