Bettys York | Afternoon Tea Culture and the Belmont Room Reviewed

Bettys Café is the name that comes up whenever anyone asks about afternoon tea in York. This article covers British afternoon tea culture, the difference between the two floors, whether the Belmont Room is worth the upgrade, and my full experience visiting with family.

British Afternoon Tea Culture

Britain does not have many dishes it can genuinely be proud of, but afternoon tea is one of them. Before you walk into Bettys, a few things about the culture are worth knowing.

"High Tea" Is Not Fancy: Know What You Are Ordering

Many people assume "High Tea" is the refined, upmarket version of afternoon tea. It is the opposite.

High Tea originated in the nineteenth century working class. It was the meal workers ate after a shift, sitting at a high dining table, with meat, vegetables and bread. It had nothing to do with elegance.

The refined version is called Afternoon Tea, also known as Low Tea, because it was served on low armchairs around a low tea table. It was popularised in the mid-nineteenth century by Anna, Duchess of Bedford, and became a fixture of upper-class social life.

What you are booking at Bettys is Afternoon Tea, not High Tea. The chairs may not be traditionally low, but the spirit of the tradition is intact.

Cream First or Jam First?

Scones come with clotted cream and jam. Simple enough, except the British have been arguing about the order for decades.

• Devon side: clotted cream first, then jam.
• Cornwall side: jam first, then clotted cream.

Both sides have passionate supporters. Queen Elizabeth II was reportedly on the Devon side, though Cornwall would strongly disagree.

I take the chaotic approach and try both, but I generally go cream first. Honestly, with so few great British foods, it makes sense they spend this much energy debating the ones they do have.

On that note, I walked into a random café in Cornwall and ordered Cream Tea. It was so good I ordered a second one on the spot. Whether the Cornwall method has merit is something you can only judge by trying it yourself.

Read More：Driving Cornwall, England | coming soon

Milk In First or Milk Last?

When adding milk to tea, does the milk go in first or last?

The traditional argument for milk first is that early porcelain cups were fragile, and adding cold milk first protected them from cracking.

As porcelain quality improved, pouring tea first became standard practice, making it easier to control strength.

At Bettys, tea comes in an individual pot per person, with milk, hot water, sugar and a strainer on the side. How you add the milk is entirely up to you.

Why Bettys? A Century of Yorkshire Tea

Bettys was founded in Harrogate in 1919 by Frederick Belmont, a Swiss baker. It has been running for over a hundred years.

There are currently 5 Café Tea Rooms in the UK, all in Yorkshire: two in Harrogate, one each in York, Ilkley and Northallerton. The York branch at St Helen's Square is the only Café Tea Room in the city. That concentration in one county is part of what gives Bettys its sense of scarcity.

When people talk about afternoon tea in England, certain London names always come up:

• The pinnacle: The Ritz is the most iconic, with the strictest dress code and the highest prices.
  • It is on my Wish List. It represents the ceiling of what afternoon tea can be.
• Special occasion: The Lanesborough is outstanding.
  • I have had dinner there, which is enough for now. Afternoon tea can wait for somewhere new.
• Department store icons: Both Fortnum & Mason and Harrods are popular with tourists.
  • When I brought my parents to experience a classic British department store, I chose Harrods (Elderly-Friendly London Itinerary | 70+ Dad's 5-Day Trip), because that was where I worked when I first moved to England (Harrods Review | An Insider's Take on Affordable Luxury). We had Cream Tea there, the lighter version, not a full three-tier afternoon tea.

I have not been to The Ritz yet, but having had afternoon tea at The Peninsula and Mandarin Oriental in Hong Kong, I have a clear reference point for what this kind of experience should feel like. With that context, I can say with confidence: even at the higher Belmont Room price, Bettys delivers excellent value.

Ground Floor vs Belmont Room: Is the Upgrade Worth It?

The first time I visited York was during the Christmas period. I had not booked and was planning to walk in and queue for the ground floor Traditional Afternoon Tea. I saw the queue and left.

The second time, I booked the first floor Belmont Room in advance. That is when I actually got to eat.

Worth upgrading if you:

• Value your time and want to skip the queue (Belmont Room has a separate entrance)
• Want a quieter setting, live piano and more refined food
• Plan to have refills or extra sandwiches

Not worth upgrading if you:

• Just want the three-tier experience and do not need extras
• Have time to queue and are fine waiting
• Are watching your budget and £15 extra per person matters

My Belmont Room Experience

Like most afternoon teas, the Belmont Room set arrives on a three-tier stand: savouries and sandwiches on the bottom, scones in the middle, miniature cakes on top. The menu changes seasonally. For the current menu, check the Bettys website directly.

The tea is the centrepiece of any proper afternoon tea. At Bettys, the teaware is silver, as it should be at this level, and the tea list is far more extensive than a standard café. Beyond the classics like English Breakfast, Earl Grey and White Tea, there are Bettys house blends and Single Origin options.

A staff member goes through the selection patiently and helps you choose based on your taste. There were four of us that visit. The older members of the group went with familiar choices. My partner and I each picked something different: a Bettys house blend and the Single Estate Rwandan Gisovu.

As we worked through the food, the gentlemen at the table added a round of sandwiches. No complaints about portion size from that corner.

For the ladies, one set was more than enough. I did not refill the sandwiches, but when it came to the drink, I had originally planned to switch to a different tea, but I was too full for that, so I ordered a coffee instead to wake myself up. One sip and I was hooked, so I picked up a bag of Bettys Café Classic Blend on the way out.

If you find yourself in the same situation, or simply want to take something home, the ground floor has a retail area selling Bettys teas, coffee and baked goods. You do not need to sit down or spend a minimum amount to browse. If your York itinerary is too tight for afternoon tea, a freshly baked scone to go is a perfectly reasonable option.