Afternoon tea (listed here are our favorite afternoon tea recipes) was apparently launched to Britain within the 1840s by Anna, the seventh Duchess of Bedford, who complained of starvation in the course of the late afternoon… one thing we are able to relate to!
What is the distinction between afternoon tea and excessive tea?
And in case you did not know, there’s a distinction between afternoon tea and ‘excessive tea’ the previous is taken within the late afternoon (between lunch and dinner) and entails desserts, scones (this is a recipe for you), cream and sandwiches; whereas excessive tea is a considerable night meal, often completely savoury. A conventional afternoon tea is commonly referred to as ‘excessive tea’ in different elements of the world although, which in all probability explains the confusion.
Greatest afternoon tea in London
Claridge’s, London W1 – conventional afternoon tea
Afternoon tea has been a ritual right here for nearly 150 years and this luxury redoubt for the wealthy and royal (no flip-flops, no intrusive images), has turned it into an artwork kind. Within the beautiful artwork deco foyer, visitors are handled to a parade of completely rectilinear finger sandwiches, heat scones and delightful, tweezer-precise desserts, delivered to linen-clad tables by employees who function as easily as a Swiss timepiece.
Each element is beautiful. Corn-fed rooster on rye comes with truffled mayonnaise. Chocolate choux are made with high quality Valrhona chocolate. Claridge’s even stresses the heritage of the cucumbers (English, natural) which, dressed with chamomile-infused buttermilk, go into its model of that summer time basic: cucumber sandwiches. Uncommon Tea Firm professional Henrietta Lovell curates Claridge’s menu of loose-leaf infusions.
Value: Conventional afternoon tea £60pp, champagne afternoon tea from £70pp, kids’s afternoon tea £30pp
Tackle: Brook Avenue, Mayfair, London, W1K 4HR
Mirror Room, Rosewood London, London WC1 – afternoon tea for artwork lovers
The Salvador Dali-inspired Artwork tea on the Rosewood London had parts not like some other tea we’ve had earlier than. The basic necessities are all nonetheless there – sandwiches, scones and patisserie, served within the grand Mirror Room – however there are many trendy twists all through, too.
Beginning with the savouries. Mini camembert tarts with onion confit had been a spotlight of the tea – we predict they’d have been even higher if served barely heat. Sandwiches together with rooster and cucumber cream cheese had been prime notch examples of classics (with seconds supplied, too), whereas the asparagus on the truffle egg brioche bun added a nod to seasonality.
Shiny neat mini scones (plain and raisin) had been served heat and had been a number of the greatest we’ve tried – very comfortable and lightweight. Alongside jam and cream, they had been served with a stand-out home made lemon curd which was easy, buttery and wealthy.
Appropriately for a tea impressed by Dali, the ending course of patisserie appeared like mini artistic endeavors. The illustrated menu outlines the inspiration behind every creation and these are extremely complicated with layers of mousse, sponge and jelly. Whereas not totally satisfied by the entire completed flavours, the presentation is faultless. An intriguing butterfly ‘NFTea expertise’ finishes the tea for a contemporary spin on a basic expertise. There are a selection of drinks choices to accompany the tea, from champagne to a fruity calvados cocktail, and we loved a lightweight and chic floral jasmine tea. Service is speedy and pleasant, and talks you thru every ingredient with confidence.
Value: Artwork afternoon tea £72pp
Tackle: 252 Excessive Holborn, London WC1V 7EN
Fortnum & Mason, The Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon, London W1
Head to Fortnum & Mason for a standard London afternoon tea, taken in a sublime salon opened by HM The Queen to mark her Diamond Jubilee. Fortnum’s pitch-perfect finger sandwiches – with not a curling nook in sight – are crammed with the same old suspects, solely much more luxurious: Suffolk cured ham with piccalilli, and uncommon bread hen egg with cress. Thick slices of sentimental smoked salmon, accessible in Fortnum’s meals corridor downstairs, are additionally glorious. Plain and fruit scones come heat, fluffy and served with complete pots of unfold – the most effective of which was a velvety lemon curd (in the stores within the meals corridor) – and much more clotted cream.
