Earl Grey Tea House in Northumberland

We had lunch after a highly enjoyable walk round the gardens, and what a pleasure it was. Everything we had was beautifully served and of the highest quality. We were blown away with the service and food quality and all at such competitive prices. We would highly recommend.

We visited the tea room after a lovely walk around the gardens and arboretum (which are a delight and well worth a visit). It’s a beautiful room and clearly popular. My English breakfast tea was perfect, served in a pot with plentiful additional hot water. I had a cream tea, with a delicious fruit scone, served with butter, blackcurrant jam and clotted cream. My son also loved his cheese scone. Particular kudos for the choice of vegan cake for my husband, which is unusual.

Had the most delicious lunch, not your usual sandwiches or paninis...a great smoked salmon salad with super fresh ingredients. My husband had the corned beef and mash pasty, equally lovely. Staff were delightful nothing was too much trouble, and very informative about the estate. Later we returned at the end of the long coastal path walk, for a pot of earl grey and cakes. Fabulous. Setting is wonderful with outside tables too. All in all a great experience. If we lived locally we would be regular visitors.

When visiting Howick Hall Gardens for the afternoon recently, we had tea and cake in The Earl Grey Tea House occupying a grand, high-ceilinged room on the ground floor of the main house. The choice of cakes, all laid out on a large table, was huge. We chose the lemon sponge and the coffee and walnut sponge, both of which were delicious; the best cake we had during our stay in Northumberland. The tea, (loose-leaf, with strainer) was also excellent, as one would expect at the former home of the Earl Grey!

The Howick Hall tea rooms are on estate of the family seat of Earl Grey so we had to visit the Tea Room. The service was great and the cakes on display were delicious. The tea was loose leaf served in the traditional way with teapots and tea strainers....very genteel !.

We visited at lunch-time. Some of the group selected light lunch items. Some of us ordered afternoon tea. The arrangements for serving afternoon tea are awkward (for both customer and venue) requiring the customer to select a sandwich and a cake. If I'd wanted a sandwich and a cake then that is what we'd have ordered! However I can see that some customers may not want any specific selection offered. Could a default selection of smaller items be offered, with the option for customers to request a variation? We swapped items between us to get some variation This irritation aside service was friendly and helpful. The Tea House is a pleasant airy space

Lovely setting spoilt by staff who were all i kitchen and non out front . Paid £7 for Northumberland rarebit which was a goo of cheese on white bread - very disappointed. Also concerned you have to get up to seeMenu then get up again to order and pay - masks on and off each time!

The venue is stunning. Had a damp but wonderful walk around the gardens and finished off in here. Soup and roll was very tasty but the Northumberland ploughmans with cheese and quiche was a triumph. The staff even gave us the names of the different cheeses so we locate them again over the rest of our holiday.

Visited here in July 2020 with family and was extremely disappointed. Some of the staff were rude and abrupt in their manner. The food was distinctly average. I paid £4.95 for a sandwich which took 40 minutes to arrive and consisted of 2 slices of very cheap white bread with a thin layer of beef. I would not return. If you are visiting Howick gardens my advice would be to take a packed lunch.

I ate here recently for the first time. I enjoyed Craster Kippers cooked to perfection with bread and butter. It was £9.80. There is a quite a varied menu, ranging from afternoon tea to jacket potatoes, sandwiches, and a few hot meals. The range of homemade cakes looked delicious. I also enjoyed a delicious hot chocolate with marshmallows and cream which was £2.80. There is certainly a wide variety of tea on the menu. I did not have to wait too long for a table and you can pay at the till on your exit. I thought the tearoom was lovely and really enjoyed the surroundings.

spent a while walking around some ordinary woodlands snowdrops quite nicenot worth £8 each entry fee !!! got to the much advertised tea room spent £30 on very average fayre !! Including very poor coffee !!! wont be going back if this tea room was in any town or village in the country it would be out of business only saved by its décor and ambience !!

