The Orangery (Blenheim Palace, UK)

The Orangery is a premier spot to have afternoon tea while taking a break from exploring Oxfordshire's Blenheim Palace.

About 10 miles north of Oxford sits Blenheim Palace, a World Heritage site built in the early 1700s. It's an imposing estate that draws nearly a million visitors a year.

We came to Blenheim one rainy September weekday, and were happy to find that it actually was not crowded at all! Our visit was topped off with afternoon tea at The Orangery, an elegant on-site restaurant.

Hoping to plan a similar outing? Here's what you need to know!

Do I Need a Reservation?

Reservations are highly recommended. Visit their website to book ahead.

When I checked on the morning of our visit, there were no openings visible online. Once we arrived at Blenheim, I went directly to the restaurant to ask if they could seat us, and we were given a mid-afternoon time slot. This gave us a couple of hours to explore the house and grounds and still make it back for our tea.

So even if you're not able to get a booking online, it's worth checking when you're actually on site.

Can I Go to The Orangery Without Getting a Ticket for Blenheim?

No. The Orangery is located past the Blenheim entrance, so you must also have purchased a ticket for that in order to gain admittance. Tickets must be bought online.

The good news (possibly) is that a ticket to Blenheim is good for an entire year. So if you're able to travel back, you'll be able to get in without further cost.

How Long Should I Plan to Spend Here?

For the entire Blenheim experience, expect to be here for about a half-day.

If you're having afternoon tea, don't rush it. There's quite a bit of food coming your way, as well as refills of whichever beverages you want. (After enjoying multiple kinds of tea, I switched to a latte at the end of the meal.)

For us, The Orangery was a splurge — our one proper (expensive) full British teatime. So we lingered and enjoyed the moment. I hope you can do the same. It's a beautiful space!

What Does Afternoon Tea at The Orangery Include?

You'll be served a variety of tea sandwiches, scones, little cakes, and other goodies (we had macarons as well).

Make your selection of tea (or, if you've come to the UK but somehow aren't a tea person, coffee or hot chocolate!). As mentioned above, you can switch it up and ask for something different partway through if you like.

By the time of our seating, towards closing-time, they had run out of one of their types of tea sandwich, so they just gave us extra of the others, which was fine.

The coronation chicken sandwich was the one I was most interested in trying, and I loved it. Dating only from the 1950's, this recipe is a typically British one, featuring chicken and fruit in a tasty curry cream sauce.

It's of similar consistency to American-style chicken salad, but the addition of turmeric and other spices made it so delicious! (Curries have been deeply engrained in British cuisine for a while now.)

Although at first glance, the tea tray seems to be filled with small bites and dainty snacks, we found it to be a full meal (and then some!).

Personally, I recommend lathering up your scones with the clotted cream whenever it's offered anywhere in Britain. If you haven't had it before, you're in for a treat. It's a luxuriant spread that takes hours to make.

Do you put it on the scone first, like butter? Or on top of the jam, like whipped cream? It's a heated debate in the UK! Either way, it's lovely — as was the entire banquet.

If you don't spring for afternoon tea, you can instead get a two- or three-course lunch here. There are other food options at Blenheim too, including a couple of small cafés and a weekend pizzeria.

If the city of Oxford is your home base for this trip, you'll enjoy exploring its coffee shops and pubs! I recommend The Vaults & Garden Café and the Turf Tavern.