Afternoon tea is a staple of Yorkshire life, all over the region, there are extremely successful cafes and tea rooms who have taken the humble idea of afternoon tea, and put their own unique stamp on it. Perhaps the most well-known company to do so is Betty’s Tea Room which originated in the North Yorkshire Spa Town of Harrogate and is something of a Yorkshire institution.
With this in mind, we thought it would make an excellent subject for an article, to explore how some of the fantastic businesses in Skipton approach Afternoon Tea!
From a quirky cafe in the centre of town which serves an array of eccentric home-made cakes, to a travelling tea room which promises to turn your front room or church hall into a spectacular tea room for the afternoon, here are Six Of The Best Afternoon Tea’s In And Around Skipton
Kilnsey Park Estate
Kilnsey Park Estate boasts a history which dates back to the 1100s, when the monks of Fountains Abbey owned and farmed on the Estate. The current owners, the Roberts family arrived in 1911 and have since opened the estate to the public, where they invite locals and travellers alike to come and experience the true wonder of the Yorkshire Dales.
In terms of Afternoon Tea, they offer a delightful selection at their award-winning Cafe by the Lake, which is well known for their delicious cakes and locally sourced dishes.
Always on hand to offer a warm welcome, Tracey and her front of house team will help you relax whilst enjoying some of their cakes.
The Cake’Ole
The Cake’Ole is one of our favourite places in the whole of Skipton. The focus that they put on making sure that you, the customer, is having a good experience is second to none!
And the cakes, what can we say about the cakes… they are unique, full of flavour and look amazing! They are lovingly baked by the passionate owners of the cafe, who are always on hand to say hello and have a chat with their customers. You may remember that in a round-up of “The Most Polite Places In Skipton,” they took the top spot of the list.
As well as the fantastic teas, coffee and cakes that they have on offer, the decor of The Cake’ole certainly adds to the experience. We would describe it as “quirky” and imaginative, this theme serves to compliment the experience of taking Afternoon Tea at The Cake’Ole!
Customer Review
“Really enjoyed our visit today (all 17 of us) Loved your famous rainbow cake, we even took a slice home. Yummy panini’s! Delicious skittle mix milk shake! (I could go on & on!) Loved the decor especially the welly boots on the table legs. Very helpful and friendly staff. We will defo be returning. Thank you very much! – From the girls at Little Blossoms Nursery in Crosshills” – 5 Stars – Via Facebook
Cupcakes and Collectables
Cupcakes and Collectables are unique in this list, in the way that they don’t have a permanent residence… They will bring the Tea Party to you!
Despite starting less than a year ago, they have already made a big impact with the events that they have hosted. Their customers comment on how personable they are, as well as how well they listen to your specific needs.
They will come along and transform your living room or event venue into a beautiful tea room, just for the afternoon.
Often found hosting baby showers, birthday parties and even weddings, they’re well known for going above and beyond to make your event as special as it possibly can be!
They’re currently in the process of creating a website so if you’d like to get in touch with them, send us a message and we’ll ask them to give you a call.
Customer Review:
“I’d just like to say how amazing Cupcakes and Collectables were, they turned our old church hall into a tea room fit for a Queen! I had quite a lot of guest and everyone was very impressed throughout and afterwards! They have beautiful taste and made my birthday so special… Thank you!” – Customer Testimonial
The Devonshire Arms
No round up of where to take Afternoon Tea in Skipton would be complete without the fantastic Devonshire Arms. With a long history, dating back to the 17th century, there are many fascinating stories which have come out of The Devonshire Arms, some of which we will look forward to publishing in the near future.
It is said that during the 19th century, the Royal Family would visit the Devonshire Arms for their famous hospitality, which evidently has continued to this day.
Their Afternoon Tea is something of a celebration and they often welcome families, couples and more to indulge in their delicious Afternoon Tea menu whilst celebrating a special occasion.
On their menu, you’ll find a wide range of teas, coffees and cakes, as well as a selection of home-made sandwiches and other tasty treats.
Customer Review
“Just returned from a lovely spa day at the Devonshire spa. The facilities were great and the spa is very well decorated. The changing area was well equipped with hairdryers and ghd straighteners. We booked the mud rasul which was really good it left our skin feeling super soft. We then went across to the main hotel for afternoon tea which was superb the scones in particular were delicious! Would definitely return in the future.” – 5 Stars – TripAdvisor
Three Sheep Tea Room
What would Skipton be without a sheep themed tea room… on no less than Sheep Street of all places! This lovely cafe is run by a couple and it has a really personal feel, which allows customers to really relax, whilst enjoying what they have on offer! There’s been a lot of changes since it changed hands last year – and we highly recommend you head down to meet the new team there.
Customer Review
“This little cafe in the heart of Skipton is a hidden gem. In Skipton there is plenty of choice for all budgets but I highly recommend the three sheep. We had a quiche salad which was presented on a board with a scone! The quiche of the day was caramelised onion and was superb. The scone was in a league of its own. Give the main stream a miss and have some proper food with excellent staff.” – 5 Stars – TripAdvisor
Helene’s Tea Room
Helenes Tea Room is yet another great place to take Afternoon Tea. It is run by Helene and her mother Janet, who do the baking and cooking along with her husband Billy, who also works at Helene’s from a business perspective.
Taking Afternoon Tea at Helene’s is like taking tea in your friend’s sitting room! They have created an environment which promotes nostalgia and comfort, they enhance this through the music that they play, which is predominantly from the 1960s.
As well as this, the cakes are delicious and the tea is served in delightful and unique China.
Customer Review
“This is where I take friends visiting Skipton – an independen
a beautiful place, very homely and off the High Street- they also have a back entrance from the canal side of you are visiting from a boat.”
If we’ve missed your favourite place out, don’t worry, send us a message on our Facebook page, or email us at declan.connolly@theyorkshirepress.co.uk. We’ll be sure to pay them a visit and look to include them in future articles!
