Cream tea is to Devon what Cornish Pastie is to Cornwall:
Devonshire Cream Tea
Devonshire cream teas are a specialty of Devon, however this dish is world-famous, especially in the Commonwealth countries. With their delicious scones thickly spread with fresh butter, fruity strawberry jam and topped with thick Devon clotted cream, the best are still to be found in the south-west of England.
So, on any holiday in Devon and Cornwall, one of the must-do’s is to indulge in some Devonshire cream teas. Be warned though that addiction to this food can be a danger to the waistline.
My personal belief is that if I’m going to be piling on calories from any food, I’d want those calories to come from the best quality of that food type. So, if we’re having cream teas, we might as well enjoy them from the Top 10 places for cream teas in Devon and Cornwall, a list which was compiled by Dorling Kindersley.
| Tea Rooms | Description |
| Otterton Mill Otterton, nr Budleigh Salterton Devon, EX9 7HG Tel: 01395 568521 | Fine organic scones are made in this ancient mill. They have a restaurant, bakery and food shop at the mill, including cookery and bakery courses and food events. There’s a lot happening at the Mill and you can find out more about it on their website www.ottertonmill.com |
| The Falmouth Hotel, Castle Beach, Falmouth, Cornwall, TR11 4NZ Falmouth Tel: 0844 50 ASKUS (27587) | The Falmouth Hotel is situated on prime sea front location, overlooking the headland, with Pendennis Castle and the sea on one side and views over to the famous port on the other. Having cream tea on the terrace of this Victorian hotel is really like icing on the cake. |
| New Yard – Trelowarren Mawgan, Helston Cornwall TR12 6AF Tel: 01326 221224 | Cream teas are served in this estate’s stableyard |
| Charlotte’s Victorian Tea House Coinage Hall 1 Boscawen Street Truro Cornwall TR1 2QU Tel: 01872 263706 | This lovingly-restored Victorian tea house in the centre of busy Truro. Delicious set teas – cream teas with scones and high teas with sandwiches and home-made cakes – are served all day. |
| Primrose Cottage Tea Rooms Lustleigh Newton Abbot Devon TQ13 9TJ Tel: 01647 277365 | Primrose Cottage has a long standing reputation for serving the best Cream Tea in Devon, but unfortunately the tea room is now closed as the owner has retired and the business is up for sale. |
| Southern Cross Newton Poppleford, Near Sidmouth, Devon EX10 0DU, United Kingdom. Tel: 01395 568439 | A walled garden provides the perfect setting for tea where you can enjoy “mountains of delicious clotted cream and locally produced jams” |
| Georgian Tea Room 35 High Street Topsham, Exeter Devon EX3 0ED Tel: 01392 873465
| Choose from the selection of home-made cakes |
| Stoke Barton Farm Stoke, Hartland Bideford North Devon EX39 6DU Tel: 01237 441238
| The farm is a working livestock and arable farm so you can be sure that you’re getting the freshest of creams here. This tea room offers fresh scones and cakes |
| Trenance Cottage Tea Rooms, Newquay 2 Trenance Lane Newquay Cornwall TR7 2HX Tel: 01637 872034 | Secluded tea gardens and traditional tea room – Nostalgia is the keynote here |
| Rectory Farm and Tea Rooms Morwenstow near Bude EX23 9SR Tel: 01288 331251 | This working farmhouse dates back to 1296, when it belonged to an order of monks. Feast in a 13th-century farmhouse beside an open fire |
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Helen thanks for sharing this list very useful as I head to Devon in a few weeks. From past experience Primrose Cottage in Lustleigh is definitely the best Cream Tea I have ever had but I hear they have new owners so I will have to see. One thing I would take issue with though is your description which suggests that you put the jam on first!!! You absolutely have to put the clotted cream on first for it to be considered a Devon Cream Tea as shown in your picture! Having lived in Devon for 19 years I consider myself to be somewhat of an authority on Cream Teas 😉
Hi Neil, Yes, I should have clarified that in in Devon you put the clotted cream first and then the jam on top, whereas in Cornwall the “proper Cornish” way is to spread the jam first and then the clotted cream as its crowning glory! I actually discussed this with Tony before writing the post and we both like jam first as the jam on top gets a little messy. But next time we’re in Devon, I’ll make sure the clotted cream goes on first.
I would love to hear your opinion as to whether the Primrose Cottage in Lustleigh is still the best Cream Tea, and, as an authority on Cream Teas, what other places you would recommend.
Enjoy your trip back to Devon!
Kind regard,
Helen
Interesring article thank you! On way to Lustleigh now to check out how their cream teas compares with the finest Devonshire Cream Teas in historic Barbican & Hoe, Plymouth and Devonport ! Check out my website to see mine so far! We have more exciting things to come! Thanks Helen! 🙂
I can thoroughly recommend the cream tea at the Rectory Tea Rooms in Morwenstow, served in a delightful garden on a sunny afternoon. The scones are fresh and light, the jam homemade with generous portions of clotted cream. All served on pretty crockery with good quality tea.
Thanks very much Dianne for sharing your experience at Rectory Tea Rooms. The place looks charming and the food looks delicious. For the time being, we can only salivate at the website photos. Although, I must say that our neighbour upstairs makes very nice scones and she very kindly sends us boxes of her scones, with home made jam and cream. We are spoilt!