The British Pantry Ltd

A delicious view of the United Kingdom

By Penny Rawson

The British Pantry in Redmond is a bakery, deli, gift shop, cozy restaurant, and a very authentic pub. For over 35 years, this seemingly ever-expanding business has catered to the needs and desires of both ex-pats and Anglophiles alike. What started as a single shop on the west side of a strip mall-style building has spread eastward five times - so far! Every time the shop next door became vacant, it was turned into another British Pantry extension that now includes Neville's and the original Three Lions Pub.

It all began when Doreen Tyce crossed paths with Mavis Redman way back in the mid '60s. They had just arrived in Seattle with their husbands who had come to work for Boeing. Doreen began baking for her British friends who were yearning for those sweet and savory pastries and pasties found everywhere at home. Mavis had a baking background as her family were bakers in England. "She learned her craft back in England working at her father's side at their bakery in Swinton near Manchester," says Alvia Redman, Mavis' daughter.

In 1978, the love and need for this kind of food within their community inspired Doreen and Mavis to create a very small tearoom and bakery in Redmond that served English lunches and afternoon teas. In the bakery, important items like pork pies and pasties, sausages and sausage rolls, eccles cakes, custard tarts, Swiss rolls, and fruit cakes would always be available, as they are to this day.

Lancashire pasty, banger pie, and pork pie

After four years, Doreen and her husband moved away from Seattle and the Redman family purchased her share. Mavis and Fred Redman with son Neville, daughter Alvia, and grandson Graham continue to own and operate The British Pantry Ltd. Today, Neville runs the back of all houses, Alvia runs the front of all sections (including the gift shop), and the family unit makes all decisions together.

The British Pantry Ltd, Neville's, and the Bakery & Gift Shop 8125 161st Ave NE Redmond, WA 98052 425-883-7511 www.thebritishpantryltd.com Three Lions Pub 8115 161st Ave NE Redmond, WA 98052 425-284-3399 23525 NE Novelty Hill Rd Redmond, WA 98053 425-898-9000 10111 Main St Bothell, WA 98011 (opening soon) www.thethreelionspub.com Custard tart

Lunch at Neville's includes such traditional homemade favorites as Lancashire or curry chicken pasties, sausage rolls, steak and kidney or mushroom pies, quiches, bangers and mash (Tuesday and Thursday), shepherd's pie, a ploughman's lunch, burgers with either Stilton or Red Leicester cheese, and, of course, salmon and/or cod fish and chips.

The dinner menu offers all the traditional favorites served at lunchtime with bangers and mash available every evening, plus a grilled rib eye steak with pomme frites and a stuffed tomato. There is also a selection of appetizers which include mussels, Scottish smoked salmon, grilled salmon, mini-beef burgers, and Wings of Fire.

On Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m.-noon, a tasty and affordable traditional British breakfast is served. It includes two eggs, two British Pantry sausages, two slices of bacon, grilled tomato, Heinz baked beans, country potatoes and toast. It's a steal for such a feast.

There are four traditional British tea menus with such long-time favorites as cucumber sandwiches, scones with jam and cream, crumpets and the ubiquitous sausage roll.

To any ex-pat Brit, the imports in the bakery and gift store bring back many memories. In addition to teapots, you will find some of the most popular and beloved British food items: Bird's Custard, Batchelors Peas, Colman's Mustard, Heinz baked beans, John West salmon, Haywards onions, Shippams pastes, Branston pickles, McVities biscuits, Bisto gravy, HP Sauce, Scott's porage oats, Cadbury Flakes, Farley's Rusks, Paxo stuffing and the perennial favorite Marmite.

The Redman family created the first Three Lions Pub within The British Pantry complex in downtown Redmond as a 'relaxed and friendly bar where you always feel at home.' A second opened on Redmond Ridge earlier in 2013 with a third planned for July 2013. See the pub website for up-to-date information on locations, hours and events.

July 2013

Penny Rawson reviewed restaurants for years in the Pacific Northwest, owned a catering company, worked with Columbia Winery, and now represents restaurants through her firm Penny Rawson Public & Media Relations.