Lunch Break: Café Zest, House of Fraser, Manchester

If you're looking for a coffee and sandwich in good quality surroundings, then all I have to say is 'head for Café Zest.' Situated on the fourth floor of Manchester's House of Fraser, this little café has a menu to delight and is the perfect place to break from the shopping rush.

For many years the term 'department store café' has conjured up images of plastic chairs, chipped plates and tissue stuffed tea spouts, but no more - Café Zest is an innovation. Not only is their dining space sleek and stylish, but they also serve an amazing selection of patisserie which include lovely fresh fruit tarts and pastries. They also do a cracking scone and great coffee.

Check it out!

(Caroline)

For more information about House of Fraser Manchester, please visit their website HERE

Our Lady in London

...Now covering London

For the last twelve months The Afternoon Tea Club has dealt almost exclusively with the lovely and varied establishments of the North West, sampling their teas and reviewing their cake to great effect. However, the time has come for us to spread our wings and fly down south (once a month) to explore the wonderful teas of London.

To assist us with this challenge we've recruited a brand new guest blogger, Sorcha Stott-Strzala, who will be reviewing on the site once a month, offering an insight into the London Tea scene. With a background in high-end Afternoon Tea, we know that she's going to make an excellent addition to the team - Welcome Sorcha!

Check back soon for the first instalment of 'A Cup with Sorcha'

Love

Laura and Caroline

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Coffee Break: Waffles in Belgium

There's a lovely little coffee shop in Brugge which sells the most delicious waffles, the only problem is that it doesn't have a name... All I can say is that it's located just around the corner from mini water in the centre of Brugge and always has a display of freshly made waffles (complete with chocolate sauce, bananas, strawberries and cream) outside the door to entice you in. I'm sure you'll know it when you see it... So if you're ever in Belgium keep your eyes peeled for the waffles!

(Caroline)

Coffee Break: De Proeverie, Brugge

De Proeverie has to be one of the lovleiest tea rooms I've ever visited - and it's not even  British...

 

Situated in the pretty Belgian town of Brugge and offering a good selection of traditional English and Belgian fare, De Proeverie is a continental gem. From the moment you walk through its lovely green doors until the moment you leave, the charm of this tea room is apparent, not only because of its warm and welcoming atmosphere, but also because it's bursting at the seams with locals and tourists alike. 

Hot Chocolate

This wide-spread popularity is testimony to their staff's service and product quality, which in my opinion is second to none. My personal favourite is their hot chocolate, which is served as a do-it-yourself delight, with a cup of hot milk and a dish of melted chocolate to stirr in. The attention to detail here is wonderful and every coffee is accompanied by a plate of chocolates and cream - yummy!

People say that it's the little things that make the difference and it really is.

- If you're ever in Brugge, pay them a visit - you won't regret it!

Check out their website Here

(Caroline)

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Coffee Break: Stringers, Lytham

Oh I do like to be beside the sea-side, oh I do like to be beside the sea...

Just a few short miles away from Blackpool, the pretty town of Lytham and St. Annes offers visitors a wealth of delightful eateries for their delectation. Whenever visiting, I always try to sample somewhere different and on this occasion it was the turn of Stringers department store. Since my last visit to the store, their coffee shop has undergone a substantial refit and downscale - changes which I was initially very scpetical about. However, after visiting, I can confirm that these changes have not been of detriment to the overall ambiance of the cafe and that the food is just as nice as ever. My only criticism is that you now have to walk through the men's clothing department to access the cafe, which is a minus point off their previous design.

On this occasion, I decided upon a Bakewell Slice and Americano, both of which were very good and well priced.

If you're on your way to the lights this month and want a coffee and a cake before hand, pay a visit to Lytham, you won't regret it!

(Caroline)

Coffee Break: Coffee Cali, Hebden Bridge

In the Hebden Bridge area and fancy a coffee? Check out Coffee Cali...

Small in size, but offering an excellent selection of freshly prepared food, Coffee Cali is at the heart of Hebden Bridge, providing the town with their daily coffee needs - and also some very hungry ducks, who like to join in if you dine al fresco!

