Regency Tea Room

You're walking up Gay Street—that lovely Georgian stretch where the city's prettiest townhouses cluster together—and you duck into number 40. The Regency Tea Room sits tucked away, all period details and actual charm rather than Instagram theatre. It's the kind of place where locals bring their parents visiting from out of town, where you can sink into a proper afternoon tea service without feeling like you're performing for social media. The connection to Austen adds genuine character rather than gimmickry; this is simply how Bath used to do things, and somehow they've kept that spirit alive. Expect decent loose-leaf tea, scones that taste homemade, and an atmosphere that rewards lingering.