Afternoon tea is something that’s never going to go out of style. There’s just something so lovely about the leisurely pace of it, the delicate food and being able to share the experience. Plus, there’s always new and exciting variations coming out to try. I’m thinking themed afternoon teas and foods that are a bit more unusual to see on the stand.
One place that’s putting its own spin on afternoon tea is Madame Rouge Middlesbrough. This is a traditional vintage pub and tea room in the heart of Middlesbrough serving delicious breakfast, lunch and, of course, afternoon tea. You can also visit them in the evening for an amazing array of cocktails and live music. It’s a real hot spot for catching up with the girls, celebrating birthdays and relaxing in a quirky place.
We went along to try their fabulous afternoon tea, so keep reading to find out my thoughts.
Where is Madame Rouge Middlesbrough?
You’ll find this beautiful, vintage-inspired spot at 218 Linthorpe Road, Middlesbrough, TS1 3QW. They’re open Sun-Thurs from 9am-late, and Fri-Sat from 9am-1am. Visit their booking page to grab your table!
The Madame Rouge decor
First thing’s first, when we opened the door to the pub and tea room, we were stunned by the sight we were greeted with. The walls are covered in ornate mirrors, incredible wallpaper and funky art, like animals in vintage clothes. The colour scheme is full of jewel tones and warmth, giving the place a really plush feel. The floor is tiled in awesome, black and white patterned tiles (that I definitely want to pinch for my house!). There are gorgeous green plants everywhere and stunning chandeliers to line the bar area. It’s just a super cool vibe and like nowhere else that I’ve seen in Teesside!
The savoury options
Once we were seated and comfortable, we took a look at the afternoon tea menu. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love a finger sandwich as much as the next person, but I wish I could choose what I have. Sometimes I don’t want tuna and cucumber or a plain ham sandwich! And at Madame Rouge Middlesbrough, you’re in control of the savoury options.
Each person in your party can choose two sandwiches or a wrap and a sandwich. One sandwich equates to two open sandwiches and one wrap is two halves of a whole wrap, so you can share easily. And if it couldn’t get any better, everyone in your party doesn’t have to pick the same! So I chose the prosciutto, Brie and onion marmalade sandwich, and the Cajun chicken wrap. Matthew picked the Coronation chicken sandwich and the Southern fried chicken wrap, so we had four open sandwiches and four wrap halves to share.
Your savoury stand is brought out first with the sandwich choices you made, plus some fries, dips and coleslaw. I loved that it was separated from the sweet treats because it made me feel like I could really take my time with it.
Every part of the savoury stand was just incredible. My favourite sandwich had to be the prosciutto, Brie and onion marmalade – it’s combination that you just can’t go wrong with! The bread was so thick and provided the perfect bed for the fillings. The wraps were amazing too, especially the Southern fried chicken. I loved the crunch of the chicken and the cool mayo. It was just all so brilliant!
The fries also deserve an extra shout out because they were absolutely delicious. I don’t know how Madame Rouge made them taste so good, but I couldn’t get enough of them. They were so crispy and salty, with just a little extra something something. You need to give them a try!
Thankfully, we were able to have a little break before the sweet stand came out. We were so full from our gorgeous spread of savoury options that we needed a little minute.
If you like this post, you might also like my Guide to the Best Places for Cake & Coffee in Teesside
The sweet stand
The sweet stand was made up of things that you’d expect to find on a classic afternoon tea. This included fruit scones, two types of cake and a slice of cheesecake. If you’re a fan of the sweet portion of afternoon tea, the photo above might raise some eyebrows as the sweets are all one slice cut into pieces to share amongst you. However, we were so full from the savouries that we didn’t mind (I have seen some people on social media have full slices included on their stands, so maybe it depends on what they have in the kitchen on the day).
The fruit scone was lovely. Again, these were pieces of a whole scone and they were both buttered. There was no jam or cream included, but the staff are happy to bring some if you ask. I used my scone to mop up the berry coulis that had been drizzled on the stand, which was really tasty.
I think my favourite of the cakes was the Biscoff cheesecake. It was really creamy and sweet, and I loved the idea of having cheesecake on an afternoon tea. Carrot cake is a total classic and this went down a treat too. It was really dense and moist, and I loved the cream cheese frosting.
By the time we were finished, we were completely stuffed. Everything tasted beautiful and the variety was great. Like I say, we didn’t mind the halved cake and scones because we were so full from the savouries, but it’s something to be aware of when you book. We loved the surroundings and the staff were very attentive. Overall, it was a fantastic experience and one that I’d recommend!
How much does afternoon tea at Madame Rouge Middlesbrough cost?
If you go for the speciality afternoon tea (the one I had), it’s £19.95 per person. This gets you two sandwiches or one sandwich and a wrap, fries, dips, coleslaw, scones, cakes, tea or coffee. You can upgrade to the Prosecco or cocktail afternoon tea for £24.95 per person, which gives you all of the above, but a glass of house Prosecco or a cocktail instead of tea or coffee.
Will you be paying Madame Rouge Middlesbrough a visit for afternoon tea?
I was invited to Madame Rouge to try the afternoon tea in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.