One of the things I’ve missed most in the last year is being able to go out for coffee and cake with my friends. Getting a takeaway is nice, but drinking a coffee in the car, or standing up to eat a brownie out of the bag as you walk, is not quite the same. However, when I ordered an afternoon tea from Tiffin Teahouse for Mother’s Day last week, it really did bring a bit of Tiffin to our own home, and it felt like a proper treat.
Located in West Bridgford, so just outside Nottingham city centre, Tiffin is a classic, quintessentially British tearoom. I’ve been a regular customer for years, mainly due to their delicious homemade cakes! In ‘normal times’, they serve classic breakfast and lunch items (think full English breakfast, sandwiches, quiche, soup), alongside fresh cakes and scones, all accompanied by loose-leaf tea in mismatched china cups. Since lockdown, a smaller food menu is still available for takeaway. However, where Tiffin really stands out is with their afternoon teas, which are now available to order online to be enjoyed at home.
From my regular visits to Tiffin pre-Covid, I was confident that afternoon tea would make a treat we all definitely need right now! And on collecting it, I certainly was not disappointed. The box was galore with sandwiches, cakes and scones. Although the three of us were hungry, many of the cakes were still left at the end to be enjoyed later.
On ordering on Tiffin’s website, I had been able to choose three flavours of sandwich out of a choice of six that ranged from roasted gammon to smoked salmon, cream cheese and cucumber, to cheese and pickle. The accompanying cakes were all freshly homemade miniature versions of Tiffin’s signature larger cakes, therefore a mix of classics (for example Victoria sponge and coffee and walnut), and more modern flavours (such as lime and coconut). And the scones were ginormous and accompanied by jam and clotted cream in little pots. It’s certainly fair to say that no one was left feeling unsatisfied!
Coming in at £15.95 per person, it wasn’t the cheapest present I’ve ever brought, but it was certainly worth it, and in times like these there aren’t many things to treat ourselves to! Plus, I think it’s really important to support small/independent businesses as much as possible at the moment too.
As well as their classic afternoon tea, Tiffin is also taking online orders for vegan and gluten-free versions. They are also selling selection boxes of their mini cakes, as well as large, whole cakes with personal inscriptions – all of which could make an excellent gift or just a treat for you and your household, as they are the perfect homemade option without having to do it yourself! If you’re local, they are also reopening the tearoom for takeaway food, drinks, and cakes at the weekends.
You can get more info, view Tiffin’s menu, and order online here: Tiffin Teahouse | West Bridgford’s Traditional Teahouse