When Fredericksburg-based serial entrepreneurs Matthew and Laura McClelland discovered the owner of popular Crest Hill Tea Room in The Plains planned to retire in 2022, they jumped at the opportunity to step in. The couple were longtime patrons and loved the eatery’s traditional afternoon English tea services, pastries, and sandwiches. But what came next was a shocker: Within weeks they’d announced plans to open a second location in downtown Pulaski.

“We loved the area and saw an opportunity to help it grow,” says Matthew. “We wanted to expand the traditional afternoon tea room experience in a fun and exciting way that could help bring it to people who maybe wouldn’t have access to it otherwise.”
The shop opened last August and offers 30 varieties of teas, as well as a scrumptious array of baked goods, confections, wine, beer, and gourmet sandwiches. CrestHillAntiques.com
This article originally appeared in the Best of Virginia 2024 issue.