August in Nashville brings its fair share of traditions, but few are as thoughtful as The Hermitage Hotel’s Yellow Rose Tea.
Held every Friday through Sunday at 2 p.m. throughout the month (August 2025), this signature afternoon tea honors the legacy of the Women’s Suffrage Movement in the very place where a pivotal chapter of that story unfolded.
Back in the summer of 1920, the hotel wasn’t just a pretty place to stay—it was the frontline of a political showdown. With the State Capitol just across the street, The Hermitage became ground zero for what would later be called “The War of the Roses.”
Lawmakers, activists, and lobbyists packed the halls, pro-suffragists wearing yellow roses on one lapel and anti-ratification forces in red on the other. The stakes? Tennessee’s vote would make or break the 19th Amendment. (Spoiler: it passed.)
Each August, the hotel leans into that legacy with its Yellow Rose Tea—part tribute, part time machine.
The experience includes tiered trays of savory sandwiches and sweets (think jambon de Paris with truffle crostini, smoked salmon with caviar, strawberry tartlets, rose éclairs), along with champagne, hot tea, and a few extras that make it feel like more than just a meal.
Also, there’s live 1920s-era piano music, a yellow rose to take home, and a commemorative menu to remember it by.
Drinks are a highlight, too. The hotel’s bar team crafted a lineup of themed cocktails inspired by leading women of the movement, like The Carrie, named for Carrie Chapman Catt—bold and boozy, built on Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel and finished with chocolate bitters. Or The Anne, a sparkling, herbal take that nods to Anne Dallas Dudley’s influence with gin, prosecco, and chartreuse syrup.
It’s $95 per person ($45 for kids under 10), but if you’re into history, high tea, or simply sipping something fancy in a Nashville landmark, it’s worth carving out an afternoon.
Reservations recommended—especially if you’re trying to score a table near the piano.
For more information, visit thehermitagehotel.com and make a reservation at resy.com.