Particular person patisseries change with the seasons, with standouts together with a subtly floral rose éclair, a contemporary tackle Eton mess and lighter-than-air meringue topped with recent berries. These are adopted by extra candy treats chosen from the cake carriage (this time critical desserts, similar to battenberg and matcha layer cake). Fortnum’s tea varieties embody the well-known smoky Earl Gray (the unique mix to be bought at Fortnum’s and The Queen’s private favorite); a candy and floral New Zealand oolong; and an uncommon glowing tea. For champagne, highlights embody a lightweight Brut rosé, Fortnum’s Brut Glowing from Cornwall and a wonderfully easy Blanc de Blancs.
Click on right here to learn our full assessment of afternoon tea at Fortnum & Mason
Value: £62.50 for afternoon tea with a pot of Fortnum’s Tea; £62.50 for vegetarian afternoon tea with a pot of Fortnum’s Tea; £65 for savoury afternoon tea with a pot of Fortnum’s tea; £68 for prime tea with a pot of Fortnum’s tea.
Tackle: Fortnum & Mason, 181 Piccadilly, London, W1A 1ER
Greatest afternoon tea for bohemian glamour – Petersham Nurseries, Richmond
Petersham Nurseries is an eclectic mixture of sculptures, classic furnishings, artfully adorned greenhouses and delightful shows of vegetation and flowers, it’s quintessentially British with a touch of eccentricity. Including to the bohemian glamour is the imaginative and fantastically introduced afternoon tea, which is served from a handblown cake stand adorned with a bunch of seasonal flowers. The seasonally altering menu makes essentially the most of regionally sourced elements, you’ll discover roasted purple pepper & almond tarts, focaccia with burrata and nasturtiums and orange polenta cake with fig and crème fraiche – every chew is recent and distinctive. Wash it down with a glass of rose petal prosecco for the last word deal with. Browse the store in your means out for trinkets, glasses and stylish gardening put on. Value: Backyard afternoon tea £45pp, with prosecco £55pp. Tackle: Church Lane, Richmond, Surrey, TW10 7AB. Petersham Nurseries, Richmond – for a British backyard impressed afternoon tea
Petersham Nurseries is an eclectic mixture of sculptures, classic furnishings, artfully adorned greenhouses and delightful shows of vegetation and flowers, it’s quintessentially British with a touch of eccentricity. Including to the bohemian glamour is the imaginative and fantastically introduced afternoon tea, which is served from a handblown cake stand adorned with a bunch of seasonal flowers. The seasonally altering menu makes essentially the most of regionally sourced elements, you’ll discover roasted purple pepper & almond tarts, focaccia with burrata and nasturtiums and orange polenta cake with fig and crème fraiche – every chew is recent and distinctive. Wash it down with a glass of rose petal prosecco for the last word deal with. Browse the store in your means out for trinkets, glasses and stylish gardening put on.
Value: Backyard afternoon tea £45pp, with prosecco £55pp.
Tackle: Church Lane, Richmond, Surrey, TW10 7AB
Lele’s London, E5 – for vegan afternoon tea
One Sunday a month this elegant east London café opens its doorways for vegan afternoon tea. Desserts and jars of natural teas are laid out on a bark counter on the centre, whereas vases of recent flowers, pots of vegetation and classic pottery brighten up the cosy tiled room. The altering menu is put collectively by chef-owner Valentina.
On our go to, delicate plant-based sandwich fillings included calmly spiced grated carrot studded with raisins; recent cucumber with vegan cream cheese; and chickpeas in creamy vegan mayo.Heat savoury and candy scones come subsequent, the previous super-cheesy with a touch of chives, and the latter served with a easy citrussy lemon curd, raspberry jam and vegan cream. To complete we indulged in heat, decadent chocolate brownies with peanut butter, mild and fluffy carrot cake, vegan victoria sponge with jam, and a frangipane apricot tart. The star of the present was a fresh-from-the-oven lemon meringue tart – mild and delicately candy.
Value: £35 pp with a selection of tea, espresso or scorching chocolate.
