Eat My Words: We review The Victoria House Tearoom in Gosberton
I haven’t had many afternoon tea experiences in my time, but this one will certainly be setting the bar high for ones that I have in the future.
Last time I had the English tradition it was a rather queasy occasion, thanks to being on a boat ride, which unfortunately didn’t go down too well for everyone involved.
Not to be put off, my family and I decided to give it another go and treat ourselves by visiting Victoria House Tearoom in Gosberton on a very grey Saturday in June – and to our relief, the tearoom is situated on land and not water.
We had previously visited a few times, where we have thoroughly enjoyed the paninis and sweet treats on offer.
Prior to our visit, I had noticed the tearoom offers gluten free alternatives, which was ideal for my family as one of us suffers with the intolerance. Afternoon tea costs £18.50 per person.
As you step into the tearoom, you are greeted with its quaint and rustic features. The beams and fireplace make the atmosphere very cosy and I can imagine that it is even more relaxing when the fire is blazing in the colder months.
Once we sat at our table, we were asked if we wanted tea or coffee alongside our afternoon tea – which included one complimentary refill. Soon after, we were happy to see the cake stands filled with delights heading our way.
The bottom tier had a selection of finger sandwiches which included, brie and cranberry, egg and cress, tuna crunch and cheese and tomato – our favourite was the egg and cress.
Next up was the choice of either a fruit or plain scone, paired with clotted cream and jam. The last tier included three mini cakes, which were lemon and poppy seed sponge, orange and chocolate loaf and a rhubarb and custard tart.
The gluten free option included two tuna crunch and two cheese and tomato sandwiches, a scone with clotted cream and jam, and the same cake options as us, apart from the tart, which was replaced with a chocolate brownie.
My stepmum, Tracey, said: “Sometimes gluten free bread is quite dry and crumbly, however this was fresh and nice. The scone was nice, however due to the nature of gluten free, it’s difficult to get away from the different texture – but this is not their fault and was still enjoyable.”
The regular scones were still warm, fresh and delicious and were accompanied by the debate of which should go first, the clotted cream or jam?
After devouring the two previous tiers, our tummies were starting to get stuffed, so we took a small sample from each cake to make sure we taste tested everything.
My mum and I both enjoyed the rhubarb and custard tart, however this wasn’t my boyfriends favourite option. I had never had something like it before so it was nice to try something different. My mum, Brig, said: “The pastry was melt in the mouth and buttery and it was sweet but had a nice tanginess from the rhubarb.”
Personally I’m not a big fan of lemon flavoured things, but my mum and boyfriend enjoyed the lemon curd and poppy seed sponges and we all agreed these were light and fluffy. The orange chocolate loaves were also very nice.
In the end, we were defeated by the afternoon tea and took home the rest in some boxes provided by the tearoom.
Something which stood out to me on the menu was the breakfast afternoon tea on offer. It includes a selection of pastries, mini blueberry muffins, yogurt and fruit compote with granola jars and bagels, served with apple or orange juice and a pot of tea or coffee, also for £18.50 per person.
I have never seen it before and would definitely go back to try it.
Overall, it was a very pleasant experience and the Victoria House Tearoom is the perfect place to relax and enjoy a bite to eat and something to drink.
There were other tables in the tearoom with afternoon teas, so they are clearly quite a popular option. It’s a spot which I’m confident will always offer good service and food – It definitely has my heart.
Out of five:
Food: You could tell that they made everything fresh and I enjoyed the range of flavours from each tier. ****
Drink: Can’t go wrong with a good English cuppa. We all stuck with tea and made use of the complimentary refill. My only suggestion would maybe be to offer different tea flavours, such as green, fruit or herbal – to offer a wider selection. ****
Decor: The tearoom is very homely and takes advantage of the old rustic features. It is quite compact and snug but I think that just makes it even more cosy. *****
Staff: Our waitress was very friendly and accommodating – especially when we had an accidental tea pot spillage. *****
Price: When I booked the afternoon tea, I was asked for a pre-payment of £10 per person. I am guessing this is to make sure people attend and don’t cancel late notice. On the day I paid £34 and in total the afternoon tea for four people cost £74. I think this is quite average and cheaper compared to other places. ****
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