Pardee Home Museum

We loved our tour and tea party at the museum. Very special experience. People said it was the best birthday party they ever been to: very different and pleasent. It took about 1 hour and 15 minutes to tour the house and listen to the stories. And then we had tea for about 2 hours in a beautiful dining room. Really enjoyed it and will be back.

We just did a Sunday High Tea Garden Party for 30 people to celebrate our anniversary. It was a lovely day in a wonderful setting. Many of our guests complimented both the venue an the tea.
The volunteers truly make a wonderful experience for special occasions. I really appreciate their fine efforts in making a special day for us.
Several of our guests stayed for the house tour, an historic treat for period buffs. I found it informative and worth my time to take the tour.

The setting was simple, but beautiful! Mismatched China with delicate embroidered napkins. It just felt really personal and (excuse me, ’cause I can’t think of the word that means they really took the time to make you feel special?! Hehe.). We were greeted with wonderfully plated, intricately crafted goodies when we walked into the room! I think we really didn’t know what to do with ourselves?! Lol. It was all just so PRETTY! Everything was homemade.
Shortly after, our sweet server came around and gave us our first pours. It was only one kind of tea: English Breakfast. My cargroup was talking about this afterward, on the way home. I would have liked a choice for tea, but only because I think that’s what we’ve been used to at every tea spot. It was actually really nice not to have to think this time around! Haha. The tea was still really good. My girls put different things in it to flavor it as they liked. My favorite part– our server came around often enough that you NEVER had an empty cup or cool tea in your teacup. Awesome awesome service.
For more, read my blog:
All the food was chart-​topping. It came out at perfect increments of our meal. I had luscious HOT tea with every bite. To think that it was all homemade + prepared by loving volunteers, made everything taste better. EACH piece that was served to us was prepared with TLC, and that made for the most comfortable meal setting. We were very well taken care of by all the staff. The Tour of the home was such a nice added treat to our Tea Party today! The steps built up our appetites, and we were fed so well. This Tea Spot moved up to the top of the list at first pour, no question.

I’ve been here three times: a high-​tea with 12 people, their ghost investigation at night, and for a general house tour. All three times were AMAZING!!!
On their high-​tea. I hosted a topic-​based book discussion there on the Victorian era for during our tea and the docents acted as elegant and gracious hostesses that made this one of the most care-​free and enjoyable events to facilitate. Also, the tea and food was presented so exquisitely that it made tea at the Ritz seem like a drive-​thru by comparison. Food had all been home-​made by the docents with high-​quality ingredients and unique recipes that were traditional and mouth-​wateringly delicious.
High Tea Tips: Come with an appetite — they do not disappoint. Only the dining room where tea is held has heated, so in winter months bring a sweater for the house tour. Be sure to visit their little gift room for tea party souvenirs. GREAT for large and small parties.
On their occasional ghost investigations: 5 stars. Even the skeptic (I was neutral) will be completely stunned and looking over their shoulder. You even get your own communicating pendulum and one of the investigators gave me a set of brass rods. They split you into groups and go ALL over the house and outside to the carriage house. Someone caught a white orb on their camera in the carriage house, my communicating rods were highly active, and the leader was able to guide us through how investigations are conducted. Then we got to go into the candle-​lit cupola for a tarot reading (each of us got one). My friend and I only gave our names and birthdays (I know cold reading tricks, but she didn’t ask any), and she NAILED the very issues we had been talking about on the drive there. GO!!! It is absolutely worth it!!!
Ghost investigation tips: Eat first. It is surprisingly active as you go through various rooms, climb stairs, and have some standing. If you need to sit, you will have to do so on the floor. Bring a jacket. They request no fragrance to be worn. Lighting is dim to dark, so bring a red-​light flashlight or use your cell phone for lighting while walking around.
House Tour: Unlike most curated homes, this one is left just as the family had it. Huge collections from all over the world ranging from a whale phallus to candle stick holders and human skulls to rare books line every nook and cranny of this house. The docents are incredibly knowledgable about items in how or why the family acquired it and used it to the items historical relevance. Each room presents a glimpse into the time period and the personal glimpse of the family. There is SO MUCH to see here. I’ve gone three times to the home tour and enjoyed it each time!
House tour tips: Lots of walking and standing. Can be chilly in the winter, so layers recommended. Allow for a couple of hours.
GREAT for a casual outing, group outing, or as an adjunct to one of their events.
Parking is around the neighborhood about a block away. There is also a parking garage a couple of blocks away.

