Halls Cafe in York

In 1984 I remember back packing around China with a Betty's canvas bag from the cake shop.Though it may have been an Elizabeth Botham's of Whitby bag I always wanted to go to Betty's but I thought it was Betty expensive but the cream tea wasn't too bad a price, as I treated myself after having a poor turn out for my 60th birthday party. Just as good as any London establishment Fortnum &Mason, The Wolsey Ritz or Harvey Nichols but a lot cheaper. And the loos are good too.

Lovely food... lovely coffee... lovely service... what more could one want thank you

Mixed feelings this time. Popped into Betty's for a late lunch and treat 14.30-15.00 Had an initial 10 mins wait to be seated but once sat the service was good, the food and one of the drinks arrived quickly followed shortly by the 2nd drink....but we didn't receive any service after this and then trying to get a member of staff over to clear out plates so we could order dessert was non existent, so I had to approach a member of staff to inform them but in the end we chose not have anything extra due to the amount of time that had passed. As per usual the place is wonderful, clean and with generally friendly staff along with delicious food and treats but unfortunately this time the service let it down....let's hope it's different next time I'm in town for a lovely rewarding treat.

A must visit when in Harrogate. Excellent tea and cakes.

I had Christmas tea and cake beautiful.purchase items from the shop also . amazing place

Had morning tea here which was absolutely sublime. I would say even better than afternoon tea the day before at Bettys York. The food was superb and very tasty and hot. The setting is stunning even the bathroom is so beautiful. Was so lovely even popped to shop and brought lunch for journey home and gifts

Dined here on 9 November 2024 for Afternoon Tea with my partner and received excellent service overall. It was lovely all decked out with the Christmas decorations too.

Lovely experience but it isn’t cheap

We stayed in Harrogate overnight on our way from London to Alnwick. We order goods online so thought a visit was in order. In the restaurant, ask to be seated on the upper part and we were in a window for breakfast. It was a cold crisp morning with clear blue sky’s, so we were bathed in sunlight for our breakfast. The food was expensive, but very good. The service was excellent and we visited the shop before we left and brought home some cakes.

Having visited York for over 30 years and never been in the tearoom we decided to take the train to Harrogate for a day trip and we were not disappointed. We were in the queue for about 20 minutes but got picked out as a table for 2 became available. We had 2 glasses of proseco with the sandwiches and cakes and the tea was delicious. Glad we have done it

Well worth the wait. Queue goes on all day you just have to join it. Great service and you can tell straight away why the get all the hype.

Great food, amazing staff. A lovely experience

Always a pleasure to visit this place. Never disappointed. Service was excellent.

Not dog friendly, not worthy of our money, simples!

Lovely afternoon tea in the Imperial Room with family. Having had a few lately some in some very swanky establishments I thought this was very good value for money. Staff were amazing especially with a very senior member of the family. They certainly make the experience. It was busy but they were still very attentive and engaging. I would definitely return.

Such a lovely place. Definitely recommend, but booking is recommended

Stores that always have a queue Betty's tea room in the small town of Harrogate was founded by a Swiss person in 1919. It has become the Michelin star in the dessert industry. Compared with the York store, it is quieter and more upscale. The tea is also carefully selected and served. Didn't disappoint at all.

We had a really delicious breakfast at Betty’s in Harrogate. The rosti and kedgeree were so good, we are already planning when we can go there again! Service was super friendly and very efficient.

The iconic British tea room. It did not fail to deliver. Get set for a wait for a table that is well worth it. We went Friday about 11am through the queue for a luxury team experience. The staff were helpful and made a fuss over our kids, adapting the menu to compensate for dietary issues with Rapid friendly service. We had a sumptuous brunch of the autumnal poached eggs and avocado, eggs florentine, scrambled eggs on muffin and a kids vege rascal breakfast. The hot chocolate was overflowing, juice was fresh, chocolate milkshake delightful and the cream tea at perfection. Our kids had a great time, we enjoyed a lovely brunch and I highly recommend a visit.

It was a lovely experience staff were excellent and food was great would definitely go back again

Went for Breakfast, then back again late afternoon for Tea. The downstairs gallery of marquetry was an added bonus. Also came away with some items from the bakery

Very pleasant hour or so. Nice atmosphere and food just right

We had a lovely breakfast. The cafe was not too busy (we arrived at just after 9am on a Saturday, but we also visited at about 9.40am and 3.45pm on a weekday and had no queue to get in at either time - luck!) so we were seated quickly and the waiter was very attentive. We had a range of drinks and breakfast food which were all delicious and arrived quickly. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming. Nice decoration and good clean WCs too. I've been before but would definitely return!