I’ve not been here for a couple of years and planned to go for lunch but I was too late. Instead I had a cream tea with a pit of Earl Grey tea and it was superb. The scone was perfection, lovely tasty jam and clotted cream. As you would expect in the home of Earl Grey the tea was excellent too. A pot of leaf tea and a big pot of hot water served with lemon. Perfect. The tearoom is light and airy with views over the garden which today meant lots of lovely autumn colours. It’s also an interesting room with a lovely atmosphere.Friendly helpful staff too. The only downside is that you have to visit the garden to use the tea house. The garden and arboretum is fabulous but sometimes it would be nice just to go for lunch.

We needed a rest after becoming lost in the extensive parklands! We rested and were revived by some excellent teacakes and real tea! No teabags here!

There was nothing not to like about the Earl Grey Tea House! The staff were really lovely and so welcoming; even though we arrived late and they were busy preparing for an imminent function, they were so attentive and helpful. The tea was some of the nicest I've tasted anywhere,and the cake was second-to-none. The Victoria Sponge was especially gorgeous, though there were so many different types of cake that it was almost impossible to choose! The setting is so unique and beautiful. A trip to the Earl Grey Tea House is an absolute must!

Called for coffee and tea cake before gardens visited and we were served quickly by a lovely polite smiling young lady. We were invited to have a top up of coffee as well. The room is so comfortable and welcoming. We then returned at 1.40 for lunch and although busy lots of staff were keeping tables tidy and quickly taking orders. Food was delivered quickly and was fresh and tasty. Plentiful cake options and tea was served with a flask of hot water!! Absolutely loved everything about the Tea House, staff, ambience and food

As this is a Tea House, perhaps people who order coffee are not welcome or considered worthy of good or helpful service. My friend and l visited after having a lovely stroll around Howick Hall gardens, the church and the surrounding woodlands. The Tea House is in the old ballroom of the house which despite being a rather odd shape is impressive and home to several historic paintings and portraits. The menu offered coffee as well as tea and a ‘selection of home-made cakes’. When the waitress came to take our order we asked what cakes were available, her response was to point to the opposite end of the room and say ‘they’re over there’, my friend and l walked over, made our selections and returned to the waitress who was still at our table and gave her our order! She appeared bored, uninterested and gave the distinct impression of somebody who didn’t want to be there. Fortunately, the cakes were brought by a much pleasanter waitress, were indeed home-made, and lovely as well. The coffee was lousy, weak and lukewarm but perhaps that is to encourage customers to order the tea!! We’ll probably just have an ice cream if we visit again.The (ladies) loos aren’t great either.

Beautiful surroundings, friendly service, and the cake was to die for. The obvious Earl Grey tea but the coffee was just as good!

Howick Gardens is a delight and worth every penny of its entry charge - it has extensive walks through trees, gardens fields and even to the coast. The star of our visit was a trip to the Early Grey Tea rooms - Earl Grey tea has a historic link to Howick Hall. This is morning or afternoon tea with style but great value. A fantastic array of cakes including Gluten free options - fresh scones jam and cream and excellent teas. The views from the window seats of the garden are wonderful. I had ginger cake, others had Rhubarb and custard cake. It also serves lunches. Plenty of seating but spacious layout and a country house feel with epic art works and stylish furniture.

The quality of food is really good and the setting is idylic. The staff are helpful and pleasant. An enjoyable experience.

Enjoyed their cakes but not their individual coffees Service was efficient. The tearoom was originally Howick Hall ballroom A Portrait of Earl Grey (earl Grey tea) on the wall.. Howick Hall Gardens well worth a visit.

Delightful tea room in the stately home's old ballroom. Lovely high ceilings and wood panelling. Nice scones and friendly service. There are some eye-catching local crafts for sale, too, but, as a previous reviewer has noted, they are displayed behind some of the tables, which makes viewing difficult if someone is sitting there (!)

Howick Hall is a very nice setting and is still a home which understandably limits the potential to make the most of this place. Food was good quality but the smell of other people's kippers while eating was a bit off putting. Also gifts for sale could not be properly viewed because you had to lean over people at tables eating. Expected more from the seat of Earl Grey Tea and was a little disappointed. Its saving grace is the Earl Grey Tea Loaf which is probably the best fruit cake I've had.

