We went to this restaurant based on recommendation by our BnB host and we are fully satisfied. The food tastes so good, pretty place in York City Center. When you come to York dont forget to try this resto.
Excellent start to our York experience! I love the food I ordered: Haddock, Salmon & Prawn Gratin £12.45 it was perfect. Delicious rösti with parmesan crumbs on top of delectable creamed spinach and fish bits and the sauce is heavenly. Love it. The cake was pretty good too: Engadine Torte. And cold drinks chosen: Elderflower Bubbly was soo good that it taste good even though it’s not served cold. I forgive that for the taste. First restaurant in UK I visited that makes me want to come back. Beautiful setting in the restaurant and they’re open til 9 which is really good.
Last year I stayed in York for a few days and had to go to Betty's for afternoon tea. I've been to UK 3 times and have never experience afternoon tea there. This was my second time in York, and this time I had someone to go with. We went in the afternoon after a morning of sight-seeing and shopping. The queue was very long but we were determined.
When we were finally seated, we were famished and each ordered afternoon cream tea. Our tea was nice, and the food was very good. We got 3 different half sandwiches, raisin scone, clotted cream, strawberry jam, a macaron, fruit tart and chocolate cake. In the end, we were so full that we ended up skipping supper.
Even though it was very busy, the servers were always making sure everything was ok and if we needed anything else. If anyone is in York, go to Betty's. I highly recommend the experience.
Sense of Occasion. A trip to York or Harrogate would not be the same without calling Bettys for a pot of tea and a Fat Rascal, and if you're in either location you are assured of good food and service. Bettys is a must try, but be prepared to wait as the queues are sometimes quite long.
I arrived by a fast train early afternoon and without even looking for it, I came across the busy cafe with a line of people out the door, waiting to be seated for high tea.
Tracey @LifeFoodWine
+4.5
The dessert was everything I had hoped it would be. Fresh, sweet strawberries filled flaky soft pastry mixed with whipped cream and a side of butter cream that made you speechless. I could not have been happier.
The heart of York city centre is the location for this renowned tea room. The decor is nice and it has the feel of an established tea room. All the staff are dressed in the classic black and white uniforms. We had the
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Just based on the short service I got from ordering a take out scone and macarons. We didn't have time to sit in and dine but heard a lot about this place so we just stopped by.
The only scones left were orange fruit and chocolate. I'm picky about my scones and I really do not like them dry and crumbly.
These were great! Melt in your mouth and moist and dense. Not overly sweet, not dry and not overly doughy. I didn't even eat them with clotted cream, butter, or jam and it was still delicious! Macarons were flavourful and chewy inside, maybe could have a bit more crisp on the shell but they were good.
The prices I would have expected to be much more considering how fancy this place is and the taste but it was reasonable ! In fact probably much cheaper priced than any $2.50 macaron in Toronto Canada which usually aren't as good. Staff was friendly and patient. I wish I bought more scones but I've tried so many terrible scones and the disappointment made me cautious. This place is wonderful I wish they had this in Canada.
Betty's is a must-visit in York--especially if you're on a pastry hunt across the isle as I am! I didn't eat in, as the place was packed, but was fine with getting my Fat Rascal, custard tart, and fondant fancy to go. The service was quite helpful (I had hoped to get a pikelet but was told it should be toasted, which I couldn't do in my room, so chose something else). The Fat Rascal lived up to expectations--such a grand scone, with a soft, tender crumb! The custard tart was perfect to share. The crust was sturdy, the custard firm yet creamy and delicious on the tongue. The fondant fancy, something I have seen on Great British Bake Off, was worthy of Paul and Mary's praise. It was everything a person could want in a tiny tower of cake. Plus, they packed it to-go in a protective box, which made it feel even fancier.
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Came here for tea recently as I was told that this was THE place for tea in York. I did stop by the Stonegate location first, having heard that it was a nicer (and quieter) location, but ultimately opted for the Helens Square location. Unless you've made a reservation for the fancier Lady Betty Afternoon tea, you will have to stand in line for a table. The line when I got there was not bad, (this was a Wednesday midday) and moved along pretty quickly. I did take note to specify that I wanted to stay at the ground level dining area, which has the huge, stained glass windows and much better atmosphere. If you do not specify this, there is a chance that you will get routed to the downstairs overflow room, which definitely does not have the same atmosphere or people watching.
