Harden's says
To rediscover the tea houses of your long-lost youth (we’re talking to the Boomers and Generation X now), head to this well-preserved period piece. It’s just five minutes walk from the entrance to Kew Gardens and the ideal genteel breakpoint for a cup of char and a bun.
Harden's survey result
Summary
“I’ve been coming here for at least 50 years and it’s always excellent!” – these “unique and historical” 1940s tea rooms opposite Kew Gardens are a well-conserved capsule of WWII-era style that’s “very touristy of course, but also very atmospheric” and “homely in feel”. “It’s a tradition well worth keeping up for the delicious Maids of Honour tarts” (said to derive from a recipe from the Tudor period) and other calorific treats. Top Tip – “the afternoon teas are best known, but the lunch is quite good” and “they serve great breakfasts”.
Summary
“Like taking tea in olden days” – this mock-Tudor tea room opposite Kew Gardens was built in the 1940s and is splendidly unmodernised. The Newens have been baking here since the Victorian era while their signature Maids of Honour tarts are said to have originated under the Tudors. Yes, it’s “touristy – but very atmospheric, and the afternoon teas are good”.
Summary
“Very touristy of course, but also very atmospheric… and the afternoon teas are so good!” – This “very traditional tea rooms opposite Kew Gardens” is seemingly unchanged in many decades and offers a comforting slice of post-war life, having been built in mock-Tudor style in the late 1940s. “Famed for their ‘maids of honour’ pastries”, “their tea is a simple classic affair of scones, jam, clotted cream, savoury pastries, pies, and aforementioned tarts”. “It never fails to please and I just keep coming back after 40 years!”
For 33 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).
Have you eaten at Newens: The Original Maids of Honour?
288 Kew Road, London, TW9 3DU
Prices
 Drinks |
|
|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £16.00 |
| Filter Coffee | £2.00 |
 Extras |
|
|---|---|
| Bread | £0.00 |
| Service | 12.50% |
288 Kew Road, London, TW9 3DU
Opening hours
| Monday | 10 am‑6 pm |
| Tuesday | 10 am‑6 pm |
| Wednesday | 10 am‑6 pm |
| Thursday | 10 am‑6 pm |
| Friday | 10 am‑6 pm |
| Saturday | 9 am‑6 pm |
| Sunday | 9 am‑6 pm |
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