Uber friendly welcome at the door, glorious smell of fresh baked goods and a really polite server. We tried a selection of savoury and sweet and all the foods were moreish delicious. Proper food here, quality ingredients, attention to detail and darn good value for hard earned money - which is so refreshing in a world coming down with spivs that want to cheapen food to the nth degree and maximise profit above all else - the multi nationals of the world Mondelez, Nestle who couid t care less beyond profit margins. Betty's is an institution whose origins couldn't have been made up as it began owned by a Swiss baker Fritz Bützer. His life was quite tragic early on with his mother dying when he was young and his father died in a fire at the family owned mill. As soon as he was old enough, Fritz trained as an assistant baker and later travelled around Switzerland and France training as a confectioner and chocolatier. In 1907 he decided to seek his fortune in England. On his arrival in London he realised he'd lost the address of his destination and ended up in Bradford quite by accident. He stayed in the Yorkshire town finding work at a Swiss-owned confectioners, Bonnet & Sons. Not long after arriving he wrote to his sister Ida back in Switzerland saying, "Maybe I will stay a while...." Stay he did, soon settling in the spa town of Harrogate by which time he'd changed his name to Frederick Belmont and styled himself as a 'Chocolate Specialist'. In those days a box of chocolates was for the rich at the equivalent today of £300 a box. It was Harold Mackintosh that brought chocolate to the masses with the green triangle sweet likely the first chocolate, hazelnut noisette they ever tasted. Meanwhile it was in Harrogate that Frederick's luck started to change. Looking for lodgings, he fell in love and later married his landlady's daughter, Claire Appleton. A few years later, in July 1919, with the financial support of Claire's family the first Bettys opened for business. Long may Betty rein. read more

See all

This popular cafe and tea room is from 1919 and surprisingly I bought many of my gifts to friends from this store. We were walking around the area and saw this cafe twice so we walked into one of them and I just decided to purchase a few boxes of chocolates and gifts for a few girlfriends. Overall I thought the stores are really cute on the I inside and outside. There are two stores that are very close to each other. No longer than a 10 minute walk. If your not sure what to buy I would just ask the lady, she was really nice and helpful. Next time if I do have time I would want to stop in here and dine with them as well. Tip- If you want a little snack to munch on grab a cookie while your walking around the area! They have different designs for different times of the year. read more

See all

Pretty popular place as indicated by the queue waiting for a table. We decided to take away a box of goodies. We got a curd cheesecake with currants(?), a treacle tart and some fancies. The fancies were yummy but very sweet. I really liked the cake and wished there was more cake to icing ratio. I wasn't a fan of the treacle tart as I thought it very bland. If I ever get back I'd like to enjoy the tea room and try some other delicious desserts. read more

Harrogate Tipple - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - York, YOR

See all

Well it's hard to not get excited when vising Betty's as the range of cakes, coffee and food is to die for. We ended up going for breakfast and I was very surprised. They have kept the outside looking smart and kept the whole shop and cafe as if it was back when originally founded, even the staff were dressed up as if from back in the day. We caught it at a busy time but we didn't have to que for too long and it was worth every minute. The breakfast was amazing and I had the best hot chocolate I have ever had. After food, we spent quite some time in the shop and although not cheap every item is worth every penny, great for gifts. Recommend a visit to either one of the Bettys. read more

See all

This place is so cute! This was my first time having afternoon tea, and I loved it. For one price of afternoon tea for two, you receive a kettle of tea and enough food to share. You can pick what sandwiches you would like to share and which desserts. I will definitely go back next time I am in York. read more

See all

I'm in York as part of a tour we are on with Grand Circle Travel . Betty's was recommended as a great place to go for afternoon tea, which makes my wife happy . There are actually two Betty's in York, one larger and one smaller. We went to the smaller one on Stonegate. My wife had the traditional afternoon tea and I had sweet potato leek soup, and a mixed side salad. I also had a cup of the House Tea. Everything was delicious and the place was very quaint. The service was a little slow but not bad considering how slammed they were. Our waitress was very pleasant and professional. read more

