As I haven’t written about tea for a while and it’s been a bit of quiet news week here at Wheelescapades, I thought I’d tell you about a spontaneous afternoon tea I had with a friend a while back.
This was not just any afternoon tea, this was an M&S afternoon tea (I know, sorry). While shopping with a friend and her mini me we decided to go for a spot of lunch in M&S. The Norwich branch has a nice little cafe upstairs (there’s a lift too, don’t worry I haven’t started climbing stairs), it also has coffee shop downstairs but that’s more like a sandwich bar thingy. Anyway we headed upstairs as this was quite spacious for myself and a pram, plus we’d heard rumours of an afternoon tea being served there.
Getting to the correct floor in Norwich M&S is easy if you know where you’re going. I’ve mastered it now as it’s somewhere I like to have a browse, and mostly buy food. If you haven’t visited before then the layout and ‘half-floors’ can be a little confusing. There is a main set of lifts that take you to the main floors, these lifts are plenty big enough to swing a cat in, not that I am promoting the swinging of cats, I love cats, I currently share my house with four. They are big, the lifts that is, some of the best I’ve used. There are also mini lifts that take you to these ‘half-floors I speak of. These lifts go up just few steps to a slightly raised level. Once you’re there you’ll know what I mean!
The cafe entrance is very spacious, plenty of room to browse the delights on offer. There are fridges filled with sandwiches, salads and the like, and island counters displaying cakes, pastries and scones. You can grab a tray and help yourself to any of these, or you can order something freshly prepared from the menu above the tills.
Upon entering we saw a poster advertising the afternoon tea for two and decided what the heck let’s give it a go.
Ok so maybe Marks and Spencer isn’t Claridge’s and may not be the first place you’d think of going for this English favourite, but it’s actually not bad at all for a little treat while out shopping. Like us, you don’t need to plan or book, and could just drop in if you fancy.
You may not get the service of a fine dining restaurant and you may not get unlimited sandwiches or tea. At £15.95 per pair what more can ask for really. That’s not even £8 each for a filling lunch of sandwiches, a scone, cakes and a tea! A bargain when you consider a sandwich alone can cost a fiver in many cafes.
We ordered at the till and were told to find a table and lunch would be brought over. Now although I said this cafe was fairly spacious it was a slightly different matter when trying to find a table. When you have a wheeler and a pram you need a fair bit of space. A lot of space. Many of the tables backed onto each other which made it difficult for me to access them. We needed to find a table that had an end space as such, so that I could drive upto it and park without being in the way of other diners pulling out their chair behind me. It was busy but we spotted the perfect space as it was just becoming vacant.
The table was of a good height for me to get my knees under, and the chairs could be moved easily out of the way.
Our food was served promptly just as we made ourselves comfortable. The afternoon tea was displayed appetisingly on a three tier cake stand.
For less than £8 a person I was impressed by the quantity and taste.
They weren’t dainty finger sandwiches, but who wants to be dainty all the time! They were tasty triangles though and each of us were given four different fillings. Egg mayo, chicken and stuffing (my fave), ham salad and a ploughman’s kind of cheese pickle and salad combo.
The top tier of mini cakes weren’t all the same, so there was a little discussion on who would like what. There were two strawberry and custard tartlets (one for each of us), two macaroons (I had the chocolate one), and two cupcakes (I had the fruity one). Mine were all equally delicious, sweet but not too heavy after the substantial sandwiches and scones. My friend wasn’t overly enamoured by her carrot cake cupcake. That’s a mouthful in more than one way!
For me the highlight was the scone, as it often is with any afternoon tea. There was a choice of scones here. You got to chose when ordering and paying, you also got asked if you wanted them served warm. Of course I did… Yum! The options were cheese, fruit or Devonshire. I’m usually rather partial to a cheese scone but on this day I was really craving the clotted cream, and that’s just not an option with cheese. Not to my taste anyway!
I chose the Devonshire scone on the basis that I didn’t have a clue what it was. I know, shocker! Turns out it’s actually a plain sweet scone, but this was a very tasty one so I wasn’t disappointed. My friend chose a fruit scone and I think we were both equally impressed.
I don’t know which is the correct way, I know there’s serious debate about this! My way is purely practical and I go for jam first as it’s easier to spread straight onto the scone (not that I spread it myself anyway), plus cream works pretty well in a giant dollop so it doesn’t really matter so much if you can’t spread it out. Those that have butter as well… I’m not sure what that’s all about. Butter was made for warm cheese scones only.
Are you a jam or cream first person?
I miss a great afternoon tea. Great article.
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Thanks! There’s nothing like a good afternoon tea.
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I LOVE M&S!! Now I’m feeling bummed I didn’t try tea there!
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M&S had some tasty stuff! Next time you’ll have to.
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Jam then cream as cream is heavier in my opinion. This sounds like a nice Afternoon Tea and for less than £8 each it’s good value for a more spontaneous trip like yours.