I loved Betty's. It was everything that I expected. The staff were very friendly and efficient. Food was lovely. We had afternoon tea one day and a cooked breakfast on another. Highly recommended.

Fantastic food and service. Lovely, spacious seating.

Lovely Autumnal afternoon tea. Vegetarian options were ok (coronation chickpea and cheese and chutney sandwich). Not a fan of egg mayonnaise so i think they could consider a better alternative for people who do not eat eggs. The sour cherry scone was very lovely! Their classic tea blend is a hit as always, and the tea selection is great. Its a good one to go to for its history and background, and the service and pianist were great (polite friendly staff and the pianist played loads of modern songs - Bridgerton vibes) but the afternoon tea I would say was average or just above. Nothing ground breaking.

Great place for a special treat. Make sure you book to avoid disappointment.

Bettys tea rooms are, as always, head and shoulders above the rest. Fantastic service, amazing restaurant food and quality produce.

Absolutely gorgeous, we booked for Afternoon Tea in the Imperial Room. It was everything you would expect from Bettys....quality Table Linen, China, Food , service was impeccable, at Harrogate. Unfortunately our first contact was from a member of staff who's name we did not get , she had a suit jacket and skirt on at reception but was unfriendly and told us we would need to wait, very curt, made us feel like an inconvenience. But when we our table was ready we were greeted by the most amazing staff, first was Vicky, welcoming and friendly, we were then introduced to Karen who looked after us during out Tea service, she made our visit really due to her lovely nature, giving us all the information of the diffrent Teas and Food...attentive , we had a couple of lovely chats about the history of Bettys, and Harrogate, a great Ambassador for the company, thank you Karen x

It's ok but not as amazing as everyone makes out . We had to queue for twenty minutes outside. We ordered two afternoon teas. The sandwiches were delicious but a little small. The scones were tasty. The miniature cakes were just ok. The macaron was a little gritty and too sugary. The coffee treat was overwhelming. The meringue , Jam and cream were lovely. There are three floors of seating and they get nicer the further down the stairs you go! The service is very good.

Had to wait half an hour to get inside. Once inside it was an experience of good service that you don't get any more with staff dressed in white aprons and being polite. The loose leaf tea reminded me of when a cup of tea was tasty. The cakes were tiny and very costly. On the whole a good experience but very expensive.

Apparently the best among the chain. A bit of a wait (15-25mins) before I was seated. Had a proper lunch instead of booking the afternoon tea session. Great selection of food. Tried the Betty’s Burger which I have been reading a lot, it was okay, not a big fan tho. The mushroom soup of the day may not look that appealing but it it tasted great! The cheesecake was delectable and was served with fresh berries. Their salted caramel latte is a must try. Portions are decent. Staff service was superb. Overall a great experience!

Only waited about 15 minutes, it was worth the wait. Food was delicious, and served by a very friendly and professional waiter, Adam. Would recommend

Lovely food and lovely staff. A really enjoyable first visit

Beautiful proper British Tea experience. Betty's had options for gluten free, vegetarian, and vegan. Many teas to select from and was able to try any of them. Very lovely!

Betty's is a must in Harrogate! We go every time we come and it's always incredible. Friendly service and the quality of the food is second to none. Can't recommend the afternoon tea and Grande Breakfast highly enough!

