If you are looking for somewhere special to visit as the days of summer are upon us, take yourself out to the small and very picturesque Thames-side village of Buscot which is two miles from Lechlade and four from Faringdon on the A417.
Part of the National Trust’s Buscot and Coleshill Estate, this delightful village offers walkers the chance to take a stroll along the Thames Path which will take you towards Kelmscott, the path for which can be found at the end of the road which takes you to Buscot Weir field and on to Buscot Lock on the river. The route fortunately avoids walking on the busy A417.Even if you are not planning a walk, the drive to the village is very pretty.
Many of the properties in Buscot are owned by the National Trust including what was once the former village Post Office, but which is now home to Buscot Tearoom run by Daniella and her husband Nick. The cottages within the village once housed the people who worked on the estate at nearby Buscot Park and the building which is now the Tearoom dates back to the 1880’s.
Having moved from Devon to Oxfordshire in 2011 and living in West Oxfordshire, when the couple heard that the property was available to lease, they decided it would be the perfect place for them to make their home in order to establish a quintessentially English country tea room, serving the most delicious handmade sweet and savoury food. Both Daniella and her husband are trained chefs and Daniella learned how to bake and create imaginative cakes and absolutely wonderful scones when she worked in a boarding school in Devon. Many of the recipes she has developed over the years are intuitive and amongst the favourites available in her tearoom are a Lemon Meringue Cake, a genuine Coffee and Walnut Cake made with expresso coffee and lots of walnuts, Carrot Cake and a particular favourite with customers is her mouth-watering Raspberry and Elderflower Layer Cake. There is also a range of freshly baked tray bakes such as Kinder Bueno Brownies, chocolatey Rocky Road, Shortbread and Millionaire Shortbread. Although not sold as gluten free, suitable for coeliacs, Danielle also includes a flourless bake.
As you would expect from an English tearoom, the freshly baked fruit or plain scones which are served with strawberry jam and decadent clotted cream are sublime. They are not only a generous size but truly melt in the mouth. Served with tea, they are also reasonably priced, especially given the high quality of the ingredients used and the delightful scone which is served. You can also choose from equally delicious savoury cheese scones.
When it comes to savoury dishes, there is also an excellent selection on the menu ranging from Ploughman’s, Salads for both vegetarians and non-vegetarians, Panini’s, Sandwiches and Baguettes, all with a good selection of fillings to choose from. There is freshly made soup too which is created by Nick and when I visited, you could choose from Tomato and Basil or Broccoli soup.
What makes the Buscot Tearoom even more special is the ambience that has been created together with the warmth of the welcome you receive from Daniella as you step inside. Although the shop area is small with only 16 covers, the magnificent cottage garden which is Nick’s pride and joy is a sight to behold. With extensive outdoor seating, it really is the perfect place to sit and listen to the birds and the sheep in nearby fields and provides space for children to play whilst enjoying a Children’s Picky Plate, specially created for smaller appetites. You are also welcome to take your dog(s) inside and out into the garden area – another bonus as far as I am concerned.
The interior of the tearoom retains its period charm and has been decorated in tranquil colours, creating a welcoming ambience. For those who love to garden, Nick sells a small selection of garden plants some of which he has grown and others from quality local suppliers, all at very reasonable prices.
Hopefully, you won’t leave it too long before you visit as once you have been, I am sure like me, you will want to go back. The Buscot Tearoom is open Wednesday to Saturday 10am until 4pm and Sundays 11.30am until 4pm. They do sometimes open on Bank Holiday Mondays so please check their social media for updates. There is a carpark just beyond the Tearooms on the right hand side but at weekends this is likely to get quite busy.
Be sure to follow Buscot Tearooms on Facebook at Buscot.tearoom
