What do you want from a teashop?

[littleteapotandcake]

I'm at the very early stages of looking at taking over a teashop in a small seaside town. I would interested in finding out what you like or don't like when you visit or any advice from anyone who has done/is running a teashop now. TIA

The reasons why we've stopped going to coffee/tea shops before are as follows:

Sticky tables.
Tables being wiped over with a greasy, grotty cloth and left damp.
Stale cake and scones.
Poor quality coffee.
Coffee that isn't sealed and stored properly so it goes stale.
Staff chatting with each other whilst ignoring customers, staff looking miserable and bored, staff looking at you like you're an alien if you don't know how to order/whether to find your own table etc.
Staff who seem shocked that you're not a local.
Students hogging tables for hours.
Loud, intrusive music.

Being honest?

Vegan options (a selection)
Gluten free options
Nut-free options

I know that sounds like a lot of specific desires, but that's what me and my family look for, and are overjoyed to find!! You'll find that vegan options in particular will be requested a lot.

The loveliest things our local tea shops do are

they have a conversation table where people sit who are on their own and who would like someone to join them

they support the community so the local pcso and councillors have their surgeries there

one does an awesome cooked breakfast and opens at 10 am which is brilliant on market days and cooks light cooked meals like ciabatta , baked potatoes . It will also supply sandwich/nibble platters and cakes for birthdays , funerals etc . It does a roaring trade at Christmas in Christmas lunches

the other does meze platters and sells local crafts and flowers from a local supplier. It does occasional evening special meals often in association with a charity. It has a play corner .

Both are beautifully decorated , one changes its decor according to season and one has lovely plates and China. They both cater to slightly different clientele , one more yummy mummy the other a wider demographic . Both have been going for years and very popular.

Both only allow dogs on outside tables but there are plenty of dog friendly pubs,restaurants and cafes so not a problem if it's raining.

Where are all these cafes with dogs that visit your table? I often sit wishing that the cute dog over there would come over so I could fuss over it but they never do.

Haven't rtft, so sorry if someone has mentioned this, but please stay open 'til 6pm, especially in summer. I used to live in a Devon seaside town and the teashop closed at 4pm. Fucking ridiculous. They lost so much trade.

And ffs dont don't spell 'speciality' as 'specialty'!

Oh yes and GOOD QUALITY COFFEE!!

Don't skimp on your coffee implements and ingredients, and learn all about proper coffee and how to make it. Nothing will get you repeat custom and good word of mouth recommendation like PROPER coffee.

Open in the evenings sometimes so I can have a coffee with friends rather than a beer. Pubs aren’t always my bag and I wish many of the coffee places could be open before a movie starts or the theatre or after work.

I wouldn’t even be mad if you opened at 11am one day so you be open until 8-9pm for adult only from say 6:30pm for tea, snacks and cake.

Simple meals but done very very well. Tomato soup and a cheese toastie. Ham and cheese toastie. Egg on toast. Beans on toast. Simple Sandwiches. You don’t need an extensive menu for light meals 4-6 staples. The best tea place I used to know had the meals above, a rotating selection of cakes. So every couple of days it would be a bit different cakes and huge homemade biscuits . But everything was done well. The toast was like doorsteps. The cheese and ham toastie was well stuffed etc.

No dogs.

tables that don’t bloody rock and feel substantial! Nothing pisses me off more than a rocky table and tea spilling because of it.

I love the comfort and cosines of a booth but that’s obvs if you’re fitting it out from scratch and lottery win sort of want 🤣

Interesting tray bakes rather than just cakes (and by interesting, I mean something that isn't the standard rocky road/millionaires shortbread).

If you're in a seaside town you won't tourists all year round. A hearty soup with crusty bread is fabulous on wet and windy day. Easy to make and keep warm. Great margins for minimum hassle.

Decent teapots and plenty of milk
Good vegetarian options that are not just vegan based . I like cheese and dairy !

Cosy and warm

Clean tables - no sticky residue
Not too crammed with tables

Specific area for dogs . Even as a dog owner it drives me mad when they are everywhere

A free little biscuit with tea / coffee . Our local cafe has small little shortbreads which are fab

Reasonable price of kids options

Afternoon tea options for something fancier ?

Jam in a bowel? 😱🤣 A bowl is so much nicer!

Completely agree about no dogs, there's always one that really smells, or is begging, or barks or growls every time someone stands up.