Our wait was fairly quick (10-15 min max), and you can take the time to peruse the menu. We ultimately decided to not do afternoon tea, and instead pick and choose as we liked from the menu, which ultimately afforded us a lot more in the way of selection rather than the tired selection you get at any high tea (it looked about the same too, and the tea selection that goes along with it is very lacking, so to me it wasn't special). We tried:
Bacon & Raclette Rösti (bacon bacon bacon)
Club sandwich (VERY tasty - and I did not expect anything from a club sandwich but damn that bacon was good. I have to call out Betty's amazing bacon. It is crazy flavorful)
Yorkshire Fat Rascal scone (dry, and overbaked imho, so not worth the extra ££)
Fruit meringue
Lemon curd tart
Pimms w/ sparkling lemonade, Hot chocolate & peppermint tea
Everything was tasty, and I'm glad we did not get the afternoon tea as we got to try much more interesting items. The service was friendly and fairly attentive, although I think a bit stretched thin, as at times (like when we wanted to pay), it got hard to track down our server and had to instead catch the attention of other servers instead. This location is very pretty and good for people watching and has a lovely atmosphere.
Tea for 3 and 3 for tea. Our daughter is an Anglophile and tea lover so Betty's was on the "must do" list for us in York. We wanted the full experience so we waited about half an hour for a table in the airy and beautiful upstairs dining room in St. Mary's square. As expected the daughter opted for the traditional tea while wife and I split the seafood gratin and a Fat Rascal scone. All the food was on pointe and service was attentive. They also have a take away shop if you just want some treats to go. Overall, a really nice experience.
I can't imagine coming to York and not coming here (and the lines out the door are proof I'm not the only one). I've actually been to three Betty's (and this one many times). I knew about Betty's from British friends before I ever came to England; it's reputation is that great even amongst my then teenage self and group of friends.
When you're here you can do a proper afternoon tea, or you can make things a bit more simple (and reasonably priced) by simply ordering tea and a dessert, which would run you less than ten pounds. They also have sandwiches and entrees.
On this visit I ordered Betty's Tea Room Blend and raclette. The tea was amazing as always, and I was really happy with the raclette (I ordered it without bacon, but I'm sure it's good unchanged.
Note: you can only tip in cash so don't rely on your card because while that's fine for paying you'll be stuck otherwise.
My husband and I took a trip up to York during a vacation in London. We had heard a lot about Betty's famous tea place and went in for lunch with some locals we were visiting. Needless to say the place is exactly as described. There is quite a line to get in so definitely do not go in expecting to sit right away because it simply is not going to happen. I had a delicious salmon, cucumber, and avocado open sandwich and a salad. Not having planned to have tea there we had to go for at least a dessert. We shared a Chocolate and passion fruit bombe that was to die for. Keep in mind that York is a chocolate capital so pretty much everything chocolate is delicious. My friend had the Fresh Fruit Heart which is puff pastry tstuffed with fresh berries. Divine. If you are in York any time of the year, Betty's is a stop you do not want to miss, and if you love tea more so.
What a wonderful experience!
We came here for a late afternoon tea and only had a short queue to get in. The wait was well worth it. The food and tea were delicious, and the atmosphere was perfect. They were very accommodating to our party (which included two young children) and we all loved the live piano music.
The tea was lovely and the scone, while a bit dry, was a perfect vehicle for the fantastic jam and clotted cream. The sandwiches were good, though a little boring, but the desserts were a highlight. My favorites were the fruit tart and lemon macaron (the lemon curd was so good). Although pricey at £20, it is such a nice experience that I do think it's worth doing at least once.
Bettys is a great place for afternoon tea if you find yourself in York! More than reasonable lunch and afternoon prices, with a very high quality. We didn't have reservations and while there was a line it moved really quickly.
My First proper English high tea, in England!
The service was wonderful, the wait was not as long as it looked, and the food was great!
