Date visited: Saturday 14th May 2022
The Old Tea House in Wadebridge is quite a small establishment with just six tables inside for those taking tea, as well as one outside table on Polmorla Road. At the time I visited it had been recently redecorated, with the proprietors having plans for further minor improvements.
Visiting during the morning, the menu offered breakfasts and afternoon teas. Rather unusually, there are completely separate menus for breakfast and for later in the day, with the menus being swapped over around 11.30am. From a quick glance the later menu offered sandwiches and lunches as well as afternoon teas. Six cakes and scones were on display. The beverages menu offered a choice of both loose leaf teas and Clipper teabags, as well as coffees and soft drinks.
A Tea House Breakfast – consisting of sausage, bacon, baked beans, toast and a fried egg – a slice of hummingbird cake, and a pot of loose leaf green tea came to £15. The Old Tea House variant of hummingbird cake included pineapple, coconut and banana. Another unusual feature of this tearoom was that the paper napkin for the cake was provided separately rather than underneath the cake – the traditional approach having always been something that has puzzled me. The teapot was quite large and extra hot water was offered too, which was accepted.
This was an enjoyable unhurried experience, with the proprietor even telling me there was no need to rush – I didn’t intend to – and The Old Tea House clearly serves a mixture local regular customers as well as passing tourists such as myself.
