Afternoon tea · Dietary and allergies

Afternoon tea when you cannot eat everything on the stand

Gluten free, vegan, vegetarian, dairy free, a nut allergy, a child who wants a smaller version. Tell us when you book and we will sort out what the kitchen can do before the day rather than on it.

Call 01845 523869Book online

Said plainly

Our food is freshly prepared for you in our kitchen. We use allergens in our cooking, so please tell a member of the team about any allergies or intolerances and we can advise.

We are one small kitchen at 87 Market Place. Flour, milk, eggs and nuts are all in it, on the same surfaces, every day. So we advise, we adapt where we can, and we do not promise a dish is free of something when we cannot control the whole room. If an allergy is serious, ring us and speak to a person before you book.

How it works

Three things that make it go smoothly

  1. 1

    Ring before you book, if it matters

    For an allergy rather than a preference, a two minute phone call on 01845 523869 beats any form. You get a straight answer and we get the detail.

  2. 2

    Tick it on the booking form

    The booking form asks “Any dietary requirements?” and gives a list to tick: gluten free, dairy free, nut free, egg free, vegetarian, vegan, no pork and no fish or shellfish. For anything the list does not cover, ring 01845 523869.

  3. 3

    Say it again on the day

    Remind whoever seats you. Bakers change, notes get lost, and nobody minds being told twice about an allergy.

One at a time

What to tell us, and what we will say back

None of the below is a menu. It is what the conversation looks like, so you know what to expect when you ring.

Gluten free

Afternoon tea can be made gluten free with at least 24 hours' notice, so tell us when you book.

Worth knowing. We do not have a separate gluten free kitchen. Everything is made in one room where flour is used daily, so if you are coeliac rather than avoiding gluten by choice, ring us and say so plainly.

Vegan

There are vegan items on the everyday menu, and oat milk is behind the counter for the drinks. A vegan version of the full stand needs arranging with us first.

Worth knowing. Ring before you book so the kitchen can plan the sandwiches, the scone and the cakes rather than improvising three courses on the morning.

Vegetarian

The simplest one to sort. Several menu items are marked V, and the sandwiches on the stand can be worked around. Tick Vegetarian on the booking form.

Worth knowing. Tell us whether fish is in or out. Smoked salmon is one of the four sandwiches, and people mean different things by vegetarian.

Dairy free

Oat milk is available for tea and coffee. The clotted cream, the soft cheese and most of the baking are the harder part, so this one needs notice.

Worth knowing. Let us know how strict it needs to be. Avoiding dairy and being allergic to milk are different problems and we would rather ask than assume.

Nut allergies

Nuts are in the kitchen: the porridge has amaretto almonds, the smashed avocado has dukkah and the beetroot salad has walnuts, and some of the cakes carry nuts depending on what has been baked.

Worth knowing. This is the one to phone about. Ring 01845 523869 and speak to the team so nobody is guessing on the day.

Children

Children are welcome. There is a separate kids menu in the cafe, and afternoon tea is a lot of food for a small person.

Worth knowing. Ring us with the ages before you book and we will talk through what suits, rather than putting a full stand in front of a five year old and hoping.

On the everyday menu

What already carries a tag

These are marked on the menu itself rather than described here, which means they change when the menu changes. V is vegetarian, Vegan is vegan, GF is made without gluten-containing ingredients, GFO is gluten free on request.

The cabinet changes daily and the counter is more current than any page on this site. See the full cafe menu for prices and the rest of it.

Questions people ask

Dietary questions, answered

Do you do a gluten free afternoon tea?
Yes, with at least 24 hours' notice. Tell us when you book. Many of the cakes are already made without gluten-containing ingredients, but we do not have a separate gluten free kitchen and flour is used in the same room every day. Ring 01845 523869 and talk it through before you book.
Do you do a vegan afternoon tea?
It is something to arrange with us rather than something sitting ready on the shelf. There are vegan items on the everyday menu and oat milk for the drinks. Ring us with the date and we will tell you honestly what the kitchen can put on the stand.
Is there a vegetarian afternoon tea?
Yes, this one is straightforward. Say so when you book and tell us whether fish counts, because one of the four sandwiches is smoked salmon.
Can you do dairy free?
For drinks, yes: oat milk is behind the counter. The scone, the clotted cream and the baking need more notice, so ring us rather than leaving it to the day.
I have a nut allergy. Is it safe to eat here?
We use nuts in the kitchen and cannot promise a nut free environment. Ring 01845 523869 before booking and speak to the team about how severe it is, and they will tell you what they can and cannot rule out.
Do you have a full allergen list?
Not yet as a printed matrix. Our food is prepared fresh in our own kitchen and the menu changes with the season and the day, so the honest answer is that the team advise item by item. Ask when you order and they will check.
Do you have a children's afternoon tea?
Ring us with the ages and we will talk about it. A full stand is a lot for a child, and there is a separate kids menu if that suits better.
What if there are several different dietary needs in one group?
Say so in one go when you book, and ring if it is more than a couple. The kitchen would rather plan one table properly than get three surprises at midday.
How much notice do you need for a dietary requirement?
As much as you can give us. Booking closes 24 hours before your time anyway.
Is there gluten free cake in the cafe?
Many of the cakes are made without gluten-containing ingredients, in a kitchen that handles flour. Which ones depends on what is in the cabinet, so ask at the counter.
What do the letters on the menu mean?
V is vegetarian, Vegan is vegan, GF is made without gluten-containing ingredients, GFO is gluten free on request. They are on the menu page against the items that carry them.
Can you cater dietary needs for a private party?
Yes, and it is easier with a private booking because the whole room is yours. Give us the numbers and the requirements together when you enquire about the event space.

Ring us and we will talk it through

01845 523869, in cafe hours. Afternoon tea is 24.9 a head, booked any half hour from 12 to 3, or 12 to 2 on Sundays. The sooner we know, the more the kitchen can do.

Call the cafeBack to afternoon tea

Booking for a group or an occasion? See celebrations or the event space, where the room is yours and the catering is planned in advance.

From the journal

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