Look out for their coffee with a musical twist - Well worth a visit if you're in the area!

(Caroline)

The Great British Afternoon Tea

There's nothing more British than a good-old-fashioned afternoon tea and since we at ATC have something of a penchant for the pastime, we couldn't let a week of national celebration go by without doing something special to mark it. So in the true spirit of the occasion, we've gone off in search of your favourite post-noon treats, seeking out the help of our lovely twitter friends along the way. Here are a few of our favourites...


1. Afternoon Tea at Lands End



This delicious looking cream tea was taken by @lindaloves2012 at Lands End. We're not sure which tea room it's originated from, but coming from the home of the cream tea - cornwall - we're betting that it was truely scrumptious. The clotted cream in particular looks amazing. Certainly one to look out for if you're ever in the area!


2. Eilis and Kat's Afternoon Tea.



You don't have to travel far for a yummy afternoon tea if you've got the right ingredients at home. Check out these creative cakey treats submitted by @goodgobbleblog who spent an afternoon with two little helpers, making banana and chocolate sour cream cake. Check out their blog for the recipe -we're thinking of giving it a go too!

GOODGOBBLE BLOG

3. "High Tea" at Hilton Deansgate, Manchester

This fancy little afternoon treat was submitted by @cakesbysian from her visit to Cloud 23 at the Hilton Deansgate.

Their special “High Teas” are served between noon and 4 pm daily and serve up some of the best tea – and views – the city has to offer.

For £16.95 you can treat yourself to a selection of fingersandwiches, scones and a choice of cakes from eclairs to Victoria sponge plusunlimited tea or coffee. If you’re feeling fancy, make it a champagne afternoonfor an extra £10.

Hilton’s Cloud 23 is the epitome of modern, city chic décor.Mesh seats, high tables and even a private lift to get you there, it reallydoes make you feel on top of the world.

WEBSITE


4. Bistro 1847, Manchester

@VintageMCR recommended an afternoon at Manchester's only vegetarian bistro. Looking at the yummy photos on their website - their afternoon tea might be worth turning veggie for the afternoon!

Below is a photo from @VintageMCR's visit to the Bistro. Check out their review HERE


BISTRO 1847 WEBSITE

5. The Ash Tea Rooms, Reddish



This elegant afternoon tea was tweeted by @ChattyMand from her visit to this quaint tea room in Stockport. Beautifully presented and those freshly baked scones look absolutely delicious. We're adding this one to our cake bucket list!

WEBSITE

MENU
We don't know about you, but all this talk of tea and cake has got us feeling everso slightly peckish, so we're off out to find ourselves some early-evening-afternoon-tea...
We'll be back soon with some more reviews from our travels, but in the meantime, if you have any comments or pictures that you'd like to share with us, then send them to theafternoonteaclub@hotmail.co.uk or drop us a tweet @TeacupReview.

Happy National Afternoon Tea Week Everyone!


- Laura and Caroline

The Afternoon Tea Club Reviews: Moose Coffee, Liverpool

Environment

Caroline: Simple but chic are the words which I'd use to describe the environment at Moose Coffee. Complete with leather chairs and wooden moose head above the door, this cafe mixes modern and traditional influences (including an old cash register and giant moose Elizabethan portraits) to create a comfortable space, perfect for spending a relaxing afternoon in.

Laura: A modern space of simplicity but fused with quirks such as the giant wall hangings and elegant low lit lamps. The neutral colour palette adds to the city chic character of the eatery and really, where else are you going to enjoy pancakes with a supersized picture of an astronaut moose hanging over your head?

Food

Caroline: What can I say about the food at Moose - In a word Yummy!
The portion sizes here are exceptional and the food quality is brilliant. For my lunch I opted for one of their cheese and ham toasted sandwiches and was pleasantly surprised when it arrived complete with potato salad and green leaf garnish (which included a balsamic dressing) - always a much appreciated addition. For dessert I chose their waffles with ice cream which were Ah-Mazing. I've always loved waffles and have them every day when I'm in Belgium, but I've got to say that these we're some of the best waffles I've ever had, so much so that I need to go back to Moose asap to taste them again!

