Sample a Sally Lunn bun in Bath

Friday, 6 July 2012 10:41 AM

Treating yourself to afternoon tea is a key ingredient of any chic getaway and if you're planning to book a Bath holiday home, you're in for a treat. Pop along to Sally Lunn's, where you can sample an iconic Sally Lunn bun with your brew.

Read on to find out more.

A historic tea room

The eatery is based in one of the oldest houses in the city, having been constructed in 1483, so as you dine you will be able to soak up the period charm of the building and the historic atmosphere. The site the cafe sits on dates back even further than that, with excavations of the cellar showing there was a property where food was served here as far back as the Roman times.

However, it was when Sally Lunn arrived as a refugee from France that the eatery really took on iconic status.

Sally Lunn

Arriving in England 300 years ago, Sally Lunn secured work as a baker at what is now called Sally Lunn's House. Here, she served a special bun, which soon became a popular teatime treat across Georgian England.

Today, you can visit the historic kitchen Ms Lunn worked in all those decades ago, before sitting down to tea. You can pop in for a quick snack or an evening meal - just make sure you order one of the delicious buns.

Sally Lunn's bun

So, just what is all the fuss about? Well, the Sally Lunn bun is simply delicious and works equally well whether packed with savoury fillings such as meat and salad or topped with butter, cream and jam like a scone.

This bun is likely to be larger than any bread roll you have seen before, but it is also incredibly light. It is a type of brioche, which means it is airy and melts in the mouth and every bun sold at the eatery is prepared fresh by hand using the secret recipe that has been handed down from generation to generation.

Come for dinner

If you find your sightseeing trip of Bath doesn't end until the sun has set, you can still head to Sally Lunn's for a bite to eat. As well as buns and tea, it serves traditional English meals in the evening that could prove the perfect end to a busy day.

Treats on the menu include nut terrine with red onion marmalade, sirloin steak and lamb shank - all served with a slice of the famous bun in the trencher tradition, where bread was used instead of a plate.