In
food,
Tea on the Green
Nestled between Ask Italian and St Martin’s Church in
central Exeter, Tea on the Green is a local culinary classic. In the summer
months, you can enjoy breakfast, lunch or afternoon tea sat outside in the
sunshine admiring Exeter’s impressive Cathedral or, if it’s slightly chillier,
there is plenty of space inside in the cosy two-floored tea room, complete with
quirky décor and stunning window views.
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Following the devastation of the fire that destroyed
the Royal Clarence Hotel last October, just across from Tea on the Green, it’s
easy to understand how business has suffered for the local tea room. After being
forced to close for three weeks while safety was restored to the area, the café
now has a new neighbour in the form of a rather strapping orange digger. The quality
of its food and service, however, has remained strong, so I took a little trip to
Exeter’s favourite tea room to remind myself just why Tea on the Green is so
well-loved.
After much deliberation (the breakfast menu is
seriously extensive), both my friend and I went for the classic full English,
complete with sausage, bacon (in her case, at least – I’m veggie), eggs, baked
beans, griddled tomato, hash brown, mushrooms and toast. I’ve had my fair share
of fry-ups in the past and let me tell you – this one is pretty darn great. If
you’re not in the mood for breakfast food, the menu also covers a range of
snacks, lunch, afternoon tea and a wonderful array of locally baked cakes. I’ve
been lucky enough to experience the cream tea on more than one occasion and there
really isn’t anything much better than enjoying scones and a good pot of tea
overlooking the Cathedral.
Tea on the Green has clearly considered the demand for
vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options; I was particularly impressed by the
choice of Linda McCartney sausages, which any self-respecting vegetarian knows
to be the king of all veggie sausages. The café also has a range of gluten-free
items and a couple of vegan options too, such as the Lebanese panini, mixed
seasonal salad or roast butternut squash wrap.
In addition, the café has a unique affinity to locally
sourced produce. All the meats and eggs used are free-range and locally
produced, while much of the fresh produce and cheeses are also sourced locally.
Even most of the drinks are from the West Country, with the beer, lager and
cider all made in Devon and Cornwall and some wines even from Exeter itself. The
business also donates 1% of their profits to Médecins
Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders), an international humanitarian organization.
Let’s face it, good food is always going to be the most important factor for
hungry students like ourselves, but at Tea on the Green you can enjoy their extensive,
high quality menu safe in the knowledge that your custom is also supporting
local produce.
As if you didn’t need another reason to check out Tea
on the Green, they’re currently operating a deal in which, on weekdays between
8am-10am and 4pm-6pm, customers can receive 90% off the breakfast menu if they
sit outside. I challenge anyone to find a better deal, so wrap up warm and head
on down to enjoy your morning fry-up for less than a pound.
Tea on the Green is located next to the Cathedral
Green and is open 8am-6pm Monday to Saturday, and 9am-5pm on Sundays and bank
holidays.
Contact
2 Cathedral Close
07426 203862
green.tea@zen.co.uk
