Coffee Break: Ezra & Gil, Manchester

Ezra & Gil

The staple fave of many a Manchester resident, Ezra and Gil combines urban chic surroundings with a rustic selection of breads, coffee and cake. Choose from a range of salads and sandwiches (which look Ah-Mazing!) or just pop in for a coffee and cake - either way you're on to a winner!

Open seven days a week, this place is idea for a post shopping brew or a working lunch. On my visit, I only had chance to order a quick coffee but I'll definitely be back to try out the lunch and cake menu!

For more information, visit their website below!

http://www.ezraandgil.com/

- Caroline

Coffee Break: Jaunty Goat, Chester

Jaunty latte.

I’ve lived in Chester for just under four months now and I’m ashamed to say I haven’t done that much exploring. My job isn’t city centre based so my local coffee joint is sadly the Starbucks concession in the nearby Holiday Inn. The sexy world of journalism eh?

But there’s one place I’ve always wanted to try and that’s the Jaunty Goat on Bridge Street, a cool and sophisticated coffee spot that’s supposed to offer the best coffee in the city.

I popped in yesterday afternoon and my first thought was: is a MacBook a prerequisite in here? Furnished with long communal, bronze effect tables and church-like bench seats, quirky wicker art all with a neutral ‘beachy’ and rose gold hue, this place looks like the kind of place you could really cram in the hours getting some work done or just catching up with friends. I’d use the word ‘hipster’ but I was sat there with my fake snakeskin boots, iPhone and writing a post for my tea blog, so I’m not really one to talk!

It is TOTALLY my kind of place.

Loving the colour scheme here.

The coffee itself is fantastic and they’ve got a great range of teas for you to try too. And the CAKE – wow, so many to choose from. Unfortunately after spending my morning at the gym at 6.30am I decided not to indulge on this occasion but I’m thinking it’s likely I’ll be rushing back here this weekend to make up for it.

The Jaunty Goat is described as Chester’s best coffee – I can definitely see why. 

Laura.

Available to eat in or take away. For more information, visit their Facebook page here!

ATC on Tour: Tubingen, Germany

It's hard to give up an obsession with tea and cake so even when we're on our travels we can't really resist the call of a cute tea room or coffee shop.

Pink traditional coffee maker.

 

This month, Laura visited Tubingen in Germany which, amongst it's traditional southern architecture and picturesque river, revealed itself to be a hub of mini coffee houses and tea shops. Oh, and a pastry lovers dream! 

Walnut and Mandarin Cake.

A favourite was Cafe L, a coffee shop that had literally opened the week before I arrived so everything was shiny and new. 

The counter was bulging with gorgeous golden pastries and particular mention must go to the yummy croissants and almond cakes - so sweet and the perfect companion to the creamy latte they served. 

It's bold decor was very modern yet in keeping with the area's traditional theme had a fab vintage coffee maker on display in the seating area - and it was pink! 

Cafe L

Another was Marktchenke, a little cafe in the centre of the town with a very studenty feel. With indie music coming through the speakers and a menu that boasted mainly snacks and cakes, it was a great relaxing place for a quick lunch. 

Apricot Filled Pastry.

There were so many great coffee shops around I could have quite easily lived there! Where there's cake and tea, I will always be happy. 

Have you been to any great coffee shops on your travels? Join in the conversation on Twitter this #AfternoonTeaWeek at @TeacupReview 

Cake Break: Marmalade, Rhos on Sea

Most people speak of soggy weekends away in the UK with a shudder and a swift ticket booked to sunny Spain. Well unlike the general consensus, I am partial to a cozy afternoon in a caravan on a rainy day in Wales. (Pack of playing cards and TV movies, hello?) 

Pretty pastels.

It was on one of these rainy days when I ventured into the lovely Rhos on Sea for a cup of tea. It’s been some time since I’ve been to the area so I was pleased to see that an abundance of sweet cafes and coffee shops had popped up in my absence. One in particular that caught my eye was Marmalade.

Latte.

This place has got cute shabby chic down to perfection. Pastel colours, restored furniture, mismatched chairs, bunting, graphic text artwork – just everything. There’s a real homely feel too and even a separate area with comfy lounge chairs and coffee table that look like they were pulled straight from a kooky French apartment.

Beautiful decoration.

There’s an impressive selection of cakes on offer too and the best bit is – they’re all less then £1.95 – pretty good when that includes a rather generous slice of chocolate cake topped with Malteasers. The lemon drizzle and chocolate brownies looked delicious too.

The drinks are also reasonably priced, with a range of hot and cold drinks including a choice of teas, that mean a cake and drink combo cost around £4.

