Old Bakery Tea Rooms, Wingecarribee St, Berrima

Old Bakery Tea Rooms, Wingecarribee St, Berrima

Saturday 21 July, 2007

A trip to the Highlands is not complete without a spot of shopping or devonshire tea. So, we killed two birds with one stone and did both in Berrima today. We are all avid shoppers and I don't think there was one shop on the strip that we didn't indulge e.g. I couldn't go past good 'ol cobbers from the Lolly Swagman or chilli mustard from the Jam Factory.

After exhausting the shopping strip and taking our purchases back to the car we needed to eat. The Old Bakery Tea Rooms is located on Wingecarribee just a short stroll from the main road. The tea rooms have been there for over 100 years with several renovations - there's the front sun room that is lovely as it catches the afternoon sun and the original bakery and sandstone rooms with open fireplaces. It's a homely, inviting space and the staff are very relaxed.

We found a table in the front sun room and were surprised to find the tables covered in butchers paper and a tea cup of crayons. Without prompting we all reverted to childhood and proceeded to write and draw all over it. There was a laminated menu in a stand also on the table and when our waiter finally arrived to take our orders we heard the specials.

I ordered the chicken pie as did one of my lunch buddies and our other lunch buddies ordered the pumpkin soup with thick crusty bread. We also pre-ordered 2 x devonshire teas to share afterwards. After we had ordered the waiter turned to leave and then stopped. She turned and said with a smile..... the kitchen is backed up so there will be a 30 minute wait. This is something you really want to hear upfront and not after you had ordered. Fortunately we weren't in a hurry so didn't mind waiting.

Within 15 mins the meals arrived - extra kitchen staff called in???? The pies were just what you would expect from a cafe specialising in tea & scones - average and the accompanying chips and salad were worse. The pie base was overcooked and the filling was mushy. That said, my lunch buddies loved the pumpkin soup and the fresh crusty bread was divine.

I left most of my lunch and decided to focus on the devonshire tea. This definitely lived up to expectations - the scones were enormous and served warm and there was plenty of cream and jam on offer. This was impressive as you are usually scraping the dish for cream and jam - do you know what I mean? I've had devonshire tea before where they are stingy with the cream and jam and you feel as if it has been rationed.

We all enjoyed the devonshire tea (I enjoyed mine with coffee) and one scone each was more than enough - not sure I could have managed two. For all it's negatives, the Bakery Tea Rooms is quaint and I would recommend it for devonshire tea.



Old Bakery Tea Rooms - Wingecarribee St, Berrima - (02) 4877 1343