Juliets
54 High Street, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 1XF
julietsandmore.com • +44 1892 522931
Where to start with the list of wonders here at Juliets—the welcoming, smiling girls who greet you; the eye-popping display of the most amazing cakes ever; the warm, happy chatter that fills the entire room; the coziness; the overwhelming joy and delight; and a thrilling sense—as soon as you open the door—that you’ve just discovered a little slice of magic? This is teatime heaven! Pink lysianthus and lilies in pretty jugs deck the tables, the window, and the marble counter. Generously filled sandwiches and baguettes are stacked, neatly wrapped in red-and-white chequered tissue, ready for the lunch-time rush. Large oval platters of wonderfully colourful and imaginative salads command immediate attention. And the cakes— well, how does anyone ever know what to choose? There’s Carrot & Walnut Cake more generously topped with walnuts than any such cake before it; Banana Loaf decorated all over with closely regimented, upstanding slices of banana; Lemon Feather Cake that is truly as light as its name and absolutely yummy; Chocolate & Raspberry Cake topped with the plumpest raspberries and a profusion of flaked chocolate; Orange Blossom Sunshine Cake with icing that ripples down its sides; Lemon & Poppyseed with white icing, strands of lemon zest, and a pretty scattering of seeds; Courgette & Pistachio with Elderflower, literally covered all over with pistachios; and large chunks of Rocky Road, Billionaire’s Shortbread, brownies, flapjacks, and more, so much more. No wonder there is regularly a chattering, excited queue inside and outside the shop!
This is the sort of tearoom where customers talk readily to each other and share their enjoyment. There are tables for two or four and one large shared table that inevitably encourages neighbourliness. The bare brick wall along one side of the room lends its russet warmth, and the simplicity of wooden dining tables and chairs and mix-and-match teacups, saucers, and pots is homely and comfortable. The entire room, from the window display with its eclectic collection of teapots and cake stands, coronation mugs, and well-used candlesticks to the random art and photos on the walls and the counter laden with such glamorous treats, has a style all its own. It’s clever and witty and fun, but also serious in doing everything perfectly. It has real personality—exactly as a good tearoom should.
