It happens almost every day: People enter Sally Lunn’s Tearoom and Restaurant in Chester and exclaim, “You’re still here! I used to come here as a child but moved away. Don’t ever close!”
For over three decades, the iconic restaurant has become a destination for people across the nation, one filled with vintage bone porcelain china, antiques, little curiosities and memories. Lots of memories.
“My customers are lovely,” says owner Theresa Gaffney. “I’ve known people who have come here for baby showers, had their babies, then the babies grow up and come here for their wedding showers and then return again for their own baby showers.”
Sally Lunn’s was an established business in Florida for a decade before Gaffney moved to Chester and opened her teahouse in 1991 in a former icehouse, creating an iconic look that is emulated by tearooms across the nation.
Way before that, though, the Gaffney family was known in England for their fine, unique and successful restaurants. Gaffney, who attended art school and for a time was a singer, also was an antiques dealer who had a space in the historic Covent Garden Market in London and sold collectibles in front of the opera house.
Today, she combines this love for fine antiques with her knowledge of food in the tearoom.
The name comes from Sally Lunn’s bread that Gaffney’s mother used to make. (Sally Lunn is said to have fled France during the revolution and settled in Bath, England, where she became known for her delicious brioche-like buns.) And Gaffney carries on the legacy of creating dishes to remember.
“I use the best ingredients, and I go out of my way to make audacious desserts. When people stand in front of our counter, their eyes just light up,” she says. “We are famous for our scones; we sell thousands a week. Most of our staff has been there for over a quarter-century, which lends continuity in our kitchen.”
When tea was first introduced in England, it was so precious that only the wealthy had it—and locked it in tea caddies, Gaffney notes. “When people came to visit, the lady of the house would unlock it to make the tea,” she says. “The tradition of having tea with little desserts and tea sandwiches began with the Duchess of Bedford, who was a friend of Queen Victoria.”
Sally Lunn’s continues this tradition in high style. Before pouring their tea from the teapot, customers often turn over their cups to learn the brand of china they will be sipping from. “Then they’ll say, ‘Oh, this is Wedgwood’ or ‘This is Royal Doulton.’ Things definitely taste completely different when you’re drinking out of a fine antique bone china,” Gaffney says.
In addition to tea sandwiches, Sally Lunn’s offers a number of other delicacies created in the kitchen from scratch with the finest ingredients, such as Cottage Pie, Cornish pastries, sausage rolls, Scotch eggs and Chicken Pot Pie.
Gaffney chuckles when talking about her invention: Cockney Pie. “In the early days, people would come in and ask for pizza—and I was like, ‘I’m not making pizza.’ But I created a similar dish, which has tomato sauce, fresh basil and roasted red peppers,” she says. “It’s funny because people will say, ‘We had the Cockney Pie in London and it wasn’t as good as yours.’ This makes me smile, since it’s only served here.”
The menu also has a variety of vegetarian dishes—the ratatouille is especially popular—and Gaffney makes her own chicken salad, which is served on homemade croissants.
The restaurant is popular for holidays, like Mother’s Day, and for special occasions. But at Sally Lunn’s, every day can be a special occasion. Men, too, come in and marvel at the robust menu, Gaffney says.
Gaffney lends her artistic flair to the tearoom by decorating for the seasons and holidays. “You don’t come here and just eat a meal,” she says. “It’s an experience.”
Book a table at SallyLunns.com.
Coronation Chicken Salad
Two good-sized chicken breasts
1 ripe fresh mango
1 apple (we use Fuji)
1 celery stalk (preferably an interior stalk)
Half a medium-sized red onion
¼ c golden raisins
½ c quality mayonnaise
2 tbsp sour cream
2 tbsp curry powder
2 tbsp apricot preserves or 1 tsp honey
Salt and pepper
Bread of choice (naan, white bread, pita)
Poach chicken breasts.
Dice or shred as you prefer.
Dice mango and apple into pea-sized pieces.
Chop celery and onion into tiny pieces.
Mix all ingredients with mayo, sour cream, curry powder, preserves, salt and pepper. Mix well and let it sit for an hour so that the curry powder can work its magic. Serve in warm bread of your choice and with a crisp baby green salad.
