This is a really lovely tea room, the like of which are all too rare these days. The walls are covered in old exquisitely hand stitched samplers and war time artefacts, the tables are spread with attractive tablecloths and the food is served on good china. The menu is full of wonderful options for morning coffee, light lunches and afternoon tea and a side table displays a tempting range of baked goodies and as well as a variety of homemade jams and chutneys. Our large, steaming bowls of vegetarian cawl, delicately spiced and chock full of veg, were absolutely delicious. I wouldn't hesitate to go back and, if I lived locally, it would become one of my regular haunts.
So why haven't I given them 5 stars? Well, they had a board in the city, advertising the tea room and stating that they offered gluten free soups and bread. As I was travelling with a friend who follows a wheat/dairy free diet, we visited with great anticipation! But the bread (whilst gluten free) contained milk, the cakes (whilst gluten free) contained butter... and there was no soya milk on offer for tea/coffee. With so many people following special diets these days, there really is no excuse for tea rooms, coffee shops, restaurants and pubs not to offer, at the very least, soya milk for a cuppa! read more