The British have a longstanding love of afternoon tea and, if you’re visiting Harrogate in Yorkshire, there’s one tea shop that you have to try out – Bettys Café Tea Rooms.
Bettys Cafe Tea Room in Harrogate, England was opened in 1919 by Frederick Belmont, a young Swiss confectioner. He aimed to serve quality, traditional English tea, Yorkshire specialities, and continental delights -making Bettys an instant success. His tea rooms have thrived ever since and have become Yorkshire’s best known locations for indulging in afternoon tea.
Bettys is as traditional now as it was when it first began and you can be assured that you’ll get the best in terms of service and delicious, tasty offerings. In fact, even before you’ve stepped inside the doors or are seated at a table inside the café, you’ll no doubt be aware of the edible temptations that await you, as the windows are packed with displays of delicate cakes, scrumptious biscuits and indulgent chocolates.
Inside Bettys, there’s a real sense of going back in time, as the décor and ambience is that of a tea shop of days gone past. The staff, for example, wear black skirts and starched white aprons, cakes are served on traditional cake stands, tea in delicate china cups, and lacy doilies abound.
Although the café serves meals too, many of which change on a seasonal basis, the food for which it’s perhaps best known is afternoon tea. Whether you fancy scones and clotted cream, cream cakes, fairy cakes, fruit tarts, chocolate brownies, biscuits or mini gateaux, there is a generous selection of delights to choose from and they’re all made at their bakery in Harrogate.
It’s likely to be a tough choice deciding what cake or biscuit to have, let alone which tea, as there is a wide array of different tea selections to decide from. But once you’ve made your choice, you can sit back, enjoy the relaxing atmosphere, and take in great views of Harrogate while you wait for your afternoon tea to be served.
Depending on when you’re visiting and the time of day (Betty’s is open from 9am to 9pm) you may have to wait for a table, as it’s a very popular place. But it’s well worth the wait and one of those ‘must do’ experiences when visiting Harrogate (although it is a bit more expensive than going elsewhere for tea.)
If you don’t have time to visit the tea rooms, or if it’s exceptionally busy when you do, then you can still sample the edible goodies, as they also sell them on a take out basis (or you can order some items via their website mail order service).
The success and popularity of Bettys has led to additional tea room locations – but all stay true to their origins and all are located in the county of Yorkshire (at York, Ilkley and Northallerton).
Betty’s Café Tea Room
1 Parliament Street
Harrogate
HG1 2QU
Tel: 01423 814070
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