This is a great setting for a tea room and apt, being the home of Earl Grey. However, the day of our visit (mother's day) the tea room was busy, and chaotic; the service was incredibly slow (we waited 20 minutes to be served and another half an hour for food (Kippers and a sandwich). The place seemed to be staffed mainly by teenagers who couldn't cope with the covers and there seemed to be no one in charge. Added to this, the place was dirty...

Took my son and Mum and Dad for afternoon tea today. What a total delight!! Tasty sandwiches, scrumptious scones and wonderful cakes, all washed down with real tea! Super surroundings and lovely, friendly and helpful staff. Thoroughly recommend you visit.

The tea room is lovely. We were in need of refreshments, we had a 19month old child with us who like many children that age only want to sit quiet for a short time, we ordered four drinks and four scones, the order took 40 minutes to arrive, very very slow service which spoilt our visit.

We've been coming to Howick Hall, and tearooms, since my daughter was a baby, and it never disappoints. The tearoom itself is beautiful; the main hall as I understand. It's very grand, and traditional. The food and tea/drinks are always delicious, especially the kippers, mackerel, and scones (clotted cream and jam, of course). The staff are friendly, and efficient and service is always speedy. It's such a beautiful hall, and the gardens/grounds are a must see when you're in this part of the country.

After exploring the delightful gardens and arboretum we were ready for refreshment. The tea rooms proved to be just the job. We had freshly made soup and sandwiches which were very good, followed by a choice of cakes. Two of us had the Earl Grey tea-loaf with butter just to acknowledge that this was the home of the world famous tea! Splendid. With its lofty ceiling and dramatic oil paintings the surroundings couldn't have been more stately. One of them seemed to be a warning against food allergy (see photo).

Reserved a table for my family and was not disappointed. We had planned for a high tea, but timing didn’t quite work so I had a cream tea and the others had sandwiches and tea. Funnily enough, I was the only one at the table who ordered Earl Grey. Compliments from my whole family as to the dishes they chose and the tea flavors. The view was especially enjoyable, as our table looked out onto a flowery patch of meadow complete with bird feeders and an array of feathered friends. A red squirrel came by to visit, as well, much to the delight of all at the table. Our waiter was a treat. He was a lively young fellow who was happy to chat when prompted and offer recommendations when asked. The tearoom wasn’t as crowded as I expected it would be, but it certainly had a healthy number of patrons. I visited on a weekday, so that might explain for the smaller crowd. A recommendation for those visiting the gardens, especially the new sensory garden.

Fantastic place for lunch, and definitely worth a visit if you're going to the gardens. Lovely sandwiches and cake, although plenty of other choices available on the specials board too. A lovely little dolls house for children to play with at the side too, and a couple of gluten free options on the menu for those that need it. We'll definitely be back!

An airy, curved room with tall windows overlooking the fine gardens, with feeders strategically placed outside so that you can see the birds & red squirrels at close hand. Friendly, attentive service & a menu which promised some local specialities like Craster kippers & a range of teas, including Earl Grey, of course. Not a busy day when we visited.

Didn't know much about Howick Hall until stayed at Longhoughton and decided to call in the way to Craster. What a find!

It's where Earl Grey put his feet up after bringing home the teabags!

This tea house is located in one of the grand rooms of Howick Hall - the only room open to the public. Whilst it is grand it succeeds in also being comfortable and friendly. Service is good. Coffee comes in cafetieres so gets to your table quickly. Do consider Earl Grey tea: this is where it was invented. Can get very busy at peak times.

The perfect place to relax after walking the grounds of this beautiful old house. Great selection of teas available not just Earl Grey, but you should really try the Earl Grey in its proper home !

What better after a walk around the grounds of Howick Hall but to have a bowl of soup and a sandwich in the tea room. The soup was butternut squash and carrot was by far the tastiest soup I have had in a long time. The ladies who served us looked after us with excellent people skills and we will be back next year to try some more of there delicious cakes.

