The Mother Of All Afternoon Teas: Running Fox Café

Ah, afternoon tea. What could be a better, and more quintessentially British, way of spending a few hours than tucking into a perfectly curated spread of sandwiches, scones, and cakes? But with every venue around the UK offering vastly varying menus that differ from taste to taste, how can you decide where to go for the best afternoon tea experience? I’ll tell you where: the Running Fox Café.

The Running Fox has several locations across Northumberland, and I was lucky enough to visit their café at Felton Riverside a few weeks ago. Located in a quaint building, we were led upstairs to a modern dining room, furnished with plants, fairy lights, and an array of fox-related merchandise, including a tote bag with the message ‘for fox’s sake’! After we got settled, it was time to get down to business, as we were presented with an extensive menu, full of choices for our epic afternoon tea.

One thing that first attracted me to Running Fox’s afternoon tea was the amount of choice the customer gets, as I often find that the sandwich fillings and cake options can often lead to the downfall of an afternoon tea menu – does anyone really want soggy cucumber sandwiches or a tiny macaron?! This is no issue at the Running Fox though, as you get the pick of any sandwich filling you desire from a huge selection,with a range of meat, vegan, and gluten-free options. The sandwich is also accompanied by a slice of pie or quiche. I opted for a roast pork, stuffing, and apple sauce sandwich, and a steak and ale slice of pie, both of which were delicious. Although as a true Northerner, I would have loved some gravy to go with my pie. We then got a choice of a fruit or cheese scone; both of us picked fruit, which was served with clotted cream and raspberry jam. Finally, for the grand finale, we were able to pick any cake from a ginormous list of mouth-watering homemade cakes. We struggled immensely with deciding which cake we wanted but, in the end, went for lemon & white chocolate cheesecake and carrot cake.

Both of us thoroughly enjoyed our experience at the Running Fox, and for me, getting to customise the food to suit my own preferences made it even more delectable. My only complaint is that all the menu options sounded so nice, I would have liked to try them all, especially the cakes! But that just means I have an excuse to take another trip there...