The Royal Family make no secret of their affection for The Goring Hotel. Note: whilst the team may not have tried all of the limited-edition coronation afternoon teas in London listed below, they are special events laid on by some of our favorite establishments across the capital. If afternoon tea is the matinée performance, you might find yourself tempted to stick around for the late show too as the pianist rolls out a gentle medley on the Steinway grand piano by the bar, it’s all too easy to let tea turn into evening drinks.- Anna PrendergastĪddress: 53 Park Ln, London W1K 1QA Price from: £75, or approximately $94 In all its grandeur, the Promenade is sink-into-the-cushions comfortable too those Chesterfields are ever so inviting, and the high-ceilinged ballroom-sized space is designed so that every table is positioned to prioritize privacy. Creative vegetarian understudies include an indulgent truffle tofu with vegan mayonnaise, but the salt-crusted golden-beetroot sandwich was the surprising scene-stealer, and the volume of food matched the oversized decor. In the first act, sandwiches with fillings such as chicken with ginger, lime, garlic, mayonnaise, and shallots or poached wild salmon with heritage tomatoes tread the boards on meticulously cut rectangles of white, multigrain, and wholemeal bread. As the maître d' explained with a smile and a sweep of his arm, ‘There is a theatre to it! This is the stage'. Between the savory and sweet courses you are presented with a palate-cleansing green tea, with lily and jasmine wrapped in silver needles and infused with mango. Inevitably, there is an element of performance that accompanies the service at a hotel like The Dorchester. While the surroundings can make you feel rather small and insignificant, the discreetly charming staff have the opposite effect–you are treated like the server’s most important (and better yet, favorite) guests. There are bouquets the size of hot-air balloons in the lobby, quilted-brocade sofas dwarf the loftiest of guests and marble-effect pillars tower over tables in the Promenade, where afternoon tea is served. James's, London W1A 1ER Price from: £70, or approximately $87Įverything at The Dorchester is scaled up. Finger sandwiches make a welcome savory intervention from the sweet treats.Īddress: 4th Floor, Fortnum & Mason, 181 Piccadilly, St. (Luckily, these can be bought in the shop downstairs.) The cake carriage is a feast for the eyes, with mini chocolate-mousse tarts and melt-in-your-mouth salted-caramel choux pastries. Soft, warm scones are served with lashings of Somerset clotted cream and the most delicious raspberry, strawberry and wild blueberry jams which left us scraping the bottom of the jar. Terrifically knowledgeable 'Tearistas' are on hand to help narrow down the choice. It remains a traditional affair and, located on the fourth floor of the iconic Fortnum & Mason shop (where London afternoon teas have been served for almost 100 years), it's a delightful place to while away an afternoon.Īnd who knew there were so many different types of tea? If Willy Wonka ever swapped chocolate for tea, the menu might resemble that at the Tea Salon, listing around 45 fantastically-named infusions like Jasmine Dragon Pearls, Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe, and Hattialli, which takes its name from the Assamese words 'Hathi Alli', meaning 'Elephant Road'. An oasis of tea and cake! It seems as if it hasn't changed in decades, in a wonderfully old-world way, but in fact was refurbished and subsequently reopened by the Queen in 2012. Here's our pick of the best afternoon tea in Londonĭressed in trademark eau-de-nil, right down to the tea plates, Fortnum & Mason's Tea Salon is a peaceful oasis (accessed in a lovely wood-paneled lift) off Piccadilly. While traditionalists are more inclined to aim for a 3pm or 4pm sitting, some high teas in London are so extensive (think multi-course platters and unlimited sandwiches) that lunch can be skipped altogether, and a 12pm or 1pm booking is just fine. What is the best time for afternoon tea in London? This article was originally published on Condé Nast Traveller UK. We’ve sat down to countless cups of tea, finger sandwiches, scones and macarons to bring you our editors’ reviews of the best afternoon teas in London–from the traditional spreads to the modern interpretations that roll on into evening drinks. Flutes of Champagne and pretty pastries are a given, while exotic nibbles and potent cocktails mean that what now constitutes this most genteel of refreshments might well shock the Duchess of Bedford. Today, afternoon tea in London enjoys celebratory status. It was in 1840 that the Duchess of Bedford shared her guilty secret of enjoying tea and snacks a few hours before dinner, setting a trend that would evolve to become a national tradition complete with a new set of afternoon tea etiquette rules.
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