Tell me about your favourite cafe or tea room!

[SausageSimon]

For me, I love a cafe with homemade cakes, good quality meat and bread etc. I think regardless of how it looks, what brings me back is when I can see the owner loves what they do as it comes through in all of the finer details. I also love to see information about where their food is sourced!

What do you love about your favourite cafe or tea room? And what is it that makes you want to go back?

I'd like to open my own some time this year and I'd love to hear what you think makes a good one!

My favourite is one of those quaint old fashioned tea rooms, decor, furniture, pictures, like stepping back in time. Amazing chandelier on the staircase on the way up. I love my teas and coffees served in proper china not mugs, scrummy home made cakes as someone else said seasonal cakes are a must. It is in Conwy which has some lovely shops to browse in so a win win

There’s a wonderful tea room in Bakewell called the ‘Lavender Tea Rooms’ which is great. Same owner as the Matlock one, Kaleidescope? Magnificently camp and very cheerful? Great sideline in arch banter alongside the scones?

This is my favourite. It does the most amazing scones ever. Not very local to me though so I don't get to go often, sadly.

www.risingcafe.co.uk/coventry/

I have never come across a Lavender Tea Rooms in Matlock, but there is one in Bakewell as has been said.

Rusty Shears in Whitby is my favourite.

Somewhere which allows dogs (controversial on here I know) perhaps on the way back from a nice walk. Decent coffee & tea. Lovely homemade cakes perhaps classics with a twist. Reasonably prices perhaps change from £5 for a coffee and cake. Cosy homemade feel

Ooh no my mistake, it's Bakewell! Great little place

Somewhere with decent furniture and a bit of space, so you don't end up feeling like you're perched on cheap metal garden furniture in the middle of an old shop (which is pretty much what you are). You could have the nicest food and drinks in the world but if its not comfortable to sit snd enjoy it there's no point.

My favourite has tea sets for each table all displayed on a shelving unit.

A wide selection of loose teas you can choose from and also buy to take away.

All teapots come with a tea cosy!

Well behaved dogs are welcomed and get sausages!

Our family favourite is The Old Smithy in the Isle of Wight. Serves fresh local food, which is always cooked to perfection. Huge variety of homemade cakes. Only downside is if you arrive just behind a coach load of holiday makers, even so it's still worth the wait.

My two tests are-
Milk in a jug not a tiny uht carton
No paper napkin on the plate but underneath the food- that gets my goat.

@PenguinsRabbits are you in Doncaster by any chance? Sounds v familiar

The cafe is in Hither Green in London, You Don't Bring Me Flowers so not near Doncaster but have seen another similar one.

@PenguinsRabbits

Cafes are my favourite places in the world so it's really hard to answer as it's probably more like a top 10. Antipodean cafes are fantastic, but the one that came to mind was The Rising Cafe in Coventry cathedral. I've only ever been there once a couple of years ago when visiting the area, but I still think of it quite a lot

It's retro themed but if you've had a look around the cathedral etc it fits perfectly, because of the history of the city.

For me the one thing a good cafe has to have is massive scones.

I would love to open a cafe myself but the market is a bit saturated where we are.

Good luck with your venture OP

Ah @beela I posted before I'd read the whole thread and just seen you recommended The Rising Cafe too - it's great isn't it? It just has such a nice vibe.

Taste in West Bridgford (Nottingham)

Smallish cafe, clean and unprentious. No music just chatter. Owned and run by authentic Italian, Franco. Good food and fabulous cakes and coffee. And on the very rare occasion that the coffee isn't made to my exacting requirements, the staff will happily make it again without a sulk or a huff (I'm looking at you lot - Costa, Neros and M&S!)

*unpretentious

Jamieson's in Sheffield is lovely. They do great afternoon tea and they have a huge range of teas.

There’s a lovely one near me. Sells the most beautiful cakes/food but the best thing about it is the staff, they are SO lovely! Always smiling and happy and go out of their way to make sure your visit is a fabulous one. It’s so relaxing too, could sit there for hours

The Rowdey Cow, its in the village of Rowde, just outside Devizes Wiltshire. It makes its own icecream, they sell the best cheesy chips, its got an outdoor play area and tractor barn for the kids and the views which take in Roundway hill are amazing. Its very popular!

I too love a good coffee shop/cafe/tea room. There are lots of independent ones near me and I like most of them, for different reasons.

penguins if you do ever happen to be in South Devon visit FlourFlower in Brixham. It sounds very similar to your Hither Green one. Another brilliant one in Brixham is Curious Kitchen, so many cakes. I’m fact sod it, I’m going to have cake for lunch.

Thanks Brain Enjoy your cake. We might be going to Torquay at half term so will try that out thanks. I looked it up and it is very similar and looks lovely, only difference is the décor in the Hither Green one looks 100 years older

www.timeout.com/london/shopping/you-dont-bring-me-flowers#tab_panel_3

Sucre, Bramble Pie is on the corner as you go to the castle. Its on the same side of the road as Boyes and is the last or near last on the row of shops on that side. It is quite small.
That's where it was anyway, unless it's closed, I hope not.