Lovely little tea shop, where, unfortunately, I didn't actually order any tea. We had lunch here and I had the delicious brie, ham, and apricot panini with a side of their wonderful lobster bisque. (Very tasty, considering how far from the coast they are!) My companion ordered the turkey, ham, and swiss panini with maple syrup for dipping, which was also wonderful. Would definitely come back for tea and a scone!
(5)
Susan W.
Met up with a friend here for brunch and really enjoyed it. The food is good, but a little pricy (thus 4 stars rather than 5), they offer lots of tea options, and have a cozy vibe which is great for breakfast, brunch, and lunch. We ordered the High Tea which is served on a three level metal frame - a little bulky for the small tables, but still lends to the fun English Tea feel. My friend got the chicken curry sandwhich and loved it. I had the lobster bisque which was very tasty. I had a savory crepe with artichoke hearts, spinach and tomatoes. We both ordered the Tea Cake, which is like a dense pound cake and it was heavenly! I ordered the lemon flavor which had a good balence between tangy lemon flavor and sweet cake with glaze. Its a great place to stop by if you're in the area or want to linger over hot tea during the dreadful Upstate winters. Tip - take a stroll down the main street to window shop at some of the consignment, jewlry, and home furnishing stores.
(4)
Charles D.
Perfect afternoon find ... orange cranberry scones and orange ginger tea ... I actually passed on coffee!
(5)
Shameem A.
Awesome food, service, ambience. Highly recommend the "afternoon tea" off the menu. I got an eggplant panini and mushroom soup and (the highlight) the s'mores crepe. AMAZINg!!! Literally best crepe ever. All coffees here are French press. They're known for their tea. I loved everything about this place and wish I lived close so I could go all the time. Everybody in our party of 6 left super happy.
(5)
Cooper N.
This place is well worth going to. It may not be cheap, but I wouldn't label it expensive either. A great place for breakfast or lunch. I got one of their two quiche specials, of which they have two every day. I got sausage and leek. With it I got a scone and a coffee. I'm not a big fan of quiche, but I wanted to try it, and I ended up loving it. It wasn't dry at all, and the crust was buttery and flakey. I was very happy. The coffee comes out in its own little French press. The server plunged it down for me and put her entire body weight into it. Not sure why, I've never done that, but whatever... A great cup of coffee. Of course they have a huge tea selection and they probably have something for anyone. Black, green, oolong, pu-erh, red, herbal, and flavored. All loose leaf and it comes in a pot! My girlfriend got a crepe and a cup of chowder. Both were fantastic and I'll definitely try a crepe next time. I'm not sure where you could go wrong with there menu. Everything really does look great, so give them a try!
(5)
Bill Z.
Obvious reference by name... decorated in tea... the menu devotes twice as much space to drink options than food options... I've dined here, and I've gotten specialty teas from here as gifts. This has been a nice add to Front St. in Ballston both for atmosphere and variety, and a pleasant place for lunch, casual time, or a light, early, dinner. One thing I have not noticed in other reviews: you should be aware that the kitchen shuts down 30 minutes before closing (the waitresses do an excellent job of making sure you're aware). The tea selection is impressive. I would have explored it had I not come in at the end of the day. I instead opted for one of the iced tea selections of the day. That was quite refreshing, and served in a tall glass with a lot of ice... interesting since the glass of water you get when seated will be room temperature with no ice. Then again, in a place that serves hot and iced teas, are you really here for the water? The menu offers an assortment of soups, paninis, salads, and such. I opted for a bowl of one of the soups of the day, a chicken and white bean chili soup. It was reasonably priced and large enough to serve as a light meal. It was also quite thick - no doubt a bit of bean puree - and just the right amount of cumin to give it warmth without being overwhelming. I found the seating to be comfortable and the service to be easygoing and adequate for what we ordered. I do enjoy visiting specialty tea shops occasionally, and the fact that you can get a nice meal here as well is definitely a plus.
(4)
Leonna M.
I've eaten here a few times with friends, but since I recently decided to try to go vegetarian, I stopped in by myself to see if the food was just as good! I ordered the hot garden panini, the roasted red pepper soup and the flourless cake. Everything was absolutely amazing! The panini surprised me in how delicious it was - full of flavor and depth. Thesoup was rich and filling for a cold day. The cakewas even richer and almost too much for me, but I ate it all! I took off a star for only two issues: the iced tea of the day was a bit over steeped and had a slight bitter taste. Not a big deal because I've had the perfect cup from them before, so just a small error. However, I was disappointed by the small vegetarian section. I used to order the apricot, ham and brie sandwich or the chipotle chicken sandwich when I was eating meat. Now, my options were pretty basic. Either a salad (blech, I hate salads) or one of three hot sandwiches. I was slightly disappointed. I loved the apricot and brie sandwich because of the sweetness combined with the salty. And the spice and flavor in the chipotle chicken was amazing! So I'd love to see some of those amazing flavor profiles translated over to vegetarian dishes. It would up the score to five stars, for sure. Maybe if they even offer an option like a grilled eggplant instead of chicken or portobello mushrooms or some substitute that you can use across the board, it'd be perfect.
(4)
Linda D.
Can't believe they would not give us a booth when there were five empty ones. Left and will never return.
(1)
Tim A.
Great portions for a great price. Food had amazing flavor. Lots of menu choices to choose from. I'd suggest The Afternoon Tea. Great way to sample little bit of everything.
(5)
Sarah K.
I have been here a few times and I have always had a very positive experience. To be honest, the prices are fairly high for a casual lunch but the food is good enough to be worth it every once in a while. During my last visit, I got the turkey and avocado panini ($11), added bacon (+1.25-ish), and upgraded to a cup of lobster bisque (+$3, I believe). The bisque was delicious and as always, the sandwich was out-of-this-world. I haven't tried any others because I always want the same thing again! I asked the waitress for a tea recommendation and I got a smoky green tea which wasn't my cup of tea (haha) but wasn't bad. There are a lot of options and I like that you can smell the teas towards the front of the store so I think that next time I'll be able to make a better decision. The atmosphere here is very casual and relaxed and the staff are always supremely friendly. I haven't had a bad experience yet and it could only be made better by a cheaper bill (I paid $42 after tip for two people this last trip)!
(5)
Catherine R.
I have been here a few times in the last 6 months and I have to update my review. The staff has really improved (new people? new training? don't know but it's a big difference) and the service was my only complaint before. The last few times I've been here, my wait staff have been friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. My dining companion was even seated without me so she didn't have to wait up front when I ran late. This is now a very solid restaurant and I can happily recommend it!
(4)
Marianne K.
Delicious home made taste, good service and we loved the old brick building ambience.
(4)
Kelly F.
When living in Saratoga this was one of my go to places for something different and a good lunch or brunch to meet up with lady friends:) I was back in the area a few days ago for Christmas -- when my sister and best friend visited TWK for brunch on Sunday. Still as I remember, busy for obvious reason and the ambiance is super cozy for a cold day. I ordered the afternoon tea, so did my sister, you can't go wrong with that choice and you'll be close to stuffed after the choice of a sandwich and soup or salad and a dessert. I chose the Ballstonian sandwich, lobster bisque and blueberry scone and the snowflake tea! Yum and yum!!! Highly recommend the bisque and Ballstonian, actually I recommend it all! Everything tastes so fresh-- if you're ever traveling through the cute town of Ballston spa or just wanting to get a nice afternoon meal, The Whistling Kettle is your goto!
(5)
Mary P.
Starting to slip a bit. I had to revise my rating from 4 to 2. The $3.50 "pot" of coffee is one cup. Also, they can't seem to serve the panini hot, which is by definition what a panini is. The specials are the same soups over and over, and service is hit and miss. Very disappointing.
(2)
Andrew J.
The afternoon tea special was perfect for splitting and they'll upgrade your house salad to one of the premiums for $3. We really enjoyed all of the tea selections and the smelling bar to help make your decision. The dining room was cozy and nice. The staff was very helpful.
(5)
Larisa A.
Honestly, the only reason we keep coming back here is because the food is pretty good. The service absolutely sucks. There is one older woman who serves there who is nice and generally attentive, but every other server we've had has been awful. One time my boyfriend and I made the mistake of sitting outside, which apparently is the forgotten area that servers don't like to go to. It took probably 20 minutes for us to even be acknowledged by our server, another 15 to even get water, and the server didn't even bother to bring us our teas until the food came out, which was 50 MINUTES AFTER WE SAT DOWN. Another 45 minutes later, and she couldn't be bothered to check on us or bring us our check, so I actually had to leave my boyfriend there to wait, otherwise I would have been late for work. Another time, I came here again with my boyfriend, and with my mother and my grandmother, who was visiting from out of town. My mother and grandmother ordered a pot of coffee to share, and told the server that they did not want the coffee until after their meal. The server came out with the meal, and the pot of coffee, announcing that "they" had accidentally made the coffee too early. Uh.. so don't bring it out and make "them" brew a new pot for when it's time to bring it out, aka when the customers said they'd like it brought to them? Absurdly rude. On top of that, the server acted very annoyed when my mother and grandmother asked for her to bring it back, because it was too weak. These are just of the more recent experiences we've had, I don't remember the specific details of previous ones, but I do know that pretty much every time we come here, the service is very, very sub-par.
(2)
Nikki B.
This is the best place in ballston spa to have lunch or brunch! The tra lunch with the 3 tier tower is so much fun:-) we buy the teas for home and go there often
(5)
Denice R.
This was my final meal before I headed back home and it was a great way to end a fabulous trip! I was in Troy when I discovered their second location. I didn't have time to eat there, so I'm happy I was able to experience the food at the Ballston Spa location. I ordered the Afternoon Tea, which is a "build your own" type of deal and includes a beverage. I decided to step out of the box and ordered the apple, bacon and 3 cheese panini, the soup of the day (which was butternut squash) and a slice of cake (I can't recall the exact name at this moment). The meal arrives on a tier with the sandwich on top, soup in the middle and cake on the bottom. The cake was calling me, so I tried that first. I wanted to slap someone - in a good way. Moist, melt-in-your-mouth goodness with the right amount of frosting. Moved onto the soup and it was just as good as the cake. Now the panini was everything I was expecting it to be - a hot, cheesy, salty-sweet goodness of a sandwich. Because I was getting on a plane, I ate all of the soup and took the sandwich and cake to go. The sandwich reheated well in the oven and that cake didn't last long. Please give this spot a try if you are ever in the area. The staff is superb and the food is worth every penny.
(5)
Alex M.
Great food, even better tea! Prices are reasonable especially for the loose tea they sell. They even sell all the proper items to brew the tea at home
(5)
Hannah S.
This place is average and absolutely over-priced. The best part was definitely the tea. I love having so many options and my own personal kettle. On another positive note, they have an extensive gluten free menu. Their sandwiches, from what I´ve tasted, are solid. So, if you want a sandwich and tea and don´t care much about service... you´ll be happy. Now on to why I wasn't a fan... First off, their salads are just sub-par for a cafe like this. All of them are served on a bed of regular lettuce. Which, I know, sounds pretentious of me to point out. But, I haven´t been to a cafe in a while that doesn't have different greens for each salad. The easy fix of an arugula or mixed greens base would have made my $10 goat cheese salad more tasty and suddenly worth the price. It didn't help that my soup tasted like it´d been shipped straight from the Campbells factory. I got the three course lunch because I´d heard good things and wanted to try as much as I could. I ordered the bread pudding for dessert. I really hope the owner reads this because their recipes need to change for a lot of their dishes. The bread pudding was dry... bread pudding is definitely not supposed to be dry. The disappointing food experience was mirrored in the inconsistent service- somewhat nice hostess who did not communicate the wait properly and a friendly server who seemed too busy to genuinely care. And to top it all off, the bathroom was pretty darn chilly... just another not awful thing that was just not good. All in all, decent place, but certainly not much more than that.
(3)
Kait H.
I'm so impressed. How can I start? Tea options have wonderful range, fair trade...organic... very thoughtful. The personal tea pot was awesome. The tea was smooth and bold... exactly what I expected and wanted. The food is creative. Everything looked and tasted home made. Everything fairly priced. My waitress was such a kind spirit. A natural at her job and made myself and my guest want to stay and enjoy all day. Interior is obviously kept well. Very clean. Beautiful clean cut design. Comfortable booths and chairs. Separate and semi - community seating (you're next to your neighbor in some seating). A feeling of community, we'll being, and happiness is the ambiance. I'll be back. Thank you for a wonderful time.
(5)
Meghan M.
Always delicious tea and the spicy chili roast beef panini is a fav! The Afternoon Tea is definitely the way to go. Nice little covered patio area out front for dining during nice weather. Modern fireplace inside adds to a cozy atmosphere. Extensive tea list, you'll never be disappointed. Many paninis, sandwiches, salads and crepes. Lemon marscapone cake is a fav as well. You'll definitely need to go back again to try other items on the menu!
(5)
Teresa S.
Everything was beyond delicious! Ratatouille with goat cheese, apple squash soup as part of the afternoon tea option! Orang cranberry scone was amazing! Service was friendly and perfectly attentive! Perfect lunch for a cold, sleety day during the holidays!
