Afternoon Tea at The Chancery, Liverpool

Sometimes artisan pastries, fancy chocolate work and dainty macaroons seem like the most sure fire ways to make an afternoon tea that little bit special. But every now and then, it can simply be about home comforts, traditional flavours and good stodgy slices of cake. At The Chancery, Liverpool, the latter is the order of the day.



We visited The Chancery on a quiet rainy afternoon a few months back after spotting a last-minute deal which we figured would be rude to pass up on. Set just across the road from Liverpool's L1 shopping centre, The Chancery is in a central location but tucked back just enough to make it a good hideaway from the bustle of weekend shoppers.

The restaurant was apparently inspired by a trip its owner took to New York around ten years ago which sparked the idea to combine casual style fine food in a bistro setting alongside a coffee and wine shop. You can definitely get a sense of that here. The huge windows feel very much like a Brooklyn loft and the collection of curious furnishings such as the church pew seating, nautical features and giant mural (an ode to Liverpool's naval past?) bring an injection of character that's unlike anywhere else around.



Afternoon tea is presented on a cute two-tier polka dot stand complete with a hodgepodge of teacups and saucers and vintage-feel teapot filled with our go-to breakfast tea. We do love a mismatched tea set - so very Mad Hatter.

You'll notice this isn't your typical delicate finger food assortment but rather a generous selection of classic flavours and styles. Starting with the sandwiches, cut into triangles, they are bursting with fillings including ham and tomato, egg mayonnaise, and cheese and onion. And there are plenty to go around so be sure to skip any pre-tea snacking.

Next up, the scones were a good chunky size, sprinkled with sugar and with a rustic fresh-out-of-the-oven feel. Served with lashings of jam and cream, they were absolutely delicious.

Sharing the same tier, the sweet selection features a range of well-loved favourites cut into sizeable slices including carrot cake, chocolate sponge and macaroons. To the regular afternoon tea goers out there, this might seem like The Chancery is playing it safe, but believe us, it's much more difficult to do the classics right and these versions were incredible.

Overall this was a really nice afternoon tea, it ticks all of the right boxes and if you book in soon, it's a steal at £30 for two people. If you're looking for no gimmicks but plenty of good food, you can't go far wrong with The Chancery.

For more information and to book visit: 

https://thechanceryrestaurant.co.uk/

Have you ever been to The Chancery? Let us know in the comments!

The London Carriage Works, Liverpool

As avid afternoon tea goers and notebook hoarders, we’ve compiled a pretty long wish list of teas we plan to visit. Of that list, there are a growing number of local offerings around the North West that we keep adding to in the event of those random, free Sunday afternoons where you just want to do nothing but eat cake and be happy. We did just that and ticked one of those places off the list recently when we visited The London Carriage Works in Liverpool.

Situated on Hope Street, The London Carriage Works is a little off the beaten track from the city centre buzz but with neighbours such as the Liverpool Philharmonic and Everyman Playhouse, it’s in good company in the city’s beautiful Georgian Quarter.

Huge windows joined together by masts of exposed brick mean the restaurant is flooded with natural light (a bonus right there for bloggers like us wanting to take lots of photos!). The environment is laid back with dark wood and red tones throughout, broken up by gorgeous glass fixtures cascading head to toe.

Its afternoon tea offering leans heavily on the classics with all of the traditional fillings and flavours you would imagine but that worked really well here and benefited from some notable updates. Starting with a glass of champagne, we opted to wash our tea down with pots of earl grey and coffee. 

Heading straight to the finger sandwiches, fillings included egg and watercress, cheese and onion, salmon and cucumber, and lightly curried chicken. A good balance of flavours, opting to do away with the standard cucumber, by instead incorporating with fresh salmon - an ATC fave, making this one a clear winner.

Then the scones arrived warm served with clotted cream, fresh strawberries and jam. These were delicious and a good size too with plenty of cream to go around - there is nothing worse than having to be frugal with a cream tea!

Finally the patisserie selection presented a colourful collection of old favourites including Battenberg, lemon cake, chocolate and coconut macaroon, and a chocolate and orange layer cake. A perfectly balanced selection (if that can ever be true of cake) which left us feeling full but not so full that we had to roll ourselves down Mount Pleasant on the way back to the train station!

We really enjoyed this tea. Great setting, tasty food and special mention must go to the great service too, as the staff were really friendly and kept our teapots topped. At £17pp (£26 with champagne) it’s also reasonably priced for a quick stop tea and definitely worth adding to your own tea wish-list for the next time you’re in the city. 

For more information and to book visit: http://www.thelondoncarriageworks.co.uk/ 

The Afternoon Tea Club Reviews: 60 Hope Street, Liverpool

Last weekend, I visited Liverpool with my friend Caroline to check out the city's new British Music Experience and take in a spot of afternoon tea at the ever-popular 60 Hope Street.

