Want to create a beautiful Asian afternoon tea at home without spending a fortune at a tea room? This easy idea uses mostly Trader Joe’s items to help you put together a special tea spread that feels elegant, fun, and surprisingly simple.
This Asian afternoon tea at home is perfect for Mother’s Day, birthdays, anniversaries, girlfriends’ get-togethers, or anytime you want to make an ordinary day feel extra special.
Why You’ll Love This Asian Afternoon Tea at Home
If you want a simple way to host an Asian afternoon tea at home, this idea is a great place to start.
- Easy to put together
- Uses mostly ready-to-heat Trader Joe’s foods
- Feels elegant without a lot of cooking
- A fun twist on traditional afternoon tea
- Great for special occasions at home
- Easy to customize with your favorite Asian-inspired finger foods and desserts
Watch the Asian Afternoon Tea Video
What to Serve for an Asian Afternoon Tea at Home
For this Asian afternoon tea at home, I used a mix of savory bites, sweet treats, and tea.
Savory Items
- Kimbap
- Scallion pancakes
- Char siu bao
- Mini shrimp bao
Sweet Items
- Red velvet cupcakes
- Almond cookies
- Green tea mochi
- Blood orange mochi
Tea
- Chrysanthemum tea
This mix gives you a nice balance of savory, sweet, soft textures, and pretty colors for your tea stand.
Where to Buy the 3-Tier Stand
Trader Joe’s Ideas for Asian Afternoon Tea at Home
One of the best things about making an Asian afternoon tea at home is that you can mix and match based on what Trader Joe’s has in stock.
More Savory Trader Joe’s Options
- Chicken pot stickers
- Mini wontons
- Steamed chicken soup dumplings
- Pork shumai
- Vegetable dumplings
- Shrimp noodle rolls
- Edamame
More Dessert Options
- Portuguese custard tarts
- Dozen sweet bites
- Mini tarts
- Japanese mini taiyakis
- Bubble waffles
- Japanese soufflé cheesecakes
- Caramel flan
- Chocolate pudding
- Rice pudding
These are great options if you want to build your own version of an Asian afternoon tea at home using easy store-bought foods.
How to Prepare an Asian Afternoon Tea at Home
The best part about this setup is that most of the food is very easy to heat and serve.
How to Prepare Kimbap
- Remove it from the package
- Place it on a plate
- Cover with a paper towel
- Microwave for about 3 minutes
- Let it cool slightly before serving
How to Prepare Scallion Pancakes
- Air fry at 400 degrees for 8 minutes
- Flip halfway through
- Cut into quarters for easy finger-food portions
How to Prepare Bao
- Steam the char siu bao for 10 to 12 minutes
- Steam the shrimp bao for 6 to 8 minutes
- Remove carefully so they do not tear or stick
Tips for a Better Asian Afternoon Tea at Home
After putting everything together, here are a few helpful things I learned.
Steam the bao instead of microwaving
For this Asian afternoon tea at home, steaming the bao worked much better. Microwaving made the char siu bao hard.
Be careful with the shrimp bao
The shrimp bao started sticking together and falling apart while steaming. Next time, it may help to:
- Separate them more before steaming
- Use parchment paper
- Add a liner to the steamer basket
- Steam at a lesser time like 6 minutes
Mochi melts quickly
Mochi looks beautiful on a tea stand, but it can melt if it sits out too long.
Keep portions small
When building an Asian afternoon tea at home, it is easy to add too much food. Small bites work best and make the stand look prettier too.
How to Arrange an Asian Afternoon Tea at Home
A three-tier stand makes your Asian afternoon tea at home feel beautiful and special right away.
Traditional afternoon tea usually follows this layout:
- Bottom tier: savory items
- Middle tier: breads or heartier bites
- Top tier: desserts
For an Asian-inspired version, you can keep the same idea but use foods that fit your theme.
Bottom Tier Ideas
- Scallion pancakes
- Bao
- Kimbap
- Shrimp bites
Middle Tier Ideas
- Cupcakes
- Cookies
- A mix of sweet and savory items
Top Tier Ideas
- Mochi
- Small cookies
- Mini tarts
- Egg tarts
- Bite-sized desserts
When planning your Asian afternoon tea at home, smaller treats work best on the top tier because there is less space.
Best Tea for Asian Afternoon Tea at Home
For this tea setup, chrysanthemum tea was a perfect match.
Why Chrysanthemum tea works well
- Light and refreshing
- Commonly served with dim sum
- Pairs well with both savory and sweet items
- Feels elegant and different from standard black tea
You could also serve:
- Hong Kong-style milk tea
- Jasmine tea
- Oolong tea
- Green tea
Choosing the right tea can make your Asian afternoon tea at home feel even more special.
My Favorite Items for Asian Afternoon Tea at Home
Here were some of my favorite parts of this spread.
Best savory picks
- Scallion pancakes – crispy, flavorful, and easy to share
- Char siu bao – delicious when steamed
- Mini shrimp bao – flavorful and a little more unique
Best sweet picks
- Red velvet cupcakes – pretty and delicious with cream cheese frosting
- Almond cookies – perfect size for a tea stand
- Mochi – beautiful color and fun texture
Best Occasions for Asian Afternoon Tea at Home
This Asian afternoon tea at home is a wonderful idea for:
- Mother’s Day
- Birthday brunch
- Anniversaries
- First dates at home
- Girls’ tea parties
- Weekend gatherings
- A fun family treat
Leave a Comment
Would you try an Asian afternoon tea at home? Which Trader Joe’s item would you add to your tea stand?
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