Tackle: 50 Decrease Clapton Highway, E5 0RN
Afternoon tea on the Lane by Lily Vanilli – afternoon tea for theatre lovers
With its subtle millennial pink and inexperienced marble-lined room with shining chandeliers, the Grand Saloon shares the grandeur of the Theatre Royal Dury Lane that it’s situated in. As you enter, the glamourous Regency period scene is about by a speaker taking part in a string quartet variations of widespread songs. This type is replicated all through the afternoon tea with intricate easy buttercream piping chocolate sponge cake, which is a signature of ‘queen of desserts’ Lily Vanilli on the Columbia Highway bakery. The feel of the cake is perfection because it’s filled with a crunchy biscuit and salted caramel. From miniature fluffy canelés with pickled beetroot to smoky lapsang souchong glazed salmon on madeleines, the tea’s creative savoury choices, steering away from the normal sandwiches, takes it to the subsequent degree.
A surprisingly quirky standout was the ultimate dish, an absinthe mint chocolate chip ice cream which was impressed by the Regency period’s development of unique ices. Including a contact of theatre, this was served on an opulent wood ice cream trolly. The refined aniseed flavour of the absinthe complemented the creamy mint ice cream. That is a day tea stuffed with sophistication and luxurious.
Value: £49 for adults and £35 for kids.
Tackle: Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, Catherine Avenue, WC2B 5JF
Extra nice conventional afternoon teas in London
The Crystal Moon Lounge, Corinthia Resort, London SW1
Afternoon tea at The Corinthia is about within the glamourous Crystal Moon Lounge dominated by a placing Baccarat crystal chandelier, beneath an array of recent flowers. Conventional afternoon tea (£55 pp) comes with a selection of home mix teas served in three totally different strengths, together with No 1 Fragrant, a fragile mixture of flowery earl gray and soothing oolong; and No 3 Strong, a full-strength mix of assam, oolong and earl gray (stronger smoky notes with mild tones of honey). Add a glass of refreshing Laurent-Perrier La Cuvée Brut champagne for an additional £10. Or go all out with the Laurent-Perrier rosé champagne afternoon tea at £75 pp, each served in Baccarat flutes.
A gold board showcases trendy takes on basic British finger sandwiches – high quality slithers of cucumber, mild egg mayonnaise with mustard, smoked salmon with refined hints of lemon curd, and salt beef with creamy horseradish on comfortable sundried tomato bread. Gentle, fluffy scones with honeyed glaze tops are stored heat in a small wood presentation field. Accompaniments embody basic strawberry jam, moreish rhubarb and Tonka bean jam and thick clotted cream. Small dainty canelés kick off the candy spherical (they had been barely overdone however packed a great kick of rum), adopted by unique ardour fruit choux buns encased in a craquelin shell, a boozy trifle with crunchy apple and calvados chantilly cream, and a fragile darkish chocolate brownie topped with a chocolate crémeux.
Value: Conventional afternoon tea £55 pp, champagne afternoon tea from £65 pp
Tackle: Whitehall Place, Westminster, London SW1A 2BD
The Parlour at Nice Scotland Yard Resort"
British class and thrilling patisserie in a day tea designed in collaboration with royal perfumier Floris.
The Parlour Room is subtle but trendy, with printed wallpaper and checked flooring. The ready employees had been educated, discussing every tea and recommending pairings for every course – we tried a basic earl gray that was floral and citrussy.
The afternoon tea begins with an assortment of savouries, which had been classics with a twist, utilizing tarragon within the rooster mayonnaise, and pairing cheddar cheese with Guinness in gougères. We appreciated that the peerlessly formed scones arrived heat and with loads of clotted cream and jam for all of them. Diving into the star of the present, 5 intricate pastries are meticulously layered and adorned. The fruity, aromatic strawberry and jasmine tartlet was the spotlight, intently adopted by a zingy blackcurrant and frangipane gateaux.
Value: Afternoon tea for 2 £110
Tackle: 3-5, Nice Scotland Yard, London SW1A 2HN
Resort Café Royal, London W1
Afternoon tea on the historic Resort Café Royal is taken within the opulent Oscar Wilde bar that opened within the mid 1800s and is housed between stylish Soho and prosperous Mayfair (take a look at our restaurant information to the most effective locations to eat in Soho and Mayfair). The acquainted tea choice is peppered with extra uncommon flavours – wealthy and floral lychee and rose noir, caffeine-free natural rosebud; and an 1865 signature English breakfast tea, robust in style and color with a creamy, barely bitter end.