We also bought some Macarons to go, and ate them on the train back to London. They were fantastic.
Betty's Tea Room gets a tasty 5 stars!
This is the quintessential place for tea, as many others have said. But also quite delightful is a seating for lunch. I had the seafood gratin, and I enjoyed a visually pleasing dish with a crispy crust of shredded potatoes, salmon and prawns, on top of a bed of hot spinach. All around was a wonderful cream sauce with more prawns. I ate the entire thing. The desserts do not disappoint. The service was impeccable. The only sad thing to witness (and nothing related to the staff or establishment) is the many younger patrons who photographed every aspect of their meal, and ate, while scrolling through their phones. It makes for poor people-watching material. That's more about me than anything!
I went here for lunch.. i love this place so much..one of the best places in york..the food quality is awesome..i ordered the fish n chips taste really good! The bread and the cake were also delicious!! Staff were very friendly!!
CONCLUSION = RECOMMENDED!! MUST VISIT!!
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When you ask for high tea recommendations in York, there's a unanimous response: Betty's.
Thus, when I visited my friend in York, we made a point to book a reservation for high tea there. If you are able to schedule a time for high tea, I highly recommend doing so! It will save you the hassle of waiting in line with everyone else... You also get to eat in the upstairs room, with everyone else who thought to book a reservation. #reservationsnob
All of my friends opted for a high tea with champagne. While getting a glass of bubbly is always fun, if you aren't celebrating anything I don't think its worth it. The list of teas is a good variety, and throughout your hour and half there (being told at the beginning you have an explicit time limit) you can try out as many as you like.
While I was there, I tried two teas-- both of which were good. The sammies, pastries, and scones that accompany the tea were all delicious as well. If the amount they serve you doesn't fill you up or you just like a particular food item that much, you can always ask for more free of charge! I did that with the open faced sandwiches and while I was stuffed, I definitely do not regret it.
In terms of service, it really depends on who you get as your waiter. Our waitress was not too great and rarely checked up on us for more tea-- it once took me several minutes to flag her down. However, looking around it seemed like other wait staff were much more attentive.
All in all, a fun thing to do when you're abroad. Not the best high tea I've experienced, but I can see how it ranks best in York.
I had such a lovely experience at Betty's. I enjoyed some yummy pastries with a delicious sandwich and arguably the best peppermint tea I've ever had. My server was lovely and the decor was elegant and refined. I hope to go back some day!
Yum and yum!! Love everything about this place. So cute and girlie!! I was looking for a place to have a tea experience in England and I couldn't have found a better place!
Since we just had eaten lunch, we decided on dessert and tea instead. Each of us had a pastry and drink. I tried the house blend tea with cream and sugar. Yum! I loved it so much I bought some loose leaf tea blend to take home on my way out. I also had scones with clotted cream and jam. So good! Loved the clotted cream with jam. My son had the hot chocolate. He wiped it out! My hubby had coffee. All very good!
Love the gift shop downstairs. Lots of goodies to buy and take home. They also ship!
Loved our tea experience! Got there in time through luck to get a seat but downstairs before all of the crowds arrived. It was perfect experience.
If the PICKIEST eater and drinker continually says "this is the best hot chocolate ever" as well as "wow that hot chocolate I had was so good" about 10 times over... Well, then you KNOW you have to order it! Chocolate lovers (and not) prepare yourself for ADDICTION!
*PS: the honey served with the delicious teas we also ordered was eaten by the spoonful by said picky eater... You may wind up buying jars of it before you leave!
One of the great places to have an awesome tea experience. ..... the real English style and without taking your head of price wise.
We went to the private room situated on top of the shop. To get there you will require to prebook but it's worth the effort. You get a set menu and you can choose what kind of tea you want and also if you wanna fiz it up you can add a glass og bubbles.
Service is amazing and the food exeptionaly good as well. Now that I think it everything was awesome. Plus you get the 30s atmosphere feeling with a yam yam afternoon tea.
Definitely a must go for all
My friends and came here for 2 times during our York's trip. One was for afternoon tea, the other was for breakfast. The afternoon tea set was too sweet, and think it's better for 2 sharing one set. The breakfast was great and price is reasonable.
