Oulton Hall - Oulton - Leeds

Oulton Hall

Rothwell Lane

Oulton

Leeds

LS26 8HN

Date of Visit: 31 July 2016

Price: Mon-Thurs £21.00

Price: Fri-Sun £24.00

Oulton Hall is a beautiful 18th century mansion near Rothwell, just on the outskirts of Leeds. Set back from the main road, it is approached by a long sweeping driveway and is surrounded by beautiful landscaped gardens and a 27 hole golf course. In the July sun it looks very grand.

Afternoon tea is served in the drawing room, a large airy space with high ceilings, ornate cornicing glass chandeliers, plush carpets, dark wood panelled walls and quality furniture. We were shown to a large marble coffee table surrounded by comfy chairs and a sofa in front of a huge glass window which offered a glorious view onto the well-kept gardens.

The Drawing Room

For our afternoon tea we were offered a choice of two sandwich fillings to share between us, so  we went for egg and chive mayonnaise and Yorkshire ham with fruit chutney, on white and brown bread.  Other filling options included smoked salmon with milled black pepper, or cream cheese and cucumber.  As an added bonus, we were also given a warm savoury red pepper tomato and spring onion tartlet.  The gluten free menu consisted of the same selection, although the ham sandwich came without the fruit chutney which unfortunately made it very dry.  The savoury tartlet was also notably absent.

Gluten Free Sandwiches

When the afternoon tea came it was served on a tall three tier stand with a selection of fruit and plain scones, served with strawberry preserve and clotted cream, Yorkshire tea loaf and a chunk of Wensleydale cheese.  The other cakes included a fresh cream chocolate éclair, a fresh strawberry and coconut tart, a bakewell tart and a vanilla panna cotta topped with a blueberry.  The gluten free sweets comprised of a plain and fruit scone, millionaire’s shortbread and a bakewell tart topped with a cherry – although this did look suspiciously like a shop bought one.

The tea menu is locally sourced from Taylors of Harrogate, offering a large selection from Kenya, India and China, and a range of fruity infusions, including lemongrass and ginger, and sweet rhubarb.  Naturally we went for the most boring option and stuck with the trusty English breakfast blend.

Although the sandwiches were very tasty, I found the cakes a bit underwhelming and with only one of each choice between two, it was a fight to see who was having which cake!  The gluten free option was equally unspectacular for such a well established place.

We did enjoy our afternoon tea but I must admit we were slightly disappointed by some of the cakes, and expected much better quality from a luxury hotel.  Plus, we had to pay more because we visited on a weekend and I felt due to the lack of options for the gluten free tea, it should have been priced a little cheaper.  On the other hand, the service was very good and the staff were very friendly.  I guess we just expected more from a four star hotel.

Gluten Free Cakes

Ratings:                                          Ratings:  Gluten Free

Tea: 7/10                                                     Tea: 7/10

Sandwiches:  8/10                                      Sandwiches: 6/10           

Cakes: 6/10                                                 Cakes: 5/10

Scones: 7/10                                                Scones: 7/10

Service: 8/10                                              Service: 8/10       

Overall: 7/10                                              Overall: 6/10

Would I return?   Maybe 

Betty'sTea Room - Ilkley

Betty’s

32 The Grove

Ilkley

LS29 9EE

West Yorkshire

Date Of Visit: 17 February 2016

Price: £18.95

I guess anyone who loves afternoon tea will have heard of the infamous Betty’s tea room.  There are six Betty’s tea rooms scattered around Yorkshire, in Ilkley, Harrogate, Northallerton and York, and on this occasion we decided to visit the newly refurbished tea room in the pretty spa town of Ilkley. Although I’ve been past Betty’s many times I have only ever visited the lovely shop inside – it’s far too tempting to just walk past – so this visit was going to be a real treat! 

There was a lot of expectation as Betty’s does have a reputation as being the ‘queen’ of afternoon tea and cakes, so I was looking forward to tucking into nothing less than the best.  Of course if you don’t have much of a sweet tooth, there are plenty of alternative savoury options to enjoy from the extensive menu boasting a wealth of breakfast, brunch and dinner options.  And if you’d prefer a late night snack, the tea room is open until 10pm most evenings.