Highlights embody free-range Cotswolds rooster sandwich with a creamy and zingy lemon verbena dressing and a violet and blackcurrant cassis tart, jammy and wealthy with a buttery, crunchy base and a fragile white chocolate topping.
Value: Spring afternoon tea £45pp, champagne afternoon tea from £55pp
Tackle: Resort Café Royal, 68 Regent Avenue , London, W1B 4DY
Click on right here to learn our full assessment of afternoon tea at Resort Café Royal
The Goring, London SW1
Conventional afternoon tea (£49pp) comes with a selection of Jing teas together with the robust, barely smoky Goring mix, and a floral oolong tea. Add a glass of refreshing Bollinger for an additional £10. Or go all out with the Bollinger rosé champagne afternoon tea that comes with recent British strawberries and cream. A vibrant pea purée amuse bouche topped with crème fraiche and a dice of smoked salmon began the afternoon tea, adopted by salty shredded rooster with recent tomatoes on fluffy white bread and recent salmon with crisp slithers of cucumber.
Heat with a comfortable center and golden on prime, the scones got here with syrupy strawberry jam and thick clotted cream. For the candy spherical, a comfortable choux bun encased in a craquelin shell was crammed with whipped strawberry cream on a thick crunchy biscuit base, a dense lemon and poppy seed cake was topped with a dollop of zingy lemon curd and piped torched meringue; mini pistachio and raspberry loaf was moist and nutty; a sticky lemon macaroon with candy tangy cream was extremely moreish; and a silky darkish chocolate tart with hibiscus had a crunchy backside.
Value: Conventional afternoon tea £49pp, champagne afternoon tea from £59pp
Tackle: 15 Beeston Place, London, SW1W OJW
The Ritz, Palm Court docket, London W1
The Ritz is as iconic because the Queen, and this institutional British resort retains up custom by serving 350 afternoon teas day by day. It is solely becoming that afternoon tea at The Ritz is a lavish affair; the formal costume code requires males to put on shirt and tie, doorways are opened for you by people in prime hats, and the resident pianist, Ian Gomes, who flutters away most days throughout afternoon tea service, used to play with Frank Sinatra.
Afternoon tea at The Ritz is taken within the Palm Court docket, an space raised up from the remainder of the resort’s foyer like a marble-floored stage. The Louis XVI-style set is fantastically ornate, with pristine white tablecloths laid out beneath intricate chandeliers, large palms and gold-gilt mirrors. Select from the 18-strong tea menu that has been curated and solely blended by The Ritz’s tea sommelier, Giandomenico Scanu. There are black tea blends, fermented Oolongs, natural fruit teas and even The Ritz’s personal Chai. We tried The Ritz Royal English, a basic black tea mix, combining fragrant Ceylon orange pekoe and wealthy Assam.
Value: Conventional afternoon tea £57pp, champagne afternoon tea from £76, kids’s afternoon tea £35pp
Tackle: 150 Piccadilly, London, W1J 9BR
Click on right here to learn our full assessment of afternoon tea at The Ritz
The Wolseley, London W1
The basic room at The Wolseley has develop into an establishment through the years – select a easy cream tea for £12.75, the ‘better of British’ possibility (quintessentially British desserts and sandwiches for £29.75), or go all out and order the champagne afternoon tea, full with a glass of Pommery Brut Royal NV (£40). Neatly minimize finger sandwiches are made with varied breads – succulent beef and horseradish on white, in addition to cucumber (which was just a little bland), smoked salmon on squishy brown bread, and Branston pickle on tomato bread. The coronation rooster sandwich was exemplary, with a calmly spiced curry mayo and plump sultanas.
Scones had been nice and fluffy, however got here on the stand with the remainder of the sandwiches and desserts – by the point we received to them, they had been rather less recent than desired. Easy strawberry jam and clotted cream got here in beneficiant parts. A silky lemon meringue tart was completed with a shiny blow-torched meringue dome; well-spiced Dundee cake got here filled with juicy fruit; and the sherry trifle included a aromatic vanilla set custard, topped with a tart, shiny sherry jelly. For those who’re nonetheless peckish, the neatly dressed employees carry spherical trays of the tart of the day, on our go to, a big blue cheese and caramelised onion one, with a darkish crunchy crust.