Located on the award winning 'Street of the year 2012', this beautiful Georgian Townhouse has an abundance of kerb appeal, with sweeping staircases, the occasional flower garland (we literally missed the latest display by a matter of days!) and a quirky luggage installation entitled "A Case History" just a stone's throw away.




Inside, the Georgian features have been largely stripped back to reveal an altogether more modern interior, with neat wooden tables and subtle grey shades across the walls, offering an ideal contrast to the restaurant's original open fire places.

The afternoon's crockery - a mish-mash of Cath Kidston, Royal Albert and Charity Shop chic - made for a wonderfully kitsch experience, complementing the renovated surrounds perfectly. I was particularly drawn to the lovely blue teapots with golden embellishments, that immediately stood out as a focal point on the table setting... before the cake came along to distract my attention!




Presented traditionally on a three tiered stand, the afternoon tea itself offers a good range of food for the reasonable price of £16.95 (without fizz) and includes favourites such as: Cucumber, Egg, Ham and Coronation Chicken sandwiches, Salmon Roulade wraps, Strawberry Scones and a cake selection.

Particular stand outs on the day had to be the seasoned Coronation Chicken sandwiches, which were freshly made to order on soft white bread, and the decadent chocolate and raspberry torte which provided a fitting finale to the afternoon.

The strawberry scones were another highlight which came ready prepared, to save time working out that Jam to Cream ratio or debating which goes first - 60 Hope Street are firmly in the cream then jam camp, by the way!




I have to say that I was really impressed by what 60 Hope Street have to offer and would definitely recommend them to anyone visiting Liverpool for the day. Their food selection is very reasonable and although it only comes with the generic options of tea or coffee, this takes nothing away from the overall experience.

It's a bit of a walk away from the main Liverpool One shopping areas, but this allows the perfect opportunity to really earn your cake - and believe me, the walk makes it taste all the sweeter!

For prices and more information about 60 Hope Street, please visit their website:

http://www.60hopestreet.com/

What's your favourite afternoon tea venue in Liverpool? Let us know in the comments below!
- Caroline

Top Picks for Mother's Day Afternoon Tea

What better way to treat your mum this Mother's Day than with some quality time spent drinking tea (or champagne!) and eating lots of fabulous cake! Here's our pick of some of the best places to take your lovely mum this Mother's Day ...

Bettys, York

Bettys was the first tea room I ever visited as a child and has remained a firm favourite ever since. Boasting six locations across Yorkshire, their afternoon tea is a must for anyone travelling through the region, with York’s outlet offering both a casual dining option for passers by, or a reservation only experience upstairs in their Belmont room. Be sure to stop by their in house shop on the way out, to purchase a selection of Bettys signature breads, cakes and preserves - their Yorkshire tea loaf and fat rascal are an absolute must! - Caroline

Great John Street, Manchester

Everything about Great John Street’s afternoon tea is perfect. From its sumptuous library surroundings with sinkable sofas, to their beautiful Kumquat embellished serving plates, this boutique hotel has everything down to a tee (or tea!). Like many venues across the UK, Great John Street hotel offers both a ladies, gents and children's tea, making them the perfect choice for couples or family celebrations. Their new ‘High Breakfast’ makes tea an all day affair, offering a quirky take on the tradition, with Smoked Salmon Benedict, Mini French Toast and Strawberry Smoothies up for grabs. Definitely one to check out. 

Grand Pacific, Manchester

Our second Manchester recommendation is the ‘Asian High Tea’ at Grand Pacific in Spinningfields. Served in two waves (savoury stand first, followed by a sweet) this tea is a twist on the traditional British pastime, swapping out sandwiches for sushi, and scones for sweet spring rolls. With the bar being part of Manchester’s premier Australasia restaurant, it’s impossible to go too wrong. 

Crewe Hall, Crewe

Anywhere that’s good enough for the kings and queens of days gone by, is good enough for us. Served in the Sheridan Lounge fresh from the estate’s Victorian kitchen, the most striking part of this afternoon tea is its surroundings. With beautiful period features and high ceilings running throughout, it’s difficult not to get swept away in the venue’s history. Their champagne option is exactly how you’d imagine a quintessential afternoon tea to be, so if you’re looking for an elegant high tea in traditional surroundings, this is about as perfect as it gets!

Harvey Nichols, Nationwide

Harvey Nichols is a great option for afternoon tea on the go. Located at the heart of five of the UKs  major cities, the premium department store offers a luxury high tea experience at a very reasonable price. With seasonal menus that often include collaborations with prominent chefs, such as Paul A Young, this ever changingafternoon tea is a fantastic option for shoppers and ladies who lunch.

Cuthberts’ Bakehouse, Liverpool

If vintage charm is more your style, Cuthberts’ Bakehouse in Liverpool offers a fun and affordable afternoon tea in a casual setting decorated in turquoise hues and fairy lights. Chosen from a selection of co-owner Matthew’s favourites, the menu varies from season to season but whatever the time of year, Cuthberts will spoil you with a quirky tea stand that’s packed with afternoon tea classics like Victoria sponge, huge macaroons and hearty sandwiches in an impressive selection of fillings and breads– you’ll wonder how you’ll ever finish it all.

