Afternoon Tea at Spanish City, Whitley Bay

* This is a collaboration with Spanish City

Ever since the grand reopening of Spanish City at Whitley Bay and my first little look inside the stunning building I've been dreaming about returning to try out some of the delicious food they have on offer inside but where to start? Fish and Chips at Trenchers? Dessert in the Waffle House, Coffee at Valeries or how about an indulgent Afternoon Tea?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure that Spanish City is the only place in Whitley Bay where you can have a proper fancy sit down afternoon tea and it's something I've been looking forward to ever since I first heard that afternoon teas would be served at Spanish City. Cake stands at the seaside is my idea of heaven - what a perfect combination.

So for my first dining experience at Spanish City it only seemed right that I start with an afternoon tea and of course I knew you'd all be interested to hear about it - so grab a cuppa (and maybe a plate of sandwiches to stop you getting peckish) and let's chat!

Before I went for afternoon tea at Spanish City I had thought you could only have it inside Valerie's Tea Room but was delighted to discover that afternoon tea is also served, depending on the day, in 1910 or The Gallery under the Dome which, I think you'll agree, makes the whole experience rather lovely. My table for two was booked for a Sunday afternoon in The Gallery.

The Gallery runs round the upper balcony, underneath the Dome with the most beautiful views of that gorgeous ceiling and the opportunity to have a little spy on people below you in Trenchers tucking into their fish and chips. When I first looked round Spanish City I had no idea they'd be using this space for afternoon tea and I'm so glad they are as it's a prime location for an indulgent afternoon tea. We were very lucky that there was a live band playing during our visit which made our experience even more special.

With our booking perfectly timed for the launch of the new Autumn Afternoon Tea, I was looking forward to trying out the seasonal twists on the new look menu. I love the flavours of Fall and couldn't wait to get stuck in. Afternoon Tea at Spanish City costs £19.95 per person and if you fancy a glass of something fizzy to go with it you can enjoy a glass of Prosecco for £5.45 or Champagne for £7.95. Definitely not the most expensive afternoon tea in the North East, but certainly not the cheapest. I was interested to see if the cake stand was worth the price tag.

Our savoury tier was packed with goodies and I was really happy that it wasn't just the usual selection of sandwiches with some good variety to enjoy. Chicken, Mushroom and Tarragon Vol Au Vent, Egg and Cress served on a brioche bun, Caramelised Onion & Golden Cross Goats Cheese Tart and Kettle Ham and Piccalilli served on Brown Bread. All perfect and a delicious start to our tea.

Moving up to my favourite part of any afternoon tea, the scones. There are two on the tier at Spanish City with Colliers Mature Cheddar served with Butter and Spiced Autumn Fruit with Clotted Cream and Homemade Strawberry Jam.

When it comes to scones on an afternoon tea I am VERY fussy and not easily impressed. Personally I think they make or break an afternoon tea and can't help but be left disappointed if they're not spot on. So I'm really pleased to report that the scones at Spanish City are really very good. The perfect size for an afternoon tea with a lovely soft inside - heaven!

I know that you've all been very patiently waiting for me to talk about the sweet treats but believe me the dessert tier is worth the wait

The Pina Colada Sundae with Coconut Pavlova was the perfect place to start (always start with the lighter bites first to save room for the really naughty stuff!) It was deliciously light and creamy and a great promise for what was to come.

Unfortunately, due to my nut allergy, I couldn't try the Banana and Caramel Truffle, but I was really happy that I was given a lovely alternative instead. I really don't like when I'm given a poor substitution because of my allergy so was really happy with my little Chocolate slice as an indulgent replacement.

The Blackberry and Apple Cheesecake was a really tasty seasonal treat, I particularly love blackberries in the Autumn, they always take me back to my childhood, cycling our way down the little country lanes in the village picking blackberries from the bushes and eating so many that our fingers and mouths would turn purple.

The cake that I'd been most excited about was the Spiced Pumpkin Macaron so I had to save it to last. Oh wow, what a special treat! At this time of year I would happily eat Pumpkin flavour everything so to have a pumpkin macaron was brilliant.

I really can't fault the afternoon tea at Spanish City, the setting was beautiful, the service was attentive and the food was really very good, it has definitely made it to my list of best afternoon teas in the North East. If you're looking for a special treat at the seaside this season I highly recommend booking yourself the afternoon tea at Spanish City.

Find Spanish City at:

Spanish City Plaza
Whitley Bay
NE26 1BG

0191 691 7090

spanishcity.co.uk/

We were invited to Spanish City for a complimentary afternoon tea for two in exchange for this honest review.