Ringwood’s Boston Tea Party cafe launches new summer time menu
SET within a beautiful historic building in Ringwood’s Furlong Centre, Boston Tea Party is laid out over three floors with outdoor terrace dining for the long awaited summer days.
Well known for its breakfast and brunch menu, the chain was founded in Bristol in the 1990s and has grown to run 23 cafes across the south-west with a focus on sustainability and ethical sourcing.
Despite being part of a café group, each venue is proudly individual, hosting an array of community events and giving to local good causes.
With a new summer time menu recently launched, I was thrilled to enjoy afternoon brunch there with my 10-year-old daughter.
Ringwood BTP can be found within Frampton’s Mill, a historic building dating from around 1913 which was once used to store grain and seed.
We discovered a bustling and vibrant cafe, featuring modern furniture and fittings carefully considered to complement the beautiful exposed brick walls, timber rafters and wood panelling.
A second-floor open balcony gives the café a feeling of spaciousness, allowing plenty of natural light to stream in.
There are also plenty of quirky features including board games, a ‘dog of the week’ noticeboard, and a collection of beautiful crochet café characters created by one of the talented team members.
Upon our arrival, we were warmly greeted by assistant manager Courtney, who showed us to a quiet upstairs table and helped us with her recommendations from the all-day menu.
The café has recently launched three new brunch dishes – the smoked salmon hash served with charred corn avocado and sweet chilli and lime dressing; a quesadilla with spicy black bean and melted cheese, served with avocado, Pico de Gallo and sour cream; and a house salad with vintage cheddar, soft boiled egg, Caesar dressing, sourdough croutons, lettuce and baby spinach.
However, Courtney recommended a BTP staple, the sweetcorn hash, which has been on the menu at Ringwood for close to a decade. Colourful and beautifully presented, the dish featured a trio of warm sweetcorn fritters, topped with two perfectly poached eggs, grilled haloumi and a fresh avocado and salsa dressing. It was finished with a sweet side serving of Sriracha maple syrup, adding an indulgent kick!
The combination of flavours and textures married perfectly – it was deliciously moreish and really did taste as good as it looked. Alongside, I enjoyed a wonderfully refreshing mango and raspberry smoothie served in a tall glass.
My daughter decided to pick from the kids menu, selecting five items from the junior breakfast menu alongside a rich chocolate milkshake.
As a connoisseur of sweet milky drinks it is fair to say she knows her milkshakes, and she absolutely loved the BTP’s. She went as far as to say it was one of the best she’d ever tasted.
We finished off with a selection of BTP’s homemade cakes, including an indulgent chocolatey brownie and a delicious Bakewell-style berry cake.
Despite being part of a chain, Ringwood’s BTP definitely had a unique and welcoming vibe, making it the perfect pit-stop for a coffee with friends or a family brunch get together.
• To be in with a chance of winning brunch for two at Boston Tea Party, pick up a copy of this week’s A&T and turn to page 20.
