Charlotte's Tea Room (Salisbury Garden Centre / In-Excess)
Charlotte's Tea Room (Salisbury Garden Centre / In-Excess), Salisbury, SP2 8PR
At a glance
Charlotte's, a tea room inside the In-Excess Home & Garden Centre on Netherhampton Road, Salisbury. Part of the In-Excess chain, with cream teas and a savoury and sweet café menu — a popular local and family spot.
Gluten-free options
Gluten-free cakes and bought-in gluten-free scones are available. The group's catering manager aims to offer gluten-free choices at all four Charlotte's cafés and a gluten-free alternative when adding new dishes. He says each site should have an allergen folder covering the 14 major allergens.
Before you order
This site is one of the group's two smaller tea-rooms: the catering manager says it has no dedicated fryer and mostly assembles rather than cooks food. All the scones are bought in — including gluten-free scones from a supplier — and the gluten-free cakes come from external bakeries (their gluten-free Dorset apple cake, from Berry's Bakery, is stocked at every site). Group-wide, staff complete a level 2 allergen-awareness course on top of food hygiene training, and allergen prep uses colour-coded (purple) knives, boards and tongs. A new menu is in development group-wide, so check what's current when you visit.
Worth asking?
Which gluten-free cakes and scones are in today — is the gluten-free Dorset apple cake available? How are the gluten-free scones and cakes kept separate from the standard ones at the counter?
What this means for coeliacs
Area Catering Manager Paul Hardiman describes purple knives, boards and tongs for allergen preparation across the group. He says Salisbury has smaller cooking facilities, mostly assembles food and has no dedicated fryer. All scones are bought in, including gluten-free scones, and gluten-free cakes come from external bakeries. The grade rests on the described allergen equipment, without establishing the absence of frying cross-contact.
Last checked:
Menus and kitchen practices change. Tell staff you are coeliac before you order.