Heart Of The Shires – Tea Room Review/Opinion

While visiting Heart of the Shires, just off the A5 between Towcester and Rugby, we decided to stop for a bite to eat.

The tea room has been part of this shopping destination for many years, although it now appears to be under new ownership or management. The main reason I say that is because the name has changed and there have been several noticeable alterations/changes since our previous visits.

We have always enjoyed eating here in the past and, while the food remains good, I’m not entirely sure we would return. Externally, the tea room looks attractive and inviting, drawing customers in. Inside, it is clean, well presented and has a pleasant atmosphere. On arrival, we were greeted by a lovely, energetic member of staff who also handled payment at the end of our visit.

For lunch, we chose a prawn jacket potato with salad and the quiche of the day. Both dishes were well presented and of good quality. The only slight criticism was that the drinks were more lukewarm than piping hot. However, we didn’t mention it at the time and I’m sure the staff would have rectified the issue had we given them the opportunity. That’s probably more on us than on them.

Now for the part that surprised us: the cost.

Like everyone else, we’re all having to adjust to rising prices, but we were genuinely taken aback by the prices here. Compared with similar venues in the area, it felt noticeably more expensive. We could overhear other customers commenting on the prices too, particularly considering we’re in the Midlands. The tea room also seemed quieter than I remember from previous visits.

The menu offered a decent selection, but most dishes appeared to be a couple of pounds more expensive than you might expect. The prawn jacket potato was £14.25, while the quiche was £14.45. Some venues can justify charging those sorts of prices, but when they do, every aspect of the experience needs to feel that little bit more special. More attentive service throughout would certainly help, especially as the lady who greeted us set such a high standard. All were pleasant, but those serving at the tables didn’t really looked as if they were enjoying serving though polite enough.

Overall, this is an enjoyable venue serving decent food in pleasant surroundings. However, £37.80 for two lunch dishes and two drinks feels a little steep, and that makes it difficult to recommend. We had something similar elsewhere for £30. What used to be an affordable treat now becomes a budget decision due to the cost.