At beginning of the year, I called for reservation and a lady called me back said I was number 47 on the waiting list. I said I wanted to wait. Now it is September, no one calls me back.

Part of me wants to be selfish and not write a review about this jewel of a find in Preservation Park, Oakland, California.
I wanted to keep my experience all to myself.
You can only read on if you promise to make a donation to keep this incredible historic building and museum open. I was so fortunate to get in, and host a small tea (there’s a LONG wait list and seating is very limited). The cooks, lovely service and docents for the after-​tea tour of this family home are all run by passionate VOLUNTEERS!!! The food was incredible! The tour was intimate.
How will I ever host another tea, if not here again soon?
I hope to be lucky enough to find availability in the Spring for a garden party.

Seven of us went for the tour and the tea. This is one of the most interesting «house museums» I have ever visited. The late owner’s collections are vast, eclectic, and interesting — don’t miss the harpoons and other native spearing implements in the billiard room. The Pardee family included a former governor of Calif., George Pardee (in office at the time of the 1906 S.F. Firequake; he got kudos for appropriate governmental response); he was later involved in the creation of EBMUD («East Bay MUD,» our local water utility district). In fact, the East Bay’s delicious tap water comes from Pardee Reservoir which was named for him, created by the Pardee Dam on the Mokelumne River.
We had the tour first, about 90 minutes, then the full tea for $ 30 (at the present rate). One of the best teas any of us has had! The scones were particularly outstanding, and everything was either served on antique serving plates, or artistically presented with seasonal decorations (for example, fall leaves and acorns).
The tea is so good, I could easily take the tour several times (always something new to notice) just to attend the tea. Yum!!! This is an incredible deal and a hidden gem in Oakland. Bring somebody with a handicapped parking permit for on-​street parking.

This update is on behalf of a friend, who was so intrigued by our recommendation of Pardee, she reserved it for her birthday in Nov 2013 with three of her friends. They had a wonderful time! As she is not a Unilocaler, she asked me to post her comments.
Her review is as follows: «amazed and delighted with our private tea party… being that we were there for a birthday… they surprised the honoree and added servings of a pumpkin mousse topped with a creative chocolate covered cherry/​chocolate chip mouse. They vary the menu a little each time pending the chefs for that day… we look forward to another Tea Party again!
(one thought… I thought we would have a couple of tea selections)»

Best place for high tea, hands down! We had a private tea party and tour of the museum and both parts were equally fabulous. Food and tea was made with care and super delicious. The house tour and personal narrative of the Pardee family was fascinating. I highly recommend for a special event or a wonderful afternoon. What a jewel. Very grateful to find this place.

I just wanted to add that the quality of the food compared to other tea rooms is superb. The gift shop sells the recipes and my friend bought a copy. We had the house to ourselves it felt intimate just to be the only guests in the dining area for tea. This is the best tea room I’ve ever been to. It will be a challenge to find another one like it.
I’d plan ahead and make reservations asap because they fill up quickly. I made reservations a few months in advance!