Value: Cream tea £12.75, better of British afternoon tea from £29.75pp, champagne afternoon tea £40pp
Tackle: 160 Piccadilly, St James’s London, W1J 9EB
The Rosebery Lounge at Mandarin Oriental, London SW1
Afternoon tea on the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park is taken in The Rosebery Lounge, a grand but unstuffy eating room with excessive ceilings and a small, fashionable bar providing a number of wines and spirits, together with Chêne Bleu Domaine De la Verrière rosé, Goose Island IPA and Hendrick’s gin. Speckled vintage mirrors and up to date summary artwork line the partitions, and particular person steel coat stands (tree-like) are delivered to intimate, low, dark-wood tables. Elegant chandeliers and huge home windows going through onto Knightsbridge excessive road make the lounge shiny, and a rose and ginger scent infuses all through the room.
We had been greeted by a pleasant and informative waiter who defined the choices accessible: beer afternoon tea, teamaster’s selection, sake (learn our information to sake right here) afternoon tea, mini afternoon tea (for kids underneath 12) or conventional champagne afternoon tea. We opted for the latter, which got here with R de Ruinart rosé champagne and R de Ruinart white champagne, each easy, chilled and crisp, the rosé leaving slight floral notes after every sip.
Value: Conventional afternoon tea £53pp, champagne afternoon tea from £63pp
Tackle: 66 Knightsbridge Inexperienced, London, SW1X 7LA
The Landmark London, NW1
Towering palm bushes, large orchids and an elaborate glass roof – you might mistake the Winter Backyard atrium at The Landmark London for a luxurious resort in Dubai. However snug armchairs, comfortable lighting and crisp white tablecloths brings a little bit of British to the desk, and helps present the proper setting for a day tea.
Including to the class of all of it, the William Edwards chinaware is adorned with an elaborate gold sample and trim and the teapots are stored on a good looking bespoke stand subsequent to the desk. The Landmark London has a wide range of particular mix teas – the Landmark Mix has a refined candy trace of Bourbon vanilla, whereas the Winter Backyard Mix is a extra conventional and fragrant afternoon tea mix (we extremely advocate each)…
Value: Excessive Palms Afternoon Tea £58.00 pp, Champagne Afternoon Tea £68.00pp
Tackle: 222 Marylebone Highway, London, NW1 6JQ
Click on right here to learn our full assessment of afternoon tea at The Landmark London
Thames Lobby at The Savoy, London W1
The Thames Lobby room at The Savoy is the proper setting for afternoon tea. A glass-domed ceiling floods the room with pure mild and a powerful gazebo encasing a stone fountain stuffed with pink flowers and greenery takes centre stage, to kind a sublime winter backyard. Begin with a glass of Champagne – wealthy Louis Roederer Brut Premier NV with a protracted end, or step up and with a coppery pink Moet & Chandon Rose NV with zesty, wild strawberry notes. The intensive tea menu will be overwhelming, however the waiters are available to information you to the most effective mix for you.
The Savoy Afternoon Mix combines Ceylon and Darjeeling in a crisp, refreshing tea with a touch of citrus. For one thing a bit totally different, although, attempt white peony & rose – a reasonably brew of white tea buds and leaf with complete rose buds that add a refined trace of aromatic Turkish delight. Lemon verbena with complete leaves is fragrant, with lemon zest pungency and mint-like freshness.
Value: Conventional afternoon tea £70pp, champagne afternoon tea from £80pp, vegan afternoon tea £65
Tackle: 7-12 Half Moon Avenue, Mayfair, London, W1J 7BH
Click on right here to learn our full assessment of afternoon tea at The Savoy
Extra nice up to date afternoon teas in London
Sketch, London W1 – quirky afternoon tea
Except for the other-worldly environment, the spotlight of afternoon tea at Sketch must be the tea itself. Waitresses scoot golden tea trollies across the room, each stacked with glass jars of fragrant unfastened leaf teas – there are not less than 40 to select from, together with complete rosebud, matcha, white peony and Taiwan purple jade. Be at liberty to smell earlier than you select, and refills are complimentary.
