Swing the Teapot in NY serves the best Irish breakfast

Is the best full Irish to be found in Swing the Teapot?Swing the Teapot / Facebook

Swing the Teapot in New York serves up an authentic Irish breakfast that is unmatched stateside

The name “Swing the Teapot” recalls the old Irish custom of a communal cup of tea and to "swing the teapot" means to pass the teapot to the next person. Anyone who knows how dedicated the Irish are to their cuppa knows that failure to swing the teapot is a bad mark right away.

There are lots of different teas to swing at “Swing the Teapot” in Floral Park on the Queens/Long Island border.

Tea lovers, have you ever pined for as many flavors of tea as there are of coffee these days? Want to have the choice of 32 kinds of tea?

How about that authentic Irish breakfast atmosphere with a morning paper, a delicious cup of tea or coffee, and a window to gaze out on the world passing by?

I recently had some time to pass on a Saturday morning in Floral Park and I had heard rave reviews about “Swing the Teapot” owned by Cavan native Shane Moynagh and wife Ann, who were childhood sweethearts, falling in love when Ann visited Ireland every year on vacation. The couple also had a wonderful Irish bakery in Queens a few years back, which became a household word for Irish comfort food and fresh products.

It was time to pay a visit to 6 Verbena Avenue, off Tulip Avenue, and see what the fuss was about.

Swing the Teapot is located in a cozy little village street which features a couple of Irish bars and small local stores. It is right beside the LIRR if the hunger for a good breakfast becomes too much and you want to grab one right away.

Swing the Teapot is even an improvement on Shane’s Bakery. The atmosphere is Irish without being overpowering. The menu featured the 32 different brands of tea, including my own favorite, the Irish Breakfast, though I was tempted to try the blackcurrant, raspberry, or ginger peach tea.

The menu itself is a calorie buster if you go for the full Irish, which, of course, I could not resist. You pay a little extra for the authentic Irish bacon, sausage, and black and white pudding but believe me, they're worth it in spades.

The restaurant was quite busy on the morning I was there, but the service was excellent and pleasant and the atmosphere couldn't have been more comfortable. They also serve lunch and dinner at weekends and have a live band on Friday and Saturday.

But go for the breakfast first.

The real Irish soda bread, the real brown bread—baked on the premises—the banana-nut pancakes, the ginger-peach tea, that I tried for the heck of it, were all wonderful. And I’m determined to try at least ten of the hand-mixed teas I haven’t tasted yet.

So, take that, Starbucks.

As I said, the best Irish breakfast in America.

You'll find Swing the Teapot at 6 Verbena Ave. (off Tulip Ave.), Floral Park, NY 11001, (516) 488-2180. The restaurant is also on Facebook.

*Originally published in 2015

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Where do you get your favorite Irish breakfast when you're not in Ireland? Let us know in the comments!

This New York restaurant serves up the best Irish breakfast in America

Swing the Teapot in New York serves up an authentic Irish breakfast that is unmatched stateside