I really appreciated the presentation here as our drinks arrived on a little wooden serving tray with a mini biscuit on the side for the latte and even a pretty pink glass for the cold drink – lovely.

Pink glasses!

Yet perhaps the most intriguing thing on the menu was the Welsh Afternoon Tea – pretty much your standard Afternoon Tea with a choice of sandwiches, cake and tea but with oversized scones to rival the beach pebbles that looked absolutely amazing.

Yummy cake.

I could have happily spent all day in here – it was welcoming, pretty, cozy, yummy – all of those lovely things. I may even pop back next weekend. An hour and a half drive for tea and cake? Yeah that’s worth it! - Laura

Home from home.

Marmalade is located on Rhos Road, Rhos on Sea, Colwyn Bay. The Welsh Afternoon Tea is available daily from 2.30pm. Find them on Twitter @MarmaladeRhos

Don't forget, it's #AfternoonTeaWeek this week so be sure to Tweet us your fave tea hotspots! @TeacupReview

Cake Break: Tea For Two, Widnes

There are so many great little tea shops popping up all over the place - we've been to our fair share as you can probably tell! What's more is, there's nothing better than when one crops up in your own town and so I was very excited when I spotted this cute little cafe called 

Tea For Two.

Tea For Two

Admittedly, I had noticed this shop before but hadn't yet visited due to force of habit taking me to my local - I know, shameful - bad blogger! However, I am so glad I decided to pop in last weekend as it is a completely different environment to anywhere else in the area. 

There's a retro vibe going on throughout with old posters, mismatched cups and saucers and even a beautiful serving trolley (I would have taken a pic but it was in use at the time and I didn't want to disturb another customer's Afternoon Tea!). Even the music is fitting to a time gone by with 1950's favourites playing throughout. The lovely lady who served us mentioned that some customers say they love visiting because it takes them back to their childhood which was lovely to hear. 

Cappuccino - minus one sip!

As this was just a quick coffee break, we just had drinks on this occasion but even they had little touches to make them a little more special. The cappuccino was generously coated in chocolate sprinkles and as you can see I was so eager to get started I took a sip before taking photos - bad blogger, again! The latte came with a cute heart decoration drawn on the side from chocolate topping too - simple but made for really nice presentation.

Lovely latte.

Overall, it was a lovely little find and a complete escape from the hustle and bustle of the town. There's a lesson to be learned here - always try new things. I may have found my new local.

Laura.

Have you found any hidden tea shop gems? Comment or Tweet us @TeacupReview

ATC does NYC - An adventure in cake.

Underneath New York City's famous Grand Central Terminal lies an entire world of exotic honeys, bakes, fruits and best of all - cakes! We were lucky enough to visit this hidden gem and sample some of the best treats the city has to offer. 

The Market hall offers so many different varieties of food that it's difficult to decide what to indulge with. We like to think of it as a bit of a snapshot into just a few of the amazing homemade bakes nestled in the Avenues of this vibrant city - a mini New York almost. Eli Zabar boasts a fabulous range of fruit tarts and cakes. But it's their oversized colourful macaroons that really caught our eye - and we can confirm, they're delicious! 

You can spot Zaro's Bakery in various places around the city so we figured their cupcakes must be worth a try. We were right, they're so yummy with lashings of buttercream and enough flavours to appeal to just about everyone. In fact, there's so many, you might just need two. 

Our advice? Get your cupcakes to go and take advantage of one of New York's countless outdoor seating areas. We opted for an outdoor cupcake picnic in the New York Library gardens - made all the more perfect by the crisp Winter air. 

Of course no trip to The Big Apple would be complete without a stroll around Central Park. In the hub of the famous landmark you'll find La Pain Quotidien, a homely hideout serving great coffee, green teas and pastries. A latte and pan au chocolat and we were set for the day. It's reminiscent of a winter cabin, helped naturally by the New York January snow fall and low yellow lighting. 

It's quite a communal space where you're encouraged to share a table but it suits the environment perfectly with joggers popping in for a quick drink and walkers exchanging stories about their cute dogs. It's quite a nice concept actually. 

It's an almost impossible task to decide which coffee shops to venture to in such a big city which is why outdoor markets that serve a taste of what you can find, are such a great place to start. With so many sights to see you have to wonder where to get the time for tea! 

Have you been for a great Afternoon Tea or coffee in New York?