From Leeds, Ilkley is only a short 20 minute drive and it can be easily accessed via bus or train. Located along the main shopping street, the tea room's large glass window display laden with cakes, biscuits, artisan bread and hand crafted chocolates makes it easy to find and the tempting array of tasty treats certainly lures you through its doors.

As you enter you are greeted with the smell of freshly baked cakes and breads and you get a little glimpse of what you could be sampling as you make your way past the hand crafted oak counters into the café at the back.

The café is very light and airy and boasts a lot more seating than you’d expect from the outside.  Antique and contemporary teapots are displayed around the white washed walls, and the soft lighting and cream furnishings all add to the atmosphere, making it feel very warm and cosy on a cold February afternoon.

For the sandwiches we had roast chicken, egg mayonnaise and cress, roast ham and opted for Wensleydale cheese with tomato as a substitute for the Scottish smoked salmon (awkward customer again!), served on a selection of white and brown bread. 

The cake selection consisted of a pastry filled fresh fruit tart with blueberries and raspberries, a strawberry macaroon and a miniature coffee opera cake topped with a solid chocolate oval inscribed with the Betty’s logo in gold.  And then of course there was the traditional fruit scones served with strawberry preserve and Yorkshire clotted cream. 

The tea menu was equally impressive, with teas from Kenya, South America and Rwanda, fruit teas such as the Jasmine, White tea, and China Rose petal tea, and the traditional Betty’s tea room blend.  There was also a fine selection of coffee, milkshakes, soft drinks, ales, lagers, wine and champagne for that special occasion.  Ever adventurous, we chose the rose petal and Betty’s tea room blend tea.

Everything was presented beautifully on a three tier cake stand.   The sandwiches were very tasty, although we could have easily eaten a few more, but at least this left plenty of room to sample the tempting cakes.  My favourite was the fruit tart – the pastry was lovely and crisp and melted in the mouth.   Any cakes we had left were boxed up to take home for later and if you can’t resist a few more tasty nibbles, you can always stock up in the shop on your way out!

Afternoon Tea - Betty's Ilkley

All in all it was a very nice afternoon tea and reasonably priced.  If you like Champagne with your afternoon tea the price is a little dearer at £26.85, or you can just have the cream tea with scones for £9.95.  Gluten free options were available on request, but it’s probably best to check they can cater for your requirements beforehand so I’d recommend ringing in advance.

Ratings :

Tea: 8/10

Sandwiches:  9/10

Cakes: 8/10

Scones: 8½/10              

Service: 9/10

Overall: 9/10

Would I return?   Definitely!  I will have to try the other five cafes now to compare! 

Just Grand Vintage Tea Room - Leeds

Just Grand

Vintage Tea Room

Ground Floor

8-9 Grand Arcade

Leeds

LS1 6PG

Date Visited :  1 Sept 2015

Price:  £11.95

If you’re from Leeds then you’ve probably heard of the infamous Grand Theatre, a grade II listed Victorian shopping arcade built in 1897. Well this tearoom is just around the corner down the Grand Arcade, an old shopping area with beautiful archways, stained glass windows and a host of quirky and rather quaint shops and cafes.  And for those interested in a bit of history, the old (recently refurbished) clock at the bottom of the arcade still chimes on the hour after a recent save the clock campaign.

The Just Grand tea room is located about half way down the arcade on the right hand side, just opposite the Traditional Shaving Company hairdressers and barbers. Outside the tea room are a couple of tables and comfy high backed chairs (which reminded me very much of something my Grandma used to have) so you can sit out and watch the world go by, or just admire the people opposite having a Sweeney Todd style shave or haircut.  In the colder months the café even offer blankets and hot water bottles so you can still enjoy supping your tea outside without freezing to death.  Now there’s service you don’t see every day!

 

Inside the cafe’s charmingly themed décor transports you back to the 1950s and 60s with its pink rose wallpaper, mismatched mahogany chairs and tables laden with lacy tablecloths and a random assortment of China teacups and saucers. On one wall is a large wooden wardrobe adorning old suitcases, hats and bags, and next to it is a small old fashioned television.  An old kitchen cabinet with a glass front and melamine doors is on the other wall (very similar to the one we used to have in our kitchen when I was younger) and on another wall is a glass cabinet filled with China teapots and glassware.  On the top of the cabinet are some toys from that era – mainly Sindy dolls and accessories of which I still have in my loft!  Plus the staff wear fashion from the 50’s which all adds to the atmosphere and gives the place that something special and unusual.  Even the menus were wonderfully quirky, with the food options stuck onto old LP covers (for the younger generation this is what we had before CD’s!) instead of your standard run-of-the-mill bits of paper. Some of the jazzed up menus included Jim Reeves the New Seekers, Ray Charles, and Donny Osmond – admittedly, a particular favourite of mine!