(5)
Cheska R.
After several days on winter break, I called up a friend and decided to meet her here for an adult afternoon tea party. It was just what we needed after driving in from a snowstorm. I wanted to try the tiers, which was about $19, but we figured it was cheaper to buy our sandwiches, soups and teas. I've recently become vegan, so it sucked that they had very few vegeterian options and no vegan options at all. Ended up ordering the Gardener's Panini, without the mozzarella. The basil pesto had Parmesan but I figured I needed to pick and choose my battles. Our server was very patient, and answered all our questions regarding the menu. Even without the cheese, the panini was quite tasty! The tea list is very extensive, which could be overwhelming, especially if you don't know anything about tea. I opted for the chocolate chai tea. Again, I had to request no milk. Nondairy milk was not available, but the tea tasted just fine on its own. Didn't have the opportunity to try dessert since we were anxious to be on the roads while there was a lull in the snowstorm. Total bill for two came down to $30. Good service, good atmosphere, good food, and excellent selection of teas! Just docked a star for lack of vegeterian/vegan options. I would come here again when I'm off my vegan challenge.
(4)
Heather S.
This is one of my favorite places to take visitors when they come to town; a great spot for an always fantastic day meal. I typically go with the afternoon tea menu option when I visit the Whistling Kettle [love all those choices!!] Recently I chose the Italian Roast Beef panini as my top layer. The sandwich was layered with medium roast beef, sun-dried tomato aioli, spinach, red onions, roasted red pepper and Swiss cheese and was grilled to melty perfection. Usually, I grab for the Lobster Bisque when at the Whistling Kettle, but with my friend Emily's seal of approval as being in her top five soups of CDNY, I chose a cup of the Roasted Red Pepper with Smoked Gouda for my middle layer. The soup was REALLY hot when it was served, and I still couldn't stop trying to eat it for long enough to let it really cool off at all. After burning my mouth at least three times, I finally pushed it aside and started in on my sandwich, knowing I couldn't resist the goodness even if it was flaming unless I had something else to distract my taste buds. [Thankfully, that sandwich did the job. WOAH. Flavor overload!] And for dessert my go-to order whenever it's on the menu, which isn't that big of a deal because it's almost always on the menu, carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. After I ordered, I had a moment of realization that I was surprised by my decision. I remembered, of course it was after I ordered, that the last few times I've had carrot cake I'd been kind of disappointed with it. Thankfully, when the cake arrived it was terrific. Not at all dry or crumbly, which has been my sad critique of the previous disappointment-filled cakes.
(5)
Lauren G.
Literally the WORST restaurant experience I have ever had. Not just at the Whistling Kettle but out any restaurant I've ever been to. I understand that sometimes you have to wait for a table, but to wait for an hour and also not seat 75% of the party because one person is stuck in traffic and is not there yet is just absolutely ridiculous. Then after finally getting a table, our waiter was extremely unfriendly and inattentive. I didn't get any refills on my iced tea(free refills for the special supposedly). I didn't even get a refill on my water. We get the bill and are figuring out each persons part of the check when the manager(not 100% if she was a mgr-old blonde lady that apparently thinks the patrons are just as dumb as her) comes up to the table and rudely implies/asks if I need a calculator. Just a few minutes after we sign the check this same rude woman comes up to the table again and essentially tells us to get out because other people are waiting. This has absolutely ruined my opinion of this place and will definitely NOT be coming back. Good luck keeping customers if you're going to belittle them AND kick them out.
(1)
Tom S.
A nice tea specialty place. I had a chocolate cheesecake and a glass of iced tea. As you may expect from those tea specialty places, the iced tea was not like these sugar water available in most restaurants in the upstate NY - you'd enjoy nice aroma and taste of the tea you order. They also have some selections of local craft beer available.
(5)
Joseph L.
Went for lunch around 2pm, the place was half full. The food was decent, but nothing to rave about. The real draw is the tea (so I get the attraction). However the service is the real downfall here. They had seven servers working and they struggled throughout lunch. It took ten minutes just to bring out milk for one of our party. They brought the wrong lunch to another and acted like we were mistaken. All in all not bad, but certainly not worth a second trip.
(2)
Amey Y.
I was in the area on business and stopped in here for lunch. I was so glad I picked this place. It was nice out so I sat in one of their outdoor tables. The service was great. The waitress was very sweet and friendly. She checked in on me often, gave some ideas of what else in the area I should check out if I had time, and gave me opinions on whats best to order when I wasn't sure. Seriously a great experience. I got their special where you get a soup, tea, sandwich and a dessert for one price (around $14 I believe?). There's a picture of what I got posted up. The food was delicous and filling without being too stuffy. The soup I had was a bisque and it was very good and creamy. The sandwich was the turkey and brie I believe though this was a few weeks ago so I am not entirely sure. I just remember I liked it. The dessert was a slice of lemon poppy bread, recommended by the waitress, and it was delicious as well. I'll definatly come back here if I'm ever in the area again ! Sadly I live in Brooklyn so its quite a treck otherwise!
(5)
E. K.
Visited the Whistling Kettle on a Sunday with a vintage car show happening on the street in front of the restaurant. The restaurant was pretty busy and our waitress let us know that a large group had just arrived and that there would be a little wait for service. The wait was not long at all and we each ordered the "afternoon tea" lunch. The afternoon tea consists of choice of appetizer, lunch item and dessert item. We ordered a variety of items ranging from soups, salads, sandwiches and desserts along with an amazing variety of teas. The lunch was very attractively served on tiered platers with each item on it's own tier. Everything we ordered was outstanding, made from very fresh and tasty ingredients. There was plenty of food for everyone to enjoy. Great food, great tea and friendly service - we will definitely return again.
(5)
Andria B.
I've been here many times over the years. They have really fabulous soups and great food. The prices are fair for the quality of food. I don't like the seating policy. They won't seat you if you are waiting for someone until the other person shows up. At times they have a tendency to be snotty in here. I also do not like the seating set up itself. Sometimes if you sit near the wall toward the bathrooms, your chair will get bumped when people walk by. It's too tight of an area. Love the soups, scones, Keishes, salads, chai tea and turkey, cran & Brie panini YUM.
(4)
Chelsea W.
This makes me very sad to have to write this however, today as I showed up late to join my girlfriends after they finished lunch I experienced some terrible customer service. I work in a restaurant as a waitress and hostess so I completely understand the way things work. I get the long wait times, lunch rush, food coming out slow etc. What I can not understand is terrible customer service. My friends were paying their bill, taking some time to figure out which each person would chip in as a woman who I'm assuming was management came over the the table and very rudely asked my friends if they needed a calculator. After we declined the offer she kept coming back to the table clearing a few things at a time, which I know is a hint at them trying to tell us to leave. She then came over to the table after the bill was paid and table was cleared and said "we do have kind of a wait so..." If I ever spoke to a table like that in my restaurant my manager would probably write me up. You never ever hint at or ask a paying customer to leave or make them feel unwelcomed. One of our best friends is heading back to Colorado this weekend and this was our last outing together before she leaves. It makes me very sad that this was the way her trip home had to end.
(1)
Gina C.
I went in here last night hoping to get dinner, never a had bad experience until last night. The sign clearly says they stop serving dinner 1/2 hour before closing and they told me it was an hour. Either change your sign or be honest! Very unprofessional.
(2)
Matt B.
The tea tower is the way to go. You get tea, soup / salad, quiche / sandwich, and a dessert. They have daily specials and a huge tea list, both hot and iced. I recommend the lobster bisque and scones with cream and jam.
(4)
Sandra C.
Tea is top notch, food pretty good too. Service usually good. Hours of operation need adjustment: would like to eat dinner, but closes at 6pm, starts to close up shop far earlier.
(3)
Kalinda L.
My Fiancee and I went for lunch Friday. We waited at 2 minutes to be seated and was met with our server. She was great!!We both got the 3 tier meals, which include a sandwich, soup and dessert. I had the fish chowder and it was so yum, turkey avocado panini, very fresh and delicious. By the time I got to dessert I was extremely full and had to take home. The tea is very good and refreshing, I had an iced green go juberry.I highly recommend this place and will be back
(5)
Katie C.
Absolutely amazing!! The tiered lunch is so great! Nice character to the place and amazing food! Great quality ingredients and delish menu!
(5)
Frank Z.
There's not a whole lot that I have to say about the Whistling Kettle. It's not really my sort of place, but I know people who like it, so I'll go with them. The food really isn't very good at all. The tea is good, though, which I suppose is a redeeming quality: you'd expect them to get tea right, since it is a tea place. I don't drink a lot of tea, but I did find myself liking the various teas that they serve here. Anyway, it's not a place that I would frequently visit, but for a friend, I'll bite the bullet and put up with the crappy (and moderately overpriced) food. Rating it more heavily on the tea than on the food, I'd give it 3 stars.
(3)
Matt W.
Disclaimer: not a tea guy in the slightest, so never would have gone to this place on my own, but this was suggested for a working lunch with some colleagues a couple weeks ago. Inside is great; the exposed brick brings out the history of Front Street, definitely. Seating is comfortable. Kind of weird to pass through the mini tea store to get into the restaurant; again, not a place I would have walked into myself. Man, was I pleasantly surprised. I went with the soup special, a cup of roasted red pepper bisque and it was the best I've had in a long time. In addition to that I had a panini (can't remember which one now, but I know it had artichoke hearts on it) that was delicious and cooked perfectly. I do like iced tea, so considering I was in a tea connoisseur's dream, I had a glass of that and it was excellent. The menu can be a bit out of the norm for some, but there are classics that will appeal to those that don't want to push too far into the trying-something-new zone. The service was friendly, efficient, prompt, and smiling. My only disappointment was when I showed up a few days ago to grab a bite for dinner at around 5:50 pm and found out they close at 6:00. Oh well, I got to experience the Front Street Deli instead; I'll be pushing for another working lunch at Whistling Kettle in the future for sure.
(5)
Yelper N.
We rented a house in the Adirondacks and drove about an hour into Saratoga Springs for a day of sightseeing, stopping by at Ballston Spa's Whistling Kettle after visiting the Bottle Museum (yep, you read right). Apparently, according to the back of the menu, Whistling Kettle is the heart-brain child of former New Yorkers. Their former selves once subsisted on NYC borough fare: bad-ass Bronx, understated Queens, hip Brooklyn, the "City" and well, Staten Island. And here we are, they with offerings of food and drink, and we badly in need of freakin' awesome food. So the overpriced menu and the watery, packet-tasting hot chocolate did not bode well. The seafood soup was essentially clam chowder with sparse clams and two shrimps. The panini breads, though with fresh and good ingredients, were a bit dry, with black-burnt sides. Sadly, the french-pressed coffee left us "under"whelmed, and, similar to the other reviewers' experience, the service left much to be desired. Disappointed and still mildly hungry, we yearned for both "the city" and, happily, Hope Diner (a local, true-blue Adirondack eatery on NY 30 near Wells, NY). Try their french fries, fried haddock, soups, pies...try everything coz it's all good, with none of that snooty, out-of-towner prices ^_^
(2)
Kelleah M.
Love love love this place! The tea is Fabulous! The food is different fresh and delicious. I recommend this place to everyone I know. I have been here at least 5 times and never had bad service or food. I love the sniff bar for the teas.. I always end up buying a bunch of tea samples to take home. They make great gifts too! Love eating here! Best place to eat in Ballston Spa in my opinion! Only reason I even go to that town:)
(5)
Mary P.
Talk about your upscale tea-ery. The plush red seats against woodsy, warm interiors. A sniffery station where you can smell all the teas at your pleasure and then order it. The tea accessories that are scattered everywhere for your purchasing pleasure. I love tea but I also love the process of them explaining what they are, how they should be steeped, etc. I feel like the smell station takes away from that. I decided to try the White tea with raspberries and champagne. The tea came in one of their do-it-yourself tea sacks in super hot water and was very potent by the time I was able to drink it. I do like a strong tea but when it turns into bitterness its not so hot, literally. I didn't know when to remove it so it became a bitter lukewarm cup of brown flavored water. Its kind of sad really. Any other tea place I've been to comes with a knowledgable and supportive staff who helps you choose your tea and steeps it properly for you so it isn't pucker mouth status when your lips hit it. They have the right idea as far as unique and selection for the area but I dislike the production.
(3)
Jessica C.
Randomly stopped here for lunch with my mom and was thrilled that I did! This was the perfect place for a quiet and relaxing lunch and some delicious tea. Ambiance: The inside of the cafe is warm and inviting with comfy seats and plenty of tables. There were a fair number of people seated inside but the noise level was minimal and there was no wait. There is also a small patio for outdoor seating. As mentioned by previous reviewers, this is a place geared toward older clientele - college students, adults, etc - and I would not recommend bringing small children here Service: The service was pretty good. Our waitress was relatively friendly and easily answered our questions about the menu. Drinks and food arrived quickly. Food: The menu offers a wide variety of options from hot tea with scones to a full lunch. We tried the eggplant panini, the farmer's crepe (without bacon), the kettle salad, and a mixed berry scone and everything was delicious. The panini was a good size and did not get soggy at all which was a huge plus. The crepe was a lighter option but an ample portion and was one of the best I've had. Overall we thoroughly enjoyed our lunch and left completely satisfied. I definitely look forward to going back so that I can try some of the other options! Also to note - this is a very vegetarian friendly place! Prices: The prices largely depend on what you order, but in general this was a slightly more expensive lunch. I felt the prices were very fair considering the quality of the food and the portion sizes. Overall this is a great place to stop and unwind if you ever find yourself in the Ballston Spa area. I highly recommend giving it a try!