I’m so fortunate to have found this great place. I was looking for a venue for my sister’s 18^th birthday. We decided to make it as a surprise garden tea party with close family and friends since this is what she mentioned she would like.
The price for our «tea party» per person is comparable to having «high tea» at those fancy tea houses in Santana Row and San Francisco in a nice garden setting complete with the fine china, impeccable service and also an optional tour of the house. What makes the experience more unforgettable were the lovely ladies that serve us and the amazing food they made. Every one of our guests couldn’t stop complimenting how delicious the food was! And they’re all homemade — the open faced sandwiches, warm scones and a variety of dessert.
The person in charge, Kay Cheatham was really easy to work with. She’s very helpful and accommodating with all my questions, concerns and requests. She’s very prompt with returning my calls and has really made the planning process a breeze!
My sister who we threw the party for was really happy on how her 18^th birthday turned out. The look on her face that day was priceless! Everything went smoothly and everyone had a great time!

BREWING THE BAY: British-​style afternoon tea in a beautiful, antique, historical home, all food made from scratch right in the kitchen by volunteers
I organized the private group tour + high tea event that Rachel E. wrote about in her Unilocal review below, and like her, I really enjoyed the experience. Ever since I moved to the Bay Area, I’ve been on the hunt for the best tea experiences this region has to offer. I’m fortunate that so many of my friends love tea as well (like Rachel E.), so when I learned about the private high tea experience at Pardee, I knew I had to make it happen. But let’s start with the tour first.
THE TOUR: Our docent Ron was not the best guide I’ve ever had (he kept repeating that he’d almost forgotten to show up, something I’m pretty sure no paying customer enjoys hearing over and over again), but his enthusiasm for the Pardee family was clear. All docents are volunteers, so you know that they’re genuinely passionate about what they do. Ron really knew his stuff and even though he had a tendency to talk more than was probably necessary (e.g. correcting himself when he got a year wrong when no one else would have cared if he said 1867 instead of 1866), he was really hands-​on. He let us go through drawers, music boxes, shelves and closets – the latter of which yielded some absolutely gorgeous early 20^th century silk dresses that we actually got to touch! The information was also really interesting, especially for this lifelong East Coaster who knows next to nothing about California history.
THE TEA: I’d argue that this is the real reason people come to Pardee. The association that maintains the home offers private group tours (for 4 – 12 people) PLUS high tea in the formal dining room for just $ 25 per person. All of the food is made by hand in the Pardee kitchen by volunteers who love to cook, bake and serve. And what food! My friends and I were only a group of 6 (which the volunteers knew beforehand), but we were served enough food to feed a party twice our size!
We had at least 6 different kinds of tea sandwiches with fillings such as chicken tarragon, smoked salmon and cucumber mint. Not only were the sandwiches delicious, but they were beautiful to behold. Presentation was clearly of the utmost importance. Our smoked salmon sandwiches, for example, were cut into the shape of hearts. The cucumber slices of the cucumber mint sandwiches were paper-​thin and arranged in a lovely, wavy, Art Nouveau-​esque design.
Though the sandwiches and other little savories were delightful, it was the sweet stuff that left us floored. Platters upon platters of desserts were presented to us containing such magnificent creations as lemon curd tarts, chocolate-​covered yellow cake balls, dusted dark chocolate truffles, chocolate cream sandwiched by crisp «waffle» cookie sheets, crystallized grapes, and so much more. We started on the first two trays of desserts already feeling overwhelmed, impressed and pretty full, only to be presented with two more platters of sweets about 15 minutes later! Most of us were left wishing we’d brought tupperware or some other kind of container to take home what we couldn’t finish. And as with the sandwiches, the sweets were all delicious and beautifully presented. The volunteers were cheerful, warm and friendly, and made the entire high tea experience wonderful.
TIPS:
1) Make reservations at least a month ahead of time as the spots are quickly filled (they only do these twice a month).
2) Make sure you have an exact group number as you will be required to pre-​pay for the entire group in order to secure your reservation. The check must be received by the Pardee folks 7 – 10 days before the day of your event. I found it easiest to just write a personal check for the entire group and then ask my friends to bring $ 25 on the day of the event.
3) Dress for approx 45-​degree weather! I cannot stress this enough. The home is very, very cold no matter what time of year it is (apparently, this was a problem even when the Pardee family lived there) and there is no heating in the house except in the dining room – and even then, it’s just a portable heater that definitely doesn’t reach everyone around the table.

