Restaurant review of Biddy's Tea Room in Norwich

The rain was lashing down, the wind was determined that it was going to whip your brolly inside out, and it was so grey that it felt like it hadn’t got properly light all day. 

But there was a warm welcome - and, all importantly – gigantic cheering slices of cake waiting for us at Biddy’s Tea Room.  

The quaint Victorian-style café opened in Lower Goat Lane in Norwich Lanes in 2010 – there’s also a sister branch, Biddy’s Kitchen, in Aylsham. 

It’s open from breakfast, but the real stars here are its afternoon and high teas featuring freshly-made scones and cakes from the in-house bakery – and its amazing range of more than 50 blends of tea. 

It really is a gorgeous place – like stepping back in time into your great-great-aunt's ‘best’ parlour.  

Vintage detailing like the William Morris-style wallpaper, mismatched furniture, chintzy crockery and quirky curios - and its slightly higgledy-piggledy layout - creates a cosy and intimate feel. 

We booked ahead – and I was very glad that we had because it seemed like plenty of other people had also felt like such a gloomy day required some cake to lift the mood. 

We were quickly shown to our table, a window seat tucked away in a corner, by our friendly waitress and settled in to savour the menu. 

And, with a frankly astonishing range of options available, that was a treat in itself.  

First of all, I found myself wondering why I’d never popped in at breakfast-time, because their charmingly-named Biddabon pastries sound like the ideal way to start the day.  

The smoked maple bacon with cinnamon and maple cream cheese (£4.50 on its own or £7 with tea or coffee) has now been added to my must-try list. 

The great thing about the afternoon tea menu at Biddy’s is that you can pick and choose your favourite elements, depending on how hungry you are.  

Finger sandwiches, cakes (which are temptingly displayed in the glass-fronted counter), scones and rolls are available on their own.  

Or, for £6.95, you can go for a mini cream tea, served with jam and curd and clotted cream, or a savoury tea of a cheese scone served with chutney and salads – both come with your choice of tea or coffee. 

Taking things up a tier or two, the sweet tooth tea (£15.95) features a slice of sponge cake, a scone and a tray bake and the high tea (£19.95) includes a sausage or veggie roll, cheese scone and a mini cheeseboard with accompaniments. Again, both include tea and coffee. 

We decided to go for the build-your-own afternoon tea (£17.95), where you can choose a sandwich, scone and a cake, which comes served on a tiered stand.  

We started with tea; would we choose gunpowder green? Norfolk lavender? Rose garden?  

In the end, my friend went for the massala chai, a spiced Assam with cardamon, ginger, cinnamon, black pepper, chicory root and cloves.  

And I chose the moreish Biddy’s Blend of Earl Grey, rose petals, vanilla and orange blossom. 

Who knew so many flavours could be packed into a flowery vintage cup?  

Our teas arrived in capacious vintage enamel teapots. That’s another enormous plus-point for Biddy’s. The china, and the wonderful flavours, might be delicate but the portions are definitely not – you really get value for money here. 

Take the sandwiches. After much deliberation, we both went for goats' cheese, honey, almonds and chutney – although I was also tempted by smoked ham, chilli jam and brie – on pillowy granary bread. 

The three substantial precision-cut fingers were generously stuffed with tangy, creamy cheese – and there was a goodly amount of spinach and grated apple and carrot salad on the side. 

The scones were perfectly baked. My friend went for lemon and lavender, served warm with pots of luscious cream and tangy lemon curd.  

She relayed that it was firm on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and delicious all the way through. 

As was my cheese scone. As an enthusiastic amateur researcher of the humble savoury teatime treat, I am happy to report that it’s one of the finest specimens I’ve ever had.  

The punchy Cheddar flavour really came though, given extra pep by a pinch of paprika. The accompanying butter was at exactly the right temperature for spreading – and it also came with a pot of onion chutney.  

Calling the top tier of our afternoon tea a ‘slice’ of cake does not do justice to the magnificent wedges we were presented with. 

With more than a dozen varieties to choose from – from traditional Victoria sponge and Bakewell tart to Double Decker rocky road and millionaire’s shortbread - I found myself torn between the salted caramel brownie and the Biscoff cookie dough blondie.  

I plumped for the latter and each layer, from the springy sponge to the spiced speculoos biscuit perched on the top, was a delight. 

My friend went for the carrot cake, complete with ‘proper’ cream cheese frosting and a dollop of Chantilly cream topped with a blueberry.  

“Irresistible,” was her verdict. 

So irresistible, in fact, that somehow we managed to finish it all – something that the staff did seem a bit surprised and impressed by.  

But had we been defeated, there would have been the option to have the leftovers packed up to take home.  

It was still raining when we headed out. But, on a bit of a sugar rush, our spirits were definitely brighter. 

Biddy’s Tea Room is at Lower Goat Lane, Norwich. Booking is recommended and reservations can be made online at biddystearoom.com. Follow on Instagram @biddystearoom 

Our food reviews are always independent. They are the opinion of the reviewer based on their experience of the venue when they visited. The establishment is not aware of our visit, is not informed we intend to write a review and bills are paid by the reviewer. The choice of places reviewed is also independent and is not based on venues which do or do not advertise in our publications.