(5)
Emily H.
I love this place. They have a MILLION options for food and tea. They have a separate menu for gluten free people, which I personally love. The sandwiches they have are awesome, unexpected combinations. Cool atmosphere and super friendly and attentive staff.
(4)
Bill K.
We got the "Afternoon Tea" special, which consisted of a panini, soup or salad, and dessert (this special is like $15). Also, we ordered the daily iced teas, which were topical green and strawberry-peach. Everything was tremendous. The server was also delightful. Highly recommended!
(5)
Alaina J.
I brought my boyfriend here a couple of weeks ago, as he'd never been before and I hadn't been in over a year. It was maybe 2:30 when we got here and the place was packed. I am NOT a fan of the new organization of the tables. It was cramped to the point of discomfort and made for really crappy ambiance. I understand they're able to fit more tables, and therefore more customers, into the restaurant with this organization, but I'm not a fan of feeling awkward and uncomfortable for the entire time I'm here. There were people sitting less than a foot from me on both sides, to the point where the rather large middle-aged woman on my left jabbed me with an elbow more than once. Not cool. Made conversation really stilted, as we were both aware everything we said was being listened to by everyone around us. I also learned more than I would like about one woman's problems with her teenage daughter learning how to drive and asking for birth control and wanting to get the HPV vaccine and how in HER day that meant you were a slut. Took probably 15 minutes, maybe even 20, for the waitress to come over for the first time. Not happy about this. The lackluster service was always my number one complaint about this place. There's a difference between a place being relaxed and laid-back, and being neglected and ignored. The fact that more than once two or three waitresses congregated behind our table for a few minutes of gossip and complaining made me particularly angry, because that means that I'm not being neglected and ignored because the waitress is just super busy--it means they aren't paying attention and don't really care. The food was excellent, as it always is, but my problem was that the waitress brought everything out at once. Salad, soup, sandwich, tea, and dessert for BOTH of us was brought out at the same time, which made for zero room on the table. They always used to do this for the afternoon tea thing, and they'd bring everything out on the three-tiered stand, but it used to be if I ordered a salad or soup in addition to the tea they'd bring it out first, and THEN bring out the stand. Not this time. She seem totally unfazed and unconcerned that we literally didn't have room on our table for everything--I ended up moving my sandwich onto the plate around my soup bowl to try and make room on the table, but even then it took her 15 or 20 minutes to move the empty plate, so my efforts were totally useless. It's a pity. This place could be so good. Why can't the staff be better?
(2)
Jana S.
What a great place. The tea is awesome... but wait! The food... They have a gluten free menu, for starters. That was enough to make me cheer. I had *GASP* a panini! WOW! It was delicious. The entire staff was very friendly and impressively knowledgeable about tea. I have fairly obscure taste in teas, so finding what I call "proper tea" was an utter delight. Buying it from these lovely people made it all that much more pleasant. I hope to be a weekly fixture at this charming place. I hope you will be too!
(4)
Kelsey M.
I just had the worst lunch experience I've ever encountered and couldn't wait another minute to let the Yelpers know about it. I've been here a couple times having just moved to town a month ago. Love the ambience and the food is great too. I was just working on my 2nd bite of salad when a gnarly, long hair was found on my fork! Wasn't mine or my friend's. We stopped the waitress and let her know what was going on and all she said (in the perkiness, fakest way) was "oh, I'm sorry. Do you want another salad?" Another salad?! Why would I want that?! I politely declined and waited for the check. My friend has been in the food service business for a very long time and believed they would probably give me my meal for free or at least a steep discount..... Nada! My friend was good enough to talk to the OWNER of the restaurant for me about the experience and all she could say was that they didn't discount meals, they only offered something else on the menu (!!!) UGH! I'm completely turned off by how my bad experience wasn't rectified in any way. I understand "hair happens" but it's about how the business tries to keep customers coming back that is important. I am never going back and hope this review is seen by the business and something is done to change their ways.
(1)
Sparkie B.
Absolutely lovely place for lunch! Was recommend by a friend, very thankful I went! I recommend the high tea, which gives you soup, a sandwich and a pastry. *Make sure you arrive early, there seems to always be an at least 20 minute wait.
(4)
Jennifer H.
Call me a girly girl (I'm not but you can call me that) but I love afternoon tea. The tiered tray, hot or cold tea and scones with clotted cream...what's not to love? I recently visited for lunch with my boyfriend and his 8 year old daughter. It was a lovely, sunny day so we dined outside. Outside or in, you can't go wrong. I love the tall, cushy, private booths on the inside, very cozy but on a nice day, outside is the place to be. The tea list is impressively large and has a lot of information on it. I like that they recommend which teas work well iced as that's my beverage of choice in the summer. I tried the raspberry champagne white tea and it was just lovely. I didn't have a problem as another reviewer did with the tea being over brewed as when it was brought to me it was already brewed and decanted into a glass with ice with a carafe of extra tea along side. An excellent value. The adults had the afternoon tea which comes on a three tiered tray and gives a choice of panini, sandwich or salad and soup. The combination possibilities were endless. I had a fried eggplant panini with roasted red peppers and mozzarella. It was excellent. I also had a salad and a scone but I was so full from the panini that I didn't touch them. They made a nice snack for later. I think we will be adding them to our regular lunch rotation.
(4)
J. M.
I've been there twice, and maybe I'm just ordering the wrong things. Maybe if I just get tea and no food? Both times my salad had black, wilted dead leaves stuck to the good leaves and yucky dressing, the kind you can tell came in a value-sized jug. My sandwich (both times I got the cucumber tea sandwich) had these ginormous hunks of cucumber falling out from between the slices of bread. One would think that a tea place is where you will get a proper cucumber sandwich, but no. Service was on the slow side. Such a bummer because it's a pretty place and I do love my tea and tea sammiches. They seem to pay a lot of attention to preparing the tea - timing it, getting the right temp... I think they need people who will give that level of attention and care to the food.
(2)
Sue C.
My experience at the whistling kettle is worth writing about. On Friday it was two-for-one scones Friday and you got the second scone for free if your order came to $12. My girlfriend ordered an iced tea. I ordered one scone with my tea and then my server came over to the table and said she had forgotten that it was two-for-one Friday. She brought a second scone with jam and cream and a little take away box to put it in. Just before we asked for our bill, she came to the table and said she had made a mistake... our order didn't come to $12. I opened the take away box and with her bare hand she took the scone right out of the box. My girlfriend and I looked at each other in disbelief. I have no idea what happened to it but she touched it with her naked hand and she took it somewhere...it may be in someone's stomach as I write this... We were shocked to see that our check was 24 cents shy of the $12 minimum. Diabolical customer service. You will never find is at the whistling kettle again.
(1)
John P.
This is one of my favorite places to eat. The service can be slightly lacking at times, but overall the food quality is always top notch. The three tier lunch special is an absolute winner and something I've never seen at another restaurant. I want to explore the menu a little more, because I have gotten basically the same thing every time I've went. They also seem to rotate the soups and tea specials to fit with the season. This is fine, but their lobster bisque stands up to the best. Only recommendation would be to serve this all year. There is a very large fresh leaf tea selection too, but I haven't explored it too much. The staff also doesn't change much, so you can tell it has dedicated employees, which is nice to see. They also changed the seating recently and I'd say it makes the experience even better.
(5)
Seth P.
Great food. Paninis, crepes, quiche, and salads. The service was less desirable. After the lunch rush the wait staff and kitchen crew were seemingly bored and struck up in inappropriate conversation by our table. I'll go back for the food and sit outside next time.
(3)
Aram K.
Went with my Mom for a belated birthday lunch, and had a lovely meal. Surprised to see they had wine and beer. She had a tuna melt panini and I had the pick your own special. I had tea sandwichs (very cute), salad, and a decadent chocolate cake, with a refreshing green tea. We went at one o'clock on a busy Friday, but no more then a 10 minute wait. The meal arrived very quickly, and our waiter was very helpful and friendly. He even placed an order for some loose tea-to-go that we took home with us. Great place to take your mom, sister or friend. Cute little antique/gift shoppe next door, lots of walk able shoppes to visit all through the village. Hard to find parking, but noticed a public lot if you travel further west down Front Street as I went exploring in town. Can't wait to visit again. Lynda K.
(5)
Marie C.
Incredible Gluten Free menu and an even better selection of tea! I have been impressed with their service and products everytime I've visited!
(5)
Kristen C.
This place is so unfortunate. My husband and I were in town to visit family and we had some time so we stopped here for lunch. Firstly, tea selection is expansive and very reasonable on the menu. As for sandwiches, my husband ordered the Ballstonian with the wild mushroom soup and I ordered the bacon, apple, 3 cheese panini with the salad. It took a while to get our teas and I asked for some simple syrup. The waitress came back quite a while later and asked if anyone brought me my simple syrup. Hmm, odd, no. A while later we got our sandwiches and I got my simple syrup. I was given the roast beef and horseradish panini in stead of the one I had ordered, which they were very kind about correcting and lucky us, we got to try another sandwich. Everything tasted great, the bacon apple panini was definitely my favorite. We felt like this had to have been just an off day, so we brought our family with us a couple of days later before we left town. Service was TERRIBLE. It took 15 mins to get acknowledged and another 40 to get our food. The wrong tea was brought to the table and no one seemed to care. It just seems like there is very poor communication among staff and no matter how good the sandwiches are, bad service just ruins the entire experience. Not to mention how crowded it was inside and we had called ahead to let them know how large of a party we had and what time we'd be there. No table was prepared and we were crammed into a booth with no room to move an elbow to eat. Very unfortunate.
(2)
Cindy M.
I was meeting a friend at the Whistling Tea Kettle for lunch this past Saturday. I arrived first and the hostess seated me at a very cramped corner table for two with a fireplace on once side of and another table for two very close to the other side. I asked to be seated in a booth and was told that the booths were reserved for parties of 3 or more. I was given another option (same exact table set up, but this time a wall on one side instead of a fire place, or a middle table for two with tables on both sides. These were all very cramped options. Explained I was claustrophobic and really couldn't sit at one of these little tables and basically was told those were my only options. Please note, there was not another patron in the entire restaurant. EVERY table and booth was vacant. The hostess actually let me leave rather than seat me at an empty booth. She then came out front (as I was waiting for my friend) and offered a table near the "to go' area that didn't have anything else around it. While this wasn't ideal, it was going to be ok. After my friend showed up we waited 15 minutes and then had to ask for a server. He came out and said "nobody told me you were here". So, on to ordering lunch. I think their food is good, but it is a bit more than I can eat. I was traveling and visiting the area so had no availability to store left overs. Plus, I really just hate wasting food. I wanted to get 1/2 a sandwich and a cup of soup. When I was going to ask the waiter if I could do that all I got out was "Can I get half...) Before I even finished my sentence he cut me off and said "Nope, our menu is our menu and there are no changes". I ended up having a cup of soup and no sandwich. Not very filling,but better in my mind than wasting. When the check came, it has a "suggested gratuity" amount equal to 20% of the bill. Now, I always tip 20% unless the service is horrendous, but I really hate being told that is the expectation. To summarize, the food (what little I had of it) was ok, the service was crappy and the policy of cramming your patrons in to the smallest amount of space humanly possible was down right awful. And, to top it all off, as I was leaving, I passed 3 booths that all had parties of two. Needless to say I have crossed this off my list of places to go. I did not once feel that what I wanted or needed (as a reasonable customer, not someone irate or demanding) factored at all into the experience that the Whistling Tea Kettle staff thought I should have. I say skip it entirely.
(2)
Chanelle G.
Two stars based on ambience and location alone. The service was lacking (three people behind the counter, the place was empty, and I was STILL waiting by the stupid sign for five minutes before someone came over to seat me!!) and their prices were ridiculous! Sure, I'll shell out for a truly gourmet coffee, but $3 for a medium cup with no refills? Ha! Call the cops, 'cause there's a rape in progress!
(2)
William B.
Their seating policy needs a thought or two. My wife and I waited for a long time for a table even though booths were open and available. We were the only 2 people waiting to be seated, yet we couldn't occupy one of their precious booths because we were only aparty of 2. I have a disability that makes it difficult for me to walk and stand, so I had to lean against the wall for support,waiting to be seated. When we asked to speak to the manager, it only went from bad to worse. Kevin, (the manager), was rude and not at all interested in customer service. Funny, but if Kevin isn't the owner, he has no business encouraging customers to walk out the door unhappy! We left without having lunch. No need to go back.
(1)
Jennifer B.
Great tea, soup and small sandwiches. The food was delicious and creative. Loved the atmosphere and the service. You must check out this place, there is a huge selection of teas to choose from and you can also buy loose tea (like teavana). I highly recommend and plan on going back there with my girlfriends.
