Date visited: Thursday 13th July 2023
Burnham-on-Sea is a small seaside resort that seems to rely heavily on weekend visitors. As such, it can be quiet on weekdays and many of its venues are closed in the early part of each week, as well as being closed throughout winter.
The Chintz Tea Room is situated on College Street, a side street just off the esplanade. It is open between spring and autumn, from Thursdays to Sundays, closing at 3 pm each day. There are six tables for those wishing to take tea, in a single room decorated in a traditional tearoom style. There are separate breakfast and main menus with hot and cold options, as well as ‘brunch’ offerings on the main menu. There’s also additional choices displayed on a blackboard. Five cakes were on display, some on the counter and some in a chilled display cabinet, and also apple crumble on the menu. Beverages included a choice of a dozen teas, as well as coffees and soft drinks.
With my visit being mid-week on a day with heavy showers, the tea room was not that busy, with only one other customer at lunchtime. This gave the two staff time to chat with a retailer who had come from across the road for a lunch break whilst keeping a lookout for any customers that might approach her own business. The retailers in the street appeared to have a sense of community not often seen in busier towns.
A Coronation chicken salad with cheese scone, a slice of carrot cake, and a green pot of green tea came to £14.15. The cheese scone was a pleasant surprise – offered as an alternative to a more customary half-baguette – and appeared to be a slice from a huge savoury scone. The colour coordination of green tea in a green teapot was also a nice touch, though I suspect unintentional. The salad was filling and not dominated by leaves. The cake was a little small but nicely balanced in its combination of spices.
Overall the Chintz Tea Room was an enjoyable experience, offering filling meals at a reasonable price and with good service.
