5 of the best places for afternoon tea in Somerset

The best places to treat yourself to an afternoon tea in Somerset.

Afternoon tea is a specialty at Double Gate Farm (Image: Double Gate Farm)

Double Gate Farm, near Wells

This family-run business, a guest house and tea room, is set in a beautiful rural location in Godney, between Glastonbury and Wells.

Afternoon tea is a specialty of the tea room with a typical offering of a trio of freshly made delicate finger sandwiches, savoury scone & butter, sausage roll or pinwheel, mini cream tea, three cakes, two desserts, a macaron, and a strawberry. Sparkling wine is on offer (for an additional cost) and there is unlimited tea or filter coffee.

If you’re after a bit of privacy whilst enjoying your tea, there is also the snug. It seats up to five adults and is complete with a couple of comfy sofas and a heater to make sure it lives up to its name. There is even a takeaway option, with a platter to enjoy at home or take on a picnic.

Afternoon tea is a real experience, set to a backdrop of music from ‘days gone by’ (Image: The Blitz)

The Blitz, Weston-super-Mare

Take a trip back in time with a visit to The Blitz, an award-winning café set in the middle of the seaside town. Drawing on the nostalgic inspiration of the 1940s, thought has gone into every detail. Afternoon tea is a real experience, set to a backdrop of music from ‘days gone by’, with crocheted tablecloths, chin tea service and woollen tea cosies. Even the menu is in character, laid out as a wartime ration book.

There are two choices for afternoon tea, and it will come as no surprise that they have been named after two figureheads from World War Two. There is the more traditional sweet Vera Lynne option, consisting of sandwiches, scones with jam and cream, and a slice of cake or the more savoury Winston Churchill alternative, including scones with cream cheese and chutney, along with pork pie and quiche.

There is plenty of choice when it comes to the afternoon tea offering as well, including The Classic, The Celebration which comes with a glass of prosecco, and The Gin & Tea (Image: Lion Rocks Tea Rooms)

Lion Rock Tea Rooms, Cheddar

Nestled below Lion Rock in Cheddar, this vintage-inspired tea room has been serving customers and visitors to Cheddar Gorge for more than 100 years. It has numerous awards under its belt, including the Somerset Life Tea/Coffee Shop of the Year in 2018.

Customers can choose from one of six individually-decorated and themed rooms to relax in, or a lovely garden if it’s warm enough. And there are plenty of choices when it comes to the afternoon tea offering as well, including The Classic, The Celebration which comes with a glass of prosecco, and The Gin & Tea, including a large glass of fruited or classic gin served over ice with tonic. They all come with delicately cut sandwiches, freshly baked scones with jam and clotted cream, and a selection of sweet bites and cakes, plus there are vegan and gluten-free options if required.

There is a sumptuous afternoon tea offering (Image: Neil White)

Hestercombe House & Gardens, near Taunton

For something a little different, enjoy a ‘guilt-free’ afternoon tea at Hestercombe House having worked up an appetite exploring the unique gardens. The 50 acres spans four centuries of garden design with the Georgian landscape garden (designed 1750s), the Victorian shrubbery and the Edwardian formal gardens (early 1900s).

Refreshments are provided in the warm and welcoming setting of The Stables Restaurant, situated in the historic stables and cart house, or outdoors in a stylish, light, glass-covered courtyard. It is free to enter without having to pay for the garden admission if you just wish to visit the restaurant and not the house and garden., There is a sumptuous afternoon tea offering, with both seasonal sweet and savoury options. There are finger sandwiches, rolls and wraps, miniature cakes, and freshly baked scones, all prepared from scratch on-site by the chefs.

. Attention to detail is everything, even down to the tea that is served: a choice of Ronnefeldt teas from around the world sourced exclusively for guests to the hotel (Image: The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa)

The Royal Crescent Hotel, Bath

The perfect setting for an elegant, quintessentially English afternoon tea, The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa is located in Bath’s showpiece Georgian crescent.

It is served in the Dower House Restaurant or the Montagu Bar or, if the weather is warm enough, in the lovely, secluded gardens. Expect a luxurious offering to complement the five star setting: dainty, mouth-watering morsels, delicate sandwiches, freshly baked scones with strawberry preserve and clotted cream, exquisite pastries and cakes. Attention to detail is everything, even down to the tea that is served: a choice of Ronnefeldt teas from around the world sourced exclusively for guests to the hotel.

Just to note, The Dower House Restaurant is undergoing an exciting refurbishment which, at the time of writing, is due to be completed by March. It promises a beautiful, contemporary designed restaurant and new terraced area for alfresco dining.