(5)
Ashley M.
Had the Apple and butternut squash bisque AND the Apple, Bacon, brie, mozz and blue cheese panini with a drizzle of honey...it was AWESOME! I also, highly recommend the Nutella crepe :) Good food and quick/friendly service! Great place for lunch!
(4)
Mathew K.
Not just tea here!!! I went for lunch and the food is amazing.They have all sorts of fresh sandwiches,quiche, and crepes! A must stop for me in Ballston Spa.
(5)
Shakey M.
We just moved to the area and a local suggested the Whistling Kettle as a good lunch spot. I'm a serious tea drinker so I thought it sounded perfect. What I did not expect was how flipping delicious everything was. Holy guacamole. We had the 3 tiered lunch. I ordered a roast beef panini, soup (lobster bisque) and a fruit crepe for desert. I also ordered a black tea. 1) The tea was delicious and did come with the bag inside my pot already. I took the tea bag out when I felt it was done, thus eliminating bitterness. The water was not boiling, but it was also not too cold. I really dislike ordering tea at IHOP or similar since the tea water is not hot enough to brew properly. 2) I thought the staff was fine. Our waitress wasn't excessively friendly and there were a few times we wanted her attention and we needed to politely flag her down. However, there was a bus girl that was available for us in addition to our waitress which made up for it. She was a nice touch. 3) The food. I'm a foodie. I like to eat out a lot, to try new restaurants and new kinds of food. First comes the lobster bisque. Why did I order it when I don't care that much for lobster? I don't know really. I was outside and it was chilly I suppose. Oh that lobster bisque. It is #$&%*@+ phenomenal. It was creamy and tasty and everything that is good and holy about bisque. There were no chunks of lobster as someone mentioned. However, bisque should not have chunks of meat. It's supposed to be smooth. That's just how bisque is, it's pureed. The lobster taste was perfect. Holy moly, really this soup was so good I kept moaning a bit. Honestly, I almost asked to cancel my order and just get another cup of this perfection. It's crack for foodies. Yeah, it's that good. 4) Panini. It was grilled to perfection, my greens on the sandwich were dry (that's a good thing. No watery lettuce for me). The meat was lean. It was a beautiful meld of flavors and crunch. 5) My fruit crepe for desert. I should go on and on about how excellent it was, the perfect balance of creamy filling and fruit, the crepe was thin and light, that it topped off my meal like a big, yummy kiss on the forehead but I don't want to gush too much. The bill for lunch for 2 with teas, including tax, was $38. It was a little pricey for lunch. Subway would have set us back maybe $15. But Subway doesn't make me want to hug someone after I eat there. The Whistling Kettle does. What a nice welcome to Ballston Spa.
(5)
Mark M.
Just had lunch here and I was very satisfied. They do iced tea specials each day, my gf and I had strawberry orange green and raspberry honey black. Very tasty and you can easily tell the quality (it is a tea place for goodness sake). For food I went with the Ballstonian Panini (turkey, bacon, artichoke hearts, tomato, basil pesto aoli) and it was wonderful. The gf had crab salad tea sandwiches and they were so good she refused to let me try. As for the side salads, kinda sad. I was hoping for something a little more unique than lettuce carrot cucumber cabbage. The house greek dressing was very tasty. We went at the end of lunch hour so it was a bit busy, however, we did feel a bit forgotten about. I had to wave down the waiter twice to ask him for a drink refill and the check because he kept zipping past without seeing if we needed anything. He was very courteous and pleasant which was nice. Will go again to try more tea
(4)
Susan R.
The PLUSES: Fabulous Selection of high quality of tea, and a sniffing bar so you can decide. Outdoor seating, and some comfy looking sofas if you are lucky enough to get a table by the wall. Great menu selections. A chef who knows something about food. Both the seafood chowder and butternut squash soups were superb in terms of flavor and texture, even though the chowder did not have many bits of any kind of seafood. Flavor made up for that. MINUS: My husband 's crepe would have been sent back by me, had I ordered it, becasue it was cold inside- thus the cheese did not melt and the spinach was raw. MORE GOOD THAN BAD: The $14.95 3-course tea is a bargain and great fun- served in tiers. Do not expect to find scones in the U.S. that are like the U.K version...our flour is different and cannot give the proper rise and consistency. That being said, they are pretty good here. My smoked salmon and cucumber sandwich was quite tasty and fresh. I only regret that they do not have the "proper English tea sandwich" on super thin bread with the crusts cut off. There is much to be said for a perfect cucumber sandwich - just ask Ernest. Quiche looks wonderful and I enquired if it is nuked- OH JOY- it is not! They have some sort of conveyer type toaster system. Bravo. Must try. Service is a bit slow, but then, they were packed- with a 15 minute wait. Would we return? YES, again and again! Okay, so we returned - and the quiche was pretty bad. Aside from being luke warm at best, it was flavorless and the asparagus in it was dried out and over cooked. Yuck. But...I had one of the best lobster bisques ever- which was an amazing surprise...as it is a difficult and expensive soup to prepare. My companions said that the red pepper bisque was also outstanding. The marble cake was superb as well. So, now I know that when I retrun, it will be soup and dessert and their marvellous tea or Yemen Mocha Matte humina humina something coffee.
(4)
Christine F.
Poor service. Very long wait times on busy weekends. The tables are cramped. When we put our name in for a table reservation for 3 we waited about 25 minutes in the cramped hallway near the bathrooms. Then we were seated at a very small table in the back against the wall. When we asked the hostess if we could move to the empty table across from us that was roomier, she stated that the table was for a larger party. About two minutes later, a party of three came in and sat down at the same table. When we called the hostess over to explain that they also had a party of 3 she told us that it was policy for all party members to be present to be sat at the better tables (my father who is almost 70 was in the bathroom). REALLY? The food is just OK, the tea is tasty but slightly overpriced and the staff have a "superior" attitude towards the customers. Will not be going back.
(2)
J S.
Cute little restaurant with a great concept. Everything was fresh! Lobster bisque had great flavor but no lobster pieces... :( I've lived in Boston for the past 10 years so maybe I am spoiled. Do not miss the scones!
(4)
Randall W.
The Tea headquarters of the region. Everything from chocolate tea to traditional teas. On the particular day I visited they had a panini sandwich special. It had just enough spice to really make it good. Come here with the time to sit and chat with friends or family, it's very relaxing.
(5)
Scott V.
Having grown up in Ballston Spa when the eating options were basically non-starters, I'm proud that my hometown has an establishment as professional and dependable as the Whistling Kettle. They have an incredibly diverse tea selection, and the sandwiches and baked items have consistently impressed us on this and our three previous visits over the last five years. This time, my wife had the Ayuverdic Balancing Tea, which she describes as "calming," and I had the Prince of Wales tea, which I thought was a nicely balanced selection. The cranberry orange scone and chocolate tea bread were perfect accompaniments.
(4)
Edward H.
Happened upon this place driving by- had to review- delicious food and tea. Lobster Bisque was world class, really good scone bread pudding, tea was great, panini sandwiches all tasty. Def a gem.
(5)
Rebecca B.
I went yesterday to enjoy a cup of tea and a dessert with a friend of mine, we enjoyed our tea and time, talked for a while until the waitress came over and asked us if we were staying or leaving soon because they had a lot of large parties waiting to be seated. I felt very uncomfortable after that and left immediately. We were also sitting at a very small table for 2 so large parties couldn't sit there anyway. Other than that the tea was great and dessert was nice.
(3)
Andrea T.
In the middle of town is the unexpected oasis that is The Whistling Kettle, a tea shop. Tea is their main merchandise, both in dry form for purchase there or on their website, or as part of a sit-down meal. The atmosphere is very rich, with dark woods and comfortable, eclectic furniture - you can be seated in a highbacked chair at a square table, or in one of the couch-style wide seats with a low table beside the active fireplace. The clientele is mostly adult, but they've shown themselves to be accommadating of a well-behaved child. Not necessarily given to being a "family restaurant." You can go in simply for a pot of tea or a sandwich, or indulge in one of their Teas - High Tea, San Souci Tea, or several others, which are each different combinations of a tea, scone, tea sandwich, dessert bread, salad, soup. Waitstaff is friendly, atmosphere is relaxed. Perhaps the only disappointment is the hours, as they are not open evenings - so if you want a late-night pot of delicious Earl Grey Cream, you're better off ordering some and brewing it up at home.
(5)
Kristina Z.
Absolutely delightful! This is my second stop at The Whistling Kettle and it will not be my last. Went on Christmas Eve with two of my sisters, my Mom and two nieces. We all chose the afternoon tea. I went with the garden panini, roasted red pepper soup and because they were out of the mixed berry scones, I went with the cinnamon struesel. My choice of tea was the Night of the Iguana Chocolate Chai. The sandwich was very flavorful, loved the herb focaccia bread and the pesto on it! Soup was delicious and I really liked the bits of gouda cheese in it. Yum! The struesel was quite good as well though I really missed my scone :( Maybe I missed the cream that comes with the scone a little more so. The tea was a perfect blend of spice and nice. What makes this place great for me is that not only do you get the cute tea time vibe, but they have the goods to back it up. The food is fresh and delicious and they have a wonderful selection of teas. What a find in Ballston Spa!
(5)
Deanna M.
Had Lunch at the Whistling Kettle today and it was extremely good! I ordered one of the tea services that included a soup, tea sandwich and scone. The soup was lobster bisque, not what you'd expect at a tea shop but it was EXCELLENT! Probably one of the best lobster bisque that I've ever had and it's one of my favorite dishes so I order it a lot. The tea sandwich was cucumber and cream cheese on pumpernickel. It was good, the cucumber was sliced a little thick but it was still very enjoyable. The scone was a mixed berry and was very fresh. It had that nice solid crust but was still moist inside. With the berry jam and cream that they served it was heavenly! The tea I selected was a chocolate-orange roobios and was very nice! I would definitely recommend this place and wish I was going to be in the area for another day so I could return!!!
(5)
Greg H.
Wonderful selection of teas. Fare is very english with finger sandwiches and scones (And wonderful scones they are). Nice sit down area and helpful waitstaff, as well as a porch for nice weather. A wonderful treat for breakfast or lunch.
(5)
GHADA Y.
The food is good, but the service is hit-or-miss. Great selection of teas and coffee that is strong enough to walk. If the service was tighter, I'd give it another star. It's friendly and all, but not always prompt.
(3)
Whitney M.
The Whistling Kettle is a cute little restaurant with delicious food and a HUGE tea selection. Do not come if you are in a super hurry. It is a laid back place and the service isn't very fast, especially when it is busy. Sundays lunch is packed. I prefer to go during off times when they're fewer people. The building is all beautiful brick and atmosphere is very sweet. It is a wonderful place to go, relax and enjoy some wonderful teas. The front part of the restaurant has a very little tea shop where you can read about and smell samples of the hundred+ teas they have. The food is amazing. Their soups and deserts are particularly amazing. The scones (and the cream and jam it comes with) and the flourless chocolate cake is to die for! I like to get the combo where you get a choice of main meal, a side, a desert and a pot of tea. It is about $16 but it makes for a nice light but satisfying meal if you split it with someone and order an extra small side. The only annoying thing is they charge you $2 to split. In the back, they sell bulk tea and I believe you can order tea to go.
(5)
S S.
I came here with a friend who lives around the area. I'm originally from Long Island so visiting this spot was a real treat! It was very cute and spacious, the chairs were comfortable and the food was great! I ordered a pot of angels dream tea with two desserts (admittedly I don't remember what they were. I want to say a chocolate pound cake and a coffee or cinnamon crumb cake) and everything was really delicious! I'm pretty sure I paid under or around ten dollars for everything, which is a good deal. I think I like this place better than the tea shops in my area (good, but usually overpriced). Would definitely come back if I had the chance!
(4)
Ohmnivore P.
**** 5 stars for variety and quality **** A delight for the tea afficionado...an absolute favorite spot among the many teahouses I have visited. This place has over 70 loose teas, I believe, each with a unique flavor and character. I tried some in the restaurant and brought some home to give as gifts or add to my own stock. Excellent varieties are offered, properly fermented, including some wonderful green teas and flavorful herbal teas. No wishy washy weak teas here, thankfully. I tried a green tea with cherry blossoms (Kyoto Cherry Blossom, it may also contain rose) that is delightful, as was as a Mediterranean-style fruity herbal tea. You can smell any of the teas in the shop, - they have samples in jars. The shop serves their own type of high tea, which is more along the lines of a lunch, including soup, sandwich, and teacakes. It is nicely presented and a wonderful treat on a cold day. The decor is casually elegant with a mix of upholstered and wooden furniture and some exposed brick. It is a nice place to relax, snack, sip, and chat. I would recommend this shop to anyone who enjoys tasting and learning about tea. It is also a terrific place to buy tea gifts. I found the packaged teas to be of very high quality and they remained fresh for a long time. I live far from Ballston Spa but would not hesitate to use their mail order service.
(5)
Reisa M.
Lovely atmosphere, delicious food, interesting concept. "Angel's Dream" tea is incredible. Their scones with jam and cream are out of this world. So is their lobster bisque. Service can be a little slow so make sure you have a little extra time -- it's well worth it.