 

We were here for mine and my husband’s anniversary and had booked the afternoon tea.  This consisted of four sandwiches from a selection of cream cheese and cucumber, egg mayonnaise with cress, cheese and hand carved ham, with a choice of pickle, chutney or piccalilli, all garnished with salad.  I love the traditional and simple fillings like these, unlike some you find at most afternoon tea places these days where they attempt to fancy it up too much (for my taste anyway) with mucked about fillings and fancy names.  The sandwiches were followed by freshly baked fruit scones with strawberry jam and clotted cream, a large chunk of homemade fruit cake and Wensleydale cheese, or you could select a choice of cake from the selection on the counter if you preferred. When we visited there was a choice of Orange cake, Lemon Drizzle, or Pontefract licorice cake, which sounded (and looked) especially scrummy.  I love licorice!  

Traditional Afternoon Tea

This was all washed down with Yorkshire tea or filtered coffee.  Or for the more adventurous, you can choose from a large selection of different teas ranging from chocolate orange truffle to Acai berry and pomegranate, White, Green and blue tea, or some rather fancy sounding Herbal infusions. And for those non tea drinkers, there’s a choice of old fashioned Fentimans sodas, Ice Cream Milkshakes or, if you fancy, a glass of wine.

For the men out there who just don’t do the afternoon tea thing fear not because there is a Gentlemen’s afternoon tea just for you, consisting of a Voakes (Yorkshire award winning) pork pie, pickle, crisps, a selection of four sandwiches and a bottle of Pale Ale or Bitter. A proper man’s lunch wouldn’t you say?! 

And if all that hasn’t got you sold on giving it a try, they also serve gluten free food (hurrah!).  For the afternoon tea option they offer the same fillings of sandwiches, a large slice of Lemon Drizzle cake and a Flapjack, which all went down a treat.

Gluten Free Afternoon Tea

As well as the afternoon tea menu, they serve a breakfast menu up until 12.30 consisting of traditional porridge oats with various toppings, including jam and the more unusual golden syrup.  Or you can have a poached egg on a ham and cheese toastie, which sounds exceptionally tasty.  The all day menu includes crumpets with marmite or peanut butter toppings, sandwiches or soup of the day served with a hot bread roll.

The cafe has a lovely atmosphere with the sound of 50’s music gently playing in the background, the staff were very friendly and helpful, and they looked great in their vintage attire.  You felt as though you were just sat having tea in your Grandma’s front room!  It’s definitely a great place to visit for a very traditional afternoon tea, so next time you’re at the Grand Theatre or shopping in Leeds give it a try!  I wish there were more places like this!

On a final note, the toilet is well worth a visit too!  It’s all papered in pages from old Woman’s Weekly magazines, because who needs plain old boring wallpaper right?!

Ratings:                            Gluten Free:

Tea: 9/10                                   8/10

Sandwiches:  8/10                    9/10     

Cakes: 8/10                               8/10         

Scones: 8/10                             N/A

Service: 9/10    

Overall: 9/10

Would I return?   Yes, I returned the very next day!  We just couldn’t resist so we went back and had some delicious crumpets with marmite! And I’m sure I will be back many more times after shopping in Leeds.

The Cedar Court Grand Hotel - York

Cedar Court Grand Hotel

Station Rise

York

North Yorkshire

Y01 6GD

Date Visited : 21 February 2015

Price:  Grand Afternoon Tea - £22.50 per person

On a cold and blustery February day, what better time is there to escape the miserable weather and treat yourself to afternoon tea?  The Grand Hotel in York is a large Georgian building situated opposite the historic city wall, not too far from York Minister.  I’ll admit this hotel is a little posher (and pricier) than the places I normally head for afternoon tea, but this was bought as a birthday present so I was really looking forward to trying some place new – and the fact I wasn’t paying made it taste just that little bit sweeter!