Laura: Waffles are my sweet tooth's latest addiction and oh my, did Moose not help to cure me of this problem. They offer some of the best waffles I have ever had on their particularly American menu. And trust me, I've had a lot. For just over £4 you get 2 large waffles with a side of ice cream and maple syrup to top it off. Simply gorgeous, waffley goodness. Waffles, waffles, waffles ... Oh yeah, did I mention I like waffles?

Service:

Caroline: The service at Moose was great - no complaints here - excellent!

Laura: The staff were extremely polite and friendly. Our food was brought to us promptly and with wonderful presentation. High five!

Overall Thoughts

Caroline: As I said before I NEED to go back this place as soon as possible, if not just for the waffles, for the lovely surroundings as well. Someone take me to Liverpool again please?

Laura: If this waffle addiction is anything to go by, I've probably already been back to Moose before this review is even published. Cool, sophistocated surroundings and yummy waffles. What more could you want?!

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The Afternoon Tea Club Reviews: Central Perk, Liverpool

Environment

Laura: Could we BEEE anymore excited to be visiting Central Perk?! Smelly Cat mugs, chalk boards with New York themed beverages, neon signs and of course, the famous orange sofa - Central Perk has most definitely landed in Liverpool. Replicas of various props and furnishings housed amongst the brickwork interior, create this miniature snapshot of our favourite fictional coffee shop. It is very small and there aren't many seats which, given how busy it was for a Thursday afternoon, could become a bit of a problem. But it's what most of us have dreamed of for the majority of our teenage years, so it's hard to complain!


Caroline: It's Central Perk Baby - the home of New York Cheesecake, filter coffee and FRIENDS. An almost perfect replica of the iconic television set, Central Perk Liverpool is perhaps one of the most exciting places in the UK at the moment, and is an absolute 'must' if you're in the Liverpool area. Equipped with facsimile furniture and it's very own Gunther, this tea shop has a host of Friends memorabilia, including a signed script and stylised wall prints, encapsulating teenage dreams and bringing them to life. Size-wise, as Laura said, it's very small and perhaps a little cramped, which although a compliment their instant success, make the place feel slightly hectic, but this aside, it really is an excellent environment to spend an afternoon in.


Food

Laura: The menu boasts coffee shop favourites that have appeared in the show and also a huge range of imported American snacks and beverages. I chose a slice of caramel cheesecake, which I was overjoyed to realise came topped with my current favourite chocolates - Caramel Nibbles! I also took advantage of their range of speciality American drinks and chose Pepsi Cherry - Yum! The cake was just gorgeous, really creamy and plenty of hidden chocolates in the middle. I cannot wait to go get another.

I felt the prices at Central Perk were very reasonable. A large slice of cake and a drink cost under £4, which is less than my usual Starbucks order. I was very impressed!


Caroline: When I walked in and saw their selection of treats, I got quite excited. Their menu includes everything from Cupcakes to Cheesecake, also offering a good selection of All-American sweet treats, such as fluff and Hershey's bars, which looked particularly yummy. Similarly their selection of drinks is also of American influence with selections including minute maid. Entering into the full spirit of the Cafe's American-ness, I decided to try a slice of their Victoria Sandwich(!) which although not strictly American (well not American at all) was really very nice. The sponge was moist and the cream was fresh - exactly the way it should be! To drink I had a can of Minute Maid Lemonade and a Latte, both of which were very nice, especially the latte! (they really know how to make coffee at Central Perk, which is very commendable considering its newness)

Price-wise it's very much like any other coffee shop in the area with my total bill coming in at £6.25, which I thought very reasonable, especially when considering the lovely surroundings!

Service

Laura: The service was great with very friendly staff who were more than happy to make suggestions and explain cake options. Particular applause should go to the gentleman serving our table who was extra pleasant and seemed keen to jump in on our photographs! I can't compliment the staff enough for their hard work as the shop was super busy and showed no signs of getting any quieter - Looks like everyone wants a piece of Central Perk!

