Dates visited: Tuesday 22nd September 2020 & Friday 18th June 2021
Ventnor has several tearooms, though not as numerous as nearby Shanklin. At first sight, Toni’s Tea Room doesn’t appear promising, being one of several venues on the ground floor of an apartment block facing the sea. However, it is distinctly a cut above the average seaside tea room.
This is a small establishment, with a one small room and some outside tables for those wishing to take tea, and run by an exile from Yorkshire. The menu offers a range of hot and cold meals, with a good selection of cakes on display inside. There is a good selection of loose leaf teas, though these are unfortunately not fully detailed on the menu. Coffees and other beverages are available for the less discerning.
As my first visit was less than two hours after partaking of a full English breakfast I was, alas, unable to fully sample their offerings. A large slice of mocha cake and a pot of loose-leaf green tea came to £7.30.
I returned nine months later for a fuller sampling. As this was also an early morning visit, but after a lighter breakfast, I opted for toast with raspberry jam, a slice of Victoria sandwich cake, and a pot of tea. There seemed to have been a drop in prices, as this came to 10 pence less than on my previous visit. The butter was warm and soft enough to be spreadable, and the jam very good. The Victoria sandwich was light but not dry, and with plenty of cream as the sandwich. Many tearooms have far inferior offerings for a much higher price. Toni’s is excellent value for money, with the added bonus of a sea view.
