Kent


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tea-with-a-view">TEA WITH A VIEW</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Screenshot-2024-02-26-at-10.33.41.png" alt="Shangri-la at the Shard Ting restaurant afternoon tea" class="wp-image-88509" /></figure>



<p>Bag a window-side pew on level 35 of London’s tallest building for a side of jaw-dropping views along with your beautiful Bees in Bloom Afternoon Tea at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ting-shangri-la.com/afternoon-tea" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Shangri-La’s TĪNG</a>&nbsp;restaurant. A collaboration for Spring with jewellery designer Alex Monroe, expect a botanically draped tea stand bearing finger sandwiches including the classic coronation chicken and smoked salmon and cucumber, but also a heritage carrot burger (carrot roasted in caraway seeds and coriander. Here’s hoping you’ll then have room for sweet and savoury scones and some very delicate cakes like The Ladybug (Dulcey chocolate and Jasmine tea) and The Bee, made of lemon, honey and lavender. However our fave is the pièce de résistance – a miniature honeycomb Shard to share, filled with kaffir limes and berries.&nbsp;Costs from £79 per person, £89 with fizz. Veggie and vegan available. The proceeds from each tea sold raise funds for Bees for Development, a charity supporting beekeepers in developing nations.</p>



<p><strong>See also:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sevenrooms.com/experiences/searcysatthegherkin/champagne-afternoon-tea--7205433450" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Searcy’s at The Gherkin</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.seacontainerslondon.com/eat-drink/lyaness-bar/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lyaness at Sea Containers</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://ivycollection.com/restaurants/the-ivy-tower-bridge/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Ivy Tower Bridge</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://oxotowerrestaurant.com/whats-on/time-for-afternoon-tea/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The OXO Tower</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-classic-one">THE CLASSIC ONE</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Screenshot-2024-02-26-at-11.03.26.png" alt="Afternoon tea at The Ritz " class="wp-image-88523" /></figure>



<p>Setting the standard for all other afternoon teas, you really can’t consider yourself an aficionado until you’ve sampled the spread at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theritzlondon.com/dine-with-us/afternoon-tea/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Ritz</a>. Served in the spectacular surroundings of heavily gold-leafed Palm Court, where a live pianist or harpist provide the background music, you’re in for a treat. Things kick off with six types of classic, slender sandwiches (think cucumber with cream cheese, dill and mint and breast of chicken with tarragon creamed mayonnaise). Next up are your quintessential freshly baked plain and fruit scones with Cornish clotted cream and strawberry preserve. Apparently Ritz London is the only hotel in the UK to have a certified Tea Master, Giandomenico Scanu, who travels around the world to various tea plantations selecting the 20 on offer. From £75 per person, and it can be adapted to veggie, vegan, gluten and nut-free. Add a glass of bubbly for £23.</p>



<p><strong>See also:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.fortnumandmason.com/afternoon-tea" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Fortnum&nbsp;&amp; Mason</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.claridges.co.uk/restaurants-bars/afternoon-tea/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Claridges</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dorchestercollection.com/en/london/the-dorchester/restaurants-bars/afternoon-tea/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Dorchester</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thewolseley.com/menu/afternoon-tea/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Wolseley</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thesavoylondon.com/experience/afternoon-tea-london/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Savoy</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mandarinoriental.com/en/london/hyde-park/dine/the-rosebery" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mandarin Oriental</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-fashionista-s-choice">THE FASHIONISTA’S CHOICE</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Screenshot-2024-02-26-at-11.24.09.png" alt="Prêt-à-Portea at The Berkeley " class="wp-image-88530" /></figure>



<p>This isn’t just an ode to fashion, but a sincere dedication to the world’s greatest designers so you’d better gen up on your latest Victoria Beckham before sampling&nbsp;<a href="https://www.the-berkeley.co.uk/restaurants-bars/afternoon-tea/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Berkeley’s</a>&nbsp;Prêt-à-Portea. This season’s offering opens with a striking Versace gown, immortalised in vanilla mousse, Emmanuel sponge and a fig and plum compote topped off with a fashionable fruit tulle skirt. Sink your teeth into Prada’s handbag of the season – a cinnamon blondie glazed with silky white icing and sandwiched with chocolate – while Victoria Beckham’s trophy jacket is a totally tasty orange sablé intricately piped with royal icing. Save room for this season’s show-stopping sharing cake, an Alexander McQueen gown, combining chocolate Gianduja cream, miso caramel and hazelnut sponge, finished with a shimmering chocolate frill. From £80pp, or £92 with a glass of fizz for those A-List vibes.&nbsp;</p>



<p><strong>See also:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bulgarihotels.com/en_US/london/bar-and-restaurant/the-lounge" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Bulgari Hotel</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wallacecollection.org/visit/food-and-drink/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Wallace Restaurant</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-new-one">THE NEW ONE</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/french-afternoon-tea-westminster-abbey.png" alt="French afternoon tea at Westminster Abbey " class="wp-image-88539" /></figure>