Caroline: I always commend the service at the cafe's we visit, unless particularly unhappy, because I know how hard people work and what a stressful job it can be, but I really must say that the service at Central Perk was excellent. On the whole we were served promptly, with slight problems we had being rectified quickly. Particular kudos must go to the manager (or the man who I presumed to be the manager) who had excellent manner about him, being particularly hospitable and chatty, and really entering into the spirit of the place, which I found to be quite refreshing!


Overall Thoughts:

Laura: I had prepared myself for disappointment on this occassion. Being a Friends fan throughout most of my life I could have only dreamt of spending an afternoon in Central Perk - but Liverpool's mini version, made those dreams a reality! Lovely food, a great atmosphere and an amazing similarity to the real deal. The only real negative point about our experience was the initial finding of the shop. At the moment, there is a lot of building work going on around it, meaning that the lack of exacting directions on the website made it all that more difficult to spot. But, stick a postcode on the site and the problem would be solved! I highly recommend visiting!

Caroline: I really loved this place and if I lived in Liverpool, I could easily see it becoming one of my regular haunts. However, there is a slight grumble (only a little one) and it's this... Location. Due to its slightly off-centre positioning, Central Perk Liverpool is fairly hidden away, because of which I feel it would benefit greatly from having an address on the website - it took us over an hour to find, after walking down alomst every street in the area.
It's only a small thing and can be easily changed, but I feel that if we hadn't been intent upon visiting then we'd have probably given up long before this time, which I fear may happen with other visitors!
Otherwise - Very, very good - Do Visit!


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The Afternoon Tea Club Reviews: The Footage, Oxford Road, Manchester

Environment

Caroline: Footage isn't strictly a tea room or coffee shop, it's more of a pub/bar, but being one of our regular haunts, we couldn't resist giving it a sneaky little review. For sentimental reasons I'll always love Footage and for cheap pub grub you can't really go wrong. Environment-wise, Footage possesses a nice atmosphere, with comfy seats and a pool table making it the perfect place to hang if you're a student on a budget, or just a general lover of nice pubs. It's quite dark inside, but this only adds to it's ambiance, although be warned you'll probably be blinded when you step out of the door!

Laura: Oh Footage, the place we frequent when we pretend we're off to the library! It's not your typical cutesy tea room set-up but rather a pub that just happens to serve very nice cake. The converted picture house interior is used to its full potential with balcony seating and a large screen above the bar. Although it is rather dark inside, the blue fairy lights help to create a relaxing pub atmosphere but be careful as you may forget what time it is during your visit and it will evening before you know it and time for cocktails - actually that's not such a bad thing!

Food

Caroline: The food at Footage is very reasonably priced, and you can generally get a whole meal for less that £10. On this visit I opted for a filter coffee (99p) and a piece of their Chocolate Cake and Ice Cream (which I'm sorry to say I can't remember the price of - but it was very cheap!) The Cake, for the price, was very nice and the portion size was exceptional. However, because of the large portions it did become rather sickley after a while - but the beauty of large portions is you don't need to eat it all!

Laura: Don't let the super cheap prices fool you as the desserts at Footage rival some of the much more up-market eateries in the city. I chose a belgian waffle with ice cream and chocolate sauce and dear me, they've become my latest obsession! Absolutely gorgeous and a generous size too. As if that wasn't enough, the desserts are all 2 for the price of 1, meaning coffee and cake for you and a friend will only cost around £5 overall - Bonus!

Service

Caroline: The staff are friendly and service is prompt - exactly what I'd expect - well done!

Laura: The service is always great at Footage. The wait time is always extremely good and the staff are really pleasant.

Overall Thoughts

Caroline: I love Footage. It's studenty, but super affordable and lacking in pretentions - It does what it says on the can. If you're in the Oxford Road area, pay them a visit!

Laura: Footage has always been a firm favourite of ours and although it may not fall into the sugar coated coffee shop category, its casual and welcoming atmosphere makes it a great place with good food. Plus, as it's so cheap, there's no reason why you shouldn't use the 2 for 1 offer on your own!

