A self-titled ‘all-natural’ bakery, Cutter and Squidge is a cute, peach-coloured cafe in Soho. They’re an award-winning brand and have become pretty well-known in London for their homely (and heavenly) cakes. We headed over to try the Cutter and Squidge afternoon tea.
As always, my review is 100% independent and hasn’t been paid for by the venue – read on for the low down!
My verdict of the Cutter and Squidge afternoon tea
For £32.50 per person, this is a high-quality and affordable afternoon tea in London. The star of the show is undeniably the sweet treats. It’s not your typical trio of desserts – you’re getting real, quality cakes and bakes. The venue is lovely, the staff are attentive and super friendly, plus it’s right in the heart of Soho! The downside? The scones are a little dry, and it’s a much more casual affair than the dazzling glamour of The Ritz.
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Quick summary
| ⭐ Times | Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday between 12pm-4pm and Saturday 11.30am-2pm |
| ⭐ Nearest station | Piccadilly Circus |
| ⭐ Dress code | Casual |
| ⭐ Price | £32.50 per person |
| ⭐ Vegan option | Yes |
| ⭐ Vegetarian option | Yes |
| ⭐ Gluten-free option | No |
| ⭐ Nut-free option | Yes |
| ⭐ Disabled access | Yes |
Full Cutter and Squidge afternoon tea review
The venue
Cutter and Squidge is right in the heart of Soho, in the middle of Brewer Street. It’s not a huge venue, but it’s very pretty inside. The walls are all peach coloured, and there’s lots of fun, independant art on the walls. The tables aren’t too cramped together either, so you can really relax. I always think of Cutter and Squidge as a little tranquil haven within the chaos of Soho! Plus, it’s not too far from all of the main theatres and a five-minute walk from the Tottenham Court Road area.
Range of teas
You can choose from eight different teas, including fine English breakfast, Earl Grey, green, lychee and peach, passionfruit, mint medley, orange and hibiscus, and very berry. This is a nice selection for a smaller venue! You can also choose from any of their iced drinks too for a small fee, like their iced coffees or signature biscuit latte. If you opt for tea, you get a small-ish teapot that you get three or so cups out of. All in all, this is a nice selection. Though places like the Ritz offer 20+ teas, the selection at Cutter and Squidge really covers everything you need.
Savoury
Starting off strong, you get a trio of sandwiches each. For ours we had cheese and chutney, egg mayo, and chicken coronation. Though they also do a full vegan and wheat-free menu. Our sandwiches were great, I was actually pleasantly surprised by the cheese and chutney, which isn’t usually my go-to choice. They weren’t quite finger sandwiches and were more like larger rolls – so you’re getting a little more in terms of quantity.
Scone quality
I have high standards when it comes to scones. First up, you get what looked like a homemade strawberry jam that’s very smooth and the perfect blend of sweet and tangy. The cream also isn’t your standard shop-bought Rodda’s and was much thicker. However, I was a little let down by the scones. They were on the dryer side and didn’t have the fluffy, freshly baked feel that we like to see. They weren’t by any means bad, but we’ve had better.
Sweet treats
For the sweet treats, you get a slice of their signature cake, a ‘biskie’ and a macaron per person. The cakes are what Cutter and Squidge are famous for. We actually got to choose which slice of cake we wanted from a choice of seven on display! I went for chocoalte and hazelnut, which was really a knockout.
Next up was the ‘biskie’ – this is a sort of biscuit, cake, cookie type thing. It’s nice! It sort of has a soft, chewy texture like a freshly baked American cookie and is filled with cream and chocolate. This was really unique, and you won’t find it anywhere else in London. Bonus points for originality!
Overall, this is a delightful range of sweet treats and definitely the highlight of our Cutter and Squidge afternoon tea! You can really taste the quality of the ingredients, and it feels like a lot of love and craftsmanship has gone into each creation. The brand says they use all-natural ingredients, and I have to say, it all tasted very homemade and very great!
User reviews
On TripAdvisor, Cutter and Squidge have a 3.9/4 rating. Don’t let this fool you though, there are lots of people reviewing the online store here too. The feedback from users on the afternoon tea is largerly positive, though some people say Cutter and Squidge are quite strict when it comes to time slots.
- “One of the best Afternoon Tea places I’ve been too. So yummy delicious and fresh. The rolls are delectable. The scones to die for and the cakes look incredible. I was so full after 2 rolls and a scone haven’t had the cake yet . You get 90 minutes and they are quite strict about the time so be on time.” Tammy, Tripadvisor
- “Fantastic experience with Afternoon High Tea in a glutenfree edition. Wonderful service and cozy sorroundings.” Lotte, TripAdvisor