Later daily opening hours, agree there too - and Sundays please, if there's anything open in your town on a Sunday! - and decent space between tables.

Would also add food suitable for people watching what they eat. I was on a diet recently and it was horrid meeting up in a cafe and there being absolutely nothing I could eat. I love a massive slab of cake as much as the next person, but a really nice fruit salad (could also be smoothie ingredients?) or small sweet things like macarons or mini muffins or toasted fruit bread would be great. Would feel like a treat without blasting through the entire day's calories. Also good for kids that you don't want to feed a huge cake to.

Savoury things, and not just pastry based, also would be great. One of my family doesn't like pastry and we've popped in various places for a light lunch and they offer pasties, sausage rolls and quiche. Not even any sandwiches. An interesting salad or two would be nice too. Could be the sort of thing that also goes in a quiche or sandwich to limit wastage.

I hate hate hate ricketty old chairs that feel unsafe to sit on
I love mismatched teapots \nd floral cutlery, flowers and fairy lights
Decent coffee
I like the food served not in a packet - i like cream in a dish!
Baby changing facilities

When you serve a pot of tea for two (or three, or four) make sure you provide enough milk and not some silly little jug with enough for one person.

Have clear signs saying whether it's table service or you order at the counter.

No dogs inside (except for guide dogs and genuine assistance dogs).

Teapots that don't dribble. That's the main thing, really!

No coffee on site - I hate the smell and it's not as if there isn't an abundance of places serving both. A specialty tea shop is a rarity.

A proper selection of teas, not just English Breakfast and Earl Gray

Proper home baking.

Carrot cake with walnuts and sultanas (although that's just my preferences 😊)
Never put the paper napkin under the cake as the napkin becomes all sticky
Avoid those latte glasses that are wide at the top and narrow at the bottom. When I use the handle, I always think they are unbalanced and easy to knock over
Offer mugs as well as china teacups if that's the vibe you're going for
Try and pour from your teapots before buying a whole load that dribble (ditto milk jugs)

Good luck 🤞

DO NOT WARM THE SCONES. This is my absolute biggest bugbear in cafes - I know and the cafe owner knows it’s to try and disguise the fact they’re no longer fresh. Melted butter on microwaved scones 🤮😡 (I feel v strongly about this!)

Ditto. Bouncy scones are horrible.

Dog-friendly
Decent gluten-free and vegan options
Proper coffee with the option of cream instead of milk
Tea in proper China teapots
Sugar cubes
Decent sized portions
Clean toilets (ideally more than one)
No tableclothes or carpets.

Decent sized tables and decent amount of space between tables – I hate being crammed in right next to people.
Good barista coffees.
Fresh homemade cakes.
Leaf tea in a pot.
If you've got any outside space, make it warm and welcoming with some shelter from rain, blankets etc. I would have a dogs welcome outside only policy.
Clean! Clean tables, chairs, floor, high chairs, toilets, baby change, etc.
Books to read/swap.
Nothing too twee and delicate – chunky cups, recycled furniture, etc.
Friendly obliging cheerful staff.
Free WiFi

...I'd love to run a seaside cafe... can I come and live with you please??

I would like a little play area. Like a mini tea shop replica for toddlers. Little kitchen, wooden cakes and coffee machine, metal toy tea sets, little table and chairs. So they can play ‘tea room’ whilst I finish my own. Otherwise mine gets bored after 15 mins and I have to leave second cup.

ginger cake, apple strudel cake, Bakewell tart.

I would also like the option of taking extra cake home, boxed up. At cheaper cost per slice if possible if no extra plates/ cutlery. I would like to come in for Victoria sponge and be able to take some different cake home for weekend. Also option to pre order whole cake to collect

Love this list, I would add make sure the tables are cleared promptly!

Chilled, relaxed atmosphere where I can relax and enjoy some time for me. Free daily paper to look at (broadsheet), free WiFi. Tables with chairs but also a couple of sofas. Nicely spaced out tables not overcrowded. No dogs allowed apart from guide dogs. If there is background music for it to be quiet and unobtrusive.
Good home made cakes, sandwiches made with good bread and interesting fillings, some other options such as home made quiche, nice salads, dish of the day. Decent portions.
Extremely good quality teas and coffees.
Relaxed friendly staff.
Nice ambiance...plants, relaxed lighting, cushions etc.

Good coffee and pastries
Scones
I love a good hearty sandwich
I love tea shops! Living abroad at the moment and missing British tea shops a lot. Good luck!