See all

Little Bettys certain could have passed for normal Bettys. I have only tried their dessert, the frangipane tart. Served with seasonal fruit and raspberry sauce, if needed, recommended actually. Tart seemed like it was baked fresh, or at least kept fresh. A good variety flavors for tea and coffee as well. Not much to really go into, it's a nice cafe to go and chill at for an afternoon but I wouldn't put up with the wait everytime I have a sweet craving. Expect a wait of half an hour or so on any given day, at almost any given time. About 10 British Pounds per person for an afternoon snack and tea. read more

Always a delight to experience really excellent customer service here. Generally a good idea to arrive early for lunch as in the main tourist season it can become busy very quickly! I'm not particularly a fan of queuing for 40 mins just for act able but people frequently do, and the service and quality must be the reason! Great for breakfast with a quieter ambience than the St. Helen's square cafe with its goldfish bowl windows. Never hurried once we've sat down you can while away an hour here with a great selection of tasty treats. If you enjoy good service, here you're unlikely to 've dissapointed. A highlight of the Yorkshire brand at all 5 of it's branches, and the teas, coffees and food menu offer some great choices! read more

Harrogate Tipple - Breakfast tea for one in pleasant ambiance. - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - York, YOR

This was my first afternoon tea experience in England and it far exceeded my expectations! The larger Betty's had a queue that wrapped around the corner with over an hour wait, luckily we found the smaller Betty's just down the block and it was only a half hour queue! My husband was hesitant but he now agrees it was well worth the wait. A scone, tart, macaroon and chocolate delight later and we both agreed that they were the best pastries we've ever had. To top it all off, the service was excellent, our order was taken quickly and our waitress remembered to bring our coffee and hot chocolate at the end. Betty's was the cherry on top of our York adventure, thank you for a wonderful experience! read more

See all

We had a piece of cake to go from this beautiful little cake shop while touring York. Next time we are in town I would definitely make a reservation to have tea. It really felt like stepping back in time inside of the quaint little bakery. read more

Food was delicious, the steak pie was so rich I wasn't able to finish it (in a good way). Busy when we went in, but seated immediately with a very friendly waitress. Only reason it lost a star? Using those one sheet toilet roll dispensers in the toilets. They are tools of Satan and Donald Trump combined read more

While everyone is standing in line at Bettys in St. Helen's Square, I'm enjoying my brunch at Little Bettys. Sometimes there is a bit of a wait... and that can be a little difficult because you end up waiting on these stairs that are not made for two people to be standing side by side on. Can be a problem when people are leaving and you are waiting on the stairs. Also, you'll want to watch your step in Little Bettys as some of the floor is uneven where the building has settled. However, you do get to walk by the corner where they have the desserts and that is always a plus! I have had the Bettys Afternoon Tea because you have to at least once. The sandwiches were nice, but nothing special. Now the scones and the little trio of desserts on top were absolutely delicious. You can choose the filling of your sandwiches as well as if you want the trio of mini desserts on top or if you want a slice of the Yorkshire Curd Tart. However, my favourite thing to order at Bettys is the Breakfast Rösti. What a delightful way to start a day! The base is grated potato with Gruyère cheese and cream... and fried until golden. It is not an everyday sort of breakfast! On top they put bacon, a grilled tomato, mushrooms, and a poached egg and it is just so filling... and delicious. Have this with one of Bettys specialty coffees and you won't be disappointed. read more

Little Betty's has been a staple of York residents and visitors for years. Operating since 1919, it's since grown to open branches in other towns and become one of York's finest places to take afternoon tea or eat a more substantial meal. On weekends, the York one is always packed to the gills, with long queues and waits up to an hour. The other option is to visit Little Betty's Cafe, which sells jams and sweets and various trifles downstairs, and has a medium-sized cafe upstairs. We hadn't booked, so we queued (on the stairs, interestingly, since the area to wait to be seated isn't very large) for about half an hour. The wait was definitely worth it, for Betty's Cafe sets out afternoon tea with aplomb. At £17.95 per head for the Super Very Nice Afternoon Tea (that's a made up title), it's not cheap, but it is a great experience. For that cost, one gets to pick from the large selection of tasty teas -- and remember, people can get as snooty about teas as the best Sommelier can get about wines! I had a nice tea from China, and hubby had a special Earl Grey. Then you get to pick your two sandwich fillings, and whether you want a selection of cakes and scones, or a specific dessert. We had the cakes and scones, which were freshly baked and very nice. The sandwich fillings were gourmet and very tasty. If you're hungry hungry, don't go for afternoon tea, as it won't fill you up. People around us were eating off of the regular menu, and the portion sizes were fine and all looked delicious. The waitresses and hostesses all wear a blue and white or all blue uniform that sort of resembles something an airline stewardess would wear. An odd touch, but it does make it all seem more old-fashioned and quaint. read more

