What to Know
- Wine Down at the Rose Garden Tea Room at The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens
- Admission to The Huntington is required but Rose Garden Tea Room reservations are not
- 3-5 p.m., Wednesday through Monday; The Huntington is closed Tuesdays; wine, "Special-Tea" cocktails, and sophisticated snacks are on the menu
Few devoted Huntington regulars — we're talking about the flower-loving fans that call upon the famous garden as often as possible — would quibble with the following statement: The beauty of the San Marino landmark opens, like a rose, early in the day.
People arrive to enjoy The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens just as it opens each day, in other words, and for some members the opportunity to arrive even earlier, for a morning walk, is a possibility.
But wait: There are afternoon aficionados among us, the later-day enthusiasts who savor the sylvan spot as the shadows begin to grow longer.
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The Huntington's newly renovated Rose Garden Tea Room gets us, and all afternoon lovers who may be looking for a tasty respite at the close of their Huntington visit.
Wine Down at the Rose Garden Tea Room, a new offering from The Huntington, is an afternoon-only menu at the handsome, garden-central eatery.
Happening every day The Huntington is open — that would be 3 to 5 p.m., Wednesday through Monday — the Wine Down will feature elegant nibbles for sale, along with wine, tea, and "Special-Tea" cocktails.
This isn't a traditional tea service, keep in mind, like you might usually find at the get-dressy dining destination; think of it more like early appetizers, the kind you might put out on your coffee table for guests around sunset.
Charcuterie, cheese, caviar, and mixed nuts — they're redolent with rosemary — form the menu's line-up of sophisticated snacks.
And to further reflect afternoon's laid-back spirit, the Wine Down requires no reservations.
Simply drop in and order your glass of chardonnay and those fragrant, flavorful nuts.
But yes: Admission to The Huntington is necessary, and reservations, too, on holidays and weekends.
