Orchard Tea Garden in Grantchester - Savour a Slice of Cambridge History – and 10% Off
Only a gentle stroll, cycle or punt beyond Cambridge’s lively streets lies the Orchard Tea Garden in Grantchester: a green haven that has been nourishing minds, friendships and appetites for well over a century. Today, thanks to a generous legacy, this much-loved retreat is now in the care of Cambridge Past, Present & Future. The Tea Garden is run by the Orchard Tea Garden Ltd who have generously given a special perk for everyone who supports our work – 10% off at any time.
An Orchard Where Ideas Bloomed
When the first fruit trees were planted back in 1868, no-one could have guessed they would one day shade some of the greatest thinkers of the age.
In 1897 a handful of students persuaded Mrs Stevenson, the orchard’s owner, to carry their tea trays out among the blossom. They sparked a tradition so popular that The Orchard soon became the upriver escape for Cambridge undergraduates.
A young Rupert Brooke lodged here in 1909, paying thirty shillings a week for room, board and a seat beneath the boughs. His circle – Virginia Woolf, Bertrand Russell, Ludwig Wittgenstein, E. M. Forster, John Maynard Keynes and others – followed. Together they earned the playful nickname “the Neo-Pagans” as they lazed on the grass, debated big ideas and tucked into honey harvested from orchard hives (immortalised in Brooke’s wistful line: “Is there honey still for tea?”).
A Place the World Keeps Coming Back To
Brooke’s wartime poem The Soldier carried Grantchester to distant shores in 1914; Chinese poet Xu Zhimo added his own tribute after visiting in the 1920s, and his words are still learnt by schoolchildren across China today. Through two world wars and the threat of 1980s development, the orchard survived – reopened in 1992 with the simple aim of covering its costs so that generations to come could linger “for ever England”.
Your Membership Advantage: 10 % Off, All Year Round
Whether you crave morning coffee under the spring blossom, a light summer lunch on a deckchair, or a steaming cream tea beside the fire in the cosy Rupert Brooke Room, your Cambridge PPF membership or patronage now unlocks 10 % off everything on the menu at the Orchard Tea Garden as a thank you for helping us protect precious green spaces like this.
Taste Tradition – and Support the Future
When you take your place beneath the orchard trees you’re joining a story that began in Queen Victoria’s reign and is still being written today. Every scone, salad and pot of Earl Grey supports both the orchard’s upkeep and our wider mission: safeguarding the landscapes, heritage and character that make Cambridge special.
So pack a book, bring a friend, and flash your membership card at the till. Savour the flavours that inspired poets, philosophers and dreamers – and know that, with your help, The Orchard Tea Garden will keep on inspiring for the next 125 years.
Not yet a member or patron? Join today to claim your discount and be part of preserving Cambridge’s Past, Present & Future.
Orchard Tea Garden FAQ’s
What time do they serve food from/until?
The kitchen is open from 10am-3.30pm 7 days a week.
What are their opening hours?
Throughout the summer we are open every day from 10am – 5pm Monday – Friday and 10am – 6pm Saturday and Sunday.
Can I park at The Orchard?
Onsite parking is available at The Orchard for customers only who are entitled to 3 HOURS FREE PARKING when you enter your registration at the till point.
Please check the Orchard Tea Garden website HERE for full details.
