Dates visited: Mondays 6th & 27th January 2020
Nana’s Tea Room opened in December 2019 in the premises previously occupied by the Honey Pot Cafe on Wroughton High Street. It has quickly built up trade, and rightly so, helped no doubt by a recent article in the local newspaper. Its proprietor, Nana Day, is cheerful and her establishment produces a good range of cakes and some glorious looking pies. The Tea Room was quite full when I arrived just before midday on my first visit, and completely full by the time I left. Nana had only started serving hot food two days earlier and was interviewing for additional staff later in the day. Some extra staff to help Nana and her colleague were clearly needed – Nana appears to like chatting with her customers, but it was so busy that she barely got the chance. By the time of my second visit, there were two extra staff and almost every table was occupied in early afternoon.
There are six tables inside for those taking tea, with takeaways also offered. Eleven cakes were on display at the counter on my first visit, including gluten-free and vegan options. The gluten-free and vegan cakes are bought in, but all others are made by Nana. The counter was less crowded with cakes on my second visit, but there was still a good choice.
Not on display, but causing great envy amongst customers when one appeared, were a selection of meat pies. A beef pie served to one of the other customers was a substantial, well crusted square pie. The menu includes hot breakfasts, hot meals of the English cafe variety (pie, salad and chips; ham, egg and chips…), sandwiches, filled baguettes and paninis, jacket potatoes, and salads. There is a limited but diverse range of teas offered, as well as coffees and soft drinks. Meals are freshly prepared for each order, but despite it being so busy the wait to be served was not unduly long.
A bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich, black forest gateau, and a pot of Mao Feng green tea came to £9.20. The sandwich was very well filled.
To sate the pie envy from my first visit, I returned a few weeks later. A steak and ale pie with chips and beans, warmed apple and cinnamon pie with ice cream, and a pot of green tea, came to £14.25. It was a difficult choice between the apple and cinnamon pie and a slice of a huge Victoria sandwich with a jam filling made by Nana herself and strawberry and cream decoration on top.
At the time of my first visit, Nana’s Tea Room closed at 3 pm, which is rather early for taking afternoon tea. By the time of my second visit, that had been extended to 4.30 pm, although food orders are not taken after 2.30 pm. Tables can only booked for the less busy times of the day, currently before 11 am and after 1.30 pm.
In November 2022 Nana’s Tea Room was sold, becoming The Beehive Cafe.
