Where to enjoy a cream tea in Devon

They have a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence and their cream teas are award winning with most recent award being the Devon Life“Best Scone in Devon 2016” award. At Riverside Hotel, we understand the importance of properly commemorating Devon cream teas. Through our Traditional Afternoon Tea, we recreate the classic and delicious ritual, all served alongside panoramic sea views and unwavering hospitality.

Whether you’re stocking up for future use or planning a special occasion, our cream remains as fresh as the day it was made. Whether you’re hosting a gathering or treating yourself to a moment of indulgence, our cream is always ready to elevate your culinary experience. There’s no need for whipping or additional preparation – simply spoon it onto your favourite scones, desserts, or fruits, and savour the rich, creamy goodness.

What do the gift cards look like?

The Prince Hall Hotel is set high on Dartmoor in a lovely setting overlooking the beautiful West River Dart. They serve delicious Devonshire cream teas featuring freshly baked crumbly scones, locally made strawberry preserve and Devon clotted cream. Creams teas can be enjoyed in the cosy sitting room or bar, the light and airy restaurant or outside on the terrace. They are dog friendly so pop in for a cream tea after a walk on Dartmoor. A traditional Devon cream tea consists of freshly baked scones, strawberry jam and thick Devon clotted cream, served with a pot of tea. In Devon, the long-standing tradition is to spread the clotted cream on the scone first, followed by the jam.

• They produce fine organic scones in the ancient mill and their cream teas are regularly featured in local papers as one of the best cream teas in Devon and the Westcountry.
• They serve locally roasted organic Coffee and Plymouth Tea, have an alcohol licence and can accept card payments.
• Here in South Devon, we firmly believe in putting the cream first, but honestly, as long as you’re savouring every bite, there’s no need to stress about it!
• Their cream teas are well presented in wicker baskets on a wooden chopping board and come with loose leaf tea.

Cream Teas and Devon’s Local Produce

These buns had various names across Devon, such as Cut-Rounds, Chudleys, Farthings, Ashburtons, and Tuffs. Junket, a delicacy of long-standing in the county, was sometimes served at teatime. It is best made from rich milk, set with rennet and finished with a dusting of grated nutmeg. J Henry Harris’s 1907 My Devonshire Book; In the land of junket and cream, describes the marriage of cream with junket as one of the most blissful unions. Blackpool Sands allows you to enjoy a fantastic view of the ocean in their refurbished cafe whilst savouring the delights of a cream tea or cake, as well as other great food.

Each hamper is carefully packed to arrive fresh, beautifully presented, and ready to enjoy. You can add a free gift card with your message, and we offer free tracked UK delivery with the option to choose your date at checkout. Before scones, jam (or fruit) and cream were served on a type of yeast bun, more like a semi-sweet roll.

The café has a sheltered outdoor garden to the rear with seating for those wanting to eat their cream tea outside. There are plenty of great cream teas in Devon not featured on this list and if you believe you should be included please contact us. Some of the venues featured are up market hotels whilst others are small tearooms hidden deep in the Devonshire countryside. In compiling our cream tea guide we’ve tried to make sure that North Devon, East Devon, South Devon and Dartmoor all have good representation so that its easy to find a great cream tea throughout the county. All information was correct at the time of writing this page (summer 2015)but prices will certainly change overtime. Summer brings outdoor settings and seaside views, while autumn and winter offer cosy interiors and a warming pause during cooler days.

An important detail locals take seriously and visitors quickly learn. Today, in an era of fine dining, slow food and Michelin stars, it’s worth remembering that the tradition of afternoon tea was an important part of Devonshire hospitality, and an attraction for many visitors. Vintage guidebooks and postcards tell us much about the farmhouses, cottages, cafés and tea rooms that gave us more than the classic Devon cream tea with its scones, jam and clotted cream we enjoy today.

Exeter & East Devon Cream Teas

Clotted cream was made by straining fresh cow’s milk, allowing the cream to rise, heating it, and then cooling it slowly. The name ‘clowted’ comes from ‘clout,’ an the coffee rush wine bar old word for a patch of cloth, resembling the cream’s crust. Devon’s clotted cream is central to the experience, known for its rich texture and distinctive flavour, produced using local milk and traditional methods.