Well, I believe that this review is a necessary one. Upon queuing up we were provided a menu and assured we would be seated quickly. As such we were very pleased to find that the queue went down fast. Everyone was abuzz with excitement to visit; I suppose that’s why there *was* a queue to begin with. They allow for the perfect amount of time between seating and ordering, just long enough to chat and take in the warm and calming atmosphere. Freya Beth was demure and mindful in the most literal sense, serving us with an obvious passion for the business and thorough knowledge of the offerings (though she would have, as we found out that the staff are fed on the same food as the customers - we are jealous!). Ms Chapman is a credit to Betty’s, and my boyfriend and I highly praise her for all of her charm and skill. That is not to discount the other staff who were attentive, friendly, and never skipped a beat. I overheard an efficient handover between two women who were ostensibly supervisors which demonstrated clear communication and a deep understanding of the staff’s purpose and method. They have a regular menu and a seasonal specials menu, both of which had so much good choice with local produce dotting every part of them both. I chose Yorkshire Sausages with Red Wine Jus, Potato Rösti, Roast Carrot, Kale, and Golden Beetroot (the latter was an unexpected but excellent choice by the chefs). This was a seasonal item. My boyfriend had the Bacon and Raclette Rösti. This was a regular item. Both dishes were delicious, piping hot, and well-presented. Our shared highlight of the autumnal-hibernal menu was the Orange Liqueur Hot Chocolate which was under no exaggeration one of the most moreish yet comforting drinks we’ve had in a while. For dessert, I had the Rascal Scone with butter. It was crumbly, citrusy, and rich, and I easily scoffed it. It paired very well with a cup of milky Earl Grey with honey. My boyfriend had the raspberry grande macaron; these are notoriously difficult. Betty’s did not disappoint, however, and it was enjoyed thoroughly. The uniforms are beautiful, the metal tea sets are charmingly old-timey yet the porcelain is modern - this makes for a juxtaposition which continues throughout the theme of the tea room. All furnishings are looked after to a good standard. After finishing our meal, we took a little time to peruse the shop. I bought a quaint little Christmas tree ornament in the shape of a Rascal Scone which will remind me of our time there, and my boyfriend bought some macarons which we will enjoy this evening. To summarise, you can see the generational care and attentiveness which the tea room has been steeped in as a family business passed down from person to person. The cost is well worth every penny spent. We shall return, perhaps to one of their other locations next time, but we will make sure to visit this one again at some stage. Thank you to all for a definitive five-star experience. We could not fault it. Many thanks - J and J.

An enjoyable experience. Loved it.

Brilliant atmosphere and service

A wonderful place for afternoon tea. Staff were very friendly and efficient. The vegan food was very good and the tea was excellent. The room is lovely with a great ambience. (The photo is of the standard tea, not the vegan)

A great way to celebrate my 70th birthday in December. I fancied this preemptive visit to Harrogate instead of a big do. I made a good call because our hotel the Majestic Double Tree by Hilton was amazing. Betty's tea room was everything and more. Ben waited on us so well and we could have food and drinks at will. This was an excellent afternoon tea, silver service and Victorian. All fresh delicious locally sourced fayre. We were serenaded with piano music . We were transported back to yesteryear being immersed in this period decor. We splashed out about, but being it was a special occasion it was justified! We had the Pink Champagne afternoon tea. In preference to the original idea to have prosecco as a celebratory drink. We booked online and benefitted by being shown upstairs to enjoy the deluxe afternoon tea. I'd wholeheartedly recommend this special treat, you won't be disssapointed. Its got to be your priority on a visit to Harrogate!

A really below par place for afternoon tea. Had a much better experience in smaller brands and definitely not a premium experience. Relies on tourists for its brand reputation as service wasn’t great, food was a below average. We were not offered any other sandwiches, no one stepped us through the platter. I asked for sugar it wasn’t brought until the second request. The gluten free scone was full of sugar crystals and hard. I had advised it was for a birthday celebration and this was totally ignored.

Amazing!! Just go and see for yourself! You will not be disappointed 🥰

Nice to go, but over priced for what you got. But nice experience.

Usual queue and wait but always worth it!

It's a lovely place to have lunch or an afternoon tea,the staff are dressed the part and nothing was too much trouble for them.my only criticism is it is over priced.But we did have a lovely experience.

Afternoon tea is expensive but we'll worth it.

The service was excellent, and the food was very good. I would say that Bettys Cafe Tea Rooms are the RITZ of the North. I would recommend anyone to visit and enjoy the hospitality.

Something I wanted to do on my trip to Yorkshire friendly staff and a lovely atmosphere traditional tea shop lovely coffee and cake more expensive than most places but not that much a lovely Experience

Huge queues for dining, but slow and mellow inside. Recommend just visiting the store if busy.

Tempted to think there should be an option to book meals other than just afternoon tea. Lovely products well presented, but expensive staff friendly and helpful. It was tricky not having WiFi to plan the day in Harrogate. Lighting really poor

All very good but the scones were very petite and could not get any extra ones

Food excellent. Tea room is attractive & warm. Staff are excellent in service, friendliness & efficiency. A must visit & very much worth it!

A proper tea room! Reminiscent of days gone by, all the staff are smartly dressed in black and white uniforms. It's a little pricey, but it's worth it for the experience. There will be a queue outside, but they get you in pretty quickly.

