Tea And Sympathy Offers Tea, Sympathy As Royals Bury Queen Elizabeth

WEST VILLAGE, NY — Somber mourners dressed in black gathered Monday to honor the life of Queen Elizabeth with a little Tea and Sympathy.

The Tea & Sympathy service, a tad less formal than the official funeral at Westminster Abbey, likely included more fresh scones and cream, courtesy of the tiny tea shop on the corner of Greenwich Avenue and West 13th Street, owners told Patch.

Brits from across the city gathered at Tea & Sympathy to view coverage of Queen Elizabeth II's funeral and mourn together, owner Nick Perry, and London native, told Patch.

"People have been in and out with tears," Perry said. "Especially when the coffin came."

Perry served her bereaving guests a full menu of English comfort food and tea that included items such as scones with cream and raspberry jam, cakes, pastries, an English breakfast, meat pies, Sussex chicken with gravy, and more.

The West Village restaurant had already served up to 70 patrons by as of 1 p.m., and had 100 tables still booked for the remainder of the day.

"It's quite a lot because we're so tiny," Perry added.

Tea & Sympathy has become the go-to meeting place for mourners to gather together and feel understood since the Queen mum passed on Sept. 8, Perry said.

"Absolutely, unbelievable, people coming out of the woodwork, lots, and lots of English people we’ve never met before because they just want to go somewhere where people are like-minded with people that really get it," Perry said.

“I’m not saying Americans don’t get it, we’ve had a lot of Americans very upset here, too."

While it is not as known as some other New York City international enclaves, the area of Greenwich Avenue in the West Village is known as "Little Britain."

The nearby streets include other English restaurants and businesses like A Salt and Battery and Myers of Keswick.

Tea & Sympathy, which opened in 1990, will also host an event for the coronation of King Charles, Perry said.

Perry added she was "really proud" her business could serve as a place in New York City where people could come together and mourn the Queen who served more than 70 years.

“I’ve noticed a lot of older ladies coming in, British old ladies," Perry told Patch. "I want to be with my people," they tell Perry. " It’s the only place I can be."