Marco’s New York Italian, Sheffield

Marco Pierre White’s New York, Italian restaurant offers a choice of two fabulous afternoon teas – traditional and Italian. Served on an up-cycled vintage style wine box, the Italian menu brings a fresh twist with a selection of savoury bites including pastrami on rye and bruschetta down to a sweet selection of cronuts, chocolate covered strawberries and polenta cake. Hardcore traditionalists might miss their usual scone fix but the surprise “wow” box that arrives as you finish, featuring mini biscuits and hot dipping chocolate, more than makes up for it. 

Are you treating your mum to Afternoon Tea this Mother's Day? Tweet your photos at @TeacupReview!

The Afternoon Tea Club Reviews: The Baltic Social, Liverpool

The Baltic Social

The other week we realised that the ATC hadn't been to Liverpool in forever. So since it was about two years since our last visit, we decided to have a scout around the internet to see what was about, and boy did we find a lot. There has to be at least five or six places that we'd like to try over the next few months, but since we can only do one at a time, we decided to head to one of Liverpool's more quirkier venues for our first foray back into the scene. 

The Baltic Social is a cute little bar just off Jamaica street, right at the heart of the city's coolest hangouts. With a mish-mash of multicoloured furniture, distressed woodwork and exposed brick, this place is one of the cutest I've been to in ages.

A celebration of all things cool and edgy, the bar's Punk Afternoon Tea is about as far removed from traditional finger sandwiches and scones as you can imagine.

To start, we were presented with a tub of popcorn to nibble on whilst the tea was being prepared. However, we weren't left waiting long before a large basket of fries were delivered to the table, making us jump in with a 'sorry, I think you've got the wrong table, we didn't order this', to which the lovely waiter replied, 'they're part of the afternoon tea!'

Music to our ears - Now, we've never had fries with tea before, but it's definitely something we could get used to!

After this we prepared ourselves for the unknown, trying to guess what other treats might arrive and as you can see from the pictures, it was quite different. Presented on vinyl cake stands (sacrilege!), this quirky sandwich selection comprised of mini hotdogs, sliders and delicious BLTs, and if that wasn't enough we were also treated to a stack of pretzels as an accompaniment. Now I'm not a massive meat fan - I'm not vegetarian, but I tend to lean more towards chicken - however, the hotdog was most definitely my favourite of the selection, garnished with crackling and mustard. 

Following this, we were then spoilt with slices of chocolate and Madeira cake and lots of retro sweets and haribo - delicious. 

It's always nice trying quirky teas as sometimes you just want a break from finger sandwiches and patisserie and that's exactly what this place gives you - All in all I'd say that we were pretty impressed. As far as price tags go, it’s great value for money and although you have to share a tea pot, the food and ambiance is definitely worth the spend. If you're ever in the area, check it out!

Read more about The Baltic Social here

The Baltic Social kindly provided us with a tea for review puroposes, but as usual all thoughts are our own!

The Afternoon Tea Club Reviews: Patisserie Valerie, Metquarter Liverpool

As much as we would like to, we don’t in fact indulge in Afternoon Tea every single day – we know, shock! So last month we were invited by the lovely people at Metquarter Liverpool to sample a brand new menu at one of our old favourite’s, Patisserie Valerie.

Winter warmer mocha.

Now if you’ve ever walked past this wonderful shop on the high street, you will already be well aware of the gorgeous cakes, pastries and treats that Patisserie Valerie offers in it’s gloriously tooth-ache inducing window. But this time we were there to try something a little different, the new set Winter menu.

First course - Soup of the day.

Choose from a selection of Winter warmer dishes in the cosy surroundings of this café and you’ve got a nice little afternoon indeed.

We went for soup of the day which was a delicious tomato flavour with a nice chunk of toasted bread. Other options included meatballs and goats cheese tartine.

Main course - Confit of duck.

For our second course we choose confit of duck served with potato, swede and carrot mash – delicious, and asparagus and peas shaped Girasole Ravioli – another tasty and filling dish.

Main course - Asparagus & Peas Shaped Girasole Ravioli

Diners can choose from either a 2 course or 3 course meal. Desserts on the menu include crème Brûlée, apple cranberry and almond crumble, chocolate fondant or a slice of Valerie’s gateaux.

We opted to go off menu and went for delicious waffles complete with a big dollop of vanilla ice cream – a complete classic but such a goodie.

Classic waffle.

All of this was topped off by a chocolaty mocha and a good cup of tea.

The menu is currently available throughout the Winter season at participating Patisserie Valerie outlets with prices starting at just £9.99pp. 

DISCLAIMER: As is common in the catering and leisure industry, we were provided with complimentary services for review purposes. Whilst this has not influenced our review, we believe in the full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest.