Dinner Party Etiquette: When to Serve Coffee and Tea

Dana Velden
Dana Velden
Dana Velden's first book, Finding Yourself in the Kitchen: Kitchen Meditations and Inspired Recipes from a Mindful Cook (Rodale Books) is available where ever books are sold. She lives in Oakland, CA.
published Mar 30, 2012
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(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

There are two ways of thinking about the proper time to serve coffee and tea after a meal. The most formal and traditional way is to serve dessert first, followed by coffee once the dessert plates have been cleared. (This also used to be a signal that it was now OK for people to light up their cigarettes. Clearly, times have changed!)

The second, more casual possibility is to serve coffee/tea with the dessert. Many people like it this way because the coffee helps to cut some of the sweetness and richness of dessert. A second cup of coffee or even an after dinner drink can be served once the table is cleared.

I usually offer coffee with dessert since many people I know prefer it that way. And I offer it again after dessert just in case there are some traditionalists in the crowd. So I’m covered either way. One thing I don’t do is serve coffee with the main meal, although friends have told me that they grew up with that practice, especially those from more rural areas.

When do you serve coffee and why? And when’s the last time someone lit up a cigarette at your dinner table?

Related: Do you Drink with Your Meals?

(Image: Liberty Lady)

Filed in:
Beverages
Coffee
Dessert
dinner
etiquette
Tea