A really special place with excellent home made cakes and bakes, lovely fresh sandwiches and local products eg Craster Kippers. A good selection of proper leaf teas served with accompanying pot of hot water. The staff were attentive but not overpowering. Beautiful antique China and paintings on display. Lots of information about the history of the Grey Family available to read.

Having spent some time walking around the Howick Hall Gardens, we allowed ourselves a treat in the Earl Grey Tea Rooms

Shame to be disappointed in such a fabulous room, but the high vaulted ceiling and fabulous panelling with picture windows to the garden of the former ballroom of the great house flattered to deceive. A ham’n’cheese sarnie did at least boast Red Leicester in place of the ubiquitous Cheddar and was not at all bad, but the Columbian coffee was at best ordinary. The real let down was the cake. From an array across the counter that looked very appetising an Apple and Apricot Cake appeared to shine, the reality, however, was a dry, crumbly, powdery concoction that fell apart on the plate and from which nothing could be tasted but nutmeg. Chunks of apricot could be seen but their flavour lost in a spice fog. Was there apple in it? Presumably, but not so much or the cake would have been moist. A privilege to lunch in such surroundings but less so to sample the grub.

This is a ballroom experience beyond compare. Pictures, mirrors, a wonderful oak floor and lovely home cooked cakes and food. It may be old fashioned but the kippers and cakes are delicious.

We visit the gardens when in the area with family. We stopped again today and had lunch as a first order of business. Great soup of the day, nice selection of teas, and the always impressive spread of cakes. I certainly wish my husband didn't insist on ordering the kippers (quite smelly) but they are one of the best around!

My family took our two granddaughters to Howick Hall so that they could experience a genuine English afternoon tea and to see the gardens. It was quite nice, especially since Howick is the home of Earl Grey Tea. There was also a light lunch alternative for those who wanted one. It made for a nice afternoon.

Disfrutamos de la comida aquí, plowman, ensaladas y sándwiches tostados seguido por deliciosos pasteles. Nos pareció que era una muy buena calidad, mejor que muchos cafés restaurante nt/, con buen servicio de mesa. La escala del café hace que se sienta un poco apagados, pero que no dudaría en recomendar su limitada pero buena selección del menú.

Bien este es probablemente el lugar más grandioso que he dejado de tomar té.

Beautiful tea rooms, with lovely old furniture and not your modern plastic rubbish, however the prices didn't reflect the surroundings, they were very good.

A bit more sedate than your average tea room.Is a nice experience and cake selection extensive.Food was above average presentation and nice period feel to the experience.

If you walk up an appetite, from walking around the arboretum and gardens, you will not be disappointed, with what`s on offer. Very good selection of cakes- the lemon pie , a must, if available- everything home made and value for money. Please enjoy, like we did.

Lovely old fashioned tea rooms, tea leaves etc. Lots if home made cake . Staff polite and courteous, worth a visit.

This has to be one of the most quintessentially English settings for afternoon tea that one could imagine, certainly on a par with the Bath Pump Rooms, although lacking the live music! The tea house rooms have been restored back to their original shape as a ballroom, removing much of the work done in the 1920's. We spent nearly 90 minutes here over our tea and coffee, much of the time simply admiring the exquisite architecture and paintings as well as enjoying the most excellent Earl Grey tea, coffee and cream tea. Service was friendly and unhurried and when we were there in late April, the setting was uncrowded and relaxing. A nice touch was the provision of adequate quantities of hot water to top up the tea - provided in an insulated flask to ensure the right temperature. The tea rooms are only open to those purchasing an entrance ticket to the gardens, which are well worth a visit. There is plenty of parking and the site is relatively easy to access. Overall a very enjoyable experience at a moderate price that we have vowed to repeat as often as we can.

Very nice crusty bread with plenty of cheese and mustard to give a very tasty rarebit. Wife had an egg sandwich which was also tasty. Nice lattes to accompany food. Very enjoyable

After thoroughly exploring the beautiful grounds - east and west arboretums (wonderful autumn colours) we treated ourselves to tea and cake. The choice of cake seemed fairly limited, with a lot of 'ends' of cake on display, so we went for the scone, cream and jam option, which was delicious, with jam home-made by our waitress apparently (a nice touch). Extra water without having to ask too. And what a dining room - gorgeous, with heaps of information around about the history of the house and family. Highly recommend.

