Tea It Up

Bryn Williams

St Brides Spa

St Brides Spa

Llangoed Hall Llangoed Hall

Afternoon Tea delights Afternoon Tea delights

Lowri Cooke travels the length and breadth of Wales to find the tip of the top afternoon tea experiences...

For generations in Wales, ‘te’ was the third meal of the day, a light snack before dinner or ‘swper’ . What is more refreshing than a hit of Assam, to wash down the trials and tribulations of the day? Here are some of the top Afternoon Tea hot spots on offer across Wales:

Penceunant Isaf Tea House, Llanberis

The next time you descend ‘Yr Wyddfa’, make your way to Penceunant Isaf. Ideally located on the Llanberis path, this popular farmhouse spot (which dates from 1790) is like a vision from St Fagans. As well as the classic Welsh Rarebit, Snowdon Pudding and Bara Brith, the menu promises ‘The Best Hot Chocolate in Britain’. Steffan Roberts, your charming host, is a splendid raconteur, and don’t forget to buy his Snowdon Café Cookbook!

Penceunant Isaf, Snowdon Path, Llanberis, LL55 4UW - 01286 872 606

Bryn Williams Porth Eirias, Colwyn Bay

For a contemporary take on ‘Afternoon Tea’, how about taking a wander to Porth Eirias, Colwyn Bay? The magnificent seafront location takes your breath away; what awaits inside is the Welsh version of The Wolseley. Bryn Williams Porth Eirias is the Denbigh-born chef’s grand vision for Clwyd, following his success at Somerset House and Odette’s in London. A recent addition to the menu is the Afternoon Tea By The Sea, which earned top marks from his Nain, who taught Bryn everything he knows about baking. Start at the bottom, with a selection of sarnies and brioche finger rolls, before reaching the top, to devour a chocolate éclair, lemon meringue tartlet and vanilla & almond financier The local teas are all provided by Seibiant tea shop in nearby Conwy; the name means ‘break’ or ‘respite’, in Welsh. May I personally suggest the rhubarb tea with the bara brith... and do stay for supper too!

Bryn Williams Porth Eirias, Colwyn Bay Promenade, LL29 8HH, 01492 577525

Llangoed Hall, Llys-wen

Now there’s Afternoon Tea, and then there’s Llangoed Hall’s ‘Laura Ashley Afternoon Tea’; the Radnorshire retreat was once the home of Bernard Ashley, widower of Welsh wonderwoman Laura Ashley. The domestic goddess from Dowlais put Welsh design on the map. To this day, the hall is home to many Laura Ashley touches, including a framed apron, her first ever creation. Chef Nick Brodie and team change the desserts every day; it can vary from a Rhubarb and Custard Tart and a Cherry Roulade, to an Opera Cake, and a Black Forest Gateaux. Perrenials on the menu are the home-made crisps and featherlight sandwich bread. When customers enquire whether they can buy a loaf of the bread, you can bet this is Afternoon Tea taken to the next degree. A recent partaker was none other than Arnold Schwarzenegger. You can guess his response... ‘I’ll be back’!

Llangoed Hall, Llys-wen, Brecon LD3 0UP. Tel: 01874 754525

Penceunant Isaf Tea House

Afternoon Tea delights

The Angel, Abergavenny

And speaking of Chef Nick Brodie, who’s partial to a savoury Afternoon Tea, he’s full of praise for the treats on offer at the Angel in Abergavenny. He’s not alone, as the ‘mother ship’ for Welsh Afternoon Tea is lavished with prizes, annually. I savour the birthday celebration we arranged there for Mam – equal to Claridges, if not better, as we were home in time for supper! A former Georgian coaching inn, it has been lovingly restored, and High Tea is served in the elegant Assembly Room. As a member of the UK Tea Guild, the varieties include a rare Darjeeling , Heart of Persia and Kombucha. Back in 1963, on their way to Merthyr Tydfil, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton called at the Angel for a couple of hours. Whilst they enjoyed a bottle of Claret, go for a bottle of Bollinger, to enjoy with your own ‘Rich’ tea.

Angel Hotel, 15 Cross Street, Abergavenny, Monmouthshire NP7 5EN. Tel: 01873 857121

St Brides Spa Hotel, Saundersfoot

I guarantee you’ll feel years younger after indulging in a spot of ‘Afternoon Delight’, on offer at St Brides Spa Hotel in Saundersfoot. The view towards Amroth from the bijou infinity pool will certainly soothe, as will the manicure or pedicure that’s part of the ‘pampering’ package too. Following a thorough thermal steam and sauna, you’ll be ready to feast at Cliff Restaurant, overlooking Carmarthen Bay. Chef Daniel Retter (formerly of Coast) enjoys mixing things up, adding a crème brûlée and a chocolate mousse to the delectable pâtissiére top tier. Look out for the Spring addition of savoury Pembrokeshire crab scones, to go with the classic sandwiches, along with meats from Eynon’s butchers of St Clears.

St Brides Spa Hotel, Saundersfoot, Pembrokeshire SA69 9NH, 01834 812304

Holm House Hotel, Penarth

On a perfect Spring day on a sun lounger at Holm House, you could swear you were basking on a beach in St Tropez. The view over the Hafren (The Severn in Welsh) towards Echni (Flatholm) and Ronech (Steepholm) from this chic boutique hotel is a marvel. And on a beautiful day, there’s no need to tear yourself away, as the al fresco afternoon tea is served on the garden terrace. With Penarth train station only a hop, skip and jump away, upgrade your afternoon tea to ‘Sparkling’, with a glass of Champagne or Prosecco. Make time for a stroll along the Victorian promenade, then admire the Art-Deco Pier pavillion. A timeless pursuit, enjoyed by locals for generations, and a Holm away from home for tea!

Holm House, Marine Parade, Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan CF64 3BG, 02920 706029

Holm House

Bryn Williams