Grannies Tearoom

Alnwick is a delectable, medieval gem, with a proud castle - dubbed ‘the Windsor of the North’ - serpentine streets and an appealing mix of old buildings. The castle and fabulous gardens are well worth exploring; don’t miss the enormous tree house.

Below the stronghold in the traditional stone high street you’ll spy Grannies, a charismatic tea-room with large windows and a handsome, blue and gold shop front. The deli upstairs is a hoard of toothsome Northumberland delicacies: cheeses, jams, pickles and honey.

The tea-room is downstairs in the old cellar where the remains of a coal chute indicate its former life. It’s a cosy room (though the claustrophobic might disagree) with chunky furniture, antique curiosities decorating the shelves and grannie’s bloomers pegged out on the ceiling. Food is generous and tasty: perhaps a salmon salad stack, homemade soup, jacket potato, panini with house coleslaw, hunk of homemade cake or huge scone.