Superb experience, beautiful venue. Quality of food and drink sublime.

What an experience, loved it that much we came back a second time in a row.

We went here to celebrate my mum's birthday and it didn't disappoint. We had booked the Imperial Suite so didn't need to queue outside. The service was fantastic from all staff. They were so attentive and made you feel like a special customer. The food was incredible and the pianist made the whole experience even more authentic.

Excellent food Excellent service

Cream tea with proper tea with silver service. Just wonderful

Our first visit for the Harrogate Betty's . Really enjoyed it. We have visited the York one

Betty's Harrogate serves amazing tea, yummy mushroom sandwiches, and heavenly desserts. The service is great too. A must-visit spot in Harrogate for delicious treats and cozy vibes!

This is the first time I've ever been to a Betty's. The cakes were delicious and the staff were lovely

Greatl place and wonderful food!

There is a little bit of a wait but it's certainly worth it! After approx 30minutes we were seated right in the basement which was OK, but not the experience you want if coming from further away. So we waited for the next opportunity in a room that s got windows, but were finally seated in their dining room upstairs with the table cloths and the piano player. Service was a little slow first of, but thanks to Ben the young servant, he has made our experience far better and we thoroughly enjoyed their signature afternoon tea with lovely champagne. Louis came to surprise us with with a little birthday cake and song towards the end, so it was all in all it was definitely worth the long wait!

Worth booking afternoon tea in advance otherwise long ques Great experience

Great place to have a special lunch or afternoon tea.

Excellent very English tea room. I recommend the scones. Cakes that you can eat on site or buy in the store

Delicious food and very friendly and helpful staff. Definitely worth a visit

Simply delightful! Stopped by for afternoon tea whilst on our honeymoon in York. We booked ahead of time and were able to be swiftly seated 15 minutes before our seating time. Live piano music accompanied a very tasty afternoon tea, which was very diligently and professionally attended to by our server Anne. Book ahead and you won't be disappointed!

Wonderful cafe. We had a lovely cream tea. But, maybe We'll try Afternoon tea next time. Lol..🤣 Also you can buy Tea and delicious cake too.

This is such a beautiful place for afternoon tea, and I highly recommend going here as it has such a long and rich history. The atmosphere is so regal and perfect for a lovely day out in Harrogate. When you enter, there is the Betty’s bakery that has a very vintage decor, and as you walk into the restaurant it’s very fancy and huge in space. The ladies bathrooms are noticeably fancy too. We ordered an afternoon tea for two to celebrate a birthday. We were surprisingly full from the great selection of sandwiches and desserts that were beautifully presented on the afternoon tea stand. I told a member of staff that it was my companions birthday, and they kindly surprised us with a small cupcake with a candle to celebrate the occasion. The staff were very lovely and helpful and accommodating. Best place for an afternoon tea in all of the UK for sure!

If you're even considering whether Betty's is worth a punt, consider no more: it absolutely is. The Harrogate branch of Betty's is absolutely magnificent. While you can dine in, I highly rate the take away options. I've had much success over the years sampling the various French fancies, the top-tier eccles cake (and actually the sleeper hit of Betty's if you ask me), and, of course, their fat rascals. They're particularly known for their afternoon tea, and what's more is that you can (as of August 2024) have it as a takeaway - just order several days in advance. They're also particularly good for chocolate bakes (no doubt thanks to their Swiss roots) and their fruit cakes. I also tend to grab the Betty's Tea Room blend tea to bring home.

The legendary Betty's Tea Rooms did not disappoint! I dined there one May afternoon and enjoyed the food so much. There is such a great range available, including many different teas and cakes. Heaven. When we arrived the queue moved swiftly and we were seated in about 15 minutes. The staff are super friendly. On my next visit to Harrogate, it is a must!

Cute tea room, great atmosphere and service

Went for lunch - sandwich, cake and drink. The salmon n prawn sandwich was delicious and the heart shaped cake was as nice as it looked. Lovely waitress.

THE essential high tea experience

Love this place. Came for afternoon tea and it was fabulous. There was a queue, but I did not take it too long to get in and the service was really fantastic. Friendly staff and the cakes and scones were so delicious. Highly recommend coming here when visiting Harrogate. They also do takeaway so you can buy tea cakes and biscuits to take home.