<p>Say ‘oui’ to tea! Just when you thought the London afternoon tea scene couldn’t get any more jam-packed, along comes another gem in the form of Westminster Abbey’s Fraternité, an afternoon tea celebrating France and the UK. Launched to coincide with an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.westminster-abbey.org/abbey-events/special-tours-and-events/2024/february/notre-dame-de-paris-the-augmented-exhibition-1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">augmented reality experience</a>&nbsp;this spring, allowing visitors to explore the famous Parisian cathedral Notre Dame, we’re only to happy to get involved in the celebrations by chomping on quiche lorraine, mini brioche, scones with jam and cream, macaron, crème patisserie tart and a mini opera cake, in the abbey’s Callarium Café. *French kiss*.&nbsp;</p>



<p><strong>See also:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.smeguk.com/news/projects/sofitel.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Smeg X Sofitel London</a>&nbsp;&amp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sushisamba.com/events/afternoon-tea" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sushi Samba</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-tea-for-globetrotters">THE TEA FOR GLOBETROTTERS</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Untitled-design-2023-08-01T114730.465.jpg" alt="The Prince Akatoki" class="wp-image-75423" /></figure>



<p>Marylebone’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theprinceakatokilondon.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Prince Akatoki</a>&nbsp;is the unlikely location of one of London’s most quirky afternoon teas. The luxe Japanese style hotel offers a Koto Afternoon Tea experience which goes way beyond a scone platter and brings with it an entire cultural experience including live music from Japanese musician, Keiko Kitamura. Expect savoury mini delights like brioche of seared tuna, avocado, wasabi dressing and chicken katsu sando,<em>&nbsp;</em>with matcha and pistachio cake and yuzu crème brûlée to follow. Of course, the teas are the coup de grâce, with top-grade organic matcha on offer, or an upgrade to sake pairings with each dish. Costs £70pp.</p>



<p><strong>See also:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.taj51buckinghamgate.co.uk/Fine-dining/Afternoon-tea/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Indian Jasmine Afternoon Tea</a>&nbsp;at Taj at 51 Buckingham Gate,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tozigrandcafe.co.uk/whats_on/afternoon-tea-at-tozi-grand-cafe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Italian afternoon tea</a>&nbsp;at TOZI Grand Cafe Battersea,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.comohotels.com/london/como-the-halkin/dining" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Balinese afternoon tea</a>&nbsp;at Como at The Halkin,&nbsp;<a href="https://b-bakery.com/london/bus-tours/gin-afternoon-tea" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">B Bakery bus tour afternoon tea</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-gardener-s-choice">THE GARDENER’S CHOICE</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Screenshot-2024-02-26-at-11.57.38.png" alt="Afternoon tea at Petersham Nurseries in Richmond " class="wp-image-88556" /></figure>



<p>Need a little inspo for the back yard? How about an afternoon in the whimsical setting of Richmond’s&nbsp;<a href="https://petershamnurseries.com/restaurants/the-teahouse/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Petersham Nurseries</a>? The teahouse serves cake and tea all week but on Fri-Sun, you can book the full shebang, Garden Afternoon Tea amid the floaty foliage and antique mismatched furniture. It’s a seasonal menu, naturally, but could include dishes like smoked chicken brioche with black tomato and beetroot relish, sun dried tomato and basil scones or white chocolate madaleine with crushed pistachio (salivating yet?). Dairy free and vegan available. Served with loose-leaf teas £55pp or £65 with a glass of Champagne.&nbsp;</p>



<p><strong>See also:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kew.org/sites/default/files/2019-02/Afternoon%20tea%2C%20Botanical.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kew Gardens</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://gardenmuseum.org.uk/cafe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Garden Museum</a>&nbsp;(for tea and cake/scones), The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.firmdalehotels.com/hotels/london/number-sixteen/the-orangery-at-number-sixteen/afternoon-tea/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Orangery at Number 16</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.taj51buckinghamgate.co.uk/en/dine-central-london/kona-afternoon-tea/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Secret Garden</a>&nbsp;at Taj.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-arty-one">THE ARTY ONE</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/masterful-art-afternoon-tea.png" alt="Masterful Art Afternoon Tea at Rosewood London hotel " class="wp-image-88571" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Image: Patricia Niven&nbsp;</figcaption></figure>



<p>For highbrow eats book&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rosewoodhotels.com/en/london/dining/art-afternoon-tea" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Masterful Art Afternoon Tea</a>&nbsp;at Rosewood London, a new offering of all the favourite nibbles featured in the series since it was launched (2017) – think Salvador Dali’s lobster phone and Vincent Van Gogh’s almond blossom. Things start conventionality with fingers sandwiches like rare roast Hereford beef sirloin with purple mustard and baby watercress, but beyond the sarnies and scones is gets really creative (Instagrammable), including Banksy’s Girl with the Balloon (a white chocolate cube filled with a light vanilla cream choux, salted caramel, and chocolate crémeux) and Andy Warhol’s Campbell’s soup can (chocolate sponge filled with cherry jelly and chocolate mousse). Costs £75, or add a cocktail for £90.&nbsp;</p>



<p><strong>See also:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://sketch.london/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sketch</a>.&nbsp;</p>


Cake expectations! The best Mother’s Day afternoon tea in London

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