Review: Afternoon Tea and The Double Red Duke

There’s something about The Double Red Duke that just gets branding right. I’d only visited the Cotswolds location before, but the Bicester outpost has the same cosy-but-chic feel – classic country pub energy with a playful edge. Gorgeous interiors, comfy corners, and enough design details to make you want to redecorate your entire house.

We went for the Champagne Afternoon Tea (£45pp – or £35 without fizz), which comes with a glass of Hundred Hills sparkling wine. Tea-wise, there was a good selection: Nicola chose English Breakfast while I went for Jasmine. Bonus points for the beautiful copper teapots, which kept the tea hot the whole time (and there was loads of it).

Presentation-wise, the afternoon tea looked lovely when it arrived. We also added the sausage roll with piccalilli (+£7) because we hadn’t eaten all day and wanted something a bit more substantial – you can also add chipolatas or Scotch eggs if you’re extra hungry. The piccalilli itself was delish.

The sandwiches came on soft, fluffy bread with generous fillings. They were nicely done, although I wanted a little more punch flavour-wise – the chicken had hints of tarragon but could’ve leaned into it more. The scones were light and not too heavy, with a nice crisp finish. Slightly smaller and flatter than your classic towering afternoon tea scone, but still very enjoyable – and jam and cream is always a winning combo. The scone was the highlight for Nicola, though; given their size, could have done with two per person.

Huge slices of cake were at the top of the stand, a fun change from the tiny dainty pâtisserie-style bites you usually get. The carrot and walnut had loads of flavour and great balance, while the Black Forest cake was properly moist and spongy. Sadly, the Victoria sponge and lemon drizzle were on the dry side.

Service was the only thing that let the experience down slightly. Our tea stand arrived well before both the tea and fizz, and we had to ask twice for milk and sugar. It also could’ve been a touch warmer. That said, Nicola’s been before and had lovely chatty experiences with the team, and I’ve had really friendly service at the Cotswolds location too – so hopefully this was more of an off day than the norm.

A gorgeous setting if you fancy a stop off before or after shopping at Bicester Village – and definitely one to consider if you like your country pub charm with a bit of polish. The standard menu is also one to check out – we saw a lady near us enjoying a lobster roll, and I already want to go back for that!