We booked a tea for two, one vegan and one omnivore. The sandwiches, in my opinion, were okay. The vegan scones were fabulous, but we got coconut cream for the scones which was also only mediocre. The desserts were good, but I preferred the carrot cake to the other choices. Overall, I wouldn't recommend for a vegan tea, but my omnivorous friend really enjoyed her meal. read more

Simply the Betty's tea rooms on a smaller scale, Little Betty's is perfect for a quick lunch amidst the hustle and bustle of York. The food is very traditional and very, very yummy! Try the Cinnamon Toast for dessert or just with some coffee, its divine. Very highly recommended. read more

The Corgi cookies they made for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee were adorable. Not being a huge marzipan fan, however, meant they were only OK as edible desserts, and certainly not worth £2.95 apiece. read more

Much better than its bigger sister, in my opinion. Cosier and quieter, while lacking none of the finesse.

sister shop to big bettys in york, has a really nice little tea room feel, but with dark beams and very olde worlde looking. the tea room is upstairs, above a little shop, that will sell the same baked goods as big bettys has. (on st helens square) don't go in unless you have money to spare! tea for 2 and a cake can set you back over a tenner! though it is table service. and everything is presented just so. read more

reluctant to share this place, much nicer than the main Betty's in York - beautiful building very quirky with its old sloping ceilings and floors. Thankfully seems to be bypassed by most of the tourists. The waitresses are helpful and efficient and the food of course is sublime. I can recommend the Welsh Rarebit and a selection of pastries and cakes on a cake stand. Stop on your way out for some goodies to take home - Taylors tea and coffee can't be beaten. Look out for the little fancies shaped and decorated to resemble cauliflowers (conkers in Winter) they are gorgeous (sponge and marzipan). read more

A smaller version of the bigger and more famous Bettys in York, Little Bettys serves the same food and drinks and you're more likely to get a table here. The cafe is above the cake shop where you can buy some of Bettys famous cakes to take home with you. The cafe's rather quaint and feels like it's from a much earlier era. There is a fireplace, which I think has a fire in it in winter and the light fittings etc are mouseman. It feels more like a cafe and less like a restaurant than the big Bettys but it would still get my vote to avoid queueing in the cold. Prices are pretty steep and the meals aren't anything special enough to justify the prices so I think it's just better to pop in for a drink and a cake, which are good. read more

Don't stay in the massive at Helen's square come to little Betty's! Just as nice!

The main Betty's queue too long, don't fret, just come along here. Same great service and food. Amazing views of the street below if you get a window seat. A great place to go especially in winter when it's warm and snug. read more

Enter through a small old-fashioned cake and bread shop and head up the stairs to the cafe. Open fires in winter. Same good food as at the sister cafes in York and elsewhere in Yorkshire. See my review of Betty's Cafe Tea Rooms in York. read more

You can queue for ages just to get a table at the large Betty's, or you can pop into 'Little Betty's'! The atmosphere is more cosy coffee shop than restaurant as at 'Big Betty's', and therefore seems friendlier and more relaxing!The staff are lovely, very helpful, and still smiling even after a day on their feet dealing with customers, not all of whom are sweetness and light!This is the one place that I will pay a small fortune for a cafetiere of Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee..£5-95 at my last visit..it's worth every penny. I could have said it was worth every bean, but didn't like the pun much!As you can expect with Betty's, it's not cheap, but it is wonderful quality, so do yourself a favour when in York and desperate for a really good coffee, avoid the Starbuck's and Costas's and head for Little Betty's!!! read more