We spent a very enjoyable afternoon walking in the gardens exploring as much as possible, trying not to miss anything in these splendid grounds. The tea house is splendid,the tea was excellent with extra hot water,cakes were also very good, not overpriced for the quality, very fresh & tasty.Our only criticism is that our waitress was miserable, not at all like you would expect there,she could have turned milk sour! All the other staff we met were very nice , helpful & knowledgeable, we did return on another day for a guided tour but the guide did not turn up.It did not matter to us we completed another walk around the gardens.

Wonderful room and ambience. Feels very gentle and...dare I say...posh. Food a touch expensive but the surroundings seem to make up for it. Only open to paying visitors to the gardens so make sure you experience the tea room when you visit.

Waitress service but not overly expensive, only had drinks not food. However the menu looked good and reasonable value. Lovely setting

Was back again at Howick Hall Garden at the weekend and the marvellous Earl Grey Tea House. Arrived in time for a late lunch with one of my favourites on the menu - Northumberland Rarebit - yummy.After doing a round of the garden, we were back in time for tea and cakes - always a great selection making it so difficult to choose.It's so comfortable, elegant and charming, you almost expect the old Earl himself to stroll in for tea.

Found this place just by accident & wasbeautifully surprise - lovely gardens ( sadly the house is not open to the public), but the tea place was very grand with a lovely selection of cakes to die for. I must say it was my 1rst time i actually enjoyed EarlGrey tea it tasted very different from London. Most definitely will visit again.

We visited Howick Hall Gardens yesterday and enjoyed a cream tea at the tea house. The service was amazingly fast and our food was delicious and high quality. The tea as you'd expect is excellent and extra hot water was provided so as did not go thirsty. Reasonably priced and very filling which set us up for a long walk round the garden and East Arboretum, well recommended.

We had lunch here when visiting the grounds. The food was fine, my smoked salmon for the smoked salmon salad was actually lovely but I would suggest more actual salad with it, doesn't cost a lot to provide and would certainly improve the experience. Ditto for the other salad and at 9 pounds or so it's not a cheap meal. I know the salmon was of excellent quality but the salad was open to great improvement.We popped in later for coffee, not great though I believe the tea was nice which as it was Earl Grey from the original home of Earl Grey.........

How can you say "no" to drinking Earl Grey Tea in The Earl Grey Teahouse? We found ourselves with an extra half day in Northumberland and thought we would visit the teahouse and Howick Hall's gardens.We arrived into the Teahouse at 3:02PM so the lunch dishes were unavailable - which was fine since we were there for the afternoon Tea. The Earl Grey tea itself was good as were the egg salad and watercress sandwiches. But there were no cucumber sandwiches and the carrot/curry chicken sandwich was just OK (if a little weird). But the scones and cakes were staggeringly disappointing. Dry and overly sweet we found them more or less inedible - and it isn't often we leave cakes or scones behind.Lastly, though it was never made clear the teahouse seemed to run on the theory that everyone is your server. Which in a well run restaurant is great. But here 'everyone is your server' meant that 'no one is your server'.

The home and gardens of THE Earl Grey at Howick in Northumberland is well worth a visit. The gardens and woods are superb for their snowdrops, daffodils and other lovely corners, as well as the many exotic trees. However the Tea House is a great disappointment, despite the fine room in which it serves and the Victorian style of the waitresses.We were totally turned off the look of the sandwiches so I chose Northumbrian Rarebit at £6.80 and my wife had a smallish portion of butternut and red pepper soup at £4.70.My dish was a weird tasting liquid made of some cheese, probably mayonnaise and mustard served on a small bun with a little salad garnish. Very poor value and taste. My wife's soup was OK but 20p more than the excellent equivalent served at The Jolly Fisherman in nearby Craster. If you want to charge up-market prices then you should serve quality food. It was 1960s food, lacking any finesse. A cafetière of coffee for two people was literally 2 cups of moderate coffee at £5.50, again poor value.Earl Grey would want to re-enact a Great Reform Act were he to visit. he

It was lovely here! My friend and I had the cream tea, you were given loads of food. One of the best fruit scones I have tasted. There is a lovely atmosphere in the place. I just wish you could go in the rest of the house.

