Blackbird Tearooms - Brighton

After my trip to Canterbury to visit to three cafes in my one of my favorite towns in one day was so fun and such a success, I decided to take my notebook elsewhere, Brighton! I haven’t been to Brighton since I was 16 and I have never been by myself so the whole trip is an adventure! After an…interesting train journey, first boxed into a claustrophobic corner by an elderly woman with endless bags of cheese and onion crisps (I almost died from the smell, I swear!) then opposite two seventeen year olds who had the strangest conversation (I only understood half the words, if that, it made me feel so old…) I finally arrived!

The place most people recommended to me when I asked people about the best places to go in Brighton was the gorgeous traditional tearoom, The Blackbird Tearoom, so that was where I had to head first.

This quaint little tearoom sits on the corner of Ship St and is lovely, even from the outside. Its black and gold front stands out from the surrounding shops and on a warm enough day, the open door invites you in. The front room consists of six tiny, round, wooden tables squashed in front of an old fashioned wooden counter. In fact, everything in here seems to be a bit small and squashed, from the tiny plate my delicious cake barely fits on to the FIFTY or so small, framed pictures on the wall in front of me and continuing up the stairs (yes, I tried to count). Though it feels a little cramped in here I actually have all the space I need for my notebook, tea, cake and flowers on my table and room to spare! The whole place has a lovely vintage feel to it, the wall behind me is full to the brim with shelves of beautiful old tea and coffee tins and sitting here in the window is like being transported to the past, I almost expect to see a beautiful classic car drive by.

The huge slice of cake in front of me is the house special, the ‘Blackbird Cake’ a Victoria sponge cake using blackberries instead of strawberries and it is delicious, possibly the best cake I have ever had (and that’s saying a lot!) I almost want another slice but one is definitely sweet enough. The breakfast tea, like all the teas here (and like all tea should be) is loose-leaf. Of course, I didn’t realize that until I poured it, THEN I found the strainer that the waitress had hidden (accidentally I’m sure) behind the milk.

I really love the feel of Blackbird Tearooms, the vintage atmosphere, the lovely waitresses dressed so smartly and the ever so slightly crammed feeling created by its eclectic decorations. I also love the sign over the counter which says ‘Dispensing Dept’ and all the lovely crockery displayed beneath it. The whole feel of the place is welcoming and worn, as any well done vintage place should be, I feel like I could sit here in the window for hours and just enjoy the feeling of time passing and this gorgeous place connecting the past and present so neatly.

Thank you so much to everyone who recommended The Blackbird Tearoom to me, I it is a really beautiful place for relaxing and letting the world outside go by with lovely tea and delicious food. I certainly pass the recommendation on to anyone visiting Brighton and looking for a tearoom, a nice place for lunch or something a bit different for a bite to eat. One day I might even return in vintage dress!

Twitter: @blackbirdwitter
Website: blackbirdtearooms.com
Address: 30 Ship Street, Brighton, BN1 1AD