Tea was served in the Hudson’s dining room, a large and bright room with high ceilings, white and cream furnishings, elegantly set tables with linen table cloths and a scattering of vintage pictures of York adorning the walls.  It was all very fancy.

York's Historic Wall with York Minster in the background

Now being quite a family of quite fussy eaters (we like things plain), we asked if we could make a few slight changes to the choice of sandwiches.  Nothing major – just a simple ‘no mustard’ and ‘no mayo’.  While the staff were more than happy to accommodate the changes, we did have to wait an extremely long wait before they actually arrived and after a good half hour our waitress informed us that the sandwiches were not up to standard so they were being remade.  It’s good that they ensured quality, but an hour waiting for some simple sandwiches to arrive did seem a little excessive.  When they eventually did arrive we had five sandwiches each served on a white rectangular plate consisting of cucumber and dill, egg mayonnaise and watercress, ham (no mustard), and roast beef and black pepper (no mayo), on an assortment of white and malted brown bread.  The gluten free option had the same fillings but there was an extra portion.

Gluten Free Sandwiches

The cakes were served on a classic three tier stand and comprised of a banoffee cream and banana crumb dessert in a glass, a lemon cupcake with vanilla frosting, a dark chocolate delice, a selection of fruit and plain scones with Masham clotted cream and preserve, a slice of tea loaf and a rhubarb and custard cone, which was especially delicious. The amount of cakes certainly made up for the long wait for the sandwiches and we ended up taking most of them home as we couldn’t manage them all.

The gluten free cakes consisted of an enormous slice of chocolate cake and lemon cake with vanilla frosting, a bakewell tart, jam shortbread, fruit scones and a slice of fruit cake. The slices of cake were very tasty but we noticed that the jam shortbread was definitely a Mrs Crimble’s product which was a little disappointing.  It made us wonder if all the other cakes were also shop bought rather than baked fresh on the premises.

Spot the Mrs Crimble's Shortbread!

This afternoon tea was okay – pleasant enough, but far from the best we had had.  For such a high class and fancy hotel we were expecting something a bit more ‘wow’ than we got and it fell a bit short of my expectations.

Ratings:                               Gluten Free:

Tea: 7/10                                   

Sandwiches:  6/10                        6/10

Cakes: 7/10                                    6/10

Scones: 7/10                           

Service: 6/10

Overall: 6½/10

Would I return?   Probably not, we have had much nicer afternoon teas elsewhere.

The Yorkshire Crust - Cookridge Leeds

Yorkshire Crust

252 Tinshill Road

Cookridge

Leeds

LS16 7BT

Date Visited : 17 February 2015

Price: £8.00

The Yorkshire Crust is a small deli cafe at the end of a parade of shops just near the Horsforth railway station.  It’s not the most appealing looking building from the outside but it makes up for that with the food served inside.

Since it was a sunny day we decided to take a walk to the café from home – a walk which I overestimated the length of, so when we finally did arrive we were a little late and our reception was a tad frosty!  But nevertheless, once we got seated and the tea started flowing our late arrival seemed to be forgotten.

We opted for the traditional afternoon tea which consisted of a selection of finger sandwiches, homemade scones with jam and clotted cream and a variety of cakes. For only £8 per person, it is very reasonably priced in comparison with many other places.

The tea was served on a large wooden board rather than the traditional tiered cake stand and it came loaded with a selection of egg mayonnaise, cheese and onion chutney, ham and tomato, and ham and cream cheese sandwiches, all served on brown wholemeal bread.  Now I’m not a fan of onions so I didn’t give the cheese and chutney a try, but my husband and daughter loved it and we ended up buying a jar to take home (the chutney is freshly made on the premises and it is delicious – or so I’m told!).

As with the sandwiches the cakes were similarly scrummy, comprising of buttery shortbread filled with jam and apple, a chocolate brownie, and fruit scones. The shortbread was a particular favourite.

The gluten free afternoon tea consisted of four quarter sandwiches, with cheese and chutney, and ham and tomato, followed by the cafes tangy homemade citrus lemon drizzle cake.

Gluten Free Afternoon Tea

Despite arriving a little behind schedule, this delicious afternoon tea was well worth the long walk and it certainly surpassed my expectations.  And the fact we had to trek back up a viciously steep hill as we headed back home made me feel a little less guilty about all of the calories I’d just stuffed my face with!

