London
There’s nothing more British than tea, surely, and these fabulous venues take the ritual of a hot cuppa to a whole new level
The custom of drinking tea in the UK dates back to the mid 17th century, when the love affair first started. Catherine of Braganza, wife of Charles II, is credited with turning tea into a fashionable drink, and these glorious offerings are continuing the trend. MAD HATTER’S AFTERNOON TEA This Alice in Wonderland themed tea at The Sanderson is a whimsical delight for fans of Lewis Caroll’s book.
Menus are hidden inside vintage books, sugar appears in a music box with a slowly turning ballerina, teapots are decorated with kings and queens, while sandwich plates feature birdcages and ticking clocks.
A choice of specialty blend teas including the White Rabbit and Alice arrive in glass stopper bottles on a silver tray, so tea lovers can smell before choosing their brew, while red velvet ladybird cakes, coffee-flavoured pocketwatch macaroons, and tiny Drink Me apothecary bottles are among the Alice-style treats on the cake stand.
Tea is served daily and, depending on champagne options, costs between £48 ($A82) and £65 ($A110) per person, £35 ($A60) for children 4-11 years old. PRÊT-À-PORTEA This high-fashion tea at The Berkeley has been such a hit with fashionistas that it’s not only celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, it’s also the subject of a new book, Prêt-à-Portea, High-Fashion Bakes & Biscuits.
Every season the hotel’s head pastry chef Mourad Khiat transforms the latest catwalk styles into couture cakes and pastries.
A DVF dress becomes a bourbon vanilla cream on crème brûlée tart with edible gold beneath a butterfly; Manolo Blahnik’s red polka dot stilettos appear as vanilla biscuits with white icing and red dots; a red velvet chocolate Prada handbag is catwalk and tastebud ready. £41 per person. BLIND SPOT TEA COCKTAILS When St Martin’s Lane celebrated its 15th anniversary in 2015 it added a few new touches to Philippe Starck’s original lobby. A light and bright tea counter with rows of exotic-looking teas in glass jars now greets guests, but this tea counter is not what it seems.
A secret door reveals Blind Spot, a low-lit, intimate bar where cocktails are inspired by the tea trade. Signature cocktails include the Camilla with black tea vodka, Chambord, Aperol, lemon and raspberries, and Old Fashioned, a Scotch, coconut and green tea. A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM TEA To mark the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death this year, The Swan at Shakespeare’s Globe created an afternoon tea inspired by one of his best-loved plays, A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Mulberry scones, herb-fed lemon chicken sandwiches with pea flowers, and hibiscus and apricot dessert shots are among the sweet and savoury treats that reference flowers and fruits from the play, all served on beautiful bespoke crockery with drawings from the play by illustrator Annika Wester. Those who enjoy a tipsy tea can indulge in the Love Potion cocktail, with a mix of Earl Grey-infused gin, honey, blackberry puree and prosecco, topped with blackberries. £24.50-£39.50 per person (with 90 minutes of unlimited prosecco). DOUBLE DECKER TEA London’s big red Routemaster buses have a special place in London’s history, and tea fans can combine a city tour on one of the iconic double decker buses with a tasty afternoon tea.
This 90-minute tour takes in city landmarks including Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace, the Royal Albert Hall, Hyde Park, Downing Street and more over cups of tea, sandwiches, pastries, mini cupcakes and macaroons from B-Bakery in Covent Garden. £45 for adults, £35 for children aged 6-11. VINTAGE TRAIN TEA An indulgent afternoon tea on some of the most beautiful train carriages in the world turns tea time into a very special occasion.
Belmond British Pullman’s afternoon tea journeys start and end at London’s Victoria Station and take guests through the British countryