Opening Hours
The Old Kitchen Tearoom is open Wednesday – Sunday from 10am – 4:30pm. Last orders for hot food is at 3:30pm.
‘The dinner too in its turn was highly admired. He begged to know to which of his fair cousins the
excellence of its cookery was owing. But here he was set right by Mrs. Bennet who assured him
with some asperity that they were very well able to keep a good cook, and that her daughters had
nothing to do with it’
Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, 1813
Cakes in the Old Kitchen Tearoom
© Claire Lewis Photography 2019
The Old Kitchen Tearoom
Open 10am – 4:30pm. Last orders for hot food at 3:30pm.
Group visits – Our tearoom is very small and operates on a first-come first-serve basis. We do not have the capacity to cater for large groups, particularly in the busy high season. If your group would like refreshments, please discuss and pre-book with us through hire@chawtonhouse.org so that we can prepare.
Download the new Summer Menu for 2025 here.
To book afternoon tea please contact us on oldkitchentearoom@chawtonhouse.org. For more information on our afternoon teas just keep reading!
Takeaway service – The Old Kitchen Tearoom is not currently open for takeaway – you can instead visit the Tea Shed on the driveway (scroll down for more information).
Please Note: Dogs (except assistance dogs) are only allowed in the outdoor courtyard seating area, not inside the tearoom.
(c) Claire Lewis Photography
The Tea Shed
Why not visit our refreshments hut, the Tea Shed, whilst out for a stroll in the wider parkland? Parkland walks are free of charge and the Tea Shed is located outside the Chawton House grounds so is open to ticketholders and non-ticketholders alike. Enjoy a freshly roasted coffee, hot chocolate and a sweet treat to warm you on your winter walk.
Afternoon Tea (pre-bookings only)
By appointment (with a minimum of one week’s notice), we can arrange Afternoon Tea for your party.
Held in our Old Kitchen Tearoom, our Afternoon Tea includes a selection of sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and jam, homemade cakes and a hot drink of your choice.
Prices start from £25 per person, please contact us on oldkitchentearoom@chawtonhouse.org to find out more and to book your Afternoon Tea session. Please notify us of any dietary requirements at the time of booking.
Alternatively, if you are looking for a gift for a loved one, why not purchase one of our vouchers via the online shop?
Looking for a private room to hire for your afternoon teas? We offer a variety of options for private room hire available at your convenience. Please contact hire@chawtonhouse.org for further information.
© Claire Lewis Photography 2019
© Claire Lewis Photography 2019
The History of the Old Kitchen
The Old Kitchen, built in 1592, was at the heart of a cluster of spaces where the servants carried out their work, including the Scullery, Wine Cellar, Game Larder, Well House and Pump Room. Enjoy several period features whilst taking tea, such as the early Victorian range set into a brick alcove, a late-Georgian dresser, a copper kettle and two coffee grinders attached to a timber post above the work table. The long, bowed table in the centre of the tearoom dates from the eighteenth-century and has been worn to an uneven surface by centuries of chopping and scrubbing.
© Claire Lewis Photography 2019
The Old Kitchen can be found on the ground floor at the end of the Servants’ Passage. There is additional seating in the Courtyard, which offers stunning views of the Library Terrace and grounds through the archway. We hope you enjoy your visit!
