Hepburn Pavilion Cafe

Good to have gluten free cakes. Tried to pay with cash but no change. Very good coffee.

We had Devonshire tea booked as part of a package with Hepburn Bathhouse and Spa (we had booked in May). Unfortunately, the Devonshire was disappointing on many levels. The cafe had run out of English Breakfast tea (which surprised us, considering we had booked), so we were forced to choose a different tea — black chai was the closest option. We were encouraged to find a table in the adjacent pavilion, which was sparsely furnished and the kitchen’s messy overflow storage was in full view. When the tea arrived, we were served a pot of water and tea bags which had not been put into the boiling water. As such, the tea didn’t steep properly. For traditional Devonshire tea, it’s reasonable to expect loose leaf tea, correctly steeped. One of us had regular scones and one had gluten free (which had also ordered in advance). The regular scones were quite good, but the gluten free scones had been heated in a microwave. After about 30 seconds, they were as hard as a rock. Gluten free baked goods - especially scones - should never be microwaved. For $15 per head, this Devonshire tea was exceptionally under par. As part of a package deal with Hepburn Bathhouse and Spa, I hope the business partner pays careful attention to what’s happening in the Pavilion next door.