Sketch’s new caviar afternoon tea begins, as anticipated, with a spoon of wealthy, creamy Oscietra caviar (from Russian sturgeon) – vegetarians get little pearls of chilly cauliflower as a intelligent substitute. Much more pleasing was the accompanying tackle boiled egg and troopers: a 63 levels egg yolk nestled inside a deeply flavoursome ‘egg white’ made out of comté cheese mornay. Totally indulgent, and some of the thrilling, modern methods to kick off a day tea that we have ever seen…
Value: Basic afternoon tea £59pp, champagne afternoon tea from £73pp, kids’s afternoon tea £35pp.
Tackle: 9 Conduit Avenue, London, W1S 2XG
Greatest afternoon tea for dessert fanatics – Cake & Bubbles by Albert Adria, Cafe Royal, London W1B
Cake & Bubbles is a dessert and champagne expertise designed by multi-award-winning pastry chef Albert Adria. Situated on the Resort Café Royal in London, Adria has created a spectacle of candy sensations, supplied alongside a fastidiously curated number of champagne and glowing wine. Born out of Adria’s need to open a dessert-only venue, the Candy Afternoon Bubbles menu contains three candy programs, with an elective glass of (extremely really useful) N.V. Venue Clicquot Brut. Upon arrival of the primary course, fantastically introduced on a golden embossed cake stand, Adria’s deep ardour for delicate confections is evident. We had been guided by the expertise by pleasant employees, ranging from the underside tier with baklava pistachio pillows that had been mild as air and a ardour fruit crème with a contact of burnt caramel to steadiness the flavours. By far, the spotlight of the menu was the ‘cheese cake’, a twist on conventional cheesecake, utilizing sharp Baron Bigod cheese, enveloped in candy white chocolate with hazelnut – an absolute must-try for cheese and cake lovers alike.
Value: Candy Afternoon Bubbles menu £40pp (with a glass of N. V. Venue Clicquot Brut £50pp)
Tackle: 70 Regent St., London, W1B 4DY
Spirited afternoon tea, Lyaness, South Financial institution – afternoon tea for cocktail lovers
Sky-hued partitions, electric-blue banquettes, opulent gold accents and a view of St Paul’s creates a lavish setting for this boozy afternoon tea. A smooth up to date cake stand comes laden with crisp fennel sausage rolls, retro devilled eggs and sandwiches. The focaccia within the roast beef sarnie was just a little too dense, however coronation candy potato on walnut was a intelligent veggie different to the British basic, whereas tarragon mayo gave comfortable poached salmon on darkish rye a punchy twist.
The candy spherical was creative and enjoyable, with a number of artistic bakes. Standouts included upside-down cherry and pineapple scones, sunflower salt tea cake, and super-light strawberry and mascarpone éclair with a crunchy caramelised sugar base. Kitsch teapots in pale lemon and turquoise hues serve Camellia’s Teahouse teas, however it’s founder Ryan Chetiyawardana’s cocktails that basically impress: a group of quirky, modern cordials and liqueurs that kind the bottom of the entire bar’s cocktails, together with the complicated, recent and chic drinks for his or her afternoon tea.
Value: cocktails and tea £58 pp; champagne and tea £48pp; boozeless tea £38pp
Tackle: 20 Higher Floor, South Financial institution, London SE1 9PD
Quantity Sixteen, South Kensington, London SW7 – al fresco afternoon tea
As quickly as you step by the door of this pristinely manicured mid-Victorian white townhouse, co-owner Equipment Kemp’s daring statements make themselves identified. Textiles within the suite of drawing rooms vary in color from pistachio and pink to fashionable yellow and purple, with distinctive art work all through – an enormous wall-mounted birdcage marks the entranceway, books line the partitions, and hand painted puppets guard the honesty bar stocked with spirits, wines and bubbles.
The summery number of sandwiches and desserts affords one thing a bit totally different to conventional afternoon tea. Thick-cut honey roasted ham with refreshing dill coleslaw comes on black rye bread; stunning courgette flowers are coated in a crisp and lightweight tempura; and herbes de provence rooster fills a squishy glazed brioche bun. Pastries are fairly and dainty – a touch of violet provides depth to a creamy lemon-filled choux profiterole, rose cupcakes are subtly floral and the silky raspberry pannacotta gives a pleasantly tart end.
