Key Points
- Peacocks Tearoom in Ely, Cambridgeshire, has become one of the region’s most celebrated spots for traditional afternoon tea, drawing visitors from across the UK and beyond.
- The family-run tearoom sits beside the River Great Ouse on Waterside in Ely and combines a homely interior with a picturesque riverside setting.
- Peacocks offers an extensive range of teas, with blends and styles designed to appeal to both traditionalists and more adventurous tea drinkers.
- Its menu features home-baked scones, cakes and sweet treats, as well as layered afternoon tea stands with sandwiches, scones and indulgent patisserie-style desserts.
- In 2007, the UK Tea Council’s Tea Guild named Peacocks the UK Top Tearoom, and it has since received multiple Awards of Excellence.
- The tearoom has appeared in The Times’ list of the top places in Britain to take tea and has been highlighted by Country Living magazine as a favourite tearoom.
- Peacocks was also placed in TripAdvisor’s Hall of Fame after six consecutive years of Awards of Excellence, recognising consistently strong reviews from visitors.
- BBC Good Food has praised Peacocks as one of the best afternoon teas in the UK, describing it as a budget-friendly choice for traditional afternoon tea in Cambridgeshire.
- The BBC Good Food review highlights imaginative patisserie on the three-tier stand, including a gold leaf‑embellished chocolate praline opera cake and a strawberry and elderflower shortcake tart.
- Reviewers have lauded the staff at Peacocks as polite, knowledgeable and attentive, noting that tea is regularly topped up and extra sandwiches offered.
- Visitors frequently describe the atmosphere as warm, welcoming and homely, comparing it to being a guest in a family home rather than a commercial venue.
- The tearoom’s Devon Cream Tea, Chocolate Dream Cream Tea, Full Monty Afternoon Tea and Pink Perfection Afternoon Tea provide a range of indulgent options.
- Chocolate scones at Peacocks have been described by one reviewer as “to die for”, underlining the tearoom’s reputation for indulgent baking.
- The venue’s combination of award-winning food, extensive tea list and cosy atmosphere has led some visitors and reviewers to regard it as offering the “best of English afternoon tea”.
- BBC Good Food categorises Peacocks as “best for budget tea for traditionalists”, noting its £28-per-person pricing for afternoon tea.
- The history of Peacocks includes its evolution from serving lunches and teas in the owners’ home to becoming a dedicated tearoom that expanded through much of the house and later added bed-and-breakfast suites.
- The tearoom is regularly cited in regional and national guides as one of the standout destinations for afternoon tea in Cambridgeshire.
Cambridgeshire (Cambridge Tribune) February 14, 2026 –On the banks of the River Great Ouse, Peacocks Tearoom in Ely has quietly built a reputation as a charming Cambridgeshire spot where visitors can linger over what many describe as a truly magnificent afternoon tea, complete with home-baked cakes, warm scones and a remarkable choice of teas.
What makes this Cambridgeshire tea room stand out?
Set in a traditional property on Waterside, a short walk from Ely’s historic centre, Peacocks Tearoom combines the feel of a family home with the attention to detail of a serious tea venue. According to TeaTime Magazine, the tearoom is “well-known throughout the region and beyond”, with many customers returning
“back and back for more well-brewed pots of very good tea and delicious home-baked scones, cakes, and other treats”.
The setting beside the river helps to reinforce its appeal, with visitors often stopping in after exploring Ely Cathedral, the riverside walks or the city’s historic streets. As noted in the TeaTime profile of Peacocks Tearoom, the combination of friendly staff, homely décor and carefully prepared food makes the venue feel “like a family home where everyone is welcome”.
How award-winning is Peacocks Tearoom?
Peacocks’ reputation is underpinned by a long run of formal accolades from industry bodies and national publications. TeaTime Magazine records that in 2007 the UK Tea Council’s Tea Guild named Peacocks the UK Top Tearoom, and that it went on to receive Awards of Excellence in all subsequent annual awards run by the guild.
The same profile notes that in 2013 The Times newspaper listed Peacocks among its Top 5 Places to take tea, while Country Living magazine singled it out as its favourite tearoom. In addition, after six consecutive years of TripAdvisor Awards of Excellence, Peacocks was placed in the travel site’s Hall of Fame, indicating consistently strong ratings and reviews from guests.
More recently, BBC Good Food included Peacocks in its January 2026 guide to the best afternoon teas in the UK, describing it as the choice “best for budget tea for traditionalists” and quoting a £28-per-person price point. In that piece, BBC Good Food situates Peacocks alongside some of the country’s best-known hotel and restaurant afternoon tea services, underlining the strength of its national standing.
What does Peacocks serve for afternoon tea?
Peacocks’ menu is built around a broad afternoon tea offering that caters for both simple cream tea cravings and more elaborate, tiered spreads. TeaTime Magazine highlights the Devon Cream Tea, which features warm fruited scones served with jam and clotted cream, as one of the tearoom’s signature options.
