Cuthbert’s Tea Shoppe At Dickens Fair

I would say this place is worth at least a one time visit if you’re at the Dicken’s Fair. As a heads up, this place is extremely popular and it’s probably wise to make reservations online first — otherwise you could be waiting a while. This year, we made a reservation, so this review is about the reservation menu items.
For around $ 30, you start off with 2 scones and a pot of black tea (unlimited refills). I never had a scone before this day, but I thought they were a tad dry. It reminded me of a muffin, but in a different shape and hardness. However, the spreads that came with the scone were delicious. They complemented the tea very well. Afterwards, they brought out tiny sandwiches — you get all 4 kinds they offer on the other side — salmon, cucumber, watercress, and egg mayo. Personally, I like the salmon the most because it definitely has the boldest flavor out of the 4. I could barely taste the cucumber and watercress along with the bread. Finally, they brought out an English trifle. It looked like a parfait, but surprisingly, there was a pastry in the middle of it. It was not too sweet, and ended the meal perfectly. At the very end, they give you a teapot to bring home. I wish there were more colors, since everyone at our table and next to us got pink.
I enjoy the atmosphere at Cuthberts and appreciate the kindness of everyone that works there. I wouldn’t say the items are worth $ 30, but would come again for the atmosphere.

Hey, it’s high tea. It’s not supposed to be good, fast, or cheap! 4 star rating is based on experiences at other tea places. Remember, you are going for the experience, not necessarily for the food.
We reserved a spot the week before our Saturday visit to the Dicken’s Fair. It’s a great system — pick your time and pay your $ 5/​person deposit through Paypal. Very easy! When you show up, go to the «Solarium» area. Don’t wait at the main line. They really should have a clearer sign directing you to this place.
We were seated at a banquet table, decked out with a festive red tablecloth, real dishes (what a treat in this era of styrofoam and disposable silverware!), cute little electric tealights, and a mini plastic poinsettia.
We were served a regular black tea, each given our own teapots and nice cups, spoon and a spoon rest. Cream was provided. We had a plate of tea sandwiches to share: egg salad, smoked salmon, cucumber, and spinach (I think… it wasn’t watercress). They were freshly made, quality was about average, and they didn’t skimp on the cream cheese. We also got scones (about as good as the Trader Joe’s ones) with cream & jam. Dessert was a berry shortcake with cream in a cup, just like the pictures depict. Don’t forget! This is about the experience! Sure, it’s only a few bucks worth of food for $ 20, but the experience of tea with friends is super awesome.
Service was excellent and all of the folks working there were friendly and responsive. We paid with a credit card and it worked out well. Who knows, this could become an annual tradition.

I am astounded by the posts by Anita L. and Bebe M. For purposes of disclosure, I am one of the 40 people who works at Cuthbert’s. I have know the hostess for 20 years, and they are absolutely not describing the person I know. If they feel that they had a bad experience, I suspect hypersensitivity and misunderstanding, and possibly everybody having a bad day. As observed, the Tea Shoppe is wildly busy from opening to closing. Many of the servers are Tea Shoppe veterans, and some are new every year. We have been doing this for 12 years, but we are only open nine days per year, and all of us have day jobs. All things considered, I believe it’s a pretty good effort.
I’m sorry if you did not enjoy your tea. Please come back and try us out again, and for a smoother experience, consider making reservations online in advance.
I will attempt to post this without a rating, so as not to skew the overall results, but I am new to Unilocal and don’t know if I can do this. If not, I’ll go for a mid-​range.

I first stumbled upon Cuthbert’s when I first visited the fair in 2007. Because of its well deserved popularity, I was crushed to find that getting a seat was nigh impossible because their reservation list was booked full for the rest of the day. However, the hostess, Sharon managed to find a table to seat myself and my mom. The scenario repeated itself again the next year and the year after in ’09 when I brought my girlfriend to Cuthbert’s. Each time, Sharon, with her usual sweet demeanor, managed to find seating for us despite a burgeoning reservation list. Given the popularity, if Sharon finds you a seat without a reservation, she IS in fact doing you a favor!
Each visit to Cuthbert’s was a pleasant respite from hours walking through «London Town» and shopping. I am a bit of a tea snob, so I was initially taken aback to find that loose leaves were left in the pot, but found the quality of the tea to be rich with flavor. One simply has to drink the tea before it has time to steep too much, or else pour extra cream. I initially assumed this was the historically accurate way Britons drank tea during the latter half of the 19^th Century, but I have yet to verify this. Ultimately, the experience is refreshing.
I had come to find that the majority of the food served are made by Cuthbert’s! This includes the sandwiches, rum cakes, scones, tarts, puddings and breads. Probably the only thing they buy from package that I know of are the crumpets, but those are good too.
However, you could probably get tea and scones of similar quality at a Starbuck’s for instance. So why come to Cuthbert’s? Atmosphere. The servers are friendly, jovial and accommodating, and one truly feels they are relaxing over tea and sandwiches in 19^th Century London as best that can be duplicated in the 21^st Century.
Over the years I’ve come to know the staff at Cuthbert’s, and found that each and everyone of them to be charming, accommodating, warm and welcoming. The sterling reputation (outside the user-​generated world of Unilocal) of Cuthbert’s is well deserved.
Just a suggestion for ensuring a pleasant experience at Cuthbert’s– make a reservation!

My sister and I have been regular patrons at this annual holiday fair. In the past 20 years, I have served as head waitperson or managed 3 tea salons in the bay area. The service level in Cuthberts is lacking and sloppy. The seating hostess is a cross and sour brunette with glasses, pink dress, and a lace cap on her head. She acts as though she’s doing you a favor by taking your money. Every year, she has the same nasty tone. Why anyone keeps her in this position is beyond me.
Please do not leave milk/​cream pitchers on the table when you «bus» and reset for your next customer (s). I check mine, and have found dust and airborne particles floating on top. If you go, insist on a fresh, COLD pitcher of milk. The food selections, for the most part, are actually fine. Desserts are a bit thrown together, but not horrible. Dishes have been clean so far. This could be such a gem, with a friendly hostess and better attention to presentation.

Fair Season ’10 update: having reservations was helpful, but the big tables used for the High Tea seating weren’t as nice as I hoped — crowded and a bit impersonal. We did go right at the start of the very first day, so I assume they’ll have a lot of the service quirks ironed out soon. Overall still as great as I remember — still part of fair tradition!