Afternoon Tea at The Mount Royale Hotel, York

If you're heading into York for the day, you'd be forgiven for hopping off the train, heading straight into town for a wander through the Shambles and stopping along the way at a famous tea room. However, set your afternoon tea sights a little further and we promise, you will be glad you did, as we discovered last week when we were invited along to The Mount Royale, an independent hotel just a 10-minute stroll away from York Station, with an afternoon tea offering that should definitely be on your radar.

Pastel perfection awaits you inside OXO's on the Mount where its Royal Tea menu is served by appointment only in a lounge style setting that opens up right onto the hotel's impressive gardens. Created by the talented Karen Oxtoby, this afternoon tea is a beautiful blend of colour, flavour and design, filled with countless little details that make this a truly unique offering in a city that is already spoilt for choice when it comes to tea and cake.

To start, presented on a separate serving dish are a range of finger sandwiches with a good selection of breads and fillings including ham and tomato, creamy coronation chicken, tuna and cucumber, egg mayo, and cheese an onion. There is even a cute candy-striped bag of salted crisps to accompany. Hands down our favourite was the coronation chicken, but there are enough flavours to satisfy even the fussiest of palettes - though a couple did only have one of each, so you might have to fight it out!

Next up, the epicentre of any good afternoon tea - the scones. Not only did they look exquisite, perfectly proportioned and homemade with a dusting of sugar on top, the taste test definitely lived up to our high expectations. A very generous helping of jam and cream meant we could layer up on the good stuff to our heart's content and the personalisation of The Mount Royale's locally sourced branded strawberry jam really added that extra touch. However, don't go to overboard, as the best is yet to come.

Served on a two-tier floral stand, the sweet selection is so pretty and thoughtful, you almost feel bad for eating it. But the guilt lasts for all of two seconds when you tuck into this medley of afternoon tea classics and contemporary flavours. Are you a fan of peanut butter? Passionfruit? Amaretto? Take your pick, it's all here. 

The traditionalists out there may deem this array of flavour to be a little OTT, and on another occasion, we might be inclined to agree, but here it works and care has been taken to ensure each piece feels special. The selection includes macaroons, sugar cookies, battenburg, eton mess, mini cupcakes, meringue, and even a milkshake, served in a small bottle coated in rainbow coloured hundreds and thousands, to wash it down. Whether it's the gold dusting, marble effect fondant, or coloured tissue paper parcels, you simply cannot fault the attention to detail and for £19.95 per person (£26.95 with champagne), it's an absolute steal. 

To top it off, we each had substantial pots of breakfast tea and coffee paired with delicate mismatched teacups and saucers. For the tea connoisseurs out there, it might be good to have a tea menu for guests to choose from, particularly for those wanting to be a little more adventurous but for us, it was hardly a deal breaker.

Overall, we loved our time at The Mount Royale. The setting was relaxed, the sun was shining, and the afternoon tea was a real treat. More people need to know about this place. If you're planning a visit to York any time soon and looking for something a little special, this is where you need to be.  

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

We were kindly provided with a complimentary tea for review, but as usual, all thoughts and opinions are very much our own!

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!

Afternoon Tea at West Ivy, Bury

Despite only being an hour up the road, until this past week I had never been to the Greater Manchester town of Bury. Yet this weekend I somehow ended up there twice, first for Chinese food and retro video games and second for afternoon tea. Even with my impressive Ms. Pac-Man skills, the tea may just have the edge.

We first spotted West Ivy's afternoon tea whilst perusing our Twitter timeline for our next cake adventure and were instantly intrigued by its fun picnic-like presentation and pink strawberry milkshakes.

Opened earlier this year in a bid to deliver city centre dining without the price tag, the restaurant is adjacent to a range of high street eateries which form part of The Rock shopping complex, complete with an outdoor decking area for soaking up the sun. This al fresco feel continues inside where greenery cascades from the ceiling and light pours in through wall-to-wall full-length windows. We wore sunglasses inside, don't judge.

Word has clearly spread about West Ivy's unique offering as the restaurant was chock full with plenty of people enjoying afternoon tea, which added to the busy city dining ambience. When seated at our sun drenched window table, we were offered the option of prosecco, tea or coffee. It seemed odd that this was presented as an either/or choice - not a huge deal for us having only planned on hot drinks but might be one to check for those fancying some tea with a side of candy floss prosecco (yep, it's a thing).

