Woods - Tunbridge Wells

I love the Pantiles in Tunbridge Wells, the gorgeous architecture speaks of a history worth listening to, from spa discovery and royalty to present day. It’s beauty and history is why I think it’s the perfect setting for a nice café or a tearoom, somewhere you can sit  and enjoy a proper afternoon or just a cup of tea and slice of cake. Places like The Cake Shed (http://time-for-tea-blog.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/the-cake-shed-tunbridge-wells.html) and Shragers (http://time-for-tea-blog.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/shragers-patisserie-tunbridge-wells.html) take full advantage of this with outdoor seating out in the open which is perfect on a sunny day. Though Woods in primarily a restaurant, not a tearoom, I think this only works in its favor. The space adapts from café in the morning to tearoom in the afternoon to restaurant in the evening easily and flexibly, making it perfect for any occasion and customer.

Sitting in here, it’s the kind of space I love to be in, every time you turn your head, you see something new and interesting. Take, for example, the gorgeous vintage box camera and tripod taking up a small bay window next to me up here on the balcony (the best place to sit, in case you were wondering, always try and get the balcony!) or the three paintings opposite me and my friend on the far wall that can only be seen properly from here and that I doubt I would have noticed them if I hadn’t been up here.

Our incredibly friendly waiter (who seems to be there every time we have been since) greeted us as soon as we entered and took us straight to the table we wanted, he was really helpful and patient, even when we called him back three times for milk and more tea!

As well as a tradidional breakfast menu, a brunch menu and a main menu (with kids options!) pride of place in the centre of the front page is a list of afternoon teas. All available from 2-5pm, there are 4 different afternoon tea avaliable. For one, the classic ‘Afternoon Tea’, for two, the one we had, ‘Tea For Two’ or the very special ‘Sparkiling Tea For Two’ with a glass of bubbly each but the one I really love is the ‘Children’s Tea’ consisting of a scone or piece of cake and soft drink or hot chocolate. I love this idea, start them young! It reminds me of the ‘Babychino’ some coffee shops are selling now, a cup of milk foam that a child can have alongside their parent having a coffee. A lovely idea to make them feel included.

As I was being treated by a friend we shared the Tea For Two which consisted of a huge platter of huge sandwiches which we only got half way through before moving on to the gorgeous two-tiered tray of sweets including rocky-road, victoria sponge and tiny meringues, all of which were perfect (especially the rocky-road, my favorite!) All this was accompanied by the biggest (and therefore heaviest!) pot of tea I have ever seen/drunk!

I would definitely recommend this charming restaurant/café/tearoom to people of all ages, they have made a real effort to cater to people of all ages and all sorts of events and everyone really looks like they are enjoying themselves. My friend smiled at me half way through our lunch and said “we should come here once a week” and you know what? It’s very tempting!

Instagram: woods_resturant

Twitter: @WoodsTWells

Facebook: Facebook.com/WoodsTWells

Website: woodsresturant.co.uk

Address: 62 The Pantiles, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN2 5TN

Weird Things I do When I'm Writing

When I’m in a café or tearoom trying (hopefully) delicious foods and drink and writing about them, I often feel like I stick out a sore thumb. A girl sat alone in the corner scribbling away, sometimes I feel like everyone is staring at me! Thinking about what I must look from the outside, I can imagine that sometimes I might look just a little crazy, here are just a few examples:

1) I talk to myself

When I am writing, to make sure it makes sense and flows (to the best of my ability), I read it to myself under my breath.  Also, if I get distracted mid-sentence I have to go back and start from the beginning to pick up the flow of the again, so I often repeat myself too. The result is me, sat in the corner of a tearoom or café, hunched over a notebook mumbling to myself, I look like a crazy person!

2) I Stare Around

As well as the delicious food and drink in front of me I often write about the café itself, the chairs and tables, the way the menu is displayed and the general ambience of the place and even what the staff are wearing. I was once in a place that had some many pictures on the wall that I wanted to count them to find out just how many there were. Doing things like that can mean that staff stare and other customers wonder why I’m looking at their food. People give odd and sometimes even sad looks to the girl in the corner sitting alone and staring wistfully around.

3) Make ‘Yum’ faces

I can never be sure what I’m going to get with some places I visit and I am really a really fussy eater so when I am pleasantly surprised by a delicious meal I will scrunch up my face and go “mmm” quietly to myself. So now I’m the weird girl in the corner talking to herself and making faces(it’s a compliment really).

4) Take Pictures of my Food

It’s a thing nowadays to take pictures of your food and post it online with pride. I don’t normally do that unless its particularly impressive but when I’m writing about a new place I like to share my enthusiasm for the food, drink or décor with people by posting a picture on Twitter (@timeforteablog1) or Instagram (timeforteablog1) but however widespread taking pictures of your food may be now, you still get a lot of looks and tuts doing it in a nice tearoom.

5) Ask too many/weird questions

Occasionally, to help with my writing, I will drag an unfortunate waiter or waitress aside and ask them questions. They can be relatively normal questions, like “how many types of tea do you have?” or “why is this place called that?” or they can be slightly odd ones, like “what types of jam come with the toast” (when I am clearly eating cake) or “what year did this place open?” to a young waitress who has probably only been there a few weeks and has no idea! I hope that I come across as a curious customer and not a pest!

All in all I think I must look a bit strange when I’m concentration on my writing, sat alone in a place I’ve never been before and scribbling away, only stopping every so often to stare around and mutter to myself. The thing is, I focus on my writing and getting everything I notice down so much that I don’t think about it at the time.  Most importantly, I love what I’m doing and I can see myself carrying on for years to come!