It was Afternoon Tea Week last week, a perfect occasion for my daughters and I to indulge in a delicious outing. Wanting a change of scenery, we ventured to Chesterfield, as we were curious to explore a tea room that was new to us – Northern Tea Merchants Ltd. It was very impromptu and good excuse to visit a tearoom. I like independent shops so I was really looking forward to it.
We travelled by train, and the tearoom was a good walk from the station. We had never visited the town before so we had fun exploring the area before eating.
On the way to the tearoom, there is huge Salvation Army charity shop and there were so many good finds, from antique furniture, to clothes, to instruments.
We arrived at Northern Tea Merchants Ltd just after noon and there were no customers in the shop. We had a warm welcome from all the staff on entry and they were helpful and informative when we had difficulty choosing what teas to drink.
The aesthetics of the tearoom were so stylish and unique, and this definitely elevated our experience. We loved the very classic British style and décor, like the dark wood shelves which displayed the many teas available to purchase and the pretty white crockery. We thought it was really cool to see all types of coffee beans from around the world that you can purchase, there was a huge variety! Our favourite thing however, was the tables. Through the glass surface of our table you could see different coffee beans, some other tables had loose teas in them.
I chose the cream tea option – a classic choice that came with a single fruit scone (glazed cherries and sultanas) with clotted cream and strawberry jam, generously filled ham and cheese sandwiches accompanied by fresh salad, and a pot of English breakfast tea. Daughter 1 ordered a fruit scone with clotted cream and cherry jam, with pot of whole leaf tea. Meanwhile, daughter 2 opted for a ham and cheese toastie, complete with generous ham and cheese filling, which had crisps and salad to accompany, and a Sanpellegrino lemonata.
The scones were so rich, filled with lots of glazed cherries and sultanas – delightful when paired with clotted cream and jam. We were really pleased with the portion sizes and generosity when it came to the fillings of my ham and cheese sandwiches and daughter 2’s toasties, especially when considering the (very reasonable) pricing.
As expected, the tea was high quality, good taste and lived up to our standards. Though I enjoyed my English breakfast tea, daughter 1’s full leaf English breakfast tea was the star of the show. We had expected the two to be similar, but hers was significantly more rich and full in flavour.
Beyond the culinary offerings, it was the ambiance and company that made our day so special. Everyone around us, staff and customers, created a charming atmosphere.
As we left the tea room, we felt satisfied with our visit, pleased with the food and drink, but most importantly, we were reminded of just how enjoyable the little luxuries can be.
Menu – THE CAFE at Northern Tea Merchants Ltd
