Homemade afternoon tea is top pick for treats in St Helens

Nirvana Coffee Shop in St Helens is the latest winner in our Best of 2024 awards –St Helens’ Best for Afternoon Tea – for the second year in a row!

In April, we launched our Best of 2024 competition and we’ve given out 16 awards.

• Best for Hair - At Gems
• Best for Pies – Burchall’s
• Best for Nails - Nails by Mandy
• Best for Roast Dinner - The Moss Bank
• Best for Cocktails - Cinema Bar
• Best for Breakfast - Shakey J’s
• Best for Fish and Chips - The Nelson Chippery
• Best Beer Garden - Turks Head
• Best for Fitness – Ashley James Ward at Award Health and Fitness
• Best for Tattoos – White Rabbit Tattoo Studio
• Best Independent Shop or Business – Gavin’s Butchers
• Best for Dessert – The Brownie Shack
• Best for Kids – Jo Jingles Warrington, Wigan and St Helens
• Best for Pets – Leanne’s Doggy B&B
• Best for Beauty – Harriet Harmon Studios
• Best for Pizza – Dial-A-Pizza

Voting for St Helens’ Best Burgers is currently taking place and we’re also looking for nominations in our latest search - Best Gym.

Vote for St Helens’ Best Burgers 2024

Nominate your favourite for St Helens Best Gym 2024

Ten top afternoon teas in St Helens made the shortlist for the latest Best of 2024 award and Nirvana Coffee Shop has taken this year’s coveted crown.

A homemade afternoon tea stand at Nirvana Coffee Shop

Lindsey Pye has been the owner of Nirvana Coffee Shop on Lowfield Lane since she first opened the doors in November 2016.

Lindsey, who is 49 and grew up in Sutton, said: “We are a friendly place providing a warm welcome within a lovely environment and pleasant surroundings.

“We provide freshly made sandwiches and wraps, paninis and flat breads as well as jacket potatoes, triple layer sandwiches, milkshakes and afternoon tea.”

Owner Lyndsey Pye

Lindsey has been a chef since she left school and studied at St Helens College mainly working in hotels.

She said: “I had a big ambition to open my own coffee shop so that’s exactly what I did!

“We make a great team and create a positive atmosphere in the coffee shop.

“I would never ask my team to do anything I wouldn’t do myself.

“We pride ourselves on our freshly made food and exceptional customer service.

“Our afternoon tea is traditional - we find our customers prefer it this way, rather than with added greasy items.

“It features a selection of sandwiches, wraps and other savouries together with freshly made cakes, buttered scones with clotted cream and jam and a choice of any hot drink from the menu or a cold drink from the fridge.

“Our customers also love the milkshakes topped with doughnuts!”

Nirvana Coffee Shop opened in November 2016

But what do customers think about Nirvana Coffee Shop? Why did they want the venue to win our latest Best of 2024 award?

Customers like the chilled atmosphere and great blend of coffee with children enjoying the milkshakes.

One review on their Facebook page said: “Highly recommend this afternoon tea - great selection and great value for money.”

Another said: “The festive afternoon tea at Nirvana was gorgeous.

“Tasty food and plenty of it and it’s always beautifully presented.

“I would highly recommend trying it - you won’t be disappointed!”

Nirvana Coffee Shop is on Lowfield Lane

Lindsey said: “We pride ourselves that we serve in the local community and our customers always leave happy.

“We were blown away to hear we’d made the shortlist for St Helens’ Best for Afternoon Tea for the second year running but we certainly didn’t expect to win.

“We take great pride in our afternoon tea and it’s amazing to know that our customers think so highly of it.

“We’re thrilled to win the award and we appreciate the thoughtfulness of our customers who made the effort to nominate us and then vote for us to win.

“We’d like to thank our customers for all the support over the past eight years – it really does mean everything to us.”