Rachael | https://rachaelstray.com/
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I completely agree. Jam first makes so much more sense to me! I’d definitely recommend if you’re near an M&S.
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I literally just wrote an afternoon tea post and spoke about how the scones need to be warm and you need clotted cream and do you do it the devon or cornish way (devon for me!) lol M&S looks great though and good value for money, will need to give it a try x
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Is the Devon way jam first? I’m off to check out your blog!
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I’m sure it’s cream first! Awe thank you
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I found cookies too! So I had to follow you 😊
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Thanks so much, I hope you liked it x
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This looks divine, didn’t know M&S did this, as love bit of afternoon tea. I must try this, thanks for letting us know 😉😊x
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I know, such a great find! Let me know if you go 😊☕️
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I have never even considered M&S for a cream tea! This looks pretty decent though and it’s totally a bargain. Thank you for sharing in Gemma!
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It was much better than I’d have expected for the price!
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Good old M&S! I have been to the Norwich branch and seem to remember getting confused with the floors..& lifts! Tea and cake is always high on this family’s list…blame my grandmother. Definitely jam first!! C x
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Jam first just makes so much more sense!
I’m always up for tea and cake, grandmother sounds like my kind of lady 😊
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I’ve only been to England once, but that was enough to solidify me as a jam first person. Yum!
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The only way! Thanks for stopping by (and agreeing 😊)
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Thats such a bargain! As you say, you can pay a fiver for a sandwich. I will check out our M&S to see if they offer it, thanks for sharing xx
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Let me know what you think, if you go 😊
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Jealous. I would love that – all of it sounded good to me. Such a nice way to just stop and enjoy. Also appreciate hearing how accessible places are – thank you.
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It’s my perfect lunch, who can resist tea and cake?!
Although I moan about access, there are some great places out there that try hard to be inclusive.
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looks like a perfect place for breakfast also.
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Oh yes. I still need to try their breakfast 😊
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That’s such a good bargain there, looks so good as well! Those macaroons and sandwhichs look amazing mm! Still need to do an afternoon tea, have wanted to go for ages xxxx
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This is definitely a great one for the price. Couldn’t complain!
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That is a very good value for all of the food you got & the desserts look delicious!
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It was certainly a lot of food! Tasty too. Can’t complain at that price. I’ll be returning 😊
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That’s a lot of food for less than a tenner, I’m impressed 😀
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I was too 😊. I’ll be going for lunch again!
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My friend keeps mentioning the afternoon tea at our megastore. If it’s like that it would be great.
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I would certainly check it out. This was really good for the money!
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I didn’t know M&S did that! I’m a cheese scone kinda girl, all the way, and I think scone rhymes with gone, not bone!! Glad you had a good time
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I didn’t either until recently. Scone definitely rhymes with gone! 😊
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That tea looks as good as any I have had! Must try it someday ☺
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Let me know if you do!
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I can imagine space being an issue, so I think you did really well – and very well for being spontaneous (something my brain is struggling with at the moment). I don’t understand the difference between scones, and I’d never tried Devonshire scones before either so you’re not alone there, I just know I don’t like fruit bits in them! I’ll have to consider an M&S afternoon tea one day 🙂
Caz x
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Let me know if you go and what you think. I know, spontaneity can be quite a rarity for me too, with so much planning needed. But this was nice.
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Cream cheese and chilli jam for me as well but if it’s Devonshire scones then cream first and then the jam 🙂
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Oh cream first. A bit controversial here, you’re my first so far!
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Is that the Devon way? And Cornwall do the opposite?
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It’s am Devon v Cornwall war I understand, personally I go jam first, purely because it is easier to spread cream on jam than vice versa. It all goes down the same way, yum!
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Exactly my point and why I go for jam first too 😊
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Oh wow for M&S that is such a great price! The food looks great too. I never knew they did an afternoon tea I’m definitely going to have to go to that one day!! Great post! Clare xx | https://www.clayaa.com
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I’d highly recommend giving it a try. It’s nothing too fancy, but does make a nice spur of the moment treat.
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I’m a heathen…i love scones with cream cheese and chilli jam (and hate clotted cream). I’ve never had a cream tea in a cage so have, so far, managed to stay out of the debate! I think that Devon does one and Cornwall the other. Lovely post and I liked the cat comment 🙂
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Oh do you have cheese scones with cream cheese and chilli jam? This sounds amazing!
Thanks for stopping by 😊
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My little boy loves cooking so we often make a free-style approximation of cheese scones (depending on what we have in the fridge and how much quantity of each ingredient he insists on adding to the mix). It’s always worked well with the cheese and chilli combination, but then I generally prefer savoury to sweet.
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It totally depends on my mood if I go for sweet or savoury. But if both are an option I’m there! 😊
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This sounds really good. Our M&S has a terrifying creaky little lift! It’s perfectly safe I’m sure though…!
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Oh I’m glad my M&S has a good lift then!
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That’s a bargain…nice one Gemma. 🙂
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I’ll definitely be returning! 😃
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