A Second Act for North Kingstown’s Sweet Marie’s

A new location for a beloved tea cottage means more ways to treat yourself and your gals

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Sweet Marie’s Tea Cottage serves up more than tea – it steeps a connection to a cherished legacy. The intimate space is named after proprietor Lindsey Andrews’ grandmother. “Sweet Marie was my dad’s nickname for her,” Andrews says. “I wanted the space to be the embodiment of everything she was.”

Inside, the rustic property is adorned with pictures and decor that channel a cottage core aesthetic – elegant and refined yet warm and cozy, inviting laughter and shared secrets. Andrews’ grandmother was able to experience tea at her namesake location by celebrating her 91st birthday there before passing away last summer. But as Andrews mourned, her spirits were buoyed by a project: a new home for Sweet Marie’s Tea Cottage. “We’re moving into a different phase, and I’m excited to continue to honor my grandmother in a new way,” she says.    

At press, the new expanded space is slated to open in mid-January, and will feel familiar to fans of the original. “The aesthetic is the same,” says Andrews. “We’re capping our tea service at 30, so it’s still an intimate, quaint, and cozy dining experience, just with more room.”

The larger space allows for what Andrews refers to as “small conveniences.” It accommodates a waiting area, gift shop, and tea bar, which has four tables for walk-in service, where people can relax with a pot of tea and scones. “I wanted to give people the opportunity to try us without committing to making a full reservation,” she explains. 

Those who do commit, however, are in for a treat. The tea cottage offers a prix fixe menu that includes finger sandwiches, scones, dessert, and unlimited black tea. Sweet Marie’s also has a full liquor license and is building an impressive cocktail menu. “We’ve matured, and the experience reflects that,” says Andrews. “Our menu has become more elegant and elevated, yet still approachable.”

Fans of Sweet Marie’s Tea Cottage have woven the elegant venue into their community traditions. In the original location, a group of women rented out the space every February for their annual Galentine’s Day celebration. “I hope to do more of that,” says Andrews, explaining that the new location can accommodate private events of up to 30 people, and she has hopes to expand to 40.

Andrews remembers a young tea drinker who’s become a fixture at the cottage. “This little girl started celebrating her birthdays and half birthdays at the shop. She’s been coming every six months since she was three!”   

Sweet Marie’s is more than a tribute to a beloved grandmother and an important part of its community – it’s a space where memories are made, traditions are cherished, and for Andrews, where a dream was fulfilled. “My heart drew me to this type of work. It’s where I’m happiest,” she emphasizes. “I wanted to create something experience based, and Sweet Marie’s is something beautiful that people look forward to.”

 

Sweet Marie’s Tea Cottage

7 Main Street, North Kingstown

SweetMariesTea.com

 

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