Hello Everyone!
Today we start the series which gives us the excuse to eat as much afternoon tea as possible! Why, you ask? Because what's better than tiny sandwiches, cake and pure Britishness!
We visited 'The Ivy' Tunbridge Wells back in April as a birthday celebration, so here's the rundown on what we thought...
Setting: 4/5
We were blown away by the art-deco design of 'The Ivy', which featured a tulip wall, a bar covered in hanging glasses, and stylish orange and green furnishings . It felt super elegant yet not intimating, perfect for making a celebration feel extra special. The only slight drawbacks were that the table was quite cramped once the food arrived and being us, we would have loved to see some more flowers inside as well!
Crockery: 3.5/5
We thought the silverware and yellow cake stand were gorgeous! And although the plates and cups were lovely as well, they were a little too simple and branded for our taste. The tea was spread across two stands, which was understandable size-wise but we missed the tradition of working your way from bottom to top, and left little wriggle-room on the table.
Sandwiches: 5/5
Didn't realise sandwiches could taste so good. These featured marinated cucumber and dil finger sandwiches, smoked salmon on dark rye bread with cream cheese and chives, and finally the truffle chicken brioche rolls, which was as good as it damn sounds! Nuff said.
Scones: 4/5
The fruit scones were classic and delicious! Personally we thought it would have been nice just to have one scone, instead of two minis, but that was well made up for by the fresh strawberries it was served with; an unusual but tasty touch!
Cakes: 2.5/5
The cakes that we finished with were a raspberry topped cheesecake, creme brûlée doughnut and a chocolate and salted caramel mousse. Although these were really nice, they didn't quite live up to the epic sandwiches which we started with. We're more fans of punchier flavours, and found them a just tiny bit unspecifically sweet. Having said that it was hard to deny that they were perfectly baked and presented, especially the terracotta pot mousse.
Value for money: 4/5
For a luxury feeling experience the price of £18.95 (+10% tip) seemed very reasonable and quite standard for outside of London. We definitely felt that we were mainly paying for setting (and sandwiches). Portion wise, the tea was generous but not over facing, and we appreciated the unlimited tea or coffee. If you like to be so showered in cakes that you struggle to finish, this might not be the one for you, but the classy collection of treat definitely didn't leave us feeling hungry!
Experience: 4/5
We had an amazing time at the Ivy and would highly recommend to anyone in the Tunbridge Wells area. If you are going for a birthday, be sure to let them know prior, as they generously presented us with a little complementary raspberry cheesecake topped with a birthday chocolate and candle. The waiters were all extremely attentive and friendly, although we did feel a little sad as they gradually disassembled and removed the cake stand as we ate each section. They obviously wanted to give us more space and prevent us staring at empty plates, but we missed the satisfaction of seeing an empty stand at the end. The whole afternoon felt really special, and the vibe in there definitely gives you an excuse to get a little bit more dressed up than your usual cafe. We'd recommend booking in advance, as although its not essential, this popular location does fill up fast!
Overall: 3.9/5
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