The Chattaway’s afternoon tea tradition will live on at Violet’s Cuppa Tea in Gulfport

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Violet’s Cuppa Tea will open in Gulfport on November 15th | St Pete Rising

As The Chattaway’s final afternoon tea reservations filled up, pieces of its English tea room were already being packed away.

Pictures of Queen Elizabeth II came off the walls. Cups and saucers were wrapped for the move. Customers came for one last tea service before the restaurant changed hands, and many had the same question for Amanda Kitto: Where would she serve tea next?

At the time, she didn’t have an answer. Now she does.

Violet’s Cuppa Tea plans to open Sunday, November 15th at 5325 Gulfport Boulevard, offering traditional English afternoon tea in a pink building next to The Boulevard Shoppe and across from Habana Cafe.

Owner Amanda Kitto is the youngest daughter of Jillian Frers, whose family operated The Chattaway for decades before selling the south St. Pete restaurant and property in September.

The sale preserved one of the most historic and longest-running restaurants in St. Pete. But while the burgers and garden remained, the new owners converted the English-inspired tea room into additional restaurant seating and discontinued afternoon tea.

Kitto, who began working at The Chattaway at age 14, decided to continue it herself.

Violet’s Cuppa Tea owner Amanda Kitto (left) and Melissa Reid, who will bake for the new Gulfport tea room | St. Pete Rising

“I was doing afternoon tea, a traditional English afternoon tea, because my mother — Jillian, the former owner — is English, and I wanted to carry on that tradition,” Kitto told St. Pete Rising.

Her mother, originally from Blackheath, England, helped create the tea room that became an unexpected feature of a restaurant better known for cheeseburgers and its leafy outdoor courtyard.

Inside, guests gathered around tables set with china, beneath photographs of the queen and shelves of decorative plates. Birthdays, bridal showers, and ordinary afternoons brought people in for tea by reservation.

During the final months of service, Kitto stayed busy accommodating customers who wanted to experience it again before it ended.

The new 1,726-square-foot cafe will bring familiar pieces of The Chattaway’s tea room to a larger space. Teacups, teapots, antique plates, British flags, and framed photographs of Queen Elizabeth II will help recreate the room longtime customers knew.

Kitto’s sister, Debby, is helping decorate Violet’s after previously working with their mother to create The Chattaway’s “Blue Room.”

Kitto estimates the indoor space and shared courtyard could accommodate about 50 guests, compared with roughly 22 seated comfortably in The Chattaway’s tea room.

The Chattaway’s “Blue Room,” which previously hosted afternoon tea service | The Chattaway

Violet’s traditional afternoon tea will cost $50 per person and include unlimited tea alongside a three-tiered assortment of sandwiches, scones, crumpets, and desserts.

The bottom tier will feature crustless finger sandwiches with fillings such as cucumber and butter, egg salad, tuna salad, chicken salad, and pimento cheese. Turkey, ham, and cheese roll-ups will also be among the options.

Warm scones and crumpets will occupy the middle tier, accompanied by clotted cream, jam, and lemon curd.

Desserts and fresh fruit will fill the top, with selections changing depending on what is being baked that day.

Melissa Reid, a Chattaway server who helped Kitto handle the restaurant’s final months of afternoon tea reservations, is joining her at Violet’s and will bake for the business.

Lemon bars, key lime pie, cookies, and small slices of cake are among the sweets customers may find on their trays.

The tea selection will include roughly 20 varieties, ranging from traditional English black tea to flavored and seasonal options, with caffeinated and caffeine-free choices.

Guests at the same table can choose different teas, with separate pots provided for different selections.

A selection of teacups and a menu at Violet’s Cuppa Tea in Gulfport | St. Pete Rising

Children can participate with options such as peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and lemonade served in a teapot.

Vegetarian, gluten-free, and dairy-free options will also be available upon request, with an additional charge for gluten-free service.

Reservations for afternoon tea should be made at least 48 hours in advance by calling or texting the business.

Solo guests are welcome alongside couples and larger groups.

Customers stopping in without a full tea reservation will be able to purchase tea, drip coffee, scones, and other pastries individually, either to enjoy inside or take to go.

Violet’s also plans to host private gatherings and themed tea parties, and some antiques from The Boulevard Shoppe will be displayed for sale throughout the room.

Although the business carries forward a tradition associated with Kitto’s mother, its name comes from the youngest member of the family.

Violet is Kitto’s two-year-old granddaughter, who often accompanied her during preparations for The Chattaway’s tea services.

“She would help me unset the table when I would set it,” Kitto laughed.

Now, the cups and saucers Violet once helped rearrange will have a place in the tea room bearing her name.

Follow Violet’s Cuppa Tea on Facebook for updates on its planned November 15th opening.

A three-tiered sandwich stand served during afternoon tea at The Chattaway | The Chattaway