Our group of 6 had reservations for the tour and tea today (Saturday). They offer tours on Wednesdays and Saturdays which are a bargain at $ 5. You don’t have to make reservations, but I would highly recommend it. You DO need a reservation for the tea.
We were definitely in it for the tea — the tour was sort of a bonus — but the tour was actually pretty interesting. It could have been about half as long though. There was a lot of information and much of it not relevant to the house itself. Sometimes our docent would correct himself on years a family event occurred (which was adorable) but we don’t really care whether it happened in 1901 or 1902… I enjoyed walking around the house and the artwork/​antiques/​collections were impressive. Unlike most other historical homes I’ve visited, our docent would open drawers, play music on some of the instruments, and pull out some dresses to show us from the closet.
Onto the tea, we were served adorable little sandwiches, scones, and SO many sweets. Several people in our party were vegetarians and while they were able to eat most of the food, this is definitely the kind of place that would have accommodated a special request for only vegetarian items if we had let them know in advance. The women serving us were so unbelievably sweet and refilled our teapot when it got low or cold. And we learned today that the tours and tea are all done by the staff on a volunteer basis. So even without the incentive of a tip, we were still treated like royalty.
Just one note: it gets extremely cold in the house. Much colder than outside. Bring a warm jacket.

This place is totally random! I haven’t heard of it until a friend googled «high tea in oakland» It’s wonderful!!! So worth the money ($ 25) and the time to get there (a 30 minute ride on the 1R).
I loved the food! There was both savory and sweet foods. And there was SO MUCH FOOD for our group of 4 women. I wanted to eat all of the delicious sandwiches, mini quiche, scones, mini lemon tarts… so much food I can’t even type it all.
The docents there were all sweethearts, and they filled up our teapots as soon as it was running low. Also, they gave us little baggies of the leftover desserts that we couldn’t finish at the moment because of our limited stomach capacity.
I also LOVED the tour. The house is beautiful, filled with lovely collections of furniture, art, candelbras, clothing, and musical intstruments that the Pardee family purchased over the years. Ron, the docent who gave us the tour, showed us around all the rooms in the house, from top to bottom. We felt that we traveled back in time 100 years and really got a sense of the Pardee family.
I am definitely taking friends, family, and boyfriend here. I’d even go by myself just so I can learn more about the Pardee family.
BOTTOM LINE: Pardee house knows how to party!

This place is a hidden gem in Oakland.
Parking is super confusing. Half the meters are broken.
Neighborhood borders the sketchy part… beware…
I got the chance to join in on tea b/​c of a no-​show.
Nice to check out but travel in a group to be safe.
They should add some security to this location. Cameras or something would be nice.

