Five tea rooms with scenic walks you need to visit around Devon

There are lots of things that Devon does exceptionally well, one of which is the classic afternoon tea. Garden lovers can stroll in the formal garden tucked away behind tall yew hedges – a peaceful place to admire the colourful plants and flowers. Walkers can explore the many paths around the castle, and admire the towering architecture and views across the Gorge. To stretch your legs further, acres of parkland and woodland await, plus an all-terrain Tramper so everyone can enjoy the far-reaching views.

Whether it’s on a clifftop, by a riverside or indeed on the water itself (we have a number of boat cafes!), it would be easy to plan a whole trip around visits to great Devon cafés and tearooms … This hotel sits on three miles of coastline, off one of the best beaches in Devon. Immerse yourself in these coastal views and enjoy a luxurious afternoon tea with delicate finger sandwiches, scones and fine pastries. Castle Drogo’s cafe is the perfect place to keep yourself fuelled up with tasty treats, serving coffee, cake, cream teas and snacks. Once an old fishing lodge, Badger’s Holt is located on Dartmoor between Ashburton and Princetown at Dartmeet, the famous beauty spot where the east and west tributaries of the River Dart meet.

Hele Cornmill & Tearoom

It’s like stepping back in time with a 1930’s inspired menu that’s complemented by netted doilies, colourful bunting and the most floral fine china known to man. Everyone is catered for here, with a selection of sweet or savoury afternoon teas, as well as an amuse-bouche on arrival. Afternoon Tea at Boringdon Hall is served in the dramatic surroundings of its quintessentially English Great Hall. With care, time and passion the kitchen team has created its indulgent Afternoon Teas menu, complete with delicious scones, sandwiches, cakes and tarts. For an extra special occasion, push the boat out and sample these menus with Laurent-Perrier Champagne pairings.

Badger’s Holt serves a great Devonshire cream tea, with a secret scone recipe going back 60 years, offering homemade traditional fruit, cheese and gluten free scones. The Salty Monk is in the village of Sidford, or why not walk along National Trust “The Byes” from Sidmouth and make a day of it. Afternoon Teas here are a delight with everything homemade from the award winning Scones & Jam to an array of cake and a Savoury Tea with their own Smoked Salmon. Great Gluten free options and Doggie friendly too you can sit in the award winning gardens, or in the winter a cosy lounge, large private Car Park.

They have a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence and their cream teas are award winning with most recent award being the Devon Life“Best Scone in Devon 2016” award. Step inside The Bedford Hotel in the heart of the award-winning Devon market town of Tavistock for a warm and traditional welcome. Dainty sandwiches, warm scones with jam and cream, tempting cakes, and plenty of tea and coffee are available. Full afternoon tea is served from 3pm–5pm every day, or enjoy a perfect Devon cream tea at any time of the day. Deep in the West Devon countryside outside of Torrington is the Royal Horticultural Society’s Rosemoor Garden. Admission to the restaurant is free and it has views overlooking some of the beautiful gardens.

• There is dog friendly seating inside and outside which is ideal for dog walkers who want to enjoy a stroll along the River Bovey and Granite Railway that pass through the estate.
• Saltram overlooks the River Plym and is one of Plymouth’s worst-kept secrets.
• While afternoon tea is made up of three ‘courses’ – sandwiches, scones, and sweet pastries, eaten in that order – cream tea is a pared down version of afternoon tea with only one course, the scones.
• They serve locally roasted organic Coffee and Plymouth Tea, have an alcohol licence and can accept card payments.

You can find us at the bottom of the hill on our North Devon coastal estate in a beautiful country garden, on the way down to the beach, opposite the car park. Home to six walks through a historic North Devon estate, Arlington Court is a wonderful place to stroll through Devon’s countryside, woodland and blooming formal gardens. Don’t forget to take a pit stop at the Kitchen Café for a drink, cake or light lunch. The dog-friendly Stables Coffee Shop welcomes muddy paws and boots and serves Devon pasties and mouthwatering Victoria sponge cake. Best of all, they’re each home to tea rooms serving Devon scones, snacks and hot cuppas. The Old Mill Cafe are a National Trust building situated right on Wembury beach, an area of Special scientific interest.

Loved by those in the area, afternoon tea at this traditional Devon tea room feels like a visit to grandma’s house. With the endless amount of cakes and snacks to choose from, all served in a cosy atmosphere, this is an award-winning parlour. When you visit, keep an eye out for the window display, which is changed regularly to entertain locals and show events happening in the area. The forecast may have other ideas, but we’re manifesting sunshine, garden terraces and leisurely afternoon teas. Here are the Devon spots worth bookmarking for when summer makes its comeback.

One recent Tripadvisor review claimed it offers the best tea in Devon, while another claimed it’s probably the best in the world. Part of the whole experience of visiting a café or tearoom in Devon is where your search will take you. When one of your best known dishes is the Devonshire Cream Tea, you have to have some pretty top notch cafés and tearooms but there’s more to Devon’s cafés and tearooms than that. Meander through 700 years of history at this medieval Abbey, complete with beautiful gardens. There are three walks to choose from, including a gentle woodland stroll with River Tavy views, and forest routes that reward walkers with tree-dappled pathways. Whilst strolling along the riverside and woodland ways, you could easily forget that the city lies so close.

Castle Drogo

The abbey’s fascinating story includes Cistercian monks and the famous seafarer Sir Francis Drake, but that’s not all – there’s also a stunning café set in a pretty medieval courtyard. Serving a mix of National Trust favourites including fresh scones and hearty Devon pasties, the cafe also welcomes dogs (on leads) and offers canine treats too. Café Vanilla is set in the the coffee rush café award-winning orchid nursery Burnham Nurseries so you can enjoy your delicious cream tea surrounded by beautiful orchids and learn how vanilla is actually from a species of orchid! The Tea on the Green at Westward Ho offers a wonderfully unique cream tea experience; it names its cream teas after famous movie stars… The Hepburn, The Grant and The Taylor! The café has one of the best positions by the North Devon coast and enjoys raving Trip Advisor reviews.

Run by sisters that live locally they pride themselves on sourcing local produce and making home made cakes and soup. They serve locally roasted organic Coffee and Plymouth Tea, have an alcohol licence and can accept card payments. This dog-friendly tea room next to a church has been hailed as a ‘hidden gem’ of Sidmouth.

Anne of Cleves is situated in a grade II listed Elizabethan building in the centre of the colourful town of Totnes. Priding themselves on the best service possible, Anne of Cleves offer excellent homemade cakes which includes their tasty scones. It boosts two AA rosettes for fine dining and is an ideal place to enjoy an Afternoon Tea with spectacular sea views over Lyme Bay. From farmers’ markets to cider festivals and seafood feasts — discover delicious experiences on your holiday.

It was introduced in Britain in 1840 by Anne, the seventh Duchess of Bedford. She would feel hungry in the afternoons, so would request a tray of tea, bread and butter, and cakes to be brought to her room. She found it was the perfect way to satisfy her before her evening meal at 8pm.