Tea and cake at the Orchard Tea Garden, Granchester, Cambridge

Now, I must confess that due to time restrictions a cream tea was not an option as we popped into the Tea Garden in Granchester but I do promise that this will be on the cards for another trip. Happy to fulfill my duties to you there!

But I didn't think there was anything to stop me adding in a little quicky review in case you wondered what a bit of Victoria sponge was like at one of the most idyllic spots in the Cambridge area :)

Firstly, I would recommend going on a nice day as it was raining when we went and this means sitting inside. Such a waste! I'll include a photo courtesy of their website so that you get an idea of the beauty of the actual gardens.


We had a view of the gardens through the rain drenched windows - but that's not their fault! And there was something slightly charming about that.

The inside does not really do the place justice that said. It's a bit old-fashioned but not in what I would call a good way. Just feels like it could do with a little more imagination. As my friend commented, they may feel the gardens are enough, but I just feel it could be a bit more cosy. My other small criticism would be that - on the basis of a few visits now - I have never found the staff to really connect with you at all. Not sure what I mean by that really as they are certainly never rude but there is a slight distance in their manner. Which is odd seeing as it must be someone different everytime.

But there is no doubting that the cake there is superb. I had a piece of Victoria sponge (double layer) and my companion tried the cappucino cake. I have to say, it was moist, filling and totally delicious. The tea was also plentiful to wash it all down.

All in all, it was so filling I struggled to fit in anything to eat later on that evening so I must say that approximately £4 for a bit of afternoon refreshment is pretty reasonable.

Afternoon tea at the Doubletree by Hilton, Cambridge

Ok, not strictly a cream tea but hey, it's not the summer holiday season and a girl still needs her cake fix! So off a friend and I went to the Doubletree in Cambridge to sample their afternoon tea offerings. Now I won't dwell on this, but I did actually stay at this hotel, the Garden House, many years ago for my birthday and I don't think there was a single thing we didn't justifiably complain about. So, I was a little apprehensive taking a my friend and recommending the place!

No matter though as it has had a major, swanky overhaul and looks every bit the modern hang out it seeks to be. What I must just recommend at this point, is booking through afternoontea.co.uk as, while it wasn't necessary (I'm guessing it might be peak season), it was incredibly easy to do and we had a lovely little table by the window overlooking the river waiting for us as we arrived. Give them a try!


It really is a beautiful view too. Afternoon tea should be luxurious and watching the people and the punters is a delight at any time of year.

Now onto the good stuff! I wouldn't have said that the menu for afternoon tea was the most traditional I've encountered. It's a little bit touristy and being from Cambridge myself, I guess I didn't really need that. But I hardly suffered - it was all delicious. Take a butchers here if you want to see what's on offer. There are two menus but they largely only differ on the one layer - The Byron menu offers you bear biscuits and chocolate books, the Hartnell gives you handbags and shoes!

Otherwise you get the usual range of sandwiches - smoked salmon, cheese and cucumber, egg and cress and ham and mustard. There is also a cream tea (although once again my mum would be horrified to discover you do not get the option of plain scones, only fruit). And if you're a real trouper, there's Cambridge burnt cream, Eton mess and a sherry trifle. Tea is Twinnings although there is a selection.


The price is a 'treat yourself' worthy £29.90 for two. You can also add a glass of champage each for an extra £14.00 - I don't know, maybe you can tell yourself that the bubbles aid digestion ;)

We opted for the Hartnell. Another picture for your delectation - is there anything quite as exciting as the afternoon tea stand?


The bit that I found a little like tourist fodder was the biscuit and chocolate shoes and handbags that came with this option. The biscuit was fine but the chocolate, while a nice enough quality, was really just there to give a little novelty. It was so rich I had to leave some of mine (not typical).

The sandwiches were as dainty and tasty as you'd hope. A nice selection and more than enough for two. It may look like a little selection but surprisingly filling!

I was in familiar territory with the scones of course. They were nice and fresh, the clotted cream was plentiful and the jam good too. It wasn't necessarily the best quality cream tea but I wouldn't have expected that, it not being their speciality. I was actually pleasantly surprised.

Now I have to confess to feeling like I'd over indulged on the last course. I was very relieved that although they had provided us with two large pots of tea, in order for us to have a bit of a break, they were happy to bring two fresh pots to top us up.

All of the desserts were extremely tasty. Very rich so it took a while to get through them! Personally I found the sherry trifle just right to finish on, it was fruity and sweet but perfectly manageable.

Overall, I'd recommend the Doubletree at Cambridge. It may not have the quaint surroundings that you might want from afternoon tea but it is very pleasant nevertheless. The staff were very friendly and helpful, the view, if you can get by the window, is pretty and a people watching delight. And it doesn't do you any harm to be spotted sitting in front of an enormous plate of cakes does it?