High Tea at the Rutherford House

by Sandy Joe Karpetz | Aug . 10 . 2011 | Alberta, Canada, Travel

One of the first to-do’s on my essential Edmonton list is having high tea at The Rutherford House. This historical home with a cafe within it is easily one of my favourite my favourite restaurants in town. Not only is the food exceptional, but the atmosphere is just the way I like it… very vintage.

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Where Is the Rutherford House

Located on Saskatchewan Drive behind the U of A campus, this museum has been a haunt of mine since I was in Brownies and will hopefully continue to be in my old age.

The post-Edwardian mansion was built for the first premiere of Alberta, Alexander Cameron Rutherford who moved in with his family in 1911. You can read all about it on the museum’s website.

Inside The Arbour Room

Despite being a not for profit organization, the food here will blow your mind, the surroundings are pretty stellar too. With such a cozy atmosphere and gracious staff, it is little wonder why this place is always boppin’. It’s wise to make reservations a few days in advance to guarantee a seat.

The restaurant seating is on the west side of the house in a sunroom with ample light. The floral tablecloths and mismatched china add to the character.

The Arbour Room Menu

My usual order is The Centennial High Tea – it gives one the best array of goodies in perfect portions.

To begin with, the petite egg and cucumber sandwiches surrounded by assortment of warm wraps with heavenly cream cheese spread inside.

Second course is technically turkey pot pie, but I’m sort of an annoying customer and substitute for the ratatouille penne – a roasted vegetable bake because I’m vegetarian.

Finally, the meal ends with sweets. I live for their freshly baked scones accompanied with raspberry butter and Devonshire cream. I dream about this raspberry spread, IT IS BEYOND.

High Tea at the Rutherford House

On occasion they also have lavender cookies but I haven’t seen those around in awhile, they are pretty incredible as well.

Living in the Past

Besides the tasty treats, I love visiting The Rutherford House because it reminds me of my childhood home which was built around the same time. That house was moved down the hill into Fort Edmonton when I was five. It now resides in the museum park on the 1905 street and is called The Firkins House.

i-lived-in-a-haunted-house-fort-edmonton-park-firkins-house-3

For my post about what it was like growing up in the haunted Firkins House as well as photos of the move, I’ve made a blog post complete with a YouTube video linked.

RIP The Arbour Room

Sadly in 2013, The Arbour Restaurant & Tea Room shut down and high tea at the Rutherford House ceased to exist.

In 2017, the Vintage Fork filled the space but it never quite matched the former tea house. While the tea remained exceptional, the food was less inspired. My beloved creamy raspberry butter was nowhere to be found! Like many businesses, this one did not survive the 2020 shutdown. While the restaurant never reopened, the Vintage Fork still sells tea which I continue to purchase to this day.

I still maintain hope that a cafe offering high tea will return to the Rutherford House some day. In the meantime, I can still visit the wonderfully sumptuous museum house.

photographs – my mom + sandy joe karpetz

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18 Comments

Courtney Erin on August 10, 2011 at 6:00 pm
I actually got married at Rutherford House back in 2006 so I love seeing other people visit!
xoxo Courtney ~ Sartorial Sidelines
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Sandra on August 10, 2011 at 6:09 pm
Great pictures, I totally love the necklace. 🙂
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Katie on August 10, 2011 at 7:04 pm
Lovely pictures, I'm in love with that necklace! I just moved to a new city so I'm spending the summer being a tourist 🙂 xo
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Caroline in the City on August 10, 2011 at 7:08 pm
Class and high tea in E-town! I love this! When Mike and I went to Australia we decided to we'd be tourists in our own city when we returned to Edmonton. It's funny how we can be so complacent and unadventurous after living somewhere for a while. I've never been to The Arbour Room at Rutherford House – we should go and you can show me the ropes! Thanks for the shout out, too!! So very exciting… we have much to chat about!! Talk soon! x
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Sarah on August 10, 2011 at 8:04 pm
I live in London so I'm always doing tourist things in the city, going on open top buses etc :-). The food you ate in the Rutherford house sounds absolutely delicious, although I have never heard of lavender cookies before. I really like your dress by the way!Sarah
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THE CHEAP on August 10, 2011 at 8:08 pm
oOo lala hehe. I'm loving your nose stud 🙂
xx THE CHEAP
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Malu on August 10, 2011 at 8:26 pm
Lovely pics! ♥
xx Stylish Confessions
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Rachel Emma (Daydream Frenzy) on August 10, 2011 at 8:27 pm
These pictures are so cute! Especially the food ones hehe love your outfit!:)
xx
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herecomesthesun on August 11, 2011 at 7:38 am
You really suit your nose piercing!
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kcomekarolina on August 11, 2011 at 12:52 pm
looks yummy!cool!!!
xoxo from rome
K.
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Belly B on August 11, 2011 at 6:43 pm
The food looks SO delicious!!!! I'm soo hungry now!
Belly B
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Jennyboo on August 11, 2011 at 9:29 pm
This looks like the perfect day. Tea and treats! And I am loving the black dress and sandals. Beautiful!!
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Hope Adela Pasztor on August 12, 2011 at 5:44 am
You are so gorgeous! Love the crystal necklace, and that food is making my mouth water! =)
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Nav on August 12, 2011 at 2:20 pm
Its great to fiind other fellow Edmontonian bloggers. =] In four years that I was studying at UofA, we went to rutherford house for tea and desserts, fav part i tell ya!
xo Nav
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Maycie After Five on August 12, 2011 at 3:40 pm
What a beautiful place! That ratatouille penne looks so good. I'm very guilty of being a tourist in my own town. It's kinda fun.
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Lynn {hearted girl} on August 13, 2011 at 9:57 pm
girl, i just gotta get to E-town, so many rad spots to visit…plus it'd be great to run into you any day of the week! high tea toasts, you are loveliest! ♥
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Karin on August 14, 2011 at 12:51 am
I love your black outfit xxx
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Dark Blue Stripes on August 18, 2011 at 11:41 pm
Love the all black.
Christie
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