Bensons Restaurant & Tea Rooms

You'll find Bensons tucked away on Henley Street, just a short stroll from the Royal Shakespeare Company and all that tourist theatre business. It's the kind of place where you can properly settle in for two hours with a pot of tea without feeling rushed, which is increasingly rare around here. The menu hits all the right notes—fresh pastries, proper sandwiches, and their afternoon tea offering draws both visitors and locals who know better than to queue at the tourist traps. The space has that comfortable, slightly worn-in charm that comes from actually being a proper café rather than a theme park attraction.