My friend and I visited on Saturday 24th August around 2pm. The queue outside was fairly short, we waited around 20 minutes. Once seated we ordered a fat rascal, a cup of tea and a cream tea. The service and food/tea were faultless. However, a table very close to us had two parents and two exceptionally badly behaved boys, aged around 9/10 and certainly old enough to know better. They were loud, had no table manners and couldn't sit still. Maybe Betty's might consider seating families with children in a separate area. This ruined our visit somewhat, and also the lady next to us, who commented to us on the bad behaviour. Parents, don't take your kids to a place like Betty's if they can't behave.

An Northern institution that must be done. I'm sure based on the near constant queues this review won't make a difference but we waited 40min for our tea as the order didn't get input into the system. The supervisor then came over & managed nearly all of our process as well as deducting the tea from our bill. Nice touch. Time for waitresses/waiters to input directly into tablets me thinks

A bit on the expensive side but a wonderful atmosphere, terrific service, and a delightful afternoon tea. Couldn't fault the tea, sandwiches, and cakes. Great for a special treat.

Can understand why people queue to get in and the queue does go down quickly. From start to finish we were treated to the best service. We chose not to have the afternoon tea like most others in there were having but opted for main courses and desserts which were amazing. Happened to mention that it was my hubby's birthday and a fondant fancy with candle was given to him(much to his horror) but it was a lovely touch and a nice finish to our visit.

Loved my experience here, very filling and very friendly, and staff know some of the locals well.

It was my first, but my wife bean three or four times

Betty's of Harrogate is the best tea and place to relax and enjoy the atmosphere of a tea/coffee break. My table of two chose tea and a Betty's favourite choice. Their menu caters for all events. The service was quick and efficient.

Great food lovely atmosphere freindley staff

Absolutely 100% wonderful experience. We waited around 10 minutes to get in with the small queue, but that's not a problem. You know if you're going to Betty's, you're probably going to queue. The atmosphere in there is amazing, so warm and friendly, and the service is carried out with absolute precision. Everything about the place is wonderful, the decor, the staff and the food... We had afternoon tea and scones, which were outstanding. We've been to Betty's in York too, which was exactly the same. Highly recommended 👌

Lovely tea rooms, more expensive than most but service is excellent. Usually have to queue to get in.

My sister got me a bettys afternoon tea gift set for a birthday surprise. It was filled with lovely tea blend tea bags & some wonderful scones which were so nice & fresh. A Yorkshire fruit cake & some jam that was so nice with the scones too. I added some strawberries & cream to mine. Not been down to bettys tea rooms yet but loved the gift from there shop & will definitly be visiting soon

Wasn’t even allowed in, was subject to racial profiling!

We had a lovely afternoon tea at Betty’s. It’s a beautiful room and the food was delicious!

Beautiful place with lovely sights from the window seats! Food is very nice and there are lots of options for people to choose from! The presentation of the food and drinks makes you feel like royalty! And coffee making is very fun with the french press! Shop sells desserts and is amazing.

Crowded, and overrated. Expensive for what you get.

What a lovely experience having lunch at Betty’s Tea Rooms! We did have to queue but only for about 15 minutes during which time we were greeted and given a menu to look through and made our choices before we sat down! The staff were all lovely and all looked incredibly smart in their uniforms. The main courses were delicious, when plates are empty says it all! The only tiny thing, not to our taste, was the sponge in the trifle, was very dry but otherwise ok. Definitely a very pleasant experience, not the cheapest, but a very special lunch so thank you Betty’s Tea Rooms and a special thank you to our waitress! 😍 (Check 20043)

We had a very good experience here. Dropped in around 4.30pm and there was a small queue to get in. We all had fruit tart with ice cream and breakfast tea which were all excellent.

We visited Betty's in mid-August this year to buy cakes and sweets to take away. The vanilla cake with sultanas-raisins and coconut-pineapple glaze was just divine. The gingerbread was also irresistible. Service was very friendly and professional . I would highly recommend Betty's in Harrogate and next time I will definitely plan in advance and book a table for afternoon tea!

Experience not to be missed when visiting Harrogate,

Ideal for special occasions, super for breakfasts with no queues. Great service and food was excellent. Super selection of cakes and stuff to take away too..

Bettys never disappoints but the staff and food where excellent today. I requested a seat upstairs as my mobility is not good and they catered for me no problem.

Still the best. When many establishments cheapen their offer, Bettys does not. No offers, no gimmicks, just old fashioned quality.

Food good if not a little pricey