Kristin M.
Lovely little tea shop, where, unfortunately, I didn't actually order any tea. We had lunch here and I had the delicious brie, ham, and apricot panini with a side of their wonderful lobster bisque. (Very tasty, considering how far from the coast they are!) My companion ordered the turkey, ham, and swiss panini with maple syrup for dipping, which was also wonderful. Would definitely come back for tea and a scone!
(5)Susan W.
Met up with a friend here for brunch and really enjoyed it. The food is good, but a little pricy (thus 4 stars rather than 5), they offer lots of tea options, and have a cozy vibe which is great for breakfast, brunch, and lunch. We ordered the High Tea which is served on a three level metal frame - a little bulky for the small tables, but still lends to the fun English Tea feel. My friend got the chicken curry sandwhich and loved it. I had the lobster bisque which was very tasty. I had a savory crepe with artichoke hearts, spinach and tomatoes. We both ordered the Tea Cake, which is like a dense pound cake and it was heavenly! I ordered the lemon flavor which had a good balence between tangy lemon flavor and sweet cake with glaze. Its a great place to stop by if you're in the area or want to linger over hot tea during the dreadful Upstate winters. Tip - take a stroll down the main street to window shop at some of the consignment, jewlry, and home furnishing stores.
(4)Charles D.
Perfect afternoon find ... orange cranberry scones and orange ginger tea ... I actually passed on coffee!
(5)Shameem A.
Awesome food, service, ambience. Highly recommend the "afternoon tea" off the menu. I got an eggplant panini and mushroom soup and (the highlight) the s'mores crepe. AMAZINg!!! Literally best crepe ever. All coffees here are French press. They're known for their tea. I loved everything about this place and wish I lived close so I could go all the time. Everybody in our party of 6 left super happy.
(5)Cooper N.
This place is well worth going to. It may not be cheap, but I wouldn't label it expensive either. A great place for breakfast or lunch. I got one of their two quiche specials, of which they have two every day. I got sausage and leek. With it I got a scone and a coffee. I'm not a big fan of quiche, but I wanted to try it, and I ended up loving it. It wasn't dry at all, and the crust was buttery and flakey. I was very happy. The coffee comes out in its own little French press. The server plunged it down for me and put her entire body weight into it. Not sure why, I've never done that, but whatever... A great cup of coffee. Of course they have a huge tea selection and they probably have something for anyone. Black, green, oolong, pu-erh, red, herbal, and flavored. All loose leaf and it comes in a pot! My girlfriend got a crepe and a cup of chowder. Both were fantastic and I'll definitely try a crepe next time. I'm not sure where you could go wrong with there menu. Everything really does look great, so give them a try!
(5)Bill Z.
Obvious reference by name... decorated in tea... the menu devotes twice as much space to drink options than food options... I've dined here, and I've gotten specialty teas from here as gifts. This has been a nice add to Front St. in Ballston both for atmosphere and variety, and a pleasant place for lunch, casual time, or a light, early, dinner. One thing I have not noticed in other reviews: you should be aware that the kitchen shuts down 30 minutes before closing (the waitresses do an excellent job of making sure you're aware). The tea selection is impressive. I would have explored it had I not come in at the end of the day. I instead opted for one of the iced tea selections of the day. That was quite refreshing, and served in a tall glass with a lot of ice... interesting since the glass of water you get when seated will be room temperature with no ice. Then again, in a place that serves hot and iced teas, are you really here for the water? The menu offers an assortment of soups, paninis, salads, and such. I opted for a bowl of one of the soups of the day, a chicken and white bean chili soup. It was reasonably priced and large enough to serve as a light meal. It was also quite thick - no doubt a bit of bean puree - and just the right amount of cumin to give it warmth without being overwhelming. I found the seating to be comfortable and the service to be easygoing and adequate for what we ordered. I do enjoy visiting specialty tea shops occasionally, and the fact that you can get a nice meal here as well is definitely a plus.
(4)Leonna M.
I've eaten here a few times with friends, but since I recently decided to try to go vegetarian, I stopped in by myself to see if the food was just as good! I ordered the hot garden panini, the roasted red pepper soup and the flourless cake. Everything was absolutely amazing! The panini surprised me in how delicious it was - full of flavor and depth. Thesoup was rich and filling for a cold day. The cakewas even richer and almost too much for me, but I ate it all! I took off a star for only two issues: the iced tea of the day was a bit over steeped and had a slight bitter taste. Not a big deal because I've had the perfect cup from them before, so just a small error. However, I was disappointed by the small vegetarian section. I used to order the apricot, ham and brie sandwich or the chipotle chicken sandwich when I was eating meat. Now, my options were pretty basic. Either a salad (blech, I hate salads) or one of three hot sandwiches. I was slightly disappointed. I loved the apricot and brie sandwich because of the sweetness combined with the salty. And the spice and flavor in the chipotle chicken was amazing! So I'd love to see some of those amazing flavor profiles translated over to vegetarian dishes. It would up the score to five stars, for sure. Maybe if they even offer an option like a grilled eggplant instead of chicken or portobello mushrooms or some substitute that you can use across the board, it'd be perfect.
(4)Linda D.
Can't believe they would not give us a booth when there were five empty ones. Left and will never return.
(1)Tim A.
Great portions for a great price. Food had amazing flavor. Lots of menu choices to choose from. I'd suggest The Afternoon Tea. Great way to sample little bit of everything.
(5)Sarah K.
I have been here a few times and I have always had a very positive experience. To be honest, the prices are fairly high for a casual lunch but the food is good enough to be worth it every once in a while. During my last visit, I got the turkey and avocado panini ($11), added bacon (+1.25-ish), and upgraded to a cup of lobster bisque (+$3, I believe). The bisque was delicious and as always, the sandwich was out-of-this-world. I haven't tried any others because I always want the same thing again! I asked the waitress for a tea recommendation and I got a smoky green tea which wasn't my cup of tea (haha) but wasn't bad. There are a lot of options and I like that you can smell the teas towards the front of the store so I think that next time I'll be able to make a better decision. The atmosphere here is very casual and relaxed and the staff are always supremely friendly. I haven't had a bad experience yet and it could only be made better by a cheaper bill (I paid $42 after tip for two people this last trip)!
(5)Catherine R.
I have been here a few times in the last 6 months and I have to update my review. The staff has really improved (new people? new training? don't know but it's a big difference) and the service was my only complaint before. The last few times I've been here, my wait staff have been friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. My dining companion was even seated without me so she didn't have to wait up front when I ran late. This is now a very solid restaurant and I can happily recommend it!
(4)Marianne K.
Delicious home made taste, good service and we loved the old brick building ambience.
(4)Kelly F.
When living in Saratoga this was one of my go to places for something different and a good lunch or brunch to meet up with lady friends:) I was back in the area a few days ago for Christmas -- when my sister and best friend visited TWK for brunch on Sunday. Still as I remember, busy for obvious reason and the ambiance is super cozy for a cold day. I ordered the afternoon tea, so did my sister, you can't go wrong with that choice and you'll be close to stuffed after the choice of a sandwich and soup or salad and a dessert. I chose the Ballstonian sandwich, lobster bisque and blueberry scone and the snowflake tea! Yum and yum!!! Highly recommend the bisque and Ballstonian, actually I recommend it all! Everything tastes so fresh-- if you're ever traveling through the cute town of Ballston spa or just wanting to get a nice afternoon meal, The Whistling Kettle is your goto!
(5)Mary P.
Starting to slip a bit. I had to revise my rating from 4 to 2. The $3.50 "pot" of coffee is one cup. Also, they can't seem to serve the panini hot, which is by definition what a panini is. The specials are the same soups over and over, and service is hit and miss. Very disappointing.
(2)Andrew J.
The afternoon tea special was perfect for splitting and they'll upgrade your house salad to one of the premiums for $3. We really enjoyed all of the tea selections and the smelling bar to help make your decision. The dining room was cozy and nice. The staff was very helpful.
(5)Larisa A.
Honestly, the only reason we keep coming back here is because the food is pretty good. The service absolutely sucks. There is one older woman who serves there who is nice and generally attentive, but every other server we've had has been awful. One time my boyfriend and I made the mistake of sitting outside, which apparently is the forgotten area that servers don't like to go to. It took probably 20 minutes for us to even be acknowledged by our server, another 15 to even get water, and the server didn't even bother to bring us our teas until the food came out, which was 50 MINUTES AFTER WE SAT DOWN. Another 45 minutes later, and she couldn't be bothered to check on us or bring us our check, so I actually had to leave my boyfriend there to wait, otherwise I would have been late for work. Another time, I came here again with my boyfriend, and with my mother and my grandmother, who was visiting from out of town. My mother and grandmother ordered a pot of coffee to share, and told the server that they did not want the coffee until after their meal. The server came out with the meal, and the pot of coffee, announcing that "they" had accidentally made the coffee too early. Uh.. so don't bring it out and make "them" brew a new pot for when it's time to bring it out, aka when the customers said they'd like it brought to them? Absurdly rude. On top of that, the server acted very annoyed when my mother and grandmother asked for her to bring it back, because it was too weak. These are just of the more recent experiences we've had, I don't remember the specific details of previous ones, but I do know that pretty much every time we come here, the service is very, very sub-par.
(2)Nikki B.
This is the best place in ballston spa to have lunch or brunch! The tra lunch with the 3 tier tower is so much fun:-) we buy the teas for home and go there often
(5)Denice R.
This was my final meal before I headed back home and it was a great way to end a fabulous trip! I was in Troy when I discovered their second location. I didn't have time to eat there, so I'm happy I was able to experience the food at the Ballston Spa location. I ordered the Afternoon Tea, which is a "build your own" type of deal and includes a beverage. I decided to step out of the box and ordered the apple, bacon and 3 cheese panini, the soup of the day (which was butternut squash) and a slice of cake (I can't recall the exact name at this moment). The meal arrives on a tier with the sandwich on top, soup in the middle and cake on the bottom. The cake was calling me, so I tried that first. I wanted to slap someone - in a good way. Moist, melt-in-your-mouth goodness with the right amount of frosting. Moved onto the soup and it was just as good as the cake. Now the panini was everything I was expecting it to be - a hot, cheesy, salty-sweet goodness of a sandwich. Because I was getting on a plane, I ate all of the soup and took the sandwich and cake to go. The sandwich reheated well in the oven and that cake didn't last long. Please give this spot a try if you are ever in the area. The staff is superb and the food is worth every penny.
(5)Alex M.
Great food, even better tea! Prices are reasonable especially for the loose tea they sell. They even sell all the proper items to brew the tea at home
(5)Hannah S.
This place is average and absolutely over-priced. The best part was definitely the tea. I love having so many options and my own personal kettle. On another positive note, they have an extensive gluten free menu. Their sandwiches, from what I´ve tasted, are solid. So, if you want a sandwich and tea and don´t care much about service... you´ll be happy. Now on to why I wasn't a fan... First off, their salads are just sub-par for a cafe like this. All of them are served on a bed of regular lettuce. Which, I know, sounds pretentious of me to point out. But, I haven´t been to a cafe in a while that doesn't have different greens for each salad. The easy fix of an arugula or mixed greens base would have made my $10 goat cheese salad more tasty and suddenly worth the price. It didn't help that my soup tasted like it´d been shipped straight from the Campbells factory. I got the three course lunch because I´d heard good things and wanted to try as much as I could. I ordered the bread pudding for dessert. I really hope the owner reads this because their recipes need to change for a lot of their dishes. The bread pudding was dry... bread pudding is definitely not supposed to be dry. The disappointing food experience was mirrored in the inconsistent service- somewhat nice hostess who did not communicate the wait properly and a friendly server who seemed too busy to genuinely care. And to top it all off, the bathroom was pretty darn chilly... just another not awful thing that was just not good. All in all, decent place, but certainly not much more than that.
(3)Kait H.
I'm so impressed. How can I start? Tea options have wonderful range, fair trade...organic... very thoughtful. The personal tea pot was awesome. The tea was smooth and bold... exactly what I expected and wanted. The food is creative. Everything looked and tasted home made. Everything fairly priced. My waitress was such a kind spirit. A natural at her job and made myself and my guest want to stay and enjoy all day. Interior is obviously kept well. Very clean. Beautiful clean cut design. Comfortable booths and chairs. Separate and semi - community seating (you're next to your neighbor in some seating). A feeling of community, we'll being, and happiness is the ambiance. I'll be back. Thank you for a wonderful time.
(5)Meghan M.
Always delicious tea and the spicy chili roast beef panini is a fav! The Afternoon Tea is definitely the way to go. Nice little covered patio area out front for dining during nice weather. Modern fireplace inside adds to a cozy atmosphere. Extensive tea list, you'll never be disappointed. Many paninis, sandwiches, salads and crepes. Lemon marscapone cake is a fav as well. You'll definitely need to go back again to try other items on the menu!
(5)Teresa S.
Everything was beyond delicious! Ratatouille with goat cheese, apple squash soup as part of the afternoon tea option! Orang cranberry scone was amazing! Service was friendly and perfectly attentive! Perfect lunch for a cold, sleety day during the holidays!
