50 High Street
Lyndhurst SO42 4BG
https://www.facebook.com/IndulgenceLyndhurst
What’s not to love about the New Forest? It’s so beautiful that every time I visit I come away with the desire to buy a holiday cottage in the area. Where else can you see horses roaming free around the streets?
I even tried to bundle a small pony into our car to take back to London, but Ben stopped me. I know it’s not practical to have a Shetland pony in an apartment, but we do have a large balcony….
While here, we stopped for tea and cake in the town of Lyndhurst . The town has a selection of cafes and tea rooms, and of these we chose to visit Indulgence, attracted by the cakes arrayed in the window.
I have to say that the service was super quick… the fastest out of any café I’ve been to yet, hands down. We’d barely completed our order before the food and drinks came out.
On the coffee front, it was “passable” according to Ben.
The cakes came out in a novel format… served together on a large wooden platter (so top marks for being unique). My red velvet was a little too rich, with way too much icing even for me! Ben ordered the coffee & walnut cake… I think he does this because he knows I don’t like coffee so I won’t end up eating half his cake.
The décor was interesting, and a lot of effort has been put into creating a certain style which sets Indulgence apart from its competition.
If I was in the area again, I’d probably return to Indulgence, as it seemed to be the best option out of all the cafes in town. And I’d definitely get that pony.
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15 High Street
Chislehurst, BR7 5AB
http://www.annabelsluxuryenglishgifts.com/
I still can’t believe I’d not been to Chislehurst before my visit to Annabel’s II.
It’s a gorgeous little village, full of cute shops, a green complete with duck pond (and ducks) on the edges of a forested area. Feels like you’re in the countryside, but still close to London.
I’ve heard rumours that it’s full of WAGS, but I won’t hold that against the place.
Annabel’s II is a delightful gift shop/tea room and sells all manner of knick knacks for well-to-do boys and girls (both young and old).
If I had children (which I don’t) and they were going to a birthday party (the sort with bouncy castles and pony rides), then I would certainly come here to source a suitable gift. Thankfully since I am sans children, I only had to focus on enjoying the cake.
As an aside, there is also an Annabel’s (I) up the road, but I’m not sure whether this too has a café, or if it’s just a gift shop.
Annabel’s II has a good cake selection, and I opted for red velvet and Ben chose a pecan carrot slice. They were both excellent – moist, flavoursome and quite delicious. Our tea came in beautiful ornamental chinaware, which made it even more of a pleasure to consume.
I suspect it appeals more to the ladies, as the effect is very feminine. In fact, I think Ben was the only gentleman in the place.
I like their attention to detail, which included a nice selection of jazz music playing softly in the background. Customer service was attentive and polite, which is what you’d expect in such a nice area.
The only downside is that they serve filtered coffee, which might not appeal to everyone (hence why Ben opted for peppermint tea).
There is adequate and inexpensive pay parking just up the road, but be warned – the parking inspectors are vigilant.
I look forward to returning to Annabel’s II in future, and I might even treat myself to a little present while I’m there.
CakeMyDayLondon Rating
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