Tweet us your stories! @TeacupReview

Planning For the Future: The Afternoon Tea Club Gets Organised

Beautiful Original Patent Organiser  c/o Filofax

If you follow ATC on twitter (Ahem @TeacupReview) then you might've noticed us talking about all the exciting things we've got coming up over the next few months. Well, we thought it high time to let you in on the secret and reveal a bit of what's ahead for the Afternoon Tea Club. 

Over the last couple of months we've made a conscious effort to get organised and plan for the future, filling up our beautiful new Filofaxes with lots of lovely content ideas, and although we're biased we think you're really gonna love what's coming up.

Getting Organised

Reviews

In November you can look forward to round-ups from IC Westminster and Betty's York - we really enjoyed our visits to both of these lovely tea rooms and can't wait to share our pics with you. In addition to this we'll also be relaunching our 'Coffee Break' feature, giving you a sneaky peek at our daily coffee shop experiences from both high street chains and smaller independent venues. Not forgetting our lovely City Girl Charlotte, we'll also be posting lots more of her reviews from the big smoke, including a very special round-up from the new Laura Ashley hotel and a wintery Christmas special.

Competitions

Who doesn't love a good competition? We've teamed up with two fabulous companies to give you the chance to win some amazing goodies. We won't say too much just now, but they're two of our biggest giveaways to date and we can't wait to get you involved. Lets just say if you like free tea and cake, then you'll want to check back here over the coming months.

Needless to say our Filofaxes are full and we love it!

What would you like to see us do on the blog? Comment below with your recommendations or get in touch with us on twitter at @TeacupReview!

Cake Break: Fancie, Sharrowvale Road, Sheffield

As promised, here's the second instalment of our visit to Sheffield's Fancie. Find out what we thought below...

Caroline: 

Considerably more intimate and flowery than its Ecclesall Road sister, the original Fancie is everything that's good and girlie. Decorated throughout in Cath Kidston-esque patterns (which include stars, polka dots and pretty florals) and enhanced with quirky table games and vintage pieces, this shop is the perfect place to escape from the humdrum of student life. 

The shop's main focus is on the lovely cupcakes (twelve varieties nonetheless) which are produced daily in the Fancie Bakery, offering a variety of distinctive flavours. As a treat after our tea, we were given a couple to take home. Without hesitation I went for my favourire 'Red Velvet' and their unusual 'Raspberry and Almond' Cupcakes. Needless to say both were delicious. As a bit of a cupcake fanatic (and baker in my spare time) I always like to judge cakes by their buttercream - It HAS to be perfect and anything less just will not do. I'm pleased to say that the icing in both cases was immaculate and exactly in line with my standards. Well done! 

Cappuccino Cupcake!

Laura:

Fancie’s cute cupcake café is where it all began and I can certainly see why it’s still so popular today. Decked out in hot pink and white it’s a complete contrast to its sister Canteen bakery and oozes home-baking charm.

Set out open plan, there’s a family feel here with patterned tablecloths, pretty teacups and even children’s artwork pinned to the fridge with alphabet magnets - very sweet and welcoming.

The cupcakes themselves were absolutely gorgeous. Like Caroline said we had a choice of Fancie’s 12 signature bakes and I went for gorgeously girly Pink Marshmallow and Cappuccino cupcakes. The sponge was lovely and moist and to join in Caroline’s buttercream fan girl moment, yes the buttercream was AMAZING. My favourite was the marshmallow cupcake simply for being the pinkest cake I have ever seen – oh and it was yummy!

This mini cupcakery also has quite a large range of drinks on offer so to finish our day I sipped on a vanilla latte - which could very well be my new favourite hot beverage! 

Fancie is located on Sharrowvale Road, Sheffield. Cupcakes can be ordered to go or can be enjoyed in the shop between 9-5pm Monday to Saturday and 11-5pm on Sundays. For more information check out the website HERE.

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. 

The Afternoon Tea Club Reviews: Cuthbert's Bakehouse, Liverpool

Last Monday The Afternoon Tea Club were invited to Cuthbert's Bakehouse in Liverpool for an afternoon of tea, cake and vintage fun!

Environment

Caroline:

Upon first entering this little cafe I was immediately struck by its elegance - Fully decorated with pretty fairy lights, fête style bunting and traditional cornices, I think it’s fair to say that Cuthbert’s Bakehouse is a vintage treasure.

Owned by Matthew and Elaine, Cuthbert’s attracts a large variety of clients, including students and businessmen alike - a testimony to just how far reaching its appeal is. The overall feeling is one of relaxation, with comforting turquoise hues running throughout, being off set with a variety of quirky features, including: lovely wooden floors, black boards and traditional net curtains. 