(5)Cheska R.
After several days on winter break, I called up a friend and decided to meet her here for an adult afternoon tea party. It was just what we needed after driving in from a snowstorm. I wanted to try the tiers, which was about $19, but we figured it was cheaper to buy our sandwiches, soups and teas. I've recently become vegan, so it sucked that they had very few vegeterian options and no vegan options at all. Ended up ordering the Gardener's Panini, without the mozzarella. The basil pesto had Parmesan but I figured I needed to pick and choose my battles. Our server was very patient, and answered all our questions regarding the menu. Even without the cheese, the panini was quite tasty! The tea list is very extensive, which could be overwhelming, especially if you don't know anything about tea. I opted for the chocolate chai tea. Again, I had to request no milk. Nondairy milk was not available, but the tea tasted just fine on its own. Didn't have the opportunity to try dessert since we were anxious to be on the roads while there was a lull in the snowstorm. Total bill for two came down to $30. Good service, good atmosphere, good food, and excellent selection of teas! Just docked a star for lack of vegeterian/vegan options. I would come here again when I'm off my vegan challenge.
(4)Heather S.
This is one of my favorite places to take visitors when they come to town; a great spot for an always fantastic day meal. I typically go with the afternoon tea menu option when I visit the Whistling Kettle [love all those choices!!] Recently I chose the Italian Roast Beef panini as my top layer. The sandwich was layered with medium roast beef, sun-dried tomato aioli, spinach, red onions, roasted red pepper and Swiss cheese and was grilled to melty perfection. Usually, I grab for the Lobster Bisque when at the Whistling Kettle, but with my friend Emily's seal of approval as being in her top five soups of CDNY, I chose a cup of the Roasted Red Pepper with Smoked Gouda for my middle layer. The soup was REALLY hot when it was served, and I still couldn't stop trying to eat it for long enough to let it really cool off at all. After burning my mouth at least three times, I finally pushed it aside and started in on my sandwich, knowing I couldn't resist the goodness even if it was flaming unless I had something else to distract my taste buds. [Thankfully, that sandwich did the job. WOAH. Flavor overload!] And for dessert my go-to order whenever it's on the menu, which isn't that big of a deal because it's almost always on the menu, carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. After I ordered, I had a moment of realization that I was surprised by my decision. I remembered, of course it was after I ordered, that the last few times I've had carrot cake I'd been kind of disappointed with it. Thankfully, when the cake arrived it was terrific. Not at all dry or crumbly, which has been my sad critique of the previous disappointment-filled cakes.
(5)Lauren G.
Literally the WORST restaurant experience I have ever had. Not just at the Whistling Kettle but out any restaurant I've ever been to. I understand that sometimes you have to wait for a table, but to wait for an hour and also not seat 75% of the party because one person is stuck in traffic and is not there yet is just absolutely ridiculous. Then after finally getting a table, our waiter was extremely unfriendly and inattentive. I didn't get any refills on my iced tea(free refills for the special supposedly). I didn't even get a refill on my water. We get the bill and are figuring out each persons part of the check when the manager(not 100% if she was a mgr-old blonde lady that apparently thinks the patrons are just as dumb as her) comes up to the table and rudely implies/asks if I need a calculator. Just a few minutes after we sign the check this same rude woman comes up to the table again and essentially tells us to get out because other people are waiting. This has absolutely ruined my opinion of this place and will definitely NOT be coming back. Good luck keeping customers if you're going to belittle them AND kick them out.
(1)Tom S.
A nice tea specialty place. I had a chocolate cheesecake and a glass of iced tea. As you may expect from those tea specialty places, the iced tea was not like these sugar water available in most restaurants in the upstate NY - you'd enjoy nice aroma and taste of the tea you order. They also have some selections of local craft beer available.
(5)Joseph L.
Went for lunch around 2pm, the place was half full. The food was decent, but nothing to rave about. The real draw is the tea (so I get the attraction). However the service is the real downfall here. They had seven servers working and they struggled throughout lunch. It took ten minutes just to bring out milk for one of our party. They brought the wrong lunch to another and acted like we were mistaken. All in all not bad, but certainly not worth a second trip.
(2)Amey Y.
I was in the area on business and stopped in here for lunch. I was so glad I picked this place. It was nice out so I sat in one of their outdoor tables. The service was great. The waitress was very sweet and friendly. She checked in on me often, gave some ideas of what else in the area I should check out if I had time, and gave me opinions on whats best to order when I wasn't sure. Seriously a great experience. I got their special where you get a soup, tea, sandwich and a dessert for one price (around $14 I believe?). There's a picture of what I got posted up. The food was delicous and filling without being too stuffy. The soup I had was a bisque and it was very good and creamy. The sandwich was the turkey and brie I believe though this was a few weeks ago so I am not entirely sure. I just remember I liked it. The dessert was a slice of lemon poppy bread, recommended by the waitress, and it was delicious as well. I'll definatly come back here if I'm ever in the area again ! Sadly I live in Brooklyn so its quite a treck otherwise!
(5)E. K.
Visited the Whistling Kettle on a Sunday with a vintage car show happening on the street in front of the restaurant. The restaurant was pretty busy and our waitress let us know that a large group had just arrived and that there would be a little wait for service. The wait was not long at all and we each ordered the "afternoon tea" lunch. The afternoon tea consists of choice of appetizer, lunch item and dessert item. We ordered a variety of items ranging from soups, salads, sandwiches and desserts along with an amazing variety of teas. The lunch was very attractively served on tiered platers with each item on it's own tier. Everything we ordered was outstanding, made from very fresh and tasty ingredients. There was plenty of food for everyone to enjoy. Great food, great tea and friendly service - we will definitely return again.
(5)Andria B.
I've been here many times over the years. They have really fabulous soups and great food. The prices are fair for the quality of food. I don't like the seating policy. They won't seat you if you are waiting for someone until the other person shows up. At times they have a tendency to be snotty in here. I also do not like the seating set up itself. Sometimes if you sit near the wall toward the bathrooms, your chair will get bumped when people walk by. It's too tight of an area. Love the soups, scones, Keishes, salads, chai tea and turkey, cran & Brie panini YUM.
(4)Chelsea W.
This makes me very sad to have to write this however, today as I showed up late to join my girlfriends after they finished lunch I experienced some terrible customer service. I work in a restaurant as a waitress and hostess so I completely understand the way things work. I get the long wait times, lunch rush, food coming out slow etc. What I can not understand is terrible customer service. My friends were paying their bill, taking some time to figure out which each person would chip in as a woman who I'm assuming was management came over the the table and very rudely asked my friends if they needed a calculator. After we declined the offer she kept coming back to the table clearing a few things at a time, which I know is a hint at them trying to tell us to leave. She then came over to the table after the bill was paid and table was cleared and said "we do have kind of a wait so..." If I ever spoke to a table like that in my restaurant my manager would probably write me up. You never ever hint at or ask a paying customer to leave or make them feel unwelcomed. One of our best friends is heading back to Colorado this weekend and this was our last outing together before she leaves. It makes me very sad that this was the way her trip home had to end.
(1)Gina C.
I went in here last night hoping to get dinner, never a had bad experience until last night. The sign clearly says they stop serving dinner 1/2 hour before closing and they told me it was an hour. Either change your sign or be honest! Very unprofessional.
(2)Matt B.
The tea tower is the way to go. You get tea, soup / salad, quiche / sandwich, and a dessert. They have daily specials and a huge tea list, both hot and iced. I recommend the lobster bisque and scones with cream and jam.
(4)Sandra C.
Tea is top notch, food pretty good too. Service usually good. Hours of operation need adjustment: would like to eat dinner, but closes at 6pm, starts to close up shop far earlier.
(3)Kalinda L.
My Fiancee and I went for lunch Friday. We waited at 2 minutes to be seated and was met with our server. She was great!!We both got the 3 tier meals, which include a sandwich, soup and dessert. I had the fish chowder and it was so yum, turkey avocado panini, very fresh and delicious. By the time I got to dessert I was extremely full and had to take home. The tea is very good and refreshing, I had an iced green go juberry.I highly recommend this place and will be back
(5)Katie C.
Absolutely amazing!! The tiered lunch is so great! Nice character to the place and amazing food! Great quality ingredients and delish menu!
(5)Frank Z.
There's not a whole lot that I have to say about the Whistling Kettle. It's not really my sort of place, but I know people who like it, so I'll go with them. The food really isn't very good at all. The tea is good, though, which I suppose is a redeeming quality: you'd expect them to get tea right, since it is a tea place. I don't drink a lot of tea, but I did find myself liking the various teas that they serve here. Anyway, it's not a place that I would frequently visit, but for a friend, I'll bite the bullet and put up with the crappy (and moderately overpriced) food. Rating it more heavily on the tea than on the food, I'd give it 3 stars.
(3)Matt W.
Disclaimer: not a tea guy in the slightest, so never would have gone to this place on my own, but this was suggested for a working lunch with some colleagues a couple weeks ago. Inside is great; the exposed brick brings out the history of Front Street, definitely. Seating is comfortable. Kind of weird to pass through the mini tea store to get into the restaurant; again, not a place I would have walked into myself. Man, was I pleasantly surprised. I went with the soup special, a cup of roasted red pepper bisque and it was the best I've had in a long time. In addition to that I had a panini (can't remember which one now, but I know it had artichoke hearts on it) that was delicious and cooked perfectly. I do like iced tea, so considering I was in a tea connoisseur's dream, I had a glass of that and it was excellent. The menu can be a bit out of the norm for some, but there are classics that will appeal to those that don't want to push too far into the trying-something-new zone. The service was friendly, efficient, prompt, and smiling. My only disappointment was when I showed up a few days ago to grab a bite for dinner at around 5:50 pm and found out they close at 6:00. Oh well, I got to experience the Front Street Deli instead; I'll be pushing for another working lunch at Whistling Kettle in the future for sure.
(5)Yelper N.
We rented a house in the Adirondacks and drove about an hour into Saratoga Springs for a day of sightseeing, stopping by at Ballston Spa's Whistling Kettle after visiting the Bottle Museum (yep, you read right). Apparently, according to the back of the menu, Whistling Kettle is the heart-brain child of former New Yorkers. Their former selves once subsisted on NYC borough fare: bad-ass Bronx, understated Queens, hip Brooklyn, the "City" and well, Staten Island. And here we are, they with offerings of food and drink, and we badly in need of freakin' awesome food. So the overpriced menu and the watery, packet-tasting hot chocolate did not bode well. The seafood soup was essentially clam chowder with sparse clams and two shrimps. The panini breads, though with fresh and good ingredients, were a bit dry, with black-burnt sides. Sadly, the french-pressed coffee left us "under"whelmed, and, similar to the other reviewers' experience, the service left much to be desired. Disappointed and still mildly hungry, we yearned for both "the city" and, happily, Hope Diner (a local, true-blue Adirondack eatery on NY 30 near Wells, NY). Try their french fries, fried haddock, soups, pies...try everything coz it's all good, with none of that snooty, out-of-towner prices ^_^
(2)Kelleah M.
Love love love this place! The tea is Fabulous! The food is different fresh and delicious. I recommend this place to everyone I know. I have been here at least 5 times and never had bad service or food. I love the sniff bar for the teas.. I always end up buying a bunch of tea samples to take home. They make great gifts too! Love eating here! Best place to eat in Ballston Spa in my opinion! Only reason I even go to that town:)
(5)Mary P.
Talk about your upscale tea-ery. The plush red seats against woodsy, warm interiors. A sniffery station where you can smell all the teas at your pleasure and then order it. The tea accessories that are scattered everywhere for your purchasing pleasure. I love tea but I also love the process of them explaining what they are, how they should be steeped, etc. I feel like the smell station takes away from that. I decided to try the White tea with raspberries and champagne. The tea came in one of their do-it-yourself tea sacks in super hot water and was very potent by the time I was able to drink it. I do like a strong tea but when it turns into bitterness its not so hot, literally. I didn't know when to remove it so it became a bitter lukewarm cup of brown flavored water. Its kind of sad really. Any other tea place I've been to comes with a knowledgable and supportive staff who helps you choose your tea and steeps it properly for you so it isn't pucker mouth status when your lips hit it. They have the right idea as far as unique and selection for the area but I dislike the production.
(3)Jessica C.
Randomly stopped here for lunch with my mom and was thrilled that I did! This was the perfect place for a quiet and relaxing lunch and some delicious tea. Ambiance: The inside of the cafe is warm and inviting with comfy seats and plenty of tables. There were a fair number of people seated inside but the noise level was minimal and there was no wait. There is also a small patio for outdoor seating. As mentioned by previous reviewers, this is a place geared toward older clientele - college students, adults, etc - and I would not recommend bringing small children here Service: The service was pretty good. Our waitress was relatively friendly and easily answered our questions about the menu. Drinks and food arrived quickly. Food: The menu offers a wide variety of options from hot tea with scones to a full lunch. We tried the eggplant panini, the farmer's crepe (without bacon), the kettle salad, and a mixed berry scone and everything was delicious. The panini was a good size and did not get soggy at all which was a huge plus. The crepe was a lighter option but an ample portion and was one of the best I've had. Overall we thoroughly enjoyed our lunch and left completely satisfied. I definitely look forward to going back so that I can try some of the other options! Also to note - this is a very vegetarian friendly place! Prices: The prices largely depend on what you order, but in general this was a slightly more expensive lunch. I felt the prices were very fair considering the quality of the food and the portion sizes. Overall this is a great place to stop and unwind if you ever find yourself in the Ballston Spa area. I highly recommend giving it a try!