Ratings:                           Gluten Free:

Tea: 7/10                                   

Sandwiches:  7/10                   7/10

Cakes: 7/10                              6/10

Scones: 7/10                           

Service: 6/10

Overall: 7½/10

Would I return?   Yes. It’s an ideal stop when out walking or shopping around Horsforth and I’ve heard the bacon sandwiches are really good.

Cockpit Farm Tearooms - Otley

Cockpit Farm Tearooms

Weston Lane

Weston

Nr Otley 

Leeds

LS21 2HS

Date Visited : 1 November 2014

Price: £6.50 or £12.00 for 2

There are a lot of great little teashops in Otley but if you fancy a nice stroll this one is about a mile or so walk from the river.  We usually park up on the Chevin and walk down.  It’s quite a trek but you can park in Otley town centre and walk from there instead – or if you’d prefer to scrap the walk altogether and just head for the cakes, then there is plenty of parking at the tearoom.

The gardens outside the cafe

From the town centre the walk is rather pleasant – it’s mostly flat so you can actually enjoy it rather than battling to breathe while climbing mountainous hills. So if you do opt for the scenic route, just head over the bridge by the river (with Wharfemeadows Park on your right) and follow the path which veers off to the left towards some houses and follow it to the main road. From here turn left and keep walking until you reach an iron gate which leads into a field with some sheep. Head right to the top and take a left after you’ve gone through the gate. About 100m from here you’ll find yourself in the small village of Weston and the tearoom is just off the first road on your right hand side.

Inside the tearoom is quite small so you may have to wait for a table on busier days, but when the weather is warmer (it happens occasionally) there are some tables and benches on the grass outside which make the perfect picnicking spot.  Of course, if you dine indoors you can enjoy the tearooms’ quaint little oddities.  Masses of handmade gifts, including cards, mugs, jewellery, bags, books and all sorts of unusual gifts adorn the walls here – clearly an overspill from the tiny gift shop by the till.

The menu mainly consists of light bites, ranging from toasted teacakes and hot and cold sandwiches, to light salads and homemade soups.  And afternoon tea, of course.  Everything is very reasonably priced with the afternoon tea being the dearest thing on the menu.

The afternoon tea comes with just the one selection of sandwich filling from a choice of cheese and pickle, houmous and salad, tuna and mayonnaise, ham, or smoked salmon and cream cheese.  Being as adventurous as ever, I opted for plain old ham.

Ham Sandwiches

My daughter had the tuna mayo Panini and my husband chose the gluten free cheese and pickle sandwich with salad.  There isn’t a huge choice of gluten free food but they do serve sandwiches and in the winter they have homemade gluten free soup and a roll.  Unfortunately there weren’t any gluten free cakes which was a bit disappointing. The pudding is the best bit of the meal, right?!

Tuna Mayo Panini

Gluten Free Cheese and Pickle Sandwich

The afternoon tea came with the classic fruit scone served with strawberry jam and clotted cream – but sadly no additional cakes – and my daughter chose a slice of lemon drizzle from the cake selection on the counter.

All in all this is a really nice café with good food, very friendly staff and it’s a lovely place to sit out in the garden, especially if you have pets with you.  Plus it’s great for days out as it is only a stone’s throw away from Otley, so it’s ideal if you fancy a nice walk.

Ratings:                        Gluten Free:

Tea: 8/10                             

Sandwiches:  7/10                Sandwiches:  7/10

Cakes: 7/10

Scones: 7/10

Service: 8/10

Overall: 7/10

Would I return?   Yes we’ve been several times 

The Lytham Kitchen - Lytham St. Annes

The Lytham Kitchen

9 Market Square

Lytham St. Annes

FY8 5LW

LANCASHIRE

Date Visited:  12 October 2014

Price: £7.45 Afternoon Tea

Price:  £9.45 Indulgent Afternoon Tea

We were in Blackpool for a family weekend for my mother-in-laws 80^th birthday and she assured us that Lytham was just a stroll away from the Grand Hotel at St. Annes where we were staying .  It was a beautiful sunny day for October so we set off on a nice stroll up the coast.  The walk was quite a bit further than we anticipated but it meant we were all ready for something to eat by the time we got there. The Lytham Kitchen was the first place we came to. As we were a large party of ten we nearly decided to look elsewhere as the cafe was so busy, but a lady on her way out assured us it was well worth waiting a few minutes and we weren’t disappointed. 

