Luxurious afternoon teas with elegant patisserie, and homemade breakfasts and lunches on the menu at seaside business
The Tiptree brand is known across the globe - supplying some of the finest hotels in far-flung places…as well as their own 10 tearooms in Essex.
And now the preserve expert has dipped its toes over the border into Suffolk, opening its first Tiptree Tearoom in the county, on Southwold high street.
It's good news for the coastal town, with the independent eatery replacing what was formerly a Costa Coffee.
Talking about the transition, Aimee Smith, marketing manager for Tiptree Tearooms said they haven't purposefully isolated themselves to Essex - they were just waiting for the right opportunity to present itself.
The newest tearoom in the flock had a soft opening over the summer, bedding itself into the community. "And now we're ready to shout about it from the rafters," Aimee laughs.
"We've been really busy and we've got a great manager, Shelby, there who knows the area really well. Everyone's been so welcoming."
The tearoom has a similar feel to the other locations, most notably Bond Street in Chelmsford. The heritage of the brand comes across loud and clear, with a local designer drafted in to create old railway poster style prints for the walls. "And we've got a really nice courtyard out the back which we've discovered is a bit of a sun trap. We've got seating out there and at the back of the store we have a retail area selling our most popular produce including our jams, marmalades, gin and vodkas."
The format for the Southwold tearoom's menu is much the same as Tiptree's others, with everything homemade, and with all cakes and pastries being hand crafted by the business's skilled pastry kitchen.
In the mornings, while restrictions mean a full English is off the cards, options include teacakes, scones, sourdough with avocado and poached eggs, pancakes and, of course, Tiptree preserves and toast.
Lunchtimes include toasties, sandwiches, jacket potatoes and quiches, with smaller portions for children.
But sure to be the biggest hit there are the afternoon teas, priced at £30 for two. "It's three tiered," says Aimee, "with a choice of sandwich each which is quite unusual as you can have what you like, and then a middle layer of our scones with Rodda's clotted cream and our jam, and on top are pastries, cakes and treats. That can change every time you come in, from mini carrot cakes to fruit tarts and cheesecakes."
Upgrading to prosecco afternoon tea is an additional £8 for two, and the occasion is completed with your selection of Tudor coffee or Tiptree blend tea.
If you don't have the appetite for a full afternoon tea spread, Aimee says there will always be a large selection of slices and cakes to choose from alongside a nice cuppa - from coffee and walnut, to Victoria sponge and red velvet cake.
The tearoom is open seven days a week from 9am to 5pm.
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