Cupcake Rating

The Afternoon Tea Club Reviews: Teacup on Thomas Street, Manchester

Environment

Caroline: Oh Teacup, I'll always love you, I really will - You were the first independent tea room we visited in Manchester and our inspiration to start this blog... but I'm sorry to say, you've changed (and it pains me)

Re-opening after a series of sizable renovations, I expected to find my favourite tea room BIGGER and BETTER than ever, and upon discovering their extension to the upstairs area, it's certainly fair to say that it's bigger. However, 'better' is another question. The Teacup of old had an eclectic mix of New York Cafe Chic and Cath Kidston Kitsch, which worked perfectly to combine the American city with the English country. Their use of cute polka dot tablecloths and quirky graffiti wall art, gave the cafe a character which was uncharacteristic of many in the area, and made it the ideal place to spend an afternoon.

However, the new and 'improved' Teacup has unfortunately abandoned all of these things, settling for an arguably blander and safer alternative. The tables, although nice, are simple and wooden, while the wall art is none existant, with the designer having opted for a dark brown colour scheme throughout. The upstairs extension I feel, has also served to make the cafe appear chaotic, which although not a massive issue, has made the place seem less personal than before.

Having said that, I do like the new counter and blackboards, which make a welcome addition, but unfortunately these fail to make up for the loss of the other, more exciting, character 'features'.

Laura: Yes, Teacup has been our go to retreat for quite some timenow, our little place of tranquillity and indulgence where a slice of flourless chocolate cake could take all of our cares away. But I have to agree, change hasn’t necessarily been a good thing for our faithful friend.

The quirky set up of old has been stripped in favour of a much more minimalistic approach. The basic ambience of Teacup is still there but I feel that this extended version takes away the intimacy that I always found so inviting about the tea shop. I still think the place looks very appealing but I can’t help but miss its old personality, such as that found in little quips on receipts that would say things like ‘Tippers make better lovers.’

Food

Caroline: I've always loved the food at Teacup and have my go-to dishes which I always order when I visit, namely their Ham and Cheese Toasties and Flourless Chocolate Cake. Being a creature of habit, I once again opted for these on my last visit, in the hope of experiencing the same enjoymant as before. By and large the food was pretty similar to before, although I did feel that portion sizes were perhaps a little smaller and I missed the small pots of coleslaw and raddishes which usually accompany the meal.

Laura: As a bit of a soup addict lately I opted for the soup of the day which came served with granary bread to dip. As expected, it was lovely. I decided to move away from my flourless favourite for dessert on this occasion and chose a chocolate brownie (My initial choice of a cupcake was unavailable). Teacup has quite the brownie selection and I chose the Malteaser option. It looked absolutely yummy but I was a little disappointed that some of the brownie appeared undercooked and had more of a cake mix consistency to it. Unless this is a type of brownie I’m unfamiliar with?

Teacup isn’t the cheapest of tea shops we’ve visited with a soup costing just over £4 and a £3 for a brownie. I’d have to agree with Caroline too that the portions do seem considerably smaller than the last time we visited and this hasn’t really been reflected in any price changes.

Service

Caroline: Although the service was highly professional and incredibly friendly, there were occasions when we were overlooked. This is probably down to the new floor plan and with experience I'm sure the staff will adapt to this change of scene - we just happened to catch them at a particularly busy time.

Laura: The staff at Teacup are always extremely polite and friendly.Our server offered her expertise on the available dishes when I was told mydessert choice was unavailable which definitely gains them extra points.However, I too felt we were slightly overlooked as we were left waiting a whilebefore coming to the attention of a member of staff who eventually asked if we would like our bill.

Overall Thoughts

Caroline: From reading my review you'd be forgiven for thinking that I hate the 'new and improved' Teacup. I don't - I'm just disappointed that the new changes have taken away some of the cafe's previous sparkle. When reviewed without previous experience, Teacup is still head and shoulders above a lot of other coffee shops in the city and is nonetheless a pleasure to spend an afternoon in.

Laura: I did in fact enjoy our visit to Teacup and would still recommend giving it a go. After all, as Caroline has already pointed out, it’s the tea shop that made us want to create this blog in the first place! I’m sure we will visit again, it really is a pleasant place to get your cake fix but our last visit didn’t completely match up to some other places that are quickly becoming firm Afternoon Tea Club favourites.

P. S We still love you though... maybe it's us, not you!

Cupcake Rating