There is a stunning choice of cakes, all made on site. Delicious! Obviously the tea itself is perfect. The room is charming with pleasing garden views. The staff are friendly and efficient. Only one but, and it's a big one, why do you have to pay an entrance fee if you just want tea?

Lovely staff and a menu with original food items. Quick and efficient service. The range of home made jams and honeys at the counter is far too tempting.

love the tea room (but cant just call in for a coffee have to pay for entrance to the estate too.) the food is fresh and staff are knowledgeable lovely surroundings and nice garden views

While enjoying the aristocratic surroundings, we were surprised not to be offered a more extensive tea and food selection, or to be served by staff with more knowledge about the menu

Freshly prepared food of an excellent standard efficiently served in the elegant former Ballroom. An experience not to be missed. Always visit at least twice whilst visiting the gardens.

The food was good, but the tea experience wasn't.Sandwiches were really a mini-meal and there is a great choice.The tea problem could have been that I was given the wrong pot. I wanted Breakfast Tea and suspect I got Green Tea instead. That will teach me to keep quiet and suffer!

Lovely setting nice food offering.We only had drinks and one cake however watching other orders go bye it all looked Mega.

This was the first place we visited once we dropped out bags into the hotel, we had our breakfast at this little cafe, and we were welcomed in and shown to a table, our order came fast and was delicious, the hostess was very polite and friendly, its a shame we didnt get to visit a second time before we left.

Lovely surroundings and food was delicious. The gardens are well worth a visit and the tea rooms finish the day off well

The tea rooms provide a pleasant end to a walk round the gardens. There is a quaint 19th century feel to them and they have nice views across the gardens. There is of course the renowned Earl Grey tea but my favourite Russian Caravan tea. The fruit cake was delicious as was the moist cherry and almond cake although there was a technical problem with this in that the cherries had sunk to the bottom! Prices of everything very reasonable and much cheaper than other tea shops such as Betty's in Harrogate!

We went to the gardens here,we may have been a little early in the season but it is still a good walk about and the shrubs that were out were good

Our favourite tearoom. Good service. Great cakes. And a lovely view out onto the gardens. We visit here every time we are in the area.

My friend and I met for lunch here in February. We loved the home made soup and the service was excellent and efficient It is a beautiful setting with lovely paintings and period furniture. We had a refreshing walk around the grounds which were carpeted with snowdrops . The murals in the church were also worth a visit. On return we had tea and home made cake. The Russian caravan tea was a highlight.

I visited Howick Hall Gardens during Feb half term, snowdrop time (beautiful!) The tea house was very busy, with people queuing out of the door for a table at 12.30. However, it was well worth the short wait. Service is quick and friendly, light lunches (sandwiches, scones, etc.) are beautifully presented and good value, and the room itself is very special.

This is in the Howick home of the Earls of Grey, as in the tea. The tea room is in a beautiful Georgian reception room, wooden floors, with huge sash windows overlooking the lovely garden.The waitress service and traditional afternoon tea is a step back in time to another era. Wonderful.

I really love this rather classy gem at the wonderful Howick Hall....its quite a special wee place & very unspoiled. Go for fabulous walks around the gardens & woodland (you can kind of get lost if you want too!)......Then get yourself to the tea house for a smashing cuppa (they do coffee too but you have to do Earl Grey if you're at Howick don't you?) Always service with a smile & friendly folk. A decent choice of menu very reasonably priced but scones (a very good selection) & cakes & the divine afternoon teas are to die for in a fabulous location! What are you waiting for?Enjoy!

Whilst the tea rooms are only accessible to visitors to Howick Hall Gardens, if you are visiting the gardens (and they are well worth visiting) you can get an excellent light lunch at a very reasonable cost. The tea rooms are situated in part of the main building, have interesting furnishing and paintings and a lovely view over the gardens..