Local Eats: Nettie's Bakery & Tea House

If you follow the Endlessly Delicious Life facebook page - which, you should, of course - you may have noticed multiple mentions of Nettie's Bakery & Tea House. I am not in any way affiliated with or sponsored by Nettie's (a girl can dream), but I just enjoy their business so darn much.


Next week, I'm having a mother-daughter 
birthday date (it's the big 3-0, y'all!) at Nettie's and I'm so looking forward to it. In my reading and re-reading of the menu, I've reflected upon previous Tea House joy - which I have to share with you. 

Nettie's doesn't deliver; but occasionally
The Hubs will deliver their goodies to me at work.

Nettie's is just as adorable as it sounds. It's on the cutest little street in a tiny Western North Carolina town, a breath away from Waynesville. Hazelwood's Main Street is just what you'd expect in a quaint Southern block - a local soap company, a meat-and-potatoes brew pub, thrift stores, a Chip and Joanna Gaines-style home decor store, gun shop (welcome to "Home of the Plott Hound" hunting dog), locally owned pharmacy, and this adorable sweet spot. Nettie's is a small bakery with what appears to be an ample kitchen and cozy dining space. You order at the counter, indecisively lingering at the bakery case, and can have a seat at one of few antique tables. Tea house that it is, Nettie's is filled with tea sets - unique, fragile, antique, and miniature. Not unlike so many of our Southern grandmamas' parlors, it's full of "breakables," floral prints, and lace. 

Their regular menu offers a variety of cutesy sandwiches like you'd expect at a ladies auxiliary meeting - such as grape-pecan-chicken salad or homemade pimento cheese; and a rotating selection of fresh pastries. I've never gone to Nettie's for lunch, but we often pop in while visiting Robin Blu next door. Their variety of pastries is ever-changing and always delicious. The cinnamon rolls are huge, the scones are crumbly, the cookies are dappled with big chocolate chunks, and the cakes are beautiful layers upon layers. Personally, I go straight for the more nuanced desserts. Great British Baking Show watch out, because these ladies know how to wow with items like macarons, Viennese whirls, and petit fours. 

The showstopper here is the tea parties. Afternoon and High Teas are available every day (24-hour notice required) and special seasonal tea menus are available throughout the year. Last month, my mom and I attended a Mother's Day tea and I don't think I can do justice to this experience. It was so much fun, completely delicious, and a great adventure to share with my Mama. 

When I was little, I had a pink and white plastic tea set that we'd play with. I vividly remember sitting in a pillow fort, drinking sweet tea, eating the worst tuna salad ever (Peas, mom? Really?) and watching "Anne of Green Gables" together. We were pretending to be fancy, polite and delicate ladies; but Nettie's almost convinced us we were grown-up and elegant. 

The tea events have a set menu with savory and sweet items. The seasonal teas are more high-end with a few additional items. At Mother's Day we were treated to: a salad with oranges, almonds, (fresh!!) croutons and cinnamon vinaigrette; waldorf chicken salad tea sandwiches; pimento cheese and bacon puffs; berry jam scones; doodashes (an eleveated version of your Mamaw's cheese straws); chocolate ganache macarons; bonbons and Viennese whirls. 

Tea Treat Tower!

#SoFancy

It's a tremendous spread, not to mention the tea! A variety of teas are available and you can choose as many as you like. The owner must understand the unsophisticated palates of us low-brow sweet tea drinkers, so she mentioned "if you don't like the flavor, we'll pour it out and try a new one!"  We drank a whole pot of berry tea which required a little experimenting with milk and sugar. Pro tip: un-stirred sugar cubes will sink to the bottom of your cup and give you a final shockingly sweet sip...or so I'm told... 

Basically doing this giddy wiggle
until our next Tea Party

The food was spectacular, but I'm literally giddy trying to describe the experience. They make a real effort for guests to feel special and pampered. From the lace tablecloth (onto which I IMMEDIATELY spilled salad dressing) and napkins, to the real, delicate china tea set, to the silver serving utensil (from which I launched a doodash at my mother) to the tea tray the rolled to our table (IS THIS REAL LIFE?), every detail is curated to develop an authentic, luxurious treat. Downton Abbey, eat your heart out. 

My husband, y'all. #HappyWife

If you're ever in Hazelwood, it's imperative you stop in for a snack. But really, I'd recommend making a trip just for a bakery case treat. Also, be sure to follow them on Facebook where they share upcoming events - like seasonal tea schedules - and exciting deals - like this fancy Valentine's Day goodie box with shortbread, chocolate-covered strawberries, champagne cupcakes and macarons. 


And folks, this place can save you the heartburn of trying to find a unique way to show someone in your life that you love and care about them. Fellas and kiddos: brush your hair, wash your hands and take your lady and/or your mama out to tea. And gals, this would be the place to get in some super sweet girl time with your friends, the expectant mama who needs to savor quiet time, or a stressed out soon-to-be bride! 

Big, obnoxious hats are optional.