Richmond Tea Rooms

The epitome of a traditional English Tea Room, Richmond Tea Rooms is a fun and camp tea room nestled away in Manchester City Centre, close to the Manchester Gay Village. It has a wonderful Alice in Wonderland theme (traditional, not Disney) and is decorated to reflect that theme, complete with lace doilies, swagging curtains, mismatched furniture, curtained booths, and even a "greenhouse" built into the corner of the room, should you want to dine surrounded by flowerpots, but a slight feel of privacy, despite being all glass! It's theatrical but charming!

The staff are very friendly and professional, and seat you as you arrive. The food is both delicious and incredibly tempting, not just the counter of wonderful cakes and pastries which are prepared fresh each morning (and which would tempt even the staunchest dieter), but a good selection of both hot and cold meals, and daily specials. And of course, they offer delightful afternoon teas, complete with cute sandwiches, scones, and cakes, perfect for sharing with friends over a catch-up after shopping in the city.


The drinks are also very much worth a mention. Not just the classic (but beautifully done) coffees and hot chocolates, but they also have a great variety of specialist teas of the world, whether you fancy a classic Earl Grey, the distinctive Lapsang Souchong, or even their own "Richmond Blend". They also sell a good variety of cold drinks, including Fentiman's soft drinks.

Caaaaaaaake!

To the rear of the main room is "The Lodge", which is another area, themed as a traditional Victorian hunting lodge, complete with antler chandeliers, which feels more aimed at the night time social element as it boasts its own bar. The Lodge and the main tea room itself are both connected via a corridor, and the venue's toilets, which are unisex (that is, the cubicles are individuals, but there is a shared wash area... don't worry, it's clean, and matches the traditional style of the rest of the venue, just check out their mirror!) 

I highly recommend Richmond's for the traditional English tea room experience in a world of increasing American coffee shops. To those who may be a little uncertain about Richmond's being in the city's 'gay district', I implore you not to worry, because despite its location down a quieter street behind Canal Street (which feels like you've gone the wrong way, so stepping through the looking glass from the dismal street into the sumptuous tea rooms is very Alice in Wonderland indeed!), you could bring your granny here happily, and enjoy afternoon tea with her, and she'd bloody love it. I would. I do. In fact take me with you and your granny too?

Richmond Tea Rooms
Richmond Street
The Village
Manchester
M1 3HZ
(0161) 237 9667
www.richmondtearooms.com