Tiny criticism here with the tea, but one our eagled eyed Twitter followers haven't failed to pick up on. Tea is served with the bag still in the cup and nowhere discreet to place once used. It's certainly not a deal breaker but it would have been better to have drinks served in a pot to allow enough time to brew and avoid any unsightly (read: non-Instagram worthy) tea stains.

Food comes served in a wooden picnic style basket which opens out into three tiers on each side to reveal a huge selection of food, glorious food. With a bowl of fries thrown in for good measure (similar to The Baltic Social's Punk Tea), this is undoubtedly an alternative afternoon tea - scone lovers, be warned, you won't find them here.

What you will find though is a great variety of flavours and miniatures that will leave you feeling full but not in need of a forklift to take you home (if you've ever partaken in double afternoon tea, you'll know the feeling - will we ever learn?). To start, we had mini chicken salads served in individual dishes which were absolutely delicious, shortly followed by crushed avocado, tomato and radish on toast and chunky halloumi fries. Not to be a millennial cliché but the avocado on toast was amazing and the halloumi fries dipped in sweet chilli sauce were incredibly moreish.

On to the final tiers, and the part that earns this tea the moniker of the "sweetest tea" we've ever had, the dessert selection will send you into a sure sugar coma. Mini donuts dipped in Hersheys chocolate sauce (one of our favourite things ever), slices of caramel cheesecake, miniature jam jars filled with toffee popcorn, and a giant, lightly toasted, marshmallow and chocolate brownie skewer. It's all so good. Plus, to top it off, you have a strawberry and cream milkshake on the side decorated with more marshmallows, otherwise known as "the pink unicorn shake". Heaven.

It's been a while since we've sampled an alternative afternoon tea and the West Ivy may have just reignited our love, though for the traditionalists out there, it might not satisfy your classic afternoon tea cravings. At £19.95 per person, it's a good price if you're after something a little different and the environment itself is perfect for a modern take on afternoon tea. If you're a bit of a sweet tooth, the West Ivy is an absolute must.

For more information and to book visit: 

http://www.westivy.co.uk/

Have you been for an alternative afternoon tea? Let us know in the comments. 

Words: Laura

Photography: Caroline

Afternoon Tea at The Vicarage, Holmes Chapel

Back in January we took a trip to Knutsford to sample the afternoon tea menu at The Courthouse pub and hotel, part of the Flat Cap Hotels group. It was the perfect kickstart our 2018 afternoon tea calendar, so last week when we were invited to try its sister venue, The Vicarage in Holmes Chapel, naturally we hopped on another train with high cake-expectations. Here’s what we thought … 

First things first, our only pop culture reference to this small Cheshire village is that it is the home of a certain former One Directioner, Harry Styles, so we may or may not have stopped off at his former place of work for a small slab of rocky road to take home. But famous musicians aside, this is a beautiful area and The Vicarage is in a prime spot, just moments away from the village centre and gazing out into the picturesque winter countryside.

The Vicarage is a 17th Century Grade II listed country pub which has been restored to deliver just the right balance of contemporary and country chic. Afternoon tea is served in the attached conservatory which is oozing in natural light - a food bloggers best friend, we can assure you. Similar to The Courthouse, the style is very relaxed but The Vicarage really embraces its rustic surroundings with wooden furnishings restored with a neutral white colour palette, homely bookshelves and mismatched crockery including a commemorative Royal cup and saucer, which we were huge fans of. 

We were greeted straight away and offered a choice of tea or coffee, of which we choose one of each. Hot beverages arrived at the table promptly but our afternoon tea did take a rather long time to follow. Perhaps this isn’t usually the case and whilst it would have been preferable to have been informed of the wait time beforehand, we were sat comfortably enjoying our surroundings so this wasn’t a massive issue.

When the food did arrive however, it was presented beautifully on a floral three-tier stand, garnished with fresh strawberries. To begin, the savoury selection included egg and mayonnaise and ham finger sandwiches along with two open variations featuring pepperade and salmon bruschetta. To find a good dash of colour amongst a savoury selection is a rare and welcome touch and the flavours were well balanced, particularly the pepperade which we thought was delicious and could have happily eaten an entire plate of each!

Next, the scones were huge, adding to that home-cooked feel where portion sizes are always a little more generous than a traditional tearoom. We were pleasantly surprised to find these were cherry scones, which is one of our all-time favourite flavours and accompanied with jam and clotted cream. Sadly, one of the scones was a little undercooked so we stuck to just the one between us - fortunately there was enough to go around, and it was tasty.