(5)Emily H.
I love this place. They have a MILLION options for food and tea. They have a separate menu for gluten free people, which I personally love. The sandwiches they have are awesome, unexpected combinations. Cool atmosphere and super friendly and attentive staff.
(4)Bill K.
We got the "Afternoon Tea" special, which consisted of a panini, soup or salad, and dessert (this special is like $15). Also, we ordered the daily iced teas, which were topical green and strawberry-peach. Everything was tremendous. The server was also delightful. Highly recommended!
(5)Alaina J.
I brought my boyfriend here a couple of weeks ago, as he'd never been before and I hadn't been in over a year. It was maybe 2:30 when we got here and the place was packed. I am NOT a fan of the new organization of the tables. It was cramped to the point of discomfort and made for really crappy ambiance. I understand they're able to fit more tables, and therefore more customers, into the restaurant with this organization, but I'm not a fan of feeling awkward and uncomfortable for the entire time I'm here. There were people sitting less than a foot from me on both sides, to the point where the rather large middle-aged woman on my left jabbed me with an elbow more than once. Not cool. Made conversation really stilted, as we were both aware everything we said was being listened to by everyone around us. I also learned more than I would like about one woman's problems with her teenage daughter learning how to drive and asking for birth control and wanting to get the HPV vaccine and how in HER day that meant you were a slut. Took probably 15 minutes, maybe even 20, for the waitress to come over for the first time. Not happy about this. The lackluster service was always my number one complaint about this place. There's a difference between a place being relaxed and laid-back, and being neglected and ignored. The fact that more than once two or three waitresses congregated behind our table for a few minutes of gossip and complaining made me particularly angry, because that means that I'm not being neglected and ignored because the waitress is just super busy--it means they aren't paying attention and don't really care. The food was excellent, as it always is, but my problem was that the waitress brought everything out at once. Salad, soup, sandwich, tea, and dessert for BOTH of us was brought out at the same time, which made for zero room on the table. They always used to do this for the afternoon tea thing, and they'd bring everything out on the three-tiered stand, but it used to be if I ordered a salad or soup in addition to the tea they'd bring it out first, and THEN bring out the stand. Not this time. She seem totally unfazed and unconcerned that we literally didn't have room on our table for everything--I ended up moving my sandwich onto the plate around my soup bowl to try and make room on the table, but even then it took her 15 or 20 minutes to move the empty plate, so my efforts were totally useless. It's a pity. This place could be so good. Why can't the staff be better?
(2)Jana S.
What a great place. The tea is awesome... but wait! The food... They have a gluten free menu, for starters. That was enough to make me cheer. I had *GASP* a panini! WOW! It was delicious. The entire staff was very friendly and impressively knowledgeable about tea. I have fairly obscure taste in teas, so finding what I call "proper tea" was an utter delight. Buying it from these lovely people made it all that much more pleasant. I hope to be a weekly fixture at this charming place. I hope you will be too!
(4)Kelsey M.
I just had the worst lunch experience I've ever encountered and couldn't wait another minute to let the Yelpers know about it. I've been here a couple times having just moved to town a month ago. Love the ambience and the food is great too. I was just working on my 2nd bite of salad when a gnarly, long hair was found on my fork! Wasn't mine or my friend's. We stopped the waitress and let her know what was going on and all she said (in the perkiness, fakest way) was "oh, I'm sorry. Do you want another salad?" Another salad?! Why would I want that?! I politely declined and waited for the check. My friend has been in the food service business for a very long time and believed they would probably give me my meal for free or at least a steep discount..... Nada! My friend was good enough to talk to the OWNER of the restaurant for me about the experience and all she could say was that they didn't discount meals, they only offered something else on the menu (!!!) UGH! I'm completely turned off by how my bad experience wasn't rectified in any way. I understand "hair happens" but it's about how the business tries to keep customers coming back that is important. I am never going back and hope this review is seen by the business and something is done to change their ways.
(1)Sparkie B.
Absolutely lovely place for lunch! Was recommend by a friend, very thankful I went! I recommend the high tea, which gives you soup, a sandwich and a pastry. *Make sure you arrive early, there seems to always be an at least 20 minute wait.
(4)Jennifer H.
Call me a girly girl (I'm not but you can call me that) but I love afternoon tea. The tiered tray, hot or cold tea and scones with clotted cream...what's not to love? I recently visited for lunch with my boyfriend and his 8 year old daughter. It was a lovely, sunny day so we dined outside. Outside or in, you can't go wrong. I love the tall, cushy, private booths on the inside, very cozy but on a nice day, outside is the place to be. The tea list is impressively large and has a lot of information on it. I like that they recommend which teas work well iced as that's my beverage of choice in the summer. I tried the raspberry champagne white tea and it was just lovely. I didn't have a problem as another reviewer did with the tea being over brewed as when it was brought to me it was already brewed and decanted into a glass with ice with a carafe of extra tea along side. An excellent value. The adults had the afternoon tea which comes on a three tiered tray and gives a choice of panini, sandwich or salad and soup. The combination possibilities were endless. I had a fried eggplant panini with roasted red peppers and mozzarella. It was excellent. I also had a salad and a scone but I was so full from the panini that I didn't touch them. They made a nice snack for later. I think we will be adding them to our regular lunch rotation.
(4)J. M.
I've been there twice, and maybe I'm just ordering the wrong things. Maybe if I just get tea and no food? Both times my salad had black, wilted dead leaves stuck to the good leaves and yucky dressing, the kind you can tell came in a value-sized jug. My sandwich (both times I got the cucumber tea sandwich) had these ginormous hunks of cucumber falling out from between the slices of bread. One would think that a tea place is where you will get a proper cucumber sandwich, but no. Service was on the slow side. Such a bummer because it's a pretty place and I do love my tea and tea sammiches. They seem to pay a lot of attention to preparing the tea - timing it, getting the right temp... I think they need people who will give that level of attention and care to the food.
(2)Sue C.
My experience at the whistling kettle is worth writing about. On Friday it was two-for-one scones Friday and you got the second scone for free if your order came to $12. My girlfriend ordered an iced tea. I ordered one scone with my tea and then my server came over to the table and said she had forgotten that it was two-for-one Friday. She brought a second scone with jam and cream and a little take away box to put it in. Just before we asked for our bill, she came to the table and said she had made a mistake... our order didn't come to $12. I opened the take away box and with her bare hand she took the scone right out of the box. My girlfriend and I looked at each other in disbelief. I have no idea what happened to it but she touched it with her naked hand and she took it somewhere...it may be in someone's stomach as I write this... We were shocked to see that our check was 24 cents shy of the $12 minimum. Diabolical customer service. You will never find is at the whistling kettle again.
(1)John P.
This is one of my favorite places to eat. The service can be slightly lacking at times, but overall the food quality is always top notch. The three tier lunch special is an absolute winner and something I've never seen at another restaurant. I want to explore the menu a little more, because I have gotten basically the same thing every time I've went. They also seem to rotate the soups and tea specials to fit with the season. This is fine, but their lobster bisque stands up to the best. Only recommendation would be to serve this all year. There is a very large fresh leaf tea selection too, but I haven't explored it too much. The staff also doesn't change much, so you can tell it has dedicated employees, which is nice to see. They also changed the seating recently and I'd say it makes the experience even better.
(5)Seth P.
Great food. Paninis, crepes, quiche, and salads. The service was less desirable. After the lunch rush the wait staff and kitchen crew were seemingly bored and struck up in inappropriate conversation by our table. I'll go back for the food and sit outside next time.
(3)Aram K.
Went with my Mom for a belated birthday lunch, and had a lovely meal. Surprised to see they had wine and beer. She had a tuna melt panini and I had the pick your own special. I had tea sandwichs (very cute), salad, and a decadent chocolate cake, with a refreshing green tea. We went at one o'clock on a busy Friday, but no more then a 10 minute wait. The meal arrived very quickly, and our waiter was very helpful and friendly. He even placed an order for some loose tea-to-go that we took home with us. Great place to take your mom, sister or friend. Cute little antique/gift shoppe next door, lots of walk able shoppes to visit all through the village. Hard to find parking, but noticed a public lot if you travel further west down Front Street as I went exploring in town. Can't wait to visit again. Lynda K.
(5)Marie C.
Incredible Gluten Free menu and an even better selection of tea! I have been impressed with their service and products everytime I've visited!
(5)Kristen C.
This place is so unfortunate. My husband and I were in town to visit family and we had some time so we stopped here for lunch. Firstly, tea selection is expansive and very reasonable on the menu. As for sandwiches, my husband ordered the Ballstonian with the wild mushroom soup and I ordered the bacon, apple, 3 cheese panini with the salad. It took a while to get our teas and I asked for some simple syrup. The waitress came back quite a while later and asked if anyone brought me my simple syrup. Hmm, odd, no. A while later we got our sandwiches and I got my simple syrup. I was given the roast beef and horseradish panini in stead of the one I had ordered, which they were very kind about correcting and lucky us, we got to try another sandwich. Everything tasted great, the bacon apple panini was definitely my favorite. We felt like this had to have been just an off day, so we brought our family with us a couple of days later before we left town. Service was TERRIBLE. It took 15 mins to get acknowledged and another 40 to get our food. The wrong tea was brought to the table and no one seemed to care. It just seems like there is very poor communication among staff and no matter how good the sandwiches are, bad service just ruins the entire experience. Not to mention how crowded it was inside and we had called ahead to let them know how large of a party we had and what time we'd be there. No table was prepared and we were crammed into a booth with no room to move an elbow to eat. Very unfortunate.
(2)Cindy M.
I was meeting a friend at the Whistling Tea Kettle for lunch this past Saturday. I arrived first and the hostess seated me at a very cramped corner table for two with a fireplace on once side of and another table for two very close to the other side. I asked to be seated in a booth and was told that the booths were reserved for parties of 3 or more. I was given another option (same exact table set up, but this time a wall on one side instead of a fire place, or a middle table for two with tables on both sides. These were all very cramped options. Explained I was claustrophobic and really couldn't sit at one of these little tables and basically was told those were my only options. Please note, there was not another patron in the entire restaurant. EVERY table and booth was vacant. The hostess actually let me leave rather than seat me at an empty booth. She then came out front (as I was waiting for my friend) and offered a table near the "to go' area that didn't have anything else around it. While this wasn't ideal, it was going to be ok. After my friend showed up we waited 15 minutes and then had to ask for a server. He came out and said "nobody told me you were here". So, on to ordering lunch. I think their food is good, but it is a bit more than I can eat. I was traveling and visiting the area so had no availability to store left overs. Plus, I really just hate wasting food. I wanted to get 1/2 a sandwich and a cup of soup. When I was going to ask the waiter if I could do that all I got out was "Can I get half...) Before I even finished my sentence he cut me off and said "Nope, our menu is our menu and there are no changes". I ended up having a cup of soup and no sandwich. Not very filling,but better in my mind than wasting. When the check came, it has a "suggested gratuity" amount equal to 20% of the bill. Now, I always tip 20% unless the service is horrendous, but I really hate being told that is the expectation. To summarize, the food (what little I had of it) was ok, the service was crappy and the policy of cramming your patrons in to the smallest amount of space humanly possible was down right awful. And, to top it all off, as I was leaving, I passed 3 booths that all had parties of two. Needless to say I have crossed this off my list of places to go. I did not once feel that what I wanted or needed (as a reasonable customer, not someone irate or demanding) factored at all into the experience that the Whistling Tea Kettle staff thought I should have. I say skip it entirely.
(2)Chanelle G.
Two stars based on ambience and location alone. The service was lacking (three people behind the counter, the place was empty, and I was STILL waiting by the stupid sign for five minutes before someone came over to seat me!!) and their prices were ridiculous! Sure, I'll shell out for a truly gourmet coffee, but $3 for a medium cup with no refills? Ha! Call the cops, 'cause there's a rape in progress!
(2)William B.
Their seating policy needs a thought or two. My wife and I waited for a long time for a table even though booths were open and available. We were the only 2 people waiting to be seated, yet we couldn't occupy one of their precious booths because we were only aparty of 2. I have a disability that makes it difficult for me to walk and stand, so I had to lean against the wall for support,waiting to be seated. When we asked to speak to the manager, it only went from bad to worse. Kevin, (the manager), was rude and not at all interested in customer service. Funny, but if Kevin isn't the owner, he has no business encouraging customers to walk out the door unhappy! We left without having lunch. No need to go back.
(1)Jennifer B.
Great tea, soup and small sandwiches. The food was delicious and creative. Loved the atmosphere and the service. You must check out this place, there is a huge selection of teas to choose from and you can also buy loose tea (like teavana). I highly recommend and plan on going back there with my girlfriends.
