The Icons: It’s time for Afternoon Tea
The Icons: It’s time for Afternoon Tea
Many Bettys fans would say that you haven’t truly experienced Bettys until you’ve been served our famous Afternoon Tea, a treat we’ve perfected over a century.
We serve it to hundreds of delighted visitors every day in our Café Tea Rooms and deliver just as many to people’s doorsteps. And we always love to watch as our customers share the highlights of their own afternoon teas with us online. But what makes it so special? Take a seat and let us explain…
A serving of tea-light
Just what is afternoon tea? The answer could be as simple as a hot drink and sweet treat filling the gap between lunch and evening meal. But over the centuries that afternoon tea has grown from an aristocratic pastime to an indulgence for the many, this sustaining yet quintessentially graceful tradition has gathered treasured rituals of its own.
At Bettys we serve Afternoon Tea in time-honoured fashion but with the warm welcome we’re known for. We won’t be fussing if you fold your napkin the wrong way or drop a few crumbs on the tablecloth. Sit back as we bring you a gleaming silver cake stand, then work your way up through each carefully arranged level of delight: neatly cut sandwiches, freshly baked scones and exquisitely dainty cakes, all accompanied by our expertly brewed tea in a steaming silver pot.
It’s your cup of tea
We may call it Afternoon Tea but if the mood takes you at another time of day, our Café Tea Rooms serve it whenever they’re open. And if you prefer a vegetarian or vegan version, be our guest – we’ve even cracked the secrets of non-gluten containing scones so everyone can enjoy tucking in.
An Imperial occasion
Our iconic Bettys Harrogate used to be known as the Café Imperial, part of a chain owned by Yorkshire tea and coffee merchants CE Taylors and Co. That all changed in 1962 when Bettys bought Taylors, ensuring that top-quality beverages would be on the Bettys menu for ever more.
Named after the café’s former incarnation, both the Imperial Room upstairs at Harrogate and its York counterpart, the Art Deco styled Belmont Room, offer timelessly elegant venues for sittings of our bookable Afternoon Tea. With chic seasonal menus and live piano accompaniment, it’s perfect for an extra-special occasion.
Tea at yours?
You don’t need to visit a Bettys café to experience a taste of our Afternoon Tea – we’ll deliver it to your door. Sent directly from our Harrogate Craft Bakery, our Afternoon Tea Gift Box contains four freshly baked scones, a jar of strawberry preserve, boxes of our elegant Fondant Fancies and dainty Macaroons, a delicious Lemon & Lime Cake and a box of our fragrant Darjeeling tea. It’s the perfect sharing treat or surprise gift – especially if you add some extra sparkle by choosing our Champagne Afternoon Tea Gift Box.