Lytham St. Annes

We only had to wait a few minutes and before we were seated – six of us squeezed into a booth while the rest sat on a breakfast bar area by the glass window over-looking the street.  The cafe’s interior was very light and modern looking with wooden tables and booths, white walls cladded with colourful patterned pictures and a large glass cabinet by the till filled with a selection of enticing looking cakes and pastries. 

All of the food here is locally sourced and home cooked and the menu is very extensive, so if you can’t find anything you like (and I’m fussy!) then you won’t find it anywhere! 

I had already decided to have my favourite – afternoon tea (surprise, surprise).  There were three options available, namely the normal cream tea at £3.45 which included a scone and pot of tea, the afternoon tea priced at £7.45, or the indulgent afternoon tea which was virtually the same but with an extra large chunk of cake at £9.45. Guess which one I chose?  No it wasn’t the biggest – I decided not to be (too) greedy so I opted for the normal afternoon tea.

For the sandwiches there was a choice of bread ranging from white, wholemeal sliced, thick cut white or granary bloomer or freshly baked baguette. The filling selection was even more extensive, ranging from thick cut home roast ham and Dijon mayonnaise, thick cut ham with cheddar cheese, cheese and Branston pickle, cheddar cheese and spring onion and mayo, egg mayonnaise, egg mayonnaise and crispy bacon, roast chicken and mayo, bacon, lettuce and tomato, roast beef, red onion and horseradish, tuna and mayonnaise, prawns and Marie-Rose sauce, freshly poached salmon and cucumber, and crayfish and cirtrus mayo. Phew!  That’s a lot of choice. Unfortunately the sandwich fairy only grants you the option of one delightful filling, rather than a more indulgent varied selection of choices. So after much umming and ahhing, I finally settled on egg mayonnaise and crispy bacon [a choice one of my fellow diners also went for] as I can’t say I’ve ever had that before. What can I say, I’m branching out.

The drinks menu was equally impressive with a large selection of teas to choose from, from the English breakfast, fruit infusions and herbal teas, to coffee, hot chocolate, cold juice drinks, milkshakes and bottled beers.  They even had vanilla, hazelnut and caramel flavoured syrups to spice up your drinks with.

As for the gluten free food, they provide an impressive range and the owner of the café – who happened to be our server – was very knowledgeable about all of the gluten free options.  The menu included bread, tea cakes, crumpets, biscuits and cakes, as well as gluten free pasta and gram flour to make batter. 

The Gluten Free Option

With all this choice I couldn’t believe it when my husband chose a baked potato with cheese, coleslaw and salad.  Clearly we aren’t very adventurous when it comes to food in our family.  Others opted for ham and cheese toasties and prawn sandwiches with Marie-Rose sauce. 

Ham and Cheese Toastie

Although the cafe was really busy we didn’t have to wait very long to be served and all of the food was beautifully presented.  The afternoon tea was served on a two tier silver plated stand and looked delicious.  There were four large quarter sandwiches on the bottom tier garnished with salad and tomatoes, and a large fruit scone on the top tier with a bowl of raspberry jam and clotted cream, along with a few large chunks of pineapple and grapes at the side.  There is a choice of six different flavours of preserve with the scones here rather than just the usual strawberry or raspberry, which I thought was a nice little addition.

Indulgent Afternoon Tea

Rocky Road Yum!

I have to say the sandwiches were delicious and very filling, so much so that it kept spilling over the sides of the bread causing me to make a bit of a mess.  I have since tried to make these sandwiches at home but they never tasted quite the same.  They never do, do they?  The pots of tea were refilled several times and we were never rushed to leave even though they were very busy and waiting for available seats.

This is a great cafe to visit if you are in Lytham St. Annes and although it is very busy, it is definitely well worth waiting for.  I can’t wait to visit again just to try something else on the menu.

Ratings:                                  Gluten Free:

Tea: 8/10

Sandwiches:  9/10                            Baked Potato 10/10

Cakes: 8/10

Scones: 9/10              

Service: 9/10

Overall: 9/10

Would I return?   Yes, I need to try something else on the menu!