Finally, the patisserie selection was good, even just to look at, with lots of textures and accents going on to keep things interesting, if a little citrus-heavy but that's completely dependent on personal taste. We each had a miniature chocolate orange slice, frangipane and lemon tart. Our favourite was a toss up between the frangipane and the chocolate orange. One, because the first was different and two because, well ... chocolate. You can't really go wrong.

Overall our afternoon tea at The Vicarage was good. Service was great, the environment was beautiful and though there were a couple of things that could be improved upon for next time, this is a really lovely spot for an afternoon in the country side, and at £15pp it is a steal. 

Plus, the restaurant will be serving up a special savoury afternoon tea just in time for Mother’s Day -  March 11th, FYI. We’re big fans of a savoury tea option and would recommend giving it a try if mini pies and toad in the holes are more your thing than delicate finger fare.  

For more information and to book, visit: http://www.thevicaragecheshire.com/ 

Afternoon Tea at Sculpture Hall Cafe, Manchester Town Hall

If you’re in Manchester around Christmas time, its famous Christmas markets are compulsory visiting - the smells, the lights, the push and shove, are all part of the annual experience. But not to be all bah humbug, this year the crowds seem to have gone into overdrive and you’re a more worthy fan of pulled pork than us if you manage to fight your way to the hog roast station without an umbrella to at least one eye.

Luckily for Christmas market veterans like ourselves, there is an oasis away from the madness that rests just behind the wooden huts and below where the giant illuminated Santa perches from November to December. Inside Manchester Town Hall nests the beautiful Sculpture Hall Cafe and our choice of afternoon tea venue this past weekend.

For starters, little tip, if you plan on visiting the Sculpture Hall, go AROUND the markets and use the Lloyd Street entrance - we didn’t and felt like we had well and truly earned our champagne by the time we battled our way through. It’s an elegant setting surrounded by stunning architecture, but a casual affair which was honestly quite a pleasant change. Guests are allowed to choose their own table and we would recommend a window seat so you can still take in the markets from a safe distance.

From now until December, the cafe is serving up a festive twist on its traditional afternoon tea served on a simple stand where you’ll find a checklist of all of the season’s well-known flavours. For starters there was a selection of savouries including prawn and marie rose sauce finger sandwiches, turkey and stuffing wrap, brie and cranberry on ciabatta, and roast chestnut and blue cheese tart. Unfortunately neither of us are fans of seafood, so the four prawn sandwiches were a little disappointing, and for two non-cheese connoisseurs, the blue cheese was mighty strong in the tart, overpowering the wintry chestnut. However, the wrap was good and overall the selection was a nice nod to some typical Christmas fare.

Next the scones were small but super tasty - packed with cinnamon and cranberry flavour and served with clotted cream and jam or butter. We lobbed on the jam and cream and honestly I could have eaten three more, they were lovely. Finally the festive theme continued throughout the sweet selection the with a Christmas sponge cake, mini macaroons, rich chocolate and orange mousse and bitesize mince pies. I loved all of them, particularly the sponge cake, a really good mix and just the right size too. 

This afternoon tea comes as either standard or with champagne for an extra £5 and we must say, it was a generous pouring of fizz so worth splashing out - Christmas comes but once a year afterall. Plus you have your standard choice of tea or coffee, of which we had one each, a latte and breakfast tea. We visited quite late in the day so can’t confirm if this was refillable but I would assume, given the price, it is not.

If we were bigger fans of prawns and cheese, perhaps we would have enjoyed this tea more - still it is rather unusual to get four sandwiches with the same filling during afternoon tea. Nonetheless, the sweeter side was great and the environment itself wins back some serious points - how often do you get to slump back in a studded leather armchair surrounded by sculpted busts and Christmas trees pretending you are the Lord or Lady of the manor? 

I would definitely like to go back in the new year to try the Sculpture Hall’s traditional tea menu - at £14.95pp (£19.95 with champagne) you really can’t argue with the price. Meanwhile, if you’re looking for somewhere to experience the quieter side of Christmas in Manchester, the Sculpture Hall Cafe is a good place to start. 

Words - Laura

Photography - Caroline 

The Afternoon Tea Club Reviews: Tower Ballroom, Blackpool

Blackpool rock, The Illuminations, The Big One - there are many things that Blackpool is famous for but perhaps the biggest one, the one you spot first when driving up from the M55, is the iconic Blackpool Tower. Last month, we took a trip to the seaside to visit this historic landmark for a spot of Afternoon Tea. Cue ballroom dancers, finger sandwiches and something called a Wurlitzer.

