Poppylands 1940s Tearoom — Restaurant in North Norfolk

We first visited Poppylands a couple years ago and fell in love great staff, friendly atmosphere and great food. We were really excited to visit again this year and had planned our day around breakfast, when we arrived at opening time we waited while they set up. Around 10min later a lady came over and gave us menus and returned a short while later to take our order, the lady wasn't welcoming and didnt even crack a smile. She took our order as we gave our order by name on the menu she replied 'now say that in English!" If you've visited poppylands you know the items are name as various ww2 themed like dambuster breakfast ect so this is how we ordered and she said the same to us all then we had to read out the whole item to her. Before our items arrived we were presented a card machine which was presented on the tip page! Going for our service so far we were not tipping! Now here's the good bit! While waiting for our drinks I had a bumble around the amazing little shop still hoping they stocked the bbq sauce I got a couple years ago 🤣 and they did! The gentleman who ran the shop made us feel very welcome, he engaged with my daughter and had a laugh with me. After our food I returned to buy my goods and was very happy with the value of items and amount of choice and help. If you do visit make sure you get the poppy badge for remembrance. Returning back to our breakfast, the wait wasn't too long but the eggs on the breakfast were all hard and not the quality we membered from before. I'm sad to say till staff changes we will not be returning for food or just just a visit to the amazing little shop that sells all your holiday souvenirs and more! Do try the...

Booked a table for 4 for breakfast, paid deposit upfront. First impressions were good, lovely nostalgic displays and touches, however the service was so bad we thought we might accidentally have stumbled into Fawlty Towers instead. The younger staff were friendly but possibly lacking in training. One older female member of staff was really rude, verging on hostile and made us feel very uncomfortable. You are expected to pay as you go, rather than order drinks, breakfast and then continue to add cakes and more drink and pay when your meal is finished. This became really stressful as the staff were unable to work out how to split the bill each time or deduct the deposit, so we felt pressured into needing to pay for everyone's rather than individually. This would have been a much easier transaction at the end of our meal rather than in stages. The bill was eventually sorted by a helpful young lad who split it down after the surly lady had stomped off. I suggest that if you want people to pay in that way, make it counter service, not table service. Scrambled egg on toast was inedible, various variations on breakfast were ordered and none were good. The knitted tea-cosies had dried food stains on them, the canned drinks were excessively expensive. Plus points are, decent cake, if you dare ask for it, decor is really good if you have an interest in wartime history and the gift shop and old fashioned sweet shop was a completely different environment with friendly warm service. We really wanted this place to be good, and would've returned many times over as it's reasonably local, but it was so disappointing we won't be returning or recommending,...

Mixed emotions about this visit. This is somewhere I have wanted to visit for years but due to some health problems over the recent years only been able to visit recently. If you love all things vintage like me, you will love looking round this place. Gift shop was amazing, very reasonable and staff in the shop were amazing and very friendly. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about the waitresses, possible one of the rudest experiences, I have ever encountered in a restaurant. We were greeted with sarcasm from the very start and it only got worse from there. Food is delicious and great value but the sour service we experienced did ruin our experience and made us just want to eat and run. Very upsetting as this was one of my first visits out in a while due to having complex ptsd and severe anxiety.

If it wasn't for the service of the front of house staff, I would definitely return in the future. Maybe when they hire some waitresses with a bit more of that wartime spirit who keep smiling through! we would return again.... Very upsetting that a dream trip of mine was ruined, especially with the difficulties that I face with going out with my conditions.

I hope this review will be noted and maybe make some changes, to allow people to experience the wonderful world of Poppylands with some FOH staff who serve and greet customers...