A chilly afternoon in the west end of Glasgow + tea-loving friend+ vintage crave= trip to the cup…read moreand saucer. The interior reminds me of my grandmas living room, and the teacups are pretty much copycats from those I collect at home (when is 22 tea cups ever too much?) Pal and I ordered two teapots: earl grey for me, apple crunch for her. We weren't hungry, but I wish we were cause the meringue and cream with berries sounds deelish!! Loved everything about this place; the welcoming and chatty owner with her retro hairdo, the 1940 s music in the background, the homy cosy feel, the cute china. Perfect for a comforting cuppa on a grey day. Will go back for more!

What a fantastic find! If you like vintage, you MUST pop in. That said, if you like meringues, you…read moreMUST pop in too!! Decor, music, staff are all on theme, a wonderful mix of vintage pieces, from the china service, 50s rock n roll, and the 70s clock on the mantelpiece, it's a wonderful little treasure trove and many of the items are also available to buy. We had stopped in for a coffee to see what it was like but the lure of the home baking proved too much for us. The scones and cakes look heavenly, but my eyes were drawn to the large, glittery, meringues. Two puffy white clouds arrived, with a generous portion of whipped cream and a drizzle of strawberry sauce. The meringues were perfect! Crunchy and light on the outside and wonderfully sticky and chewy on the inside. Heaven!! My partner made short work of her scone and confirmed it was good with the universal "ok" sign made as she was too busy enjoying eating it to talk! The owner (I'm guessing) was friendly and happy to confirm she baked the meringues herself. It's cheap, cheerful, and well worth dropping in for a visit. The food is good (the menu is simple but that's no bad thing) and homemade, the service quick and friendly, and the vibe of the place is a fun and quirky mix of vintage from previous decades. So glad we dropped in!!

Lovely place to visit! Definitely worth the quick trip from Edinburgh. The staff are very…read morefriendly and helpful. The rooms are beautifully decorated, and you can take photos and videos. Easy to take an Uber there, but you'll need to call a local cab company to get a ride back.

This review relates to my recent experience at Hopetoun and their amazing afternoon tea served in a…read morebuilding called "Stables ". Don't be put off by the name " Stables ". Yes, it's an old barn converted into a restaurant with its unique design of colours, blue, white and yellow/beige being the most dominant. The place is classy. The staff let's you feel welcome and serves in style, very politely. We ordered the famous afternoon tea and for myself it exceeded my expectations of deliciously tasty little cakes, lemon posset, soft and juicy cucumber, salmon and ham sandwiches, macaroons, tart pieces, leek and potato soup and scones with cream and jam. You also get a choice of teas and coffees. I won't say more, as you have to experience the afternoon tea assortment for yourself and maybe followed by a little walk around the premises, which are open to the public. Last year I also visited the Hopetoun House horse trials and it is an amazing experience for the family. It's normally on in June and this year 2015 over the last weekend of June. The house is also open to the public for an entrance fee. There is a small car park and little shed were you can buy your ticket from. Think for adults it's around £14. Enjoy x

**March 2024: Weekday Morning Visit**…read more A couple of things to note -No reservations -Hours: Tues-Fri: 10am-4:30pm; Mon: Closed; Sat/Sun: 9:30am-4:30pm I saw this tearoom featured on a youtubers channel and thought it would be a great breakfast option as Clarinda's is known for their scones and baked goods. I came pretty close to the opening and was able to select my choice for seats. I picked a table near the window for natural lighting. They have a table of a lot of tasty treats and while I didn't get a chance to try them all, I can attest to the scone being very tasty! I ordered the Cream Tea (I think I ordered the Lemon and Elderflower) which comes with a freshly baked homemade scone (I chose a fruit one), and a cup of tea €6.80. I decided to upgrade to a pot of tea (€7.75) and added a bowl of porridge (€5.50) with jam as I usually prefer savory breakfasts. This was more than enough to eat for one, but I just enjoy trying different items - does anyone else have this problem? lol I thoroughly enjoyed my experience here as the ambiance, food and tea were homey and intimate. This would be such a fun place to converse with girlfriends for tea time!

If you make it down to the bottom of Royal Mile you MUST stop at Clarinda's Tea Room, a small…read morehole-in-the-wall place with so much personality. We had breakfast here on our first day in Edinburgh. It's cozy and the walls are covered with paintings, antique cups, and plates. To be honest the walls are quite chaotic but that's where the personality comes in. We ordered the eggs with toast and the full Scottish breakfast. Food was great, coffee hit the spot, and service was excellent. Even with the chaos they keep the place clean. Also, BEWARE they do not have hot sauce here LOL. I asked the server and she said "No, but it was worth a try to ask" Respect lol. We sat by the window and people watched and awed at the beautiful architecture of Edinburgh. It's a chill spot to rest and refuel. Would love to come back for their afternoon tea!

This hit the spot on a rainy cold afternoon in Edinburgh. We especially enjoyed the spiced scones…read moreand clotted cream with earl grey tea. Also, the chocolate cake that looks like a volcano is divine. It's actually more ganache than cake. The other chocolate cake was rather dry and lifeless. The roast beef and horseradish sammies were better than the egg salad.

Cute little place down a close. 2 sweet little ladies greeted us. We had afternoon tea with…read moresandwiches and scones. They were attentive but not bothersome. They had delicious looking desserts in their case but they only take cash so we were unable to add those on to take away.

Had a quick lunch here on our way to Edinburgh. Wish we had more time to explore the entire menu…read more The cakes and desserts looked Devine! Sadly they were out of scones the day we visited but I saw others with them and they looked wonderful. The restaurant was packed but service was quick and friendly. Inside of the restaurant is quite small but welcoming and we never felt smooshed. We ordered coronation chicken sandwiches as well as the soup which was parsnip and apple. Both of which were so delicious! The little pots of tea come with a timer to be sure it steeps properly. Cute little touch!

A casual spot for lunch in Pitlochry. The little town is worth a stop on your way to the Highlands!…read moreThere are many little restaurants and cafes to choose from but Hettie's was quite popular. We were in a hurry so we ordered a panini and scone to go. The panini was lovely! It was a large portion for the price and was very tasty. The scone, on the other hand, was pretty hard and dry. The cream it came with helped a lot, but it wasn't great. The tea room does have bathrooms for its guests.

I have been wishing for a nice coffee shop close to my house since I moved here and suddently I…read morefound this nice place! It is a hidden jewl in the middle of a busy street... but with parking space. I was welcomed ny a very friendly staff. The place is big but cozy. The coffee is very good and the cakes are amazing!! I will back veeery often!!

Edinburgh has no shortage of places for afternoon tea. After some internet research, we landed on…read morethe Signet Library. If you want a very quiet and peaceful experience, this is for you! If the quality of the bites matter, this is for you! Stepping into the tea room is literally like stepping into a library. Voices are hushed and tables are spaced out widely to allow for a very intimate experience. The savory tray was filled with delectable treats that were all so well made. The sweets tray that followed was equally gorgeous and delicious! You can really tell that they take pride in creating delicate bites that are very well thought out! So tasty! At 69 pounds, the tasting is more expensive than you'll find in some of the restaurants, but the ambiance and experience is very elevated!

I had the best time here. I booked a champagne afternoon tea for my birthday and it was perfect. We…read morewere seated in an alcove which was lovely and the space was just a dream! To have tea and picky bits amongst the books?? Perfection. We had champagne and they accommodated a vegetarian savory course for us and also the sweet course. The tea selections were wonderful. I would absolutely recommend anyone who loves books, libraries and tea to do a tea here!

What a lovely place! I traveled to Scotland to go on a cruise out of Leith (late July, early…read moreAugust), but spent a couple of nights with friends who live north of Perth. They took me sightseeing for a couple of days. For lunch we dined here. I ordered the combo of Cullen skink soup and sandwich (coronation chicken (curry flavor)). I didn't notice on the menu a choice of a full sandwich or half sandwich. I ended up with the full sandwich. For me, it was too much food. I could have easily just enjoyed the soup. Everything was delicious!! I loved the creaminess of the soup, the potatoes, and the smoked fish. I hope I can find smoked fish at home to make this soup. The interior is charming; the waitress attentive. A most enjoyable lunch with wonderful friends.