Particular highlights included their lovely antique furniture and old sweet counter which warmly greet you as you walk through the door, filling your senses with temptation - a real treat for the eyes!

The Full Tea

Laura: 

By combining a traditional British love for tea with a hipsters love for vintage, Cuthberts makes twee the new cool and sets itself apart as a prime hangout for Liverpool’s students.

Homely furniture housed in beautiful vintage surroundings, earn this mini tea shop top marks for décor and make it a great find amongst the city’s bustling Mount Pleasant.

I particularly loved the counter area with its adorable attention to detail, creating an illusion of organised clutter. The mix of colours on mismatched table settings, utensils and jars create an eclectic style that fuse together quite magically to achieve Cuthberts’ lived in and genuine personality.

Tempations Galore

Food

Caroline:  

What can I say about the Afternoon Tea at Cuthberts? Not only is it incredibly delicious, but also remarkably generous. Serving everything from Chocolate dipped Strawberries to Salted Caramel and Hazelnut Tarts, this menu offers something for everyone and is perfect for casual indulgence or a special celebration.

Roast Chicken Sandwich

On this occasion we opted for the traditional tea, which consisted of a selection of mini rolls (Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese; Roast Beef and Horseradish; Roast Chicken Salad; and Camembert and Cranberry) All Butter Scones (served with Clotted Cream and Cuthberts Home Made Strawberry Jam), and a wonderful selection of Cakes (incl. Florentines, Macaroons, Classic Victoria Sandwich, Blueberry Tart, Salted Caramel and Hazelnut Tart, Chocolate dipped Strawberries and Norwegian Almond Custard Cake)  

Cake Selection

My absolute favourite from this selection had to be the Camembert and Cranberry Sandwich, closely followed by the mini Victoria which was very fruity and light - I could easily eat both of these all day long!

- Chosen from a selection of co-owner Matthew’s favourites, this menu varies from season to season, but from the standard of what we were presented with on Monday, we are absolutely certain that the choice will be equally lovely all year ‘round!

Sandwich Selection

Laura: 

The first thing I thought when the food arrived was ‘How on earth are we going to finish all of this?!’ Actually that’s a lie - the first thing I thought was, ‘Oh wow’.

Like Caroline said, the talented team at Cuthberts are certainly a generous bunch with a selection of afternoon treats big enough to keep your sweet tooth satisfied for much more than just one afternoon.

In keeping with their hotchpotch style - our three tier tea stand was presented beautifully with a rainbow of fresh sandwiches and cakey delights. And they tasted just as good as they looked!

Time for Tea

Of course, before the sweet comes the savoury and we were treated to a fabulous selection of mini sandwiches that proved you can never underestimate the power of a simple sarnie. Whole mini buns bursting with beef and cheese and even miniature bagels filled with salmon and chicken were a welcome surprise and absolutely yummy too.

Next up was my current favourite layer, a choice of both plain and fruit scones with jam and cream. They were both so tasty and the homemade spread made for a perfect middle tier.

Front Counter

And finally, our fantastic dessert selection. Drum roll please! Bare with us, as this is an impressive list, here goes; Norwegian almond custard cake, hazelnut and salted caramel tart, blue berry cream tart, Victoria sponge cake, Florentines, macaroons and even chocolate dipped strawberries. Phew! My favourite was the hazelnut tart – deliciously smooth and the caramel underneath was a lovely surprise.

And to accompany our feast my teacup was constantly topped up with amazing Joe Black Coffee – perfect!

Blueberry Tart

Service

Caroline:  

The service at Cuthberts was prompt and polite, without being at all intrusive. Everyone was very welcoming and ensured that our tea pots were always full - Top marks!

 
Laura: 

The staff we met were very polite and friendly. The lovely lady who brought our food even gave us a handy guide detailing each part of the afternoon tea and also boxed up the cake we couldn't manage to finish. I loved the cute little takeout boxes these were presented in – they gave a really great lasting impression.

Mini Victoria Sandwich

Overall Thoughts

Caroline: 

I had a lovely afternoon at Cuthbert’s Bakehouse and wouldn’t hesitate to return again in the future  - if you're looking for a good value Afternoon Tea in quality surroundings, then you will not be disappointed by what Cuthbert’s has to offer.

Laura:  

If I was a student in Liverpool, I can guarantee that Cuthbert's would be my go to coffee shop. They have a fantastic range of cakes and with an afternoon tea costing just £15 - you can afford to treat yourself more than every once in a blue moon. I say go now - before it becomes cool!

Cupcake Rating:

 





Cuthbert's is located at 103 Mt. Pleasant Liverpool. Afternoon Tea Prices range from £15.00 - £19.00 pp. For more information please visit their website HERE

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.  

