The Norfolk Mead Hotel has long been a favourite for afternoon tea in this fine county, so I thought it was high time for another visit and a new review.
For Mother’s Day this year, I gave Mother Dearest a voucher for afternoon tea at the Norfolk Mead Hotel in Coltishall. She had the choice to bring me, my father, or a friend. But thankfully, she ended up inviting both me and my dad for a leisurely Friday afternoon filled with cake and chatter.
Upon arrival in leafy Coltishall, we found plenty of parking and received a warm welcome at reception before being shown to a cosy lounge at the front of the building.
It was furnished with beautiful bouquets of flowers, plush armchairs, sofas and coffee tables. And we had the whole room to ourselves so it felt nice and private.
Once we’d got settled, the staff very quickly brought out decaf English breakfast tea for me and Mum, while Dad had regular tea. Soon after, the sandwiches and cakes arrived.
The afternoon tea menu at the Norfolk Mead
- Sandwiches: Cheese and chutney on brown bread, ham and mustard, and egg mayonnaise.
- Scones: Both fruit and plain, with clotted cream and jam.
- Mini cakes: Lemon tarts, chocolate brownies, strawberry cheesecake, and raspberry and almond crumble-topped cake.
I can commend the food. Although the sandwiches were a little bit cold (they’d just been taken from the fridge), the bread was fresh and they were generously filled, with the egg mayo sandwiches being a standout for all three of us. There was lots of egg with really rich and creamy mayonnaise. Mum said the ham was nice, but I don’t like ham at all, so you’ll have to take her word for it!
The fruit scones were packed with raisins, but the plain ones were a little dry and disappointing. Plus, we were given only enough clotted cream and jam for two people, which was far from sufficient for the six scones we had. Why we didn’t ask for more will become clear shortly…
The mini cakes were divine.
The lemon tarts were perfectly sharp with a smooth filling on buttery pastry. The brownies were rich and gooey, while the cheesecakes had a hint of ginger in the base, and the dehydrated strawberry garnish was a lovely touch. My favourite, however, was the raspberry and almond cakes. The light, buttery sponge topped with fruit and nuts had a delicate, moreish flavour.
The downside
The main downside was the service.
We didn’t see the staff after the food had been brought to the table.
No one checked on us to see if we needed anything or if we had any problems. I had to get up and find a member of staff to ask for more tea as we ran out.
At one point, we even wondered if anyone would notice if we left without paying.
And when I did settle the bill (which I had to get up and ask for), we found two glasses of prosecco had been added to our tab. While the staff removed them without question, I was baffled as to how they got there in the first place. We were the only people in the room and the tab had my name on it.
Also, we weren’t overly impressed by the fact we had to eat off our laps because we were on sofas. Spreading cream and jam onto scones while seated at a low table is a recipe for disaster when you’re as clumsy as I am.
So, at £22 per head, I felt a bit let down by the service (and the stinginess with the cream and jam). It wasn’t a cheap outing for three of us, and it seemed the staff were too busy to give us any attention.
If I had to give it a score, I’d say it was a solid 3 out of 5.
Where’s the best afternoon tea in Norfolk?
I’m keen to give another Norfolk venue a try and would welcome your recommendations! Hit me up on Instagram or send me a message.