(5)Ashley M.
Had the Apple and butternut squash bisque AND the Apple, Bacon, brie, mozz and blue cheese panini with a drizzle of honey...it was AWESOME! I also, highly recommend the Nutella crepe :) Good food and quick/friendly service! Great place for lunch!
(4)Mathew K.
Not just tea here!!! I went for lunch and the food is amazing.They have all sorts of fresh sandwiches,quiche, and crepes! A must stop for me in Ballston Spa.
(5)Shakey M.
We just moved to the area and a local suggested the Whistling Kettle as a good lunch spot. I'm a serious tea drinker so I thought it sounded perfect. What I did not expect was how flipping delicious everything was. Holy guacamole. We had the 3 tiered lunch. I ordered a roast beef panini, soup (lobster bisque) and a fruit crepe for desert. I also ordered a black tea. 1) The tea was delicious and did come with the bag inside my pot already. I took the tea bag out when I felt it was done, thus eliminating bitterness. The water was not boiling, but it was also not too cold. I really dislike ordering tea at IHOP or similar since the tea water is not hot enough to brew properly. 2) I thought the staff was fine. Our waitress wasn't excessively friendly and there were a few times we wanted her attention and we needed to politely flag her down. However, there was a bus girl that was available for us in addition to our waitress which made up for it. She was a nice touch. 3) The food. I'm a foodie. I like to eat out a lot, to try new restaurants and new kinds of food. First comes the lobster bisque. Why did I order it when I don't care that much for lobster? I don't know really. I was outside and it was chilly I suppose. Oh that lobster bisque. It is #$&%*@+ phenomenal. It was creamy and tasty and everything that is good and holy about bisque. There were no chunks of lobster as someone mentioned. However, bisque should not have chunks of meat. It's supposed to be smooth. That's just how bisque is, it's pureed. The lobster taste was perfect. Holy moly, really this soup was so good I kept moaning a bit. Honestly, I almost asked to cancel my order and just get another cup of this perfection. It's crack for foodies. Yeah, it's that good. 4) Panini. It was grilled to perfection, my greens on the sandwich were dry (that's a good thing. No watery lettuce for me). The meat was lean. It was a beautiful meld of flavors and crunch. 5) My fruit crepe for desert. I should go on and on about how excellent it was, the perfect balance of creamy filling and fruit, the crepe was thin and light, that it topped off my meal like a big, yummy kiss on the forehead but I don't want to gush too much. The bill for lunch for 2 with teas, including tax, was $38. It was a little pricey for lunch. Subway would have set us back maybe $15. But Subway doesn't make me want to hug someone after I eat there. The Whistling Kettle does. What a nice welcome to Ballston Spa.
(5)Mark M.
Just had lunch here and I was very satisfied. They do iced tea specials each day, my gf and I had strawberry orange green and raspberry honey black. Very tasty and you can easily tell the quality (it is a tea place for goodness sake). For food I went with the Ballstonian Panini (turkey, bacon, artichoke hearts, tomato, basil pesto aoli) and it was wonderful. The gf had crab salad tea sandwiches and they were so good she refused to let me try. As for the side salads, kinda sad. I was hoping for something a little more unique than lettuce carrot cucumber cabbage. The house greek dressing was very tasty. We went at the end of lunch hour so it was a bit busy, however, we did feel a bit forgotten about. I had to wave down the waiter twice to ask him for a drink refill and the check because he kept zipping past without seeing if we needed anything. He was very courteous and pleasant which was nice. Will go again to try more tea
(4)Susan R.
The PLUSES: Fabulous Selection of high quality of tea, and a sniffing bar so you can decide. Outdoor seating, and some comfy looking sofas if you are lucky enough to get a table by the wall. Great menu selections. A chef who knows something about food. Both the seafood chowder and butternut squash soups were superb in terms of flavor and texture, even though the chowder did not have many bits of any kind of seafood. Flavor made up for that. MINUS: My husband 's crepe would have been sent back by me, had I ordered it, becasue it was cold inside- thus the cheese did not melt and the spinach was raw. MORE GOOD THAN BAD: The $14.95 3-course tea is a bargain and great fun- served in tiers. Do not expect to find scones in the U.S. that are like the U.K version...our flour is different and cannot give the proper rise and consistency. That being said, they are pretty good here. My smoked salmon and cucumber sandwich was quite tasty and fresh. I only regret that they do not have the "proper English tea sandwich" on super thin bread with the crusts cut off. There is much to be said for a perfect cucumber sandwich - just ask Ernest. Quiche looks wonderful and I enquired if it is nuked- OH JOY- it is not! They have some sort of conveyer type toaster system. Bravo. Must try. Service is a bit slow, but then, they were packed- with a 15 minute wait. Would we return? YES, again and again! Okay, so we returned - and the quiche was pretty bad. Aside from being luke warm at best, it was flavorless and the asparagus in it was dried out and over cooked. Yuck. But...I had one of the best lobster bisques ever- which was an amazing surprise...as it is a difficult and expensive soup to prepare. My companions said that the red pepper bisque was also outstanding. The marble cake was superb as well. So, now I know that when I retrun, it will be soup and dessert and their marvellous tea or Yemen Mocha Matte humina humina something coffee.
(4)Christine F.
Poor service. Very long wait times on busy weekends. The tables are cramped. When we put our name in for a table reservation for 3 we waited about 25 minutes in the cramped hallway near the bathrooms. Then we were seated at a very small table in the back against the wall. When we asked the hostess if we could move to the empty table across from us that was roomier, she stated that the table was for a larger party. About two minutes later, a party of three came in and sat down at the same table. When we called the hostess over to explain that they also had a party of 3 she told us that it was policy for all party members to be present to be sat at the better tables (my father who is almost 70 was in the bathroom). REALLY? The food is just OK, the tea is tasty but slightly overpriced and the staff have a "superior" attitude towards the customers. Will not be going back.
(2)J S.
Cute little restaurant with a great concept. Everything was fresh! Lobster bisque had great flavor but no lobster pieces... :( I've lived in Boston for the past 10 years so maybe I am spoiled. Do not miss the scones!
(4)Randall W.
The Tea headquarters of the region. Everything from chocolate tea to traditional teas. On the particular day I visited they had a panini sandwich special. It had just enough spice to really make it good. Come here with the time to sit and chat with friends or family, it's very relaxing.
(5)Scott V.
Having grown up in Ballston Spa when the eating options were basically non-starters, I'm proud that my hometown has an establishment as professional and dependable as the Whistling Kettle. They have an incredibly diverse tea selection, and the sandwiches and baked items have consistently impressed us on this and our three previous visits over the last five years. This time, my wife had the Ayuverdic Balancing Tea, which she describes as "calming," and I had the Prince of Wales tea, which I thought was a nicely balanced selection. The cranberry orange scone and chocolate tea bread were perfect accompaniments.
(4)Edward H.
Happened upon this place driving by- had to review- delicious food and tea. Lobster Bisque was world class, really good scone bread pudding, tea was great, panini sandwiches all tasty. Def a gem.
(5)Rebecca B.
I went yesterday to enjoy a cup of tea and a dessert with a friend of mine, we enjoyed our tea and time, talked for a while until the waitress came over and asked us if we were staying or leaving soon because they had a lot of large parties waiting to be seated. I felt very uncomfortable after that and left immediately. We were also sitting at a very small table for 2 so large parties couldn't sit there anyway. Other than that the tea was great and dessert was nice.
(3)Andrea T.
In the middle of town is the unexpected oasis that is The Whistling Kettle, a tea shop. Tea is their main merchandise, both in dry form for purchase there or on their website, or as part of a sit-down meal. The atmosphere is very rich, with dark woods and comfortable, eclectic furniture - you can be seated in a highbacked chair at a square table, or in one of the couch-style wide seats with a low table beside the active fireplace. The clientele is mostly adult, but they've shown themselves to be accommadating of a well-behaved child. Not necessarily given to being a "family restaurant." You can go in simply for a pot of tea or a sandwich, or indulge in one of their Teas - High Tea, San Souci Tea, or several others, which are each different combinations of a tea, scone, tea sandwich, dessert bread, salad, soup. Waitstaff is friendly, atmosphere is relaxed. Perhaps the only disappointment is the hours, as they are not open evenings - so if you want a late-night pot of delicious Earl Grey Cream, you're better off ordering some and brewing it up at home.
(5)Kristina Z.
Absolutely delightful! This is my second stop at The Whistling Kettle and it will not be my last. Went on Christmas Eve with two of my sisters, my Mom and two nieces. We all chose the afternoon tea. I went with the garden panini, roasted red pepper soup and because they were out of the mixed berry scones, I went with the cinnamon struesel. My choice of tea was the Night of the Iguana Chocolate Chai. The sandwich was very flavorful, loved the herb focaccia bread and the pesto on it! Soup was delicious and I really liked the bits of gouda cheese in it. Yum! The struesel was quite good as well though I really missed my scone :( Maybe I missed the cream that comes with the scone a little more so. The tea was a perfect blend of spice and nice. What makes this place great for me is that not only do you get the cute tea time vibe, but they have the goods to back it up. The food is fresh and delicious and they have a wonderful selection of teas. What a find in Ballston Spa!
(5)Deanna M.
Had Lunch at the Whistling Kettle today and it was extremely good! I ordered one of the tea services that included a soup, tea sandwich and scone. The soup was lobster bisque, not what you'd expect at a tea shop but it was EXCELLENT! Probably one of the best lobster bisque that I've ever had and it's one of my favorite dishes so I order it a lot. The tea sandwich was cucumber and cream cheese on pumpernickel. It was good, the cucumber was sliced a little thick but it was still very enjoyable. The scone was a mixed berry and was very fresh. It had that nice solid crust but was still moist inside. With the berry jam and cream that they served it was heavenly! The tea I selected was a chocolate-orange roobios and was very nice! I would definitely recommend this place and wish I was going to be in the area for another day so I could return!!!
(5)Greg H.
Wonderful selection of teas. Fare is very english with finger sandwiches and scones (And wonderful scones they are). Nice sit down area and helpful waitstaff, as well as a porch for nice weather. A wonderful treat for breakfast or lunch.
(5)GHADA Y.
The food is good, but the service is hit-or-miss. Great selection of teas and coffee that is strong enough to walk. If the service was tighter, I'd give it another star. It's friendly and all, but not always prompt.
(3)Whitney M.
The Whistling Kettle is a cute little restaurant with delicious food and a HUGE tea selection. Do not come if you are in a super hurry. It is a laid back place and the service isn't very fast, especially when it is busy. Sundays lunch is packed. I prefer to go during off times when they're fewer people. The building is all beautiful brick and atmosphere is very sweet. It is a wonderful place to go, relax and enjoy some wonderful teas. The front part of the restaurant has a very little tea shop where you can read about and smell samples of the hundred+ teas they have. The food is amazing. Their soups and deserts are particularly amazing. The scones (and the cream and jam it comes with) and the flourless chocolate cake is to die for! I like to get the combo where you get a choice of main meal, a side, a desert and a pot of tea. It is about $16 but it makes for a nice light but satisfying meal if you split it with someone and order an extra small side. The only annoying thing is they charge you $2 to split. In the back, they sell bulk tea and I believe you can order tea to go.
(5)S S.
I came here with a friend who lives around the area. I'm originally from Long Island so visiting this spot was a real treat! It was very cute and spacious, the chairs were comfortable and the food was great! I ordered a pot of angels dream tea with two desserts (admittedly I don't remember what they were. I want to say a chocolate pound cake and a coffee or cinnamon crumb cake) and everything was really delicious! I'm pretty sure I paid under or around ten dollars for everything, which is a good deal. I think I like this place better than the tea shops in my area (good, but usually overpriced). Would definitely come back if I had the chance!
(4)Ohmnivore P.
**** 5 stars for variety and quality **** A delight for the tea afficionado...an absolute favorite spot among the many teahouses I have visited. This place has over 70 loose teas, I believe, each with a unique flavor and character. I tried some in the restaurant and brought some home to give as gifts or add to my own stock. Excellent varieties are offered, properly fermented, including some wonderful green teas and flavorful herbal teas. No wishy washy weak teas here, thankfully. I tried a green tea with cherry blossoms (Kyoto Cherry Blossom, it may also contain rose) that is delightful, as was as a Mediterranean-style fruity herbal tea. You can smell any of the teas in the shop, - they have samples in jars. The shop serves their own type of high tea, which is more along the lines of a lunch, including soup, sandwich, and teacakes. It is nicely presented and a wonderful treat on a cold day. The decor is casually elegant with a mix of upholstered and wooden furniture and some exposed brick. It is a nice place to relax, snack, sip, and chat. I would recommend this shop to anyone who enjoys tasting and learning about tea. It is also a terrific place to buy tea gifts. I found the packaged teas to be of very high quality and they remained fresh for a long time. I live far from Ballston Spa but would not hesitate to use their mail order service.
(5)Reisa M.
Lovely atmosphere, delicious food, interesting concept. "Angel's Dream" tea is incredible. Their scones with jam and cream are out of this world. So is their lobster bisque. Service can be a little slow so make sure you have a little extra time -- it's well worth it.
(4)