Value: Conventional afternoon tea £22pp, champagne afternoon tea £35.50pp
Tackle: 16 Sumner Place, London, SW7 3EG
Seymour’s Parlour, The Zetter Townhouse Marylebone, London W1 – afternoon tea for cocktail lovers
Inside a Georgian townhouse, simply behind Oxford Avenue, lies a secret ingesting den that exuberates the eccentric appeal of the Zetter Townhouse’s ficticous proprietor, depraved Uncle Seymour. Seymour’s Parlour is extra entrance room of curiosities than resort bar: trinkets muddle a cupboard that spans one aspect of the room, portraits adorn the wine-red partitions and crystal decanters crammed with shiny orange liquid costume up vintage wood tables.
The room has a hushed environment with intimate lighting that creates secluded corners to settle in to. Dapper Italian waiters take your order, and shake good cocktails at just a little bar tucked into one nook. We kicked off afternoon tea with a tea-infused cocktail created by pioneering mixologist Tony Conigliaro…
Value: Conventional afternoon tea £35.50, afternoon tea with tea infused cocktails £43, champagne afternoon tea £45.50.
Tackle: Seymour’s Parlour, The Zetter Townhouse Marylebone, 28-30 Seymour Avenue, London, W1H 7JB
Click on right here to learn our full assessment of afternoon tea at Seymour’s Parlour
Greatest themed afternoon teas in London
The Ampersand Resort, Science afternoon tea, London SW7 – afternoon tea for teenagers
Only a stone’s throw from the Science and Pure Historical past museums in South Kensington, it’s straightforward to see the place The Ampersand received their inspiration from for this whacky afternoon tea – the proper deal with for budding scientists.
The room we take tea in is a component English drawing room, half French tea salon, and comes adorned with snug sofas. As for the meals, the whole lot is made in-house – there’s a meticulously adorned raspberry cake planet with a white chocolate planetary ring, and moreish hazelnut and chocolate cake with a pointy mango mousse volcano. There are additionally chocolate dinosaurs and a citrus cocktail served in a laboratory beaker, so as to add to the Dr Jekyll expertise. Parts are beneficiant too, very welcome after a morning spent museum-hopping…
Value: Science afternoon tea £39.50pp with champagne from £49.50, (vegetarian choices accessible)
Tackle: 10 Harrington Highway, London, SW7 3ER
Click on right here to learn our full assessment of afternoon tea at The Ampersand
Nordic afternoon tea at Aquavit, London SW1 – for Scandinavian afternoon tea
Stockholm’s (take a look at our foodie information to Stockholm right here) Martin Brudnizki has managed to create an intimate but opulent really feel to the high-ceilinged house utilizing timber-paneled partitions, polished brass, blue and burnt-orange leather-based seats and placing emerald inexperienced wall hangings.
We started with a number of Swedish smørrebrød served on crisp sunflower-seed-studded rye bread baked at 6am that morning. Image-perfect toppings for the open rye sandwiches included gravlax tartare, intense liver pâté and delicate venison tartare served with lovage. Shrimp skagen was a spotlight, the Nordic model of prawn cocktail with punchy horseradish and dill mayonnaise overlaying plump little shrimp, topped with salmon roe. Fika, the Swedish custom of taking trip for espresso and pastries, continues to be rife in Sweden and Finland, and Aquavit has tapped into this concept for the candy spherical of its afternoon tea. The place conventional English afternoon teas serve scones, Aquavit retains it Nordic with semla buns – mini dough balls crammed with almond and cardamom paste, and whipped cream.
Value: The Fika afternoon tea £27.50pp, champagne afternoon tea £39pp, the aquavit afternoon tea £65pp
Tackle: St James’s Market, 1 Carlton Avenue, London SW1Y 4QQ
Click on right here to learn our full assessment of Nordic afternoon tea at Aquavit
Greatest afternoon tea with a view – TING at Shangri-La Resort, The Shard, London SE1
For those who enjoyment of all issues conventional, then afternoon tea at London’s TING isn’t for you. However in case you’re open-minded, take pleasure in Asian meals and would favor to gaze throughout a glowing metropolis reasonably than a Victorian eating room, then you’ll be able to’t get significantly better than TING at Shangri-La resort, considered one of six eating places in The Shard.
