Pop some champers and celebrate with the Brits on Friday, April 29 as Prince William of Wales marries Kate Middleton. Fittingly, the ladies at A Taste of Britain have some specials in store for the royal wedding day, so we too can celebrate in style. Indulge in some complimentary champagne, traditional lamb shepherd’s pie, William’s favorite dessert (banana flan), and this writer’s personal favorite – sticky toffee pudding!
Scones, tea sandwiches and lots of other tasty British treats are on the regular menu at the casually elegant teashop in the Eagle Village Shops off Lancaster Avenue. The shops are the perfect location for a day out with your girlfriends, manager Lisa McNutt notes, “You can come get your hair done, have lunch and do some shopping.”
A Taste of Britain moved to this location a little while after Easy Elegance Catering owner Tara Buzan purchased the company from its original British owner. Aside from a location change and a few items added to the menu, the concept of a quaint English teashop remains the same.
You can start your meal by choosing from dozens of varieties of tea to enjoy and sip from beautiful china. Tara and Lisa strive to keep the relaxed but refined vibe that keeps customers coming back again and again.
Surely the scones create loyal customers of their own. The menu regular features four flavors (buttermilk, lemon, raisin and cherry almond) and one special flavor each month (April’s is a spectacular raspberry cream cheese, May’s will be blueberry cinnamon), and they’re served warm with your choice of clotted cream, raspberry preserves or tart lemon curd. Besides the superb scones, the Full Afternoon Tea also comes with a variety of tea sandwiches, such as cucumber & minted cream cheese, chicken salad, egg salad, cheddar & tomato chutney and roast beef & Boursin. Wrap up tea with some sweet treats like chocolate mousse, peppermint chocolate brownie bites, or lemon cake with strawberry frosting.
A la carte menu items include the immensely popular Blue Salad (English Stilton, Craisins, apples and walnuts) and British standard eats like Chicken Pot Pie, Cornish Pasties and Sausage Rolls. However, with the onset of spring comes al fresco dining and a lighter menu, swapping these filling staples with lighter wraps and salads – look for a strawberry brie salad with champagne vinaigrette to make its entrance soon.
You can also take a bit of the UK home with you as the shop offers a wall of pantry items from across the pond and some frozen offerings from the teashop’s own kitchen for you to enjoy at home.
A Taste of Britain is open Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and hosts private parties (birthdays, baby showers, bridal showers, book clubs, etc.) on Sundays. On Sunday, May 8th, take your mom out for an extra special champagne and roses afternoon tea – but make your reservations now! Indeed, reservations are appreciated and encouraged for all days of the week.
The restaurant’s team, including chef Mike and baker Rachel, tries to cater to any needs, by adjusting meals due to food allergies or baking gluten-free scones and bread.
And kids are more than welcome at the teashop, with special scone flavors, like chocolate chip and funfetti, that will certainly make the adults jealous!
Make your reservations now for Friday’s special royal wedding day lunch, or take a cue from some of your neighbors and order some treats to pick up the day before to enjoy in your own home as you watch the wedding events live from 5 a.m. Also, the Bryn Mawr Film Institute will be showing the wedding with treats from A Taste of Britain.