Effie's was the most charming and lucky spot we found on our train layover…read more The interior was clean and filled with lovely antiques. The atmosphere was incredible and all staff was wonderful, efficient and friendly. We highly recommend this business.

I think it's also called the Sir Walter Scott Tea Room? We loved our experience!…read more The service was excellent and food delicious.

A quick word of warning, to get to this lovely traditional tea room, you will have to either climb…read moreup a LOT of steep steps or go up in a dodgy old lift. I usually take the stairs because the lift is a bit of a faff and you have to get a staff member to come and operate it for you. Once you get up to the café level, you are met with a charmingly decorated dining room, amazing views across Princes Street Gardens to the High Street and great Scottish food. When we first walked in, the place was quite empty and we were guaranteed a seat because there were only 2 other people dining at the time. As the waitress showed us to our table and gave us our menus, I decided to have a slice of the gorgeous looking red velvet cake and a glass of Irn Bru. While we waited for the food to arrive, I visited the toilets, which were up some more steep steps. (UGH!!!!) This time the steps were spiralling up, which made the journey even more exhausting. However, the toilets were clean and functional with hot water, soap and plenty of paper towels. When I got back, the food had arrived and I tucked in. The cake was very filling and delicious. The cream filling is what made it amazing. The Irn Bru was as traditional as always. The waitress checked back on us after about 5 minutes to see how we were doing and of course, there was nothing but praise back to her. Once we got the bill it was a tad pricey but it was worth it for the first class food, service and surroundings. I was slightly disappointed that we didn't get to sit by the ginormous bay windows overlooking Princes Street but we still had a pretty good view as we were seated in the row of tables behind the window. The stairs put me off going here slightly but that doesn't really matter because I will be back to try one of their delightful looking scones!

Today marked the first birthday of the Bluebell Tearoom and since I'd wanted to visit for a long…read moretime, there was no better time than the present. Why, hello there, Bluebell Tearoom! Birthday banners, complimentary birthday tablet and an afternoon tea raffle for every customer. And of course, the perfect excuse for cake. We are in just the right place for it, after all. Crisp and white and fresh like a beautiful spring day, the tearoom is cute and cosey and the welcome warm. Whilst small in size, there are certainly a good amount of seats and despite arriving slap-bang in the middle of lunchtime, we were able to get a table for two. The first thing that caught my eye was the crockery. We had some dainty little matching cups, bowls, saucers. And there were some more pretty selections displayed on the walls. Tea is always served best in a magnificent teacup. The bluebell are testament to this. It certainly is a the perfect spot for tea and cake! I had Cock-a-Leekie soup which was delicious, wholesome, warming. - The perfect prelude to the main event. Oh boy, did we have trouble choosing a cake from the selection. Despite it being the Bluebell's super special first birthday, you will always find such a plentiful selection of cake, including plenty of gluten free selections and it really was a delight to hear about just how many cakes and gluten free options they prepare daily. Today, there was Lemon and Coconut, Cranberry and Orange, Carrot...Would we like to have a peek at the selection? Oh, mama! Now we're talking. They look delightful. Every single one of them. After far too much time spent making a decision, I go for the Lemon and Coconut. My friend and I do a swap (always the best thing to do in these situations!) and I get to have a nibble of his slice of the Cranberry and Orange. Mmmm. They're both so light and with just the right amount of sweetness. I genuinely can't make up my mind which I liked best. Just perfect with the Japanese cherry green tea I had to accompany the afternoon sugar fix. If you asked me where to go for tea and cake in Stirling a few days ago, I might have told you to just hop on the train to Glasgow. That would have been silly of me. And I hope you didn't listen. - Do go to the Bluebell Tearoom. And take me with you!

The Bluebell tearoom is always our first port of call when we visit Stirling and often our last as…read morewell. Wonderful home baked cakes, great dry cured bacon and scotch pancakes, daily roast sandwiches made with honey and oat bread and served with gravy. Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant food! The only thing better than the food here is the service. Lisa treats her customers as though they were family and you won't find a warmer welcome anywhere in Scotland. Fantastic! Highly recommended.