Date visited: Tuesday 23rd October 2018
The Polly Tea Rooms in Marlborough has a strong reputation, and rightly so, as one of the best tea rooms in the area. It’s not the most traditional tea room – there’s no attempt at Victorian pastiche here. What it does offer is an extensive menu of good food, with separate menus for breakfast, lunch, and afternoon teas. The menu for drinks is also commendably long, including coffees, soft drinks, wines and ales, though unfortunately this does seem to have been at the expense of the tea menu which is relatively short. A fine range of cakes are displayed in the tea rooms, and include several gluten free options. There’s also a small shop for those wishing to buy cakes, jams or gifts without staying to take tea.
On the day I visited, The Polly Tea Rooms were very busy at lunchtime – especially considering that this was midweek – but calmed down considerably after 2 pm. A delicious steak wrap, a pot of green tea, and a piece of smooth and creamy coffee and walnut cake, with a piece of chocolate masquerading as a coffee bean, came to £16.25. It’s not the cheapest tea room, but is popular enough that it can afford not to be.
