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Soho's Secret Tearooms- A trip back in time
Friday 5th October 2012 | David
There is frankly nothing better than a Saturday morning when you wake up with the taste of shame and white wine in your mouth and breath that can only be described as the scraping of hells backside, than a lovely cup of tea and cake.
A self-confessed afternoon tea–aholic, I have become quite obsessed with this classically British pass time, and why wouldn’t you? It’s stuffing your face with delicious treats. Recently I visited Soho’s secret tearooms, although I’d say secret is a little too strong. As you enter the Coach and Horse pub, you find yourself searching for a sign saying tea rooms or perhaps a trail of jammy dodgers. Alas you will find neither, rather you must ask the barmaid who, to further the undercover feel, will call upstairs to confirm your reservation. You will then be sent up a twisting turning, tiny staircase like something from a Roal Dahl story. As you edge tentatively to the peak of the staircase the sounds of a 40’s gramophone floats through the air and up your petticoat transporting you back to the roaring decade.
The juxtaposition of the pub downstairs couldn’t be any vaster as you are greeted with a higgledy-piggledy tea room with miss match cups and saucers, tables of different sizes and a table set to topple over with the weight of cake. For a moment you feel like you are in an undercover time lock.
It is ridiculously quaint and everything is just simply adorable, my unshaven boyfriend seemed quite out of place among the swing dresses and dainty cake stands, he was quite literally a lonely sausage in a room full of muff-ins. Not feeling over indulgent, we ordered one after-noon tea between the pair of us. This was the perfect amount and for £17.50 reasonably priced compared to most places in London. The menu had vast options and as follows:
Pot of tea
One homemade scone with homemade jams and clotted cream
Slice of homemade cake of your choice .
Round of sandwiches. Please choose from: cucumber, egg & cress, smoked salmon & cream cheese
Fairy Cake
The list of teas was extensive , however we stuck to a classic English tea, salmon and cream sandwich, a slice of victoria sponge and a vanilla and raspberry cupcake. The food was amazing. As an avid follower of The Great British Bake-off, I can safely say there was no under, or over, baking and not a soggy bottom in sight. I would argue the cakes to have been some of the best I have ever had- and I love cake.
An afternoon delight of the less than saucy kind but a real treat. The Soho Secret Tearoom’s invite you to take a step back in time, perfect for ladies who lunch. Fetch my Dalorian as if this is the 40’s I never want to come back.
By Becky Tanner-Rolf @BeckyTannerRolf