Preliminary impressions of TING (on degree 35) are magnificent: the raise doorways open onto a spectacular and uninterrupted panorama of London, dominated at first by St Paul’s Cathedral. Low tables and armchairs are sensibly organized to absorb as a lot of the view as potential – we took three hours over our afternoon tea, so distinctive was the expertise…
Value: British Summer season afternoon tea £52pp, champagne afternoon tea from £60pp
Tackle: Shangri-La Resort At The Shard, 31, St Thomas Avenue, London, SE1 9QU
Click on right here to learn our full assessment of afternoon tea at Ting
Extra reasonably priced afternoon teas in London
Bea’s of Bloomsbury, London WC1 – for afternoon tea on a price range
Based in 2008, Bea’s now has three branches throughout the capital; however it’s the unique Bloomsbury department that’s nonetheless the most effective in our opinion. Issues at this bakery-cum-café are much more informal than most London afternoon tea locations, which makes it really feel much less of an event, however does permit you to loosen up a bit extra. For those who can, attempt to get a desk on the entrance of the café – tables on the again really feel just a little remoted and, as a result of proximity of the open kitchen, generally is a bit noisy.
Bea’s is ideal for anybody with a candy tooth. Whereas a number of mini baguettes is included on the stand, the famed candy choices such because the compulsory scones with clotted cream and jam, and extra thrilling cupcakes (flavours differ), comfortable, wobbly fruity mashmallows, delicate and crisp mini meringues and a trio of gooey brownies (together with the notorious killer brownies with peanut butter), outshine them by a great distance…
Value: Bea’s signature afternoon tea £28pp, champagne afternoon tea £36pp, gold afternoon tea £34pp.
Tackle: 44 Theobalds Highway, London, WC1X 8NW
Click on right here to learn our full assessment of afternoon tea at Bea’s of Bloomsbury
OXO Tower, London SE1 – for riverside afternoon tea
OXO Tower Wharf is considered one of London’s most well-known landmarks, famous for its iconic branded home windows and sky-high eating places. It’s arduous to seek out the doorway in case you’ve by no means been earlier than – head to the pavilion in the course of the constructing, then catch the raise as much as the eighth ground, for the restaurant. Take pleasure in beautiful views in your strategy to your desk, that stretch all the best way from Waterloo Bridge to St Paul’s Cathedral.
The environment is significantly formal – assume leather-based seats and slate tables with crisp ironed white tablecloths, and a slanting glass roof to take advantage of these stunning views. Afternoon tea menus are fastidiously defined and though the number of sandwiches and desserts appears countless, parts listed here are dainty so it’s potential to attempt the whole lot.
Value: Conventional afternoon tea £35pp, champagne afternoon tea from £45pp
Tackle: OXO Tower Wharf, Barge Home Avenue, South Financial institution, London, SE1 9PH
Click on right here to learn our full assessment of afternoon tea at OXO Tower
Excessive Chai afternoon tea, Cinnamon Bazaar – for savoury afternoon tea
Probably the greatest afternoon teas in London for savoury palates is the excessive chai tea at Cinnamon Bazaar. It would not have the glitz and glamour of The Savoy, however it’s snug sufficient and the service is pleasant. Begin with a cinnamon bellini with warming apple pie aftertaste. A tandoori rooster and chutney sandwich was fairly actually that – spiced, juicy filling inside what appeared like two slices of Hovis. Not one thing we might often select, however scrumptious regardless of the blunt presentation and an excellent match for our ginger and cardamom Masala chai tea.
A bombay potato bonda with inexperienced chutney was cleverly spiced (you possibly can actually style the mustard seeds) with a powerful curry leaf flavour and refined sweetness. Bangala scotch egg was simply as completed; we cherished the calmly pickled quail’s egg, spicy crumb coating and punchy kasundi relish on the aspect. As an alternative of the same old four-or-five desserts, there have been solely two ‘sweets’ for this afternoon tea: a closely scented ginger and garam masala cake, and a spiced scone with apple and fennel chutney. The previous was satisfyingly squidgy, darkish and filled with recent spices, whereas the scone was a brand new tackle one thing that is often so plain.
Value: Excessive chai afternoon tea for 2 £25; champagne excessive chai tea for 2 £35
Adress: 28 Maiden Ln, London WC2E 7JS
Nonetheless within the temper for desserts? Take a look at our greatest ever afternoon tea recipes now, and create your personal feast at residence…
Plus, take a look at our information to the most effective afternoon teas exterior of London
