Just a few weeks ago, Thirsk in North Yorkshire was named as one of the best places to live in the country by none other than The Sunday Times.
That eminent publication referred to Thirsk as being “the heart of James Herriot country,” “Yorkshire at its traditional best, offering a hearty combination of class, countryside and convenience” and having a town centre “full of independent shops, good road and rail links and decent schools”.
I'm not too sure what a "combination of class, countryside and convenience” actually means, but anyone who's used to walking the mile or so to the station in Carlton Miniott then tackling the steps to access the other platform might quibble about the good rail links.
Still, even as a Northallerton native I can heartily agree on Thirsk's charms, and in addition to the plethora of independent shops, the Market Place also has plenty of hospitality options to offer the discerning Sunday Times reader.
Tea Time cafe is one of those, and caught my eye at last year's Flavours of Herriot County Awards, where it took home the prize for best afternoon tea. I shall have to make a return visit to sample that, as on the sunny Monday lunchtime when my sister and I called in, we were more in need of a swift bite than luxurious layers of sandwiches, sweets and scones.
It was hearteningly busy, and we grabbed the last free table, with a viewpoint next to the counter giving a good indication of how the place was run – all calm efficiency in the face of the lunchtime rush.
The menu offers lunchtime treats such as scones, tea loaf and fresh cakes, plus a selection of sandwiches, toasties and loaded fries.
We must have been in the mood to test this "class, countryside and convenience" theory as we both chose dishes we wouldn't normally go for. Claire ordered the toasted reuban (£9.75) – a sourdough sandwich containing beef pastrami, slaw, cheese, gherkins and Yorkshire mayo, plus a cup of tea, while I went for the soup of the day – celeriac accompanied by cheese sconotti (£6.95) – plus a cappuccino. This prompted the understandable comment from my sister – "celeriac soup and a cappuccino – who ARE you". I had no answer to this accusatory inquiry as I was busy Googling celeriac to clarify whether it is more celery or more turnip (showing my lack of class, no doubt). As is often the way, the internet was little use, describing it as "celery root, knob celery, and turnip-rooted celery". Terrifically helpful.
Celeriac soup with sconotti on the side
No matter, our food arrived conveniently quickly, and was absolutely delicious. The soup was thick and smooth with a wonderfully earthy flavour, and the sconotti (I didn't know what this was either) turned out to be the perfect accompaniment. The crunchy, biscuit-like texture of the dried out cheese scone went beautifully with the soup, and the cheesiness in no way overpowered the celeriac.
Claire's reuban, which came with fries, was so packed with filling it proved a challenge to eat, but she rated it very highly, with the sturdiness of the slaw combining well with the very melty cheese.
The toasted reuban was packed with filling
The cafe was so busy that we didn't linger – people were queuing up outside in the hope of tables becoming free – but we did take away some sweet treats for later. I had a hearty of slice of tea loaf (beautiful and moist with a generous coating of butter – my addition) and, it being just before Easter when we visited, Claire went for a hot-cross scone. Both were a good indication that the Flavours of Herriot afternoon tea trophy – proudly on display in the corner of the cafe – was richly deserved. The final bill was £26.85.
Cakes to take away from Tea Time cafe in Thirsk
As we headed off back into the countryside of Thirsk's hinterland, we reflected that there surely can't be many better places to be looking for lunch on a glorious, early spring day, than this corner of god's own county.
Tea Time
87 Market Place, Thirsk, YO71ET
01845 523869
www.teatimeyorkshire.co.uk/
Open Monday to Friday, 9am to 3.30pm, and Saturdays, 9am to 4pm. Closed Sundays.
Ratings (out of ten): Food quality 9 Surroundings 8 Service 8 Value 9
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