Afternoon tea is more than a tradition; it’s a concept, embodying elegance, good taste and relaxation in a way that very little else quite achieves. With an air that suggests something more formal than a ‘catch-up’ over a coffee, afternoon tea lets you step back in time to a less hectic era.
The practice is enjoying a resurgence of late, with many new shops opening in addition to those established long ago, so it’s really not difficult to find a good tea room close to where you live. Whether you enjoy an English tea, a green tea or a good old Earl Grey, in the major cities, it’s particularly easy to find somewhere to enjoy an exquisite afternoon tea experience as, in addition to small specialist businesses, many large hotels have an area reserved for the purpose.
One popular establishment is Betty’s Café Tea Rooms in York. Opened in 1936, with an interior designed by the men who decorated the Queen Mary, their decades of experience have allowed them to hone their skills to perfection; there are 18 specialist teas on offer, as well as a selection of delicate sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and jam, and delicious miniature cakes. There is even a more luxurious option, which comes with a glass of champagne to round off the perfect afternoon. If you don’t live nearby, you can still have the Betty’s experience by staying in one of the charming hotels near York tea rooms, allowing you to enjoy this ancient city’s other attractions.
Popular with Welsh afternoon tea aficionados, the Pettigrew Tea Rooms in Cardiff, is set inside the West Lodge in the walls of Bute Park, the garden of Cardiff Castle (venue for the Great British Cheese Festival) They have amassed a range of authentic, vintage mismatched china to add delicacy to the proceedings, as you enjoy one of their teas, from the simple Classic Cream Tea to the highly tempting Pettigrew Afternoon Tea, which comes with a selection of finger sandwiches, scones, cake and your choice of loose leaf tea. With affordable prices and a variety of other sights to see, close at hand, the Pettigrew is definitely worth the trip.
For a quirky, less traditional experience, Liverpool’s Leaf Bar and Tea Room in Bold Street offers the range of high quality loose leaf teas, finger sandwiches, scones and freshly baked cakes that are integral to afternoon tea. Popular with Liverpool’s creative element, the comfortable leather sofas, bare brick walls, low lighting and ambient music are supported by small elegant touches, such as the decorative, three-tier cake stands upon which the miniature cakes are served.
Wherever you are in the UK, there is sure to be an independent shop or small part of a hotel set aside for the experience, where you can find out about the tradition of afternoon tea. It may not always feature cucumber sandwiches or the finest bone china, but with the right tea, something tasty to nibble and the perfect ambience, it can be a wonderful experience that you might want to turn into a tradition amongst your friends.
Charlotte Webber is a UK based writer who enjoys blogging about parenting, cooking and British travel destinations.
