Afternoon Tea At Betty’s, York

If you have a good memory, you may remember my weekend in the beautiful English city of York back in July. Well, during our stay we had the pleasure of enjoying Afternoon Tea at the world famous Betty’s tea-room, and at long last I have gotten around to writing about my experience!

I hope by now that you all know that I am a big fan of tea and cakes, so Afternoon Tea at Betty’s was bound to be up my street – and no surprise, it was!

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Despite its reputation of being a quintessentially English tea-room, Betty’s was in fact founded by Frederick Belmont, a young Swiss baker and confectioner who came to England with hopes of furthering his talents. His very first café opened in 1919 in Harrogate, not far from York, and he decided to call it ‘Betty’s’. Why? The reason remains a mystery to this day.

There are now six of Frederick’s tea-rooms scattered across Yorkshire and the Bettys name has become famous across the globe.

But that’s enough of the history – let’s talk about the food!

“Afternoon Tea at Betty’s has become legendary”

Anyone who hopes to experience Afternoon Tea at Betty’s should be aware that it is an incredibly popular place for both locals and tourists looking to enjoy a sophisticated afternoon in York, so expect queues!

Our visit happened to coincide with the University’s graduation weekend which meant that, unfortunately, we had a half-an-hour wait outside the tea-rooms, although this was not so tragic as the weather was gorgeous and, we were entertained by a pair of musicians performing to the Saturday crowds.

At long last we were finally invited inside and shown to our seats. The popular art-nouveau-style section on street level was absolutely jam-packed, so instead of spending yet more time standing in line, we took the offer of heading downstairs into the more traditional area, kitted out with plush seats, elegant wood panelling and opulent mirrors.

Soon after ordering, the tasty treats arrived ..  and oh my, they were delicious!

Our Afternoon Tea included a pot of Tea-Room Blend tea, a small sandwich selection; smoked salmon and cream cheese, roast ham, roast chicken as well as egg mayonnaise and cress, an assortment of handsome miniature cakes, a fresh sultana scone with strawberry jam and that all-important clotted cream.

I must say that one of the things that impressed me most about our Betty’s experience was its old-fashioned authenticity. Sure the food was great too, but the décor and presentation of the establishment was what, in my opinion, really set this Afternoon Tea experience apart. The waitresses in traditional tea-girl outfits, the gleaming silver teapot and cake stand, and the period furnishings conjured up a feeling of nostalgia and imparted the experience with a real sense of occasion.

If you ever find yourself in York and are looking for somewhere to sit back and relax for a while, I would definitely recommend a trip to Betty’s. If you can, do try and get a seat on the ground floor to make the most of the charming street view – plus you’re closer to the vast selection of cakes and chocolates if you fancy something smaller!!

I hope you enjoyed my review of my Afternoon Tea experience! Have you been to Betty’s before, or perhaps you plan to in the future? Do let me know in the comments below.

To read more about my weekend in York, click here.