Cream Tea in Nottingham: Where to Go for Scones
Cream tea in Nottingham means scones with jam and clotted cream, not a full afternoon tea. Compare two city places, their prices and how to book ahead.
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Cream tea in Nottingham means a scone served with jam and clotted cream, with a pot of tea, and two city addresses let you order it without committing to a full afternoon tea. A quick scone is the cheapest way in, while a booked afternoon tea adds sandwiches and cakes, and adds a bigger bill.
The choice comes down to speed and scale: one is a vintage-styled teahouse where you drop in, the other a hotel where you reserve a sitting. Prices below are the ones the two businesses publish, so treat them as a guide and confirm at booking.
What a cream tea is (and how it differs from afternoon tea)
A cream tea is the small version of the ritual: one or two scones, jam, clotted cream, a pot of tea. It is a snack-sized pause, and it is the order to pick when you want a scone without a long sitting.
Afternoon tea is the fuller thing, with sandwiches, cakes and often unlimited tea on top of the scones. If you want the whole production, see the tea rooms listed in this guide to tea rooms in Nottingham, where the quick-stop format is common.
Jam or cream first? The etiquette question, briefly
The jam-first or cream-first argument is a county-pride debate, and no Nottingham venue enforces a rule: you get a scone, a pot of jam and a pot of cream, and you assemble it yourself. This is a place to enjoy a scone, not police it.
A practical tip: spread cream first, jam on top, so the jam is not pushed off the scone. Either way you get the same combination of warm scone, sweet jam and cold cream, which is the point.
White Rabbit Teahouse: a scone in the city centre
White Rabbit Teahouse is a vintage-styled teahouse in the city centre, and its menu lists a warm scone with clotted cream and jam from £4.80 in the small treats and cakes section. That is the cheapest route to a cream tea here, and tea is separate: loose-leaf tea and infusions cost £4.10.
The café also offers toasted sandwiches, homemade quiche and a full breakfast, so a scone stop can easily become lunch. It is a straightforward place to combine with a day of things to do in Nottingham rather than a destination in itself.
Lace Market Hotel: scones as part of a booked afternoon tea
The Lace Market Hotel, at 29–31 High Pavement, serves its afternoon tea Wednesday to Saturday from midday to 3.30pm, with homemade scones among the cakes and finger sandwiches. It costs £25 per person, or £29 with a glass of Prosecco.
The menu changes seasonally and for special occasions, so the scone may not be the same each visit, and the kitchen asks for dietary requirements at the point of booking. This is the sit-down, booked option: no scone-only order.
White Rabbit's full afternoon tea: what it includes
The White Rabbit's afternoon tea includes unlimited tea or a cafetiere, a selection of sandwiches, a mini quiche per person, one scone each with cream and jam, and mini cakes. It costs £32.50 per person, or £37.50 with Prosecco, and it is available all day if you book.
Two practical points come with that price: the teahouse takes cash only, and the afternoon tea must be booked, either at the café or through the booking form. If you want a scone and a pot of tea without the full spread, order from the small treats list instead.
Which to choose: a quick scone or a booked sitting
If you want a cream tea, the White Rabbit's £4.80 scone plus a £4.10 pot of tea is a short stop you can slot into a walk around the city centre. The Lace Market Hotel's £25 afternoon tea is the better pick for a birthday or a slow afternoon, but it runs only Wednesday to Saturday and needs a booking.
Book ahead for the hotel sitting, and check the seasonal menu and any dietary needs at the same time. For a wider spread of options, including places outside the city, see afternoon tea near Nottingham.
Booking, dietary notes and what changes
The Lace Market Hotel prepares food fresh and says it may not be able to accommodate last-minute requests, so flag dietary requirements when you book. The White Rabbit's afternoon tea is available upon booking, and cash is the only payment method.
Both venues change their menus, and prices are volatile, so confirm the current price and availability when you book. For a wider field, this guide to afternoon tea in Nottingham covers other addresses.
Getting there
The Lace Market Hotel is at 29–31 High Pavement in the Lace Market, an easy walk from the city centre and close to the [link]Nottingham Castle[/link] quarter. The White Rabbit sits in the city centre, so either can be built into a walking day.
If you are planning around other sights, museums in Nottingham lists the free and paid options to pair with a scone stop. Both venues are central, so a cream tea fits easily between two sights.
Plan Your Cream Tea
For a cream tea rather than a full afternoon tea, the White Rabbit's warm scone with clotted cream and jam is the lighter, cheaper choice, and the Lace Market Hotel is the booked, sit-down version with sandwiches and cakes. Pick the first for a mid-walk pause and the second for an occasion.
Before you go, confirm the current price, opening times and booking arrangement with your chosen venue, and mention dietary requirements when you book. If you want the page covering the wider tea scene, start with the afternoon tea in Nottingham guide.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I get a cream tea in Nottingham?
The White Rabbit Teahouse in the city centre serves a warm scone with clotted cream and jam, and the Lace Market Hotel serves homemade scones as part of its booked afternoon tea. Both are central and within walking distance of the main sights.
Is cream tea the same as afternoon tea?
No. A cream tea is a scone with jam and clotted cream plus tea, while afternoon tea adds sandwiches, cakes and often unlimited tea. If you only want the scone, order from the small treats list rather than the full afternoon tea.
Do I need to book afternoon tea in Nottingham?
The White Rabbit's afternoon tea is available by booking at the café or through its booking form, and the Lace Market Hotel takes bookings for its afternoon tea, so reserve ahead for either. A single scone at the teahouse does not need the same advance planning.
Does White Rabbit Teahouse take card?
No. The White Rabbit states that it accepts cash only, so bring cash if you plan to order a scone, tea or the full afternoon tea there.
What time is afternoon tea served at Lace Market Hotel?
Afternoon tea is served Wednesday to Saturday from midday to 3.30pm. Confirm the current times when you book, as service windows can change.
Sources
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