For those seeking something richer, the Chocolate Dream Cream Tea pairs chocolate scones with a chocolate brownie and a big mug of hot chocolate or a pot of tea, providing a particularly indulgent take on the tradition. The Full Monty Afternoon Tea includes finger sandwiches, scones and a slice of one of Peacocks’ “scrumptious cakes”, while the Pink Perfection Afternoon Tea adds smoked salmon sandwiches, a glass of rosé sparkling wine, scones with jam and clotted cream, a chocolate brownie and a pot of tea.
In its UK round-up, BBC Good Food emphasises the imaginative patisserie that appears on the three-tiered stand at Peacocks. Food writer Emily Greeves of BBC Good Food reports that her visit included a gold leaf‑embellished chocolate praline opera cake and a strawberry and elderflower shortcake tart, describing each as “imaginatively designed” and “utterly delicious”.
How extensive is the tea selection?
Alongside its food, Peacocks Tearoom is particularly known for its range of teas, which caters to traditional preferences and more exploratory tastes. The tearoom’s own site underlines that it offers an “amazing range of teas”, reflecting a deliberate focus on variety and quality in the tea list.
TeaTime Magazine notes that visitors can choose from multiple blends and styles, with the emphasis firmly on well-brewed pots of tea rather than rushed service. This breadth of choice allows guests to tailor their drink to the specific afternoon tea they select, whether that is a classic cream tea or something more chocolate-focused.
BBC Good Food’s review also remarks on the overall experience of tea service at Peacocks. Greeves states that staff were “polite, knowledgeable and attentive”, ensuring that her tea was topped up and even offering a second helping of sandwiches, which adds to the sense of unhurried indulgence that many visitors seek from an afternoon tea.
Why do visitors describe it as the ‘best of English afternoon tea’?
The description of Peacocks as offering the “best of English afternoon tea” reflects a combination of its riverside setting, traditional menu and consistently strong service. TeaTime Magazine’s portrayal of the tearoom emphasises its homely character, noting that the décor and friendly staff help to create the sense that guests are being welcomed into a family home rather than a formal restaurant.
That same article cites customer feedback that praises the “wonderfully mismatched quaint teacups and saucers” and calls the chocolate scones “to die for”, reinforcing the idea that attention to small details plays a central role. Visitors quoted in TeaTime describe Peacocks as “justly considered one of the best tearooms of England”, a line that encapsulates the venue’s reputation among those who seek out traditional tea experiences.
BBC Good Food’s detailed write-up adds to this portrait of quality and comfort. As reported by Emily Greeves of BBC Good Food, the combination of inventive desserts, plentiful sandwiches and attentive service left her and her party “stuffed, satiated and truly spoilt” several hours after they sat down, a comment that supports the notion of Peacocks as capturing the essence of a leisurely English afternoon tea.
How did this tearoom develop its homely character?
The sense of intimacy and warmth that visitors often mention at Peacocks is rooted in its origins as a tearoom that grew out of the owners’ family home. TeaTime Magazine recounts that Rachel and George Peacock began serving lunches and afternoon teas in their home in 2004, gradually expanding the operation as demand increased.
As trade grew, the tearoom “took over their kitchen, then the hall, then the very pretty garden, and then the family dining room and the lounge”, according to the same profile. Eventually, when the upper floor of the house was converted into two self-contained bed-and-breakfast suites, Rachel and George built themselves a new house at the back of the property, leaving the original building devoted to the tearoom and guest accommodation.
For many customers, these origins help explain why Peacocks retains such a homely feel despite its fame. TeaTime notes that the atmosphere encourages conversation between visitors, commenting that guests often “end up chatting to others seated nearby as if they are all guests in a friend’s house”, which distinguishes the venue from more formal hotel tea lounges.
How do national guides and readers rank Peacocks among Cambridgeshire tearooms?
Peacocks Tearoom is frequently highlighted when national and regional publications compile lists of the best places for afternoon tea in Cambridgeshire and the wider UK. TeaTime Magazine’s dedicated profile places it firmly among the country’s standout traditional tearooms, supported by its awards and long-running popularity.
BBC Good Food’s 2026 feature on the best afternoon teas in the UK presents Peacocks as the choice “best for budget tea for traditionalists”, citing its £28-per-person price and the quality of both the food and the service. By placing a small, family-run Cambridgeshire venue alongside some of Britain’s most prestigious hotel lounges, that article signals the high regard in which Peacocks is held by food writers.
Regional coverage and reader polls in and around Cambridgeshire have also repeatedly included Peacocks in round-ups of the best places for afternoon tea. Social media posts promoting lists of top afternoon tea spots across the county, as shared by regional outlets, regularly feature Peacocks among the recommended venues, reflecting strong local affection as well as national recognition.
What kind of experience can guests expect today?
Today, visitors to Peacocks Tearoom can expect a combination of traditional English afternoon tea elements and the personal touches that come with a family-run business. The tearoom’s own information emphasises a friendly welcome, a relaxing atmosphere and an “amazing range of teas”, setting clear expectations for a slow-paced, indulgent visit rather than a rushed café stop.
The riverside location offers the chance to pair tea with a stroll along Ely’s waterfront or a visit to nearby historic sites. With its award-winning history, imaginative cakes, generous sandwiches and warm service, Peacocks continues to be talked about by customers and reviewers alike as a place where a “magnificent afternoon tea” can still be found in the heart of Cambridgeshire.
