Stewart's Victorian Tea Rooms

The 2013 edition of The List's Eating & Drinking Guide is out now – only £5.95 (+p&p).

This review is taken from the 2012 edition.

Drinking tea and all the rituals that go with it may be back in fashion but that’s where Stewart’s association with what’s 'current' ends. Everything, from the classical music on loop to the cake-stands and the royal portraits on the walls harks back to the past. So it's a surprise then to find some incongruous dishes on the savoury menu: ravioli arrabbiata, eggs Benedict and Greek salad would have been out of place in late 1800s Britain. The mostly elderly clientele (with the exception of some tourists) don't seem to mind though and may instead opt for more traditional omelette, York ham salad with new potatoes, or, more likely, the selection of sandwiches and home-made cakes that make up the two choices of afternoon tea. Jenier first flush tea (served in pots with strainers) such as the wonderfully subtle Rose Congou, and home-made cakes like the moreish mint cheesecake are what this place does best.

• High point: The full tea experience
• Low point: Hot dishes not the strong point