Pinkies Up for a Cozy Cup at The Pink Chandelier | Eat + Drink | southsoundmag.com

From left: Pastry chef Sue Gellner, owner Colette Mackend, and pastry chef Danielle West.

Any time is a good time for afternoon tea, and there’s no better place to clink decorative porcelain than The Pink Chandelier in Puyallup. So, pinkies up for custom blended teas, delicate sandwiches, and fresh-baked scones.

Colette Mackend took over the former boutique in 2020 and added the café two years later with a business partner. She is now the sole owner.

She is no stranger to the restaurant industry. Her late father, Firmin Berclaz, was a classically trained chef and owner of the former Edmonds restaurant Café de Paris.

“He had his restaurant for 35 years, and I trained with him since I was 12. He taught me so much,” Mackend said. “Working with him in the kitchen for several years, I eventually moved to the front of the house, serving tables, bartending, managing, and hiring — up until he decided to sell in 2018.”

Today, you’ll find Mackend in The Pink Chandelier kitchen, along with two pastry chefs, Sue Gellner and Danielle West. Together, they create delightful tea sandwiches, savories, and sweets, all stacked delicately on a three-tiered rack.

“It’s really an experience that we want people to remember,” she said. “I think there’s something to be said about getting together and carving out a couple of hours in your day to connect, go down memory lane, and catch up over a cup of tea.”

Don’t miss a chance to feel like you’re in a Hallmark movie during a magical Christmas Tea this December — reservations opened earlier this month.