Lilly’s Tea & Coffee House, Wickham, Hampshire

No tables were free at Lilly’s Tea & Coffee House in Wickham at 2pm, but we were able to wait on a little bench near the counter until one became available. Thankfully we didn’t have to wait too long. There are plenty of tables inside and upstairs and also a few outside.

In the room downstairs where we were seated there are two large fireplaces, whether they are ever used I’m not sure, but it’s quite a nice cosy room with some wood panelling on the walls, parquet flooring and beamed ceiling.

I noticed the kids on the table next to me each had a Malteser ice cream milk shake. Not something I normally go for but I love Maltesers so I ordered one too. It was amazing.

If anyone remembers Fatty Arbuckles in Southsea many moons ago whose milk shakes were divine, this one came a close second to that. Very thick and tasty with several Maltesers swimming happily on top. Delicious.

I ordered bubble & squeak which came with a fried egg sitting upon two large deliciously juicy field mushrooms and a grilled plum tomato. The potato in the bubble & squeak was coarsly chopped and it contained shredded carrot and peas too. Drizzled on the plate was a green pesto sauce and what I assume was a beetroot sauce, rather tasty. This made the presentation of the dish look quite pretty and colourful as you can see.

Geoff had the Hadlow’s ham (Hadlow’s is a local butcher) with twice cooked hand cut chips and chutney with two fried eggs. He wasn’t happy with his chips and asked me to taste some. They weren’t very nice, they were a little fluffy around the edges but firmer in the centre and had a rather unpleasant taste to them. He left a few of them.

However, the orange & cranberry bread & butter pudding made up for it. This was served warm with some vanilla ice cream. The orange wasn’t overpowering, quite subtle but definitely there. It was a nice large serving.

I had the coffee & walnut cake, again a nice large portion. This was fresh and light with coffee butter frosting in the centre and on top, crushed walnuts in the sponge and sprinkled on the top.

Our only gripe – apart from the chips of course – was the extremely long wait to be asked if we wanted a dessert or anything else. We waited 20 minutes (and that was after some time had already passed and we realised we had been waiting, plus the place had thinned out by 3pm) and then I had to ask a passing waitress myself. Luckily we weren’t in any hurry. Also some of the tables for two are far too close together.

There’s plenty to choose from on the menu. Sandwiches, soup, salads, even a children’s high tea.

Wickham is a  nice little country village with a few shops to look around (mainly old second-hand goods and ornaments that you remember Granny had all those years ago, but hey, it’s nice to reminisce) plus other tearooms and restaurants including Greens Restaurant which we visited just over a year ago and also reviewed. There is a large pay & display car park which can become rather busy, but also a free car park a bit further on if you don’t mind a little walk.

Living life, loving cake.

A x