After finding this
amazing-looking Alice in Wonderland themed café online I decided I had to
check it out and soon! Unfortunately the first time I tried to get here the trains
were so messed up, I had to turn around a couple of stations away in order to br
back for work that evening. This time, however, I started my journey from (the
much closer) Canterbury, where I was visiting friends and even then I had to
take a train and a bus!
It’s a real shame that
the outside of the shop is currently covered in scaffolding but you can still
see the Red Queen red shop front and the windows decorated with decals that
make it look like the whole place is surrounded by hip-high rose bushes covered
in red and white roses. Going through the door I immediately come face-to-face
with a life-size card soldier just like the ones in the animated Disney film,
off to the left is a larger than life-size Alice (maybe because of one of the
giant mushrooms that are wallpapered across some of the walls?) complete with
her famous blue dress and black hair
bow. In fact the whole café is an Alice in Wonderland dream, from the giant
butterflies on the faux-grass walls to the stools shaped like oversized
teacups. Alice and the hatter turns afternoon tea into a fully immersive
experience, complete with the soundtrack to the Disney animated film in the
background (that I couldn’t help but hum along to in my seat).
I went for ‘The Jabberwock’,
a scone of my choice and a tea from their list of teas. Though they were out of
my first choice of the traditional fruit scone they suggested the lemon and
poppy seed, which was delicious and went perfectly with the Alice and the
Hatter branded strawberry jam. The tea, a Debonair Tea Co breakfast brew served
in a beautiful tea cup covered in a design of strawberry plants, was lovely
too, the only thing I will say here is that there wasn’t much water in the
incredibly light teapot and I feel like I missed out on some tea! I love that
its loose leaf though and I can’t blame the poor staff, all dressed in t-shirts
with the cafés logo on the front, who are rushed off their feet and turning
people away at the door because of how popular the café is, yet still managing
to be friendly and helpful despite the rush.
There is so much
detail crammed in the place, really giving the feel of being in a topsy-turvy alternate
world. I almost missed the clock shaped like a teapot next to me and the large
dodo figure at the back, tucked in the corner. If you visit, make sure to take
a good look around and check out the ceiling which has quotes written across
the beams. Across from me, in the centre of the room on a table headed by a
pink and purple throne, a birthday party is having a special afternoon tea with
cakes decorated with flowers, ‘drink me’ bottles full of green liquid (which I am
desperate to try!) and teapots and cups decorated with the illustrations from
the original book.
My favorite thing
though, of course, is the table of Alice in Wonderland cakes including two
large beautifully decorated ones, one covered in playing cards showing those
famous original drawings and a realistic teacup, overflowing with tea. The other
is in the shape of Alice’s trademark blue skirt and white apron, topped with a
crowned heart and surrounded by white roses half painted red. It doesn’t end
there though because there is more on the counter, where a case of delicious
cupcakes sit, decorated with Alice in Wonderland imagery such as mushrooms, the
hatters hat, the queens jam tarts and more!
I love a themed café or
tearoom and though Alice and the Hatter isn’t exactly what I expected from the
website, the amazing theming throughout and delicious food and tea mean I’ll be
back again and again! After my train troubles last time I tried to get here and
braving the journey here today, its funny and fantastic to discover that a
branch of this amazing tearoom opened in Canterbury yesterday. I walked
past it on my way home and it look lovely, I’ll definitely be visiting it on my
next trip!
Instagram:
@aliceandthehatterhernebay
Twitter: @and_hatter
Facebook:
/AliceandtheHatterHerneBay
Website:
aliceandthehatter.co.uk
Address: 24 William
Street, Herne Bay, Kent, CT6 5EQ
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