Patisserie Valerie appears to be particularly beloved by the residents of Winchester, ranked within the top 7 bakeries in the area on TripAdvisor, with many saying that this was a good spot for lunch.

Many reviews referred to the good service and classic afternoon tea that satisfied their expectations.

So, we decided to go and try the afternoon tea for ourselves.

The storefront had recently been painted a bright cobalt blue, truly personalising the building so it looked more like a quaint Parisian independent bakery, than one of the biggest chains in the UK.

Upon entry, the staff were incredibly welcoming and we were seated within only a few minutes. Service was quick and the food was fresh.

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Looking at the menu, I was pleased to see there was a range of sandwiches, baguettes, bagels and salads available.

They had a couple of seasonal drinks available, like the classic pumpkin spiced latte and the salted caramel brulee latte.

There were vegetarian options clearly marked, however, there could have been more gluten free and allergen options listed on the menu.

A range of drinks was available with the afternoon tea, but we opted for the classic refillable tea option.

Within a few minutes, two bright red teapots appeared and the afternoon tea arrived quickly after.

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Hampshire Chronicle: A number of drinks were available, but we had to go for the teaA number of drinks were available, but we had to go for the tea (Image: Jessica Blissitt)Afternoon tea included four finger sandwiches each, two scones and a colourful array of brownies, macaroons and cakes on top.

Each tier was carefully arranged, with plenty of warm and cold food to choose from.

The whole arrangement was assembled in a whimsical fashion, with each item cut into various shapes and bright colours. The macaroons were an especially vibrant green and yellow.

The sandwiches contained a mix of classics like cucumber and cream cheese, salmon and lemon dill mayo, with a sweet addition of brioche bun with egg and cress filling.

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Hampshire Chronicle: Delicious sandwiches are served up Delicious sandwiches are served up (Image: Jessica Blissitt)They were easy to eat and light which was helpful as there was quite a lot of food to get through.

The scones were warm and broke easily with heapings of jam and clotted cream available.

Our cakes looked great, with lots of cream and icing to choose from, but we were too full to eat them.

Luckily, we were offered a dainty cake box to take home and trying these back in the office, I thought the sweet treats were soft and flavourful.

The afternoon tea reached all of my expectations, and I was happy to try some new flavour combinations. However, I’m not entirely sure if it was worth almost £19 per person.

According to their menu, Madame Valerie’s Afternoon Tea for Two was priced at £36.95.

Overall, it was a good afternoon tea, the selection was varied and delicious, with more than enough food for two.