Seriously, it's worth every penny. It is such a good atmosphere, and the staff are accommodating and friendly. They will instantly compensate you in case of any mishaps.
My partner and I enjoyed our two visits here, one for his birthday celebration. I would definitely recommend buying someone their voucher as a gift!
We had the most amazing experience here. Our service was first class. The food was delicious. Well worth it and would highly recommend. Hoping to return next year!!!
Lovely place for tea, bakeries, and even the proper meal here. Everything was exceptional from the entrance service, all the staffs, ambience, and most importantly the food. We had winter specialties (banana & toffee pancake, Yorkshire sausages), both are delicious. The Yorkshire fat rascal scone was also good but I’d prefer the one with clotted cream and jam. If you want to sit on the first floor, the only option to join is to queue up which takes around 20-40 mins, depends on the queue. However, advance booking will be escorted to the second floor where you don’t need to wait but the set menu and ambience could be a bit different. Overall, highly recommended if you’re in York.
Wonderful visit, to the panelled room downstairs. The atmosphere is very pleasant and bright. The waitress was extremely friendly and knowledgeable. The young waiter who served our food similar was friendly and helpful. Food was excellent, tasty and fresh. Full marks
The soup and the York sausage are very delicious! My husband and I shared meal. The soup was very good mount even shared and nicely warm and calm taste.
The york sausage was juicy and meaty! Not fake taste!
I recommend going before lunch time rush. We went 11:30am was no line, but 12:00pm was long line. (We went there on Monday, and rain weather)
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We visited Betty's as we had been gifted a voucher and although we were very much looking forward to it, there were a few minor things that let it down.
We hadn't booked ahead but we only waited about 15 minutes for a table for two and were seated downstairs, so the short wait time was a pleasant surprise. We weren't too fussed about whether we were upstairs or down, however upon descending there was a strong smell of fish or fishcakes which wasn't particularly enticing.
One of the things that we were most looking forward to was the famous cake trolley and an explanation about the cakes available, however when we asked the staff member waiting on us, they said that it was too busy and they weren't able to wheel it over (it was pretty much next to us) but we could go and view it if we liked. It was the lunch rush so we did understand but it was disappointing to have travelled so far to experience the world famous Betty's and not actually having the full experience. The waitress did come back later apologising and asking us if we wanted to view the trolley later on, but by that point we had already ordered and eaten.
The food however was on point. The cream tea was really tasty, freshly made and quite light for a scone; and the Yorkshire curd tart was like a more substantial egg custard in flavour, very tasty. The white tea was very light and floral while the Betty blend was a good strong tea. The extra pot of hot water was also very much appreciated.
Overall I would recommend but as we had high hopes for the overall atmosphere and experience, we were slightly disappointed. As silly as it sounds it would perhaps be worth adding a disclaimer to say the trolley viewing isn't possible at peak times to manage expectations.
We visited twice, once for the booked afternoon tea and once got breakfast in the normal tea room. Everything was super lovely and the staff were so attentive and accommodating! We were able to swap some of the sandwiches of the booked afternoon tea based on our preferences which we really appreciated. There was also space to store our cases out of the way, which was really helpful. Overall a lovely experience!
Visited York for a long weekend & ended up going to Betty’s twice as one visit wasn’t enough.
It’s a beautiful tearooms with so much history.
The staff were wonderful & friendly & the food is amazing. Had dinner here the first time which had a small wait time & then went back for breakfast the next day early & was able to go straight in. If I’m ever back in the area I shall be going back in wait or no wait! Can’t rate this lovely place enough.
Friday afternoon (non school holiday) and there was a queue for about 15/20 minutes. We weren't expecting much as we thought it might just be one of those famous places that tourists must try once. We were pretty wrong. The service were great, fat rascal and cakes were delicious, tea were good. We had an enjoyable experience and would definitely like to be back again next time.
Nice friendly, polite, welcoming and well presented staff. Amazing food very enjoyable bit pricy but great quality and worth every penny.
It was just a shame other members of the public eating there were so judgemental because my SEN daughter was with me , but her hair cropped quite short.
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