5 beautifully British tea rooms in Cambridge
Who doesn’t love a top tearoom? Whether it’s sipping Earl Grey with a glass of champers on the side at Claridge’s or tucking into a Fat Rascal at Betty’s in Harrogate, there’s something to be said for the great British afternoon tea ceremony.
And Cambridge certainly has its fair share of such lauded establishments. Here are our five favourites right here:
If you’re a tea connoisseur then Harriet’s is the place to be at. Choose from a selection such as the intriguingly named Russian Caravan, lovely Rose Chocolate, Gunpowder Green and the rather unusual Earl Grey Blue Lady.
Traditional in its set-up (expect your waitress to arrive in a black uniform with a dainty, white apron and those cute little caps Downton Abbey-style), it has a lovely upmarket atmosphere in which to sip your afternoon cuppa. Oh, and did we mention, there is a resident pianist?
This fabulous Cambridge institution has been around for more than a century now (it celebrated its 100th birthday in October last year) and still has its original Art Nouveau façade.
Brothers Ernest & Arthur Mason were intent on supplying the townsfolk of Cambridge with a fabulous place to nibble and chat. The piece de resistance of their offering would be their ridiculously sticky Chelsea Bun. And which you can still delight in today, incidentally.
Sip a special brew while enjoying a bird’s eye view of Cambridge, thanks to the top floor Brasserie’s floor to ceiling windows.
It’s all about finger sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and the odd glass of champers – if you so desire. And we did.
Great coffee, homemade cakes and a fine selection of pastries to drool over, Le Patissier is a lovely afternoon stop-off in this busy city. But the best bit about Le Patissier is actually where it sits – right opposite St John’s College. And that means lots of people watching in a beautiful historic setting.
“A corner of England where time stands still as the outside world rushes by” – that’s how this lovely tea garden markets itself and we couldn’t put it better ourselves.
Sitting just outside the city centre is a wonderfully tranquil setting full of pretty blooms and wildflowers, it is perfect for a spot of tea with a cream and a jam-filled scone. The Tea Garden in Grantchester is a short walk from Cambridge, allowing you to walk off the calories as you head back to your serviced apartment. Past visitors include authors Virginia Wolfe and E M Forster.
Having said that, the partaking of afternoon tea has certainly changed since those earlier genteel days: @lovefood: “Tea would be served from elegant silver teapots into fine bone china cups, with dainty morsels carefully presented on low tables as the ladies relaxed in parlour chairs. It was still a relatively informal way for women to socialise – guests were invited by note or verbally, and could drop in and out as they pleased.”