The LEGO set 3617, also known as the “Tea Garden Café with Delivery Bicycle,” is part of the LEGO Fabuland series which was introduced in the late 1970s and continued through to 1989. Fabuland featured anthropomorphic animal characters living in a village setting, with sets designed to be simpler to build and aimed at younger children, approximately aged between 4 and 8 years old. Each set often came with its own narrative or suggested stories centred around the daily lives of its characters.
The Tea Garden Café with Delivery Bicycle was released in 1988. This charming set included a small café structure outfitted with essential accessories to mimic a cozy eatery, along with a delivery bicycle for bringing treats to other Fabuland characters. It was accompanied by Fabuland figures which typically had movable arms, legs, and heads, unlike the more traditional LEGO minifigures. These characters might have included one or two of the series friendly animal residents, dressed appropriately for their roles as café staff or patrons.
What made the Fabuland series, including set 3617, particularly delightful was its fusion of simple construction akin to LEGO System sets with story-driven play encouraged by its unique, characterful figures. Though the series has long been discontinued, sets like the Tea Garden Café remain cherished collectibles and nostalgic pieces for those who grew up in the Fabuland era.