This review is for the afternoon tea & tour offered at Pardee Home Historical Museum. Because the Museum is listed under «Museums» I wanted to list the tea separately in the Tea Room section to make sure that people discover this delightful hidden treasure! I had no idea they offered tea until my aunt told me about it. I love afternoon teas and there are so few english tea-​style tea rooms in the East Bay.
I’m glad I went– it was one of the very best I’ve ever had and I’ve had a lot of teas (including Lovejoy’s, Crown and Crumpet, Samovar, and many places that are sadly closed now). The food was absolutely delicious and the included tour was very fun. The house itself is nothing special but it’s jam packed with the treasures, memorabilia and kitsch accumulated by a long-​lived family. At $ 25 for all of that, it is a huge bargain. Highly recommended! Reservations need to be made 2 weeks in advance. The minimum group size is 4 and the maximum the diningroom holds is 12 people. They can accommodate larger parties in the garden outside. There is only one dining room so I expect they only do one tea at a time, so you get lots of personal service and can chat up the volunteers and docent and learn fun little tidbits about the house as you eat.
The food is prepared by volunteers who pay for all the supplies themselves. But this doesn’t mean they take some frozen trader joe’s appetizers and call it a day, oh no, they create a wide variety of beautiful little nibbles. The menu changes based on the whims of the volunteers but on my visit we had: tiny ham sandwiches, miniature pâté chou filled with chicken salad, smoked lox and herbed cheese sandwiches, and some of the tastiest (and prettiest!) cucumber sandwiches I’ve ever had. Then we had a «warm» course of little mushroom rolls, artichoke tartlets and crispy cheese wafers. This was followed by fresh-​out-​of-​the oven scones with strawberry jam and clotted cream. The scones were delicate but sturdy enough for a healthy dollop of jam and cream. Divine! Then we had dessert– a stunning assortment of chocolate coconut macaroons, «world’s best» cookies (like a praline cookie), meringue kisses, fresh english toffee, miniature pavlovas, one bite cheesecakes and itty bitty meyer lemon tartlets.
The only warning I’d give is to allow 3 hours for the whole experience (tea and tour). This is not a tea you’ll want to rush, and if you’re someone who can spend hours in an antique shop, you’ll probably end up spending a lot of time looking through the overstuffed cabinets in the Pardee House. Bring a flashlight to peer into the nooks and crannies!

Well worth the money. A step back in time.
I have done this tour twice already, and I would do it again. I dont know what draws me to old houses like this but its definately worth your time. Its sad that more people don’t take advantage of coming here.

I visited the Pardee Home a couple of Sundays ago as part of the Let’s Go To Afternoon Tea Meetup group. We had the full tea and the house tour afterward. This home is such a treasure and the tea was the same caliber of a good tea room.
Our docent was knowledgeable and took her time to show us the inside of closets, tell stories about light fixtures, objects and the architecture and provided a lot of information about the Pardee family. I had been wanting to visit for some time and am glad I finally got to go.
For the tea, the party needs to be at least four people and reservations must be made. The home tour and tea are provided entirely by volunteers and their love of the home shines through. For tours, you must also reserve but don’t need a party of four.
I look forward to gathering another group so I can visit again soon. And so should you. If you love Victorian houses or local history or afternoon tea, you can’t miss this unique home museum.

for $ 15, i was expecting just a couple of scones with jam… well, it started with (warm, delicious) scones with marmalade and double devon cream, but was soon followed by a seemingly relentless stream of cakes and wee tarts that stuffed us beyond recognition. well worth the money, especially since it includes the fun tour of the house. the cupola with the view of the port of oakland was my favorite part; we lingered there for a long while chatting with our docent about oakland history, from the pullman porters to the oakland hills fire. we’ll be back, for sure.

Went to the Pardee House today for an interesting tour and «light tea». The tour alone appears to be only $ 5/​person and the light tea+tour = $ 15/​person. If you’ve ever been to a fancy tea time, this is a definite bargain. The tea is a very cozy event because they cater to one group at a time. They served their home-​made baked items on unique dishware and some of the treats came literally fresh from the oven. You can’t beat the quality and personal attention they provide, especially for the price.
I really enjoyed the tour, our volunteer docent had a clear love of the house. She shared the history of the Pardee family and knew tidbits about the collections of unique and historical items placed throughout the house. The house/​tour made you feel as if you were transported back in time and gave me a real glimpse of what life was like back in the day. I could spend hours just looking at the great abundance of interesting items in the house. It is amazing how dedicated the family/​volunteers have been to keep the plethora of collections and original furnishings within this historical home. You basically get a personalized tour through a house with museum quality items + food/​tea for $ 15. Crazy… isn’t it?
This was a very interesting and educational tour about an influential family that worked hard to make great contributions to Oakland and the nation. It is a shame that more people don’t know about this interesting home.
The Pardee House is run completely by volunteers that truly want to share their love of Pardee history and make this museum a self supporting place that can be open to the public in the future. So check it out!