Tea is taken in the Tower Ballroom where tables surround the dance floor which is in full swing with couples waltzing away to the Tower’s resident organist - a particularly exciting sight for these two Strictly Come Dancing fans! The decor here is spectacular, the details are so rich and ornate brushed with golds and deep reds, it really makes you feel as though you’ve been swept away to a completely different time. 

The tables are already set with blue traditional style wares and guests are allotted an hour and 30 minutes sitting and a choice of teas or coffee to start, we opted for pots of both. 

There’s something so northern about this experience, the finger sandwiches are simple, laid back, “everyone’s favourite” kind of flavours presented alongside a handful of salted crisps, they’re not super fancy deconstructed creations that you might find in a London hotel, but that’s perfect for this place and set amongst the backdrop of one of the most beautiful venues you could ever hope to visit, it’s already got the upper hand. Flavours include a range of ham, beef and cheese - caution, these sandwiches do go quite heavy on the cheese so if you’re not a fan, it’s probably worth mentioning so in your booking for an alternative. For us, we would have liked some salmon or chicken fillings but there was plenty to pick from regardless. 

Sandwiches are followed shortly by a large fruit scone each, accompanied by individual jams and huge dollop of clotted cream and finally a range of miniature sweets including; chocolate tiffin, strawberry and cream meringue, honeycomb and fudge bite, and a fruit tart. It’s a really pretty and balanced mix of cakes, none of which are too heavy, and our favourite had to be the sweet and light meringue.

We left feeling nicely full and ready to go score some tokens in the famous seafront arcades. Overall, this tea is pleasantly informal and there’s a unique atmosphere to be found here, something that remained throughout our visit with the hall steadily full of people. It’s quite magical to think that every weekend, there are hundreds of people spending their afternoons twirling around in a grand ballroom and stopping to partake in something as simple as finger sandwiches and tea. We’re so glad we got to experience it, and highly recommend that you do too. 

Tea for Two is priced at £50. For more information and to book visit: www.theblackpooltower.com

Whilst we were provided with a complementary afternoon tea for review, all thoughts and opinions are our own!

The Tea Makers of London Review

The popularity of green tea has grown a lot over the last few years and it seems as though no desk snack draw is complete without a loose leaf pick me up. Famed for its supposed healing properties and skincare benefits, the choice of brands and flavours is vast and forever growing. We recently got the chance to try some interesting blends from British tea company, The Tea Makers of London - here's what we thought ... 

The Tea Makers of London was founded by a Sri Lanken tea expert with the goal of sourcing and creating a unique tea experience, or to quite simply “create the perfect cup of tea”. The company kindly sent us three different flavours to taste, each with its own tantalising exotic name: Jasmine Dragon Pearls, Dragon Well and Sencha Supreme.

To start, the packaging is simple but elegant and stamped with ‘The Great Taste Awards 2016’ seal of approval. The large pyramid tea bags are also minimalistic, showing off the high-quality loose leaf tea inside. 

Jasmine Dragon Pearl

Who wouldn’t want to try a tea with such an interesting name? Christened Dragon Pearl because of the pearl shape of the tea, this artisan tea is made from silver needle green tea leaves and Jasmine flowers which give it a yellow hue. A gorgeous fresh, floral scent that hits you straight out of the box and a pleasant smooth taste.

Supreme Dragon Well

This emerald green tea is made up of a selection of pan-fried teas and is apparently chock-full of vitamins. This is your all-rounder tea classic green tea, it’s mild, easy to drink, which makes it the ideal kind of brew to just chill out with. A great choice for any time of day as it's not too strong.  

Japanese Sencha Supreme

This Japanese blend benefits from 800 years of tea-farming which has led to this unique flavour. This one is a little more of an acquired taste, it’s slightly more bitter than the others and its aroma is quite pungent. However for avid green tea drinkers, we think the heightened sensual experience make it an interesting choice for those after authentic flavour, soaked in a rich history. 

So, have the Tea Makers done their job? Have they created the perfect cup of tea? In the land of green tea, they're certainly in the running and we can understand why they've racked up so many 'Great Taste' stars. 

A traditional choice, but a classic for a reason, our favourite was the Dragon Well flavour, a lovely smell and just the right amount of flavour for a satisfying green tea. If you're looking to try a selection of teas that offer an expansive range of tastes and styles, we would definitely recommend checking out The Tea Makers of London.

To find out more, visit www.theteamakers.co.uk

This post was kindly sponsored by the folks at The Tea Makers of London. As usual all thoughts and opinions are our own!