On a rainy and snowy late winter day, a date for afternoon tea and a meal at A Taste of Britain is the perfect way to spend a day. Or, really, any day if you ask me. While cities are known for having restaurants and shops that cater to all tastes, it’s actually Philadelphia‘s nearby suburb of Wayne where you’ll find this charming tea room. And be assured that A Taste of Britain is more than “just” a place for tea.
Inside A Taste of Britain
Tucked inside the Eagle Village Shops, you could miss A Taste of Britain. But you would be missing out. Where some tea rooms can seem old fashioned, A Taste of Britain has that English feel while still being modern. Farm tables dot the room and the golden tin-style ceiling looks down from above. Dishes, table-to-table, are mismatched. It’s that mix-and-match decor that works and isn’t too kitschy.
More Than Afternoon Tea
At its heart, A Taste of Britain is a tea room. I’ve been a couple of times and, admittedly, I’ve only ever had their afternoon tea. But this isn’t just a tea room — it’s a full-service restaurant. The menu is full of traditional English specialties as well as soups and salads. (They even have coffee. Gasp!) My husband loves the beef cottage pie. The beef and vegetables dish is served in a tomato sauce and topped with mashed potatoes. It’s similar to shepherd’s pie. He had it with a parsnip, carrot and apple soup that was rich and creamy.
Afternoon Tea at A Taste of Britain
Let’s face it, it’s really about the tea, right? A Taste of Britain has a large selection of loose leaf teas to choose from as well as seasonal specialties. They have all the popular varieties you’d expect as well as others to appeal to serious tea drinkers. If you want to go for authentic, you can go for a real English brew like PG Tips.
For me, the afternoon tea is the highlight. As is standard, they serve a course of finger sandwiches and a course of sweets. Plus there’s a warm scone served with strawberry jam, lemon curd and clotted cream. Just what you’ll get is a bit of a surprise as specific items are rotated in and out. The tea sandwiches were on really fresh, flavorful bread. The egg salad finger sandwich was probably my favorite. Of the sweets, I loved the oat bar. For the scone, diners are able to choose from several varieties. I opted for the lemon while my husband had the chef’s selection lavender citrus scone. Both were delicious.
The afternoon tea is just the right size, too. If you come hungry, you can just finish it. But there’s no shame in a doggy bag! I also like that they offer a gluten-free afternoon tea option so that everyone can partake.
Groceries & Food To-Go
While A Taste of Britain is a restaurant, it also has a decent size shop right at the entrance. You can get all sorts of teas, pots, cups, and other tea accoutrements. They also offer British groceries that can be hard to find elsewhere like Cadbury candies and Wilkin & Sons jams and preserves. And don’t miss the freezer case in the corner. It’s full of A Taste of Britain’s homemade English specialties that you can buy to take home and enjoy.
Visiting A Taste of Britain
What I love is the casual feel. It’s a place to meet friends and catch-up or have an afternoon date. Or bring a book and enjoy a cuppa and some good, homemade food. A Taste of Britain delivers the English charm it promises.
A Taste of Britain is open daily from 10 am to 5 pm. Reservations are recommended. There is also plenty of free parking available directly outside of the restaurant.
Thank you to A Taste of Britain and Visit Valley Forge for hosting me! All opinions, as well as photos, are my own.
