Heaton Park launches afternoon tea beneath the trees in festive domes

This winter, Heaton Park, Manchester’s largest park with its 18th-century Grade I-listed Heaton Hall, has ten magical heated dining domes for a unique afternoon tea experience.

With stunning views of the park surroundings and greenery, and available to book throughout Christmas season, ‘Afternoon Tea Beneath the Trees’ is the ultimate festive treat. 

The private dining domes daytime menu features four delicious afternoon tea choices, all curated by Heaton Park Cafés, operators of The Stables Café and The Lakeside Café at Heaton Park. 

Traditional menus include a classic afternoon tea with sandwiches of coronation free-range egg mayonnaise, smoked salmon, cream cheese and chive, roasted ham, apple, and mustard and a warm homemade pork, apple, and sage sausage roll. 

Sweet offerings include warm all-butter scone with clotted cream and local jams and Victoria sponge with English strawberry compote, profiteroles, and Yorkshire parkin loaf. 

There’s also a vegan afternoon tea featuring BBQ falafel sandwich with house coleslaw and local chilli jam, vegan cheese sandwich, roasted pepper and balsamic dip with crisp vegetables sweet potato, chive, and spiced lentil ‘no sausage roll’. 

Desserts include warm scones with ‘not so clotted cream’ and local jams, vegan Victoria sponge, carrot cake dusted with icing sugar and Yorkshire parkin loaf.

There are also bespoke afternoon tea creations from Heaton Park Cafes, including a hearty Heaton Park savoury afternoon tea.

This includes warming winter vegetable broth, homemade Heaton Park soft-centre scotch egg, pulled barbacoa beef taco with chipotle salsa, sour cream, pinto beans and pickled pink onions, hot duck and cranberry lollipops, smoked salmon bagel, with apple, cucumber, and wild dill and loaded baked potato skins with sour cream and crispy onions.  

A vibrant vegetarian savoury afternoon tea features warming winter vegetable broth, spiced sweet potato, chive, and lentil ‘no sausage roll’, pulled jackfruit with guacamole and tomatillo salsa, vegan buffalo cauliflower wings with sriracha dip, marinated celeriac, avocado, apple, sage and onion crumble bagel, loaded baked potato skins with sour cream, and three cheese and onion toastie (vegan option available).

The afternoon tea menus are £20 per person and served with a pot of English breakfast tea or speciality tea – or you can add a glass of house Prosecco or local ale for £5.

For little ones, there’s a children’s afternoon tea (£10) – they can choose from strawberry cloudy lemonade or fresh fruit juice (apple or orange) or add ‘a little bit smaller and cooler’ hot chocolate to the menu. 

To eat, they can enjoy tomato and two cheese ciabatta pizza, mini BBQ sausages, carrot and cucumber batons and mini donuts with chocolate sauce.

The dining domes can seat up to six and there’s one larger dome for up to 12.

Heaton Park is a historic area on the edge of Manchester, offering a full day out for all the family. 

There’s something for all ages from play areas and an animal centre to a tram museum and bowling greens, boating lake, and much more.

The ‘afternoon tea beneath the trees’ experience is available to book every Friday, Saturday and Sunday until early January 2022. To make a reservation, visit heatonparkcafes.com.