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

Cake Break: Sooty's Cupcakery, York

It's not exactly traditional to have cupcakes for breakfast but walking past the window of this delightful little cupcakery, you have to forget it's 11am and just indulge - as I did!

 

 

Decked out with 50's style diner seating and shelves stacked with increasinly popular American sweets, everything about this cupcakery invites you in - and that's before you've even tasted the cake.

 

The lovely lady at Sooty's introduced us to all of the different cupcakes available that day, each of them made by her daugher. Naturally, as a self confessed Mini Eggs addict, I chose the chocolate buttercream Mini Egg flavour. It was just gorgeous, the buttercream was perfect and the sponge was nice and fluffy.

 

To top it off, my coffee arrived in a pretty homely mug accompanied by floral patterned china to balance the quirky with the quaint.

 

 

Overall Sooty's is a cute and quirky little place where the cupcakes live up to their pretty surroundings. Highly recommended for a sweet pit stop.

 

(Laura)

Cake Break: Lucky Days, Church Street, York

Feeling lucky? Then take a trip to the fabulous Lucky Days cafe in York.

Lucky 6? 

 

Situated in York's wonderfully traditional cobbled streets, Lucky Days is the perfect place to stop for lunch amidst all the shopping and sightseeing the city has to offer.

 

The format is geared towards modern lunching with a compact hot food counter that serves soups and baked potatoes and a canteen style dessert station - all ran by lovely, enthusiastic and friendly staff.

 

Scones with jam and cream.

 

The cafe boasts a rather inventive alternative to the typical loyalty stamp card. On your first visit you will be presented with a card that entitles you to a roll of the dice on your return. Should you roll a 6, every item on your bill will then only cost you £1 - how cute is that?!

 

Red velvet cake. Wow.

The food is just delightful. Perfectly fluffy baked potatoes and healthy soups (I chose both!) and amazing cakes and scones - well you've got to try it all haven't you?

 

For a quick bite or coffee and a cake, Lucky Days is definitely a must - and it may only cost you a quid - good luck!

 

(Laura)

Cake Break: Ben's Cookies, Carnaby Street, London

Located in London's über cool Carnaby Street (So cool in fact that Irregular Choice shoes have their own shop - I know!) the aroma from Ben's Cookies turns a desire for the designer into a craving for cookies.
This cute mini cookie bar is decked out with bold red furnishings and shiny hearts that drape across the windows. Gorgeously romantic and also very British with Quentin Blake style artwork infused into its signature look - ideal surroundings for a Valentine's treat!

The cookies themselves are something else. Soft and gooey with huge chocolate chunks, in particular the white chocolate flavour. There are also raisin options and brownies on offer along with a selection of hot and cold drinks.
A spacious outdoor seating area puts Ben's Cookies at the top of our list for perfect summer coffee stops!

(Laura)

Lunch Break: Watergate Tearooms, Hebden Bridge

When in Hebden Bridge, Lunch is an absolute necessity, and with so many different places to choose from you can be really spoilt for choice. On my most recent visit to the town, I decided to venture into the Watergate Tearooms (which have long been tempting me) to sample some of their lovely fare.

Scone and Jam

Offering extensive menus, which include both full afternoon and cream teas, this little cafe has something for everyone. The scones in particular are delicious, served warm with lashings of jam and cream - the perfect winter warmer by itself or with a cup of tea. Similarly the sandwiches are presented to a high standard, made using good quality products and garnishes.

Ham Baguette and Salad

However, there is one small downside to this cafe. On the day that I visited the service was particularly slow, with us being left waiting for the best part of an hour to be served our tea and sandwiches. In fairness, I must note that they were particularly busy, but I feel that even when considering this, the wait was a little longer than I would have otherwise liked. I wouldn't say that this is a reason not to pay them a visit, but just something to be taken into account if pushed for time.

Otherwise, lovely food and very pleasant staff!

(Caroline)

Lunch Break: John Lewis Espresso Bar, Trafford Centre

Flapjacks and Coffee

Whenever I go to the Trafford Centre, I always head for the John Lewis Espresso Bar. Tucked away at the back of the store's ground floor - adjacent to the men's department - this little café offers quiet, peaceful surroundings and yummy flapjacks in abundance. Although only small in size, this café is still relatively undiscovered, with many people opting for the larger 'Place to Eat' upstairs (they‘re definitely missing out.)

Ham Sandwiches

- If you're looking to escape from the shopping rush for a few minutes with a light snack and coffee, then you can't really go wrong!

(Caroline)