Food and Drink at Down House
Treat yourself to something to eat or drink in the Down House Tearoom, located in the kitchen where the Darwins' meals were prepared in the mid-19th century. If the sun’s shining, you can sit out on the patio where Charles once received his famous 'water cures' from Parslow the butler. There’s also seating inside the kitchen and in the Butler's Pantry.
What We Offer
Our seasonal menu includes a homemade soup of the day, a daily special and a selection of freshly made sandwiches and toasties, and salads from our own gardens when available.
For sweets treats, we offer an array of goodies – shortbread, brownies, flapjacks – and a gorgeous line-up of cakes: spiced ginger, apple, chocolate fudge and Victoria sponge. You can also choose to have a traditional cream tea or, with the addition of sandwiches, afternoon tea. A special option is our Scotch fruit cake, made from one of Emma Darwin's very own recipes that she often asked her cook to bake.
Quench your thirst with our range of teas and freshly ground coffee, along with a variety of different fruit juices. Vegetarian, vegan, and dairy and gluten-free options are always available.
You can find allergen and nutritional information here.
Opening Times
The tearoom is open on all the days that the site is open: opening times.
Other Facilities
- Toilets, including disabled facilities
- Highchairs
- Water provided to warm bottles
- Baby-changing facility (within disabled toilets)
- Children's lunch boxes during school holidays
Groups
We can offer a buffet menu that can be tailored to a group's needs at a variety of prices. Minimum: 20 people at £10 per head. Please book in advance.
Picnics
You are welcome to enjoy a picnic at Down House within the designated picnic area. The rest of the site is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, which means that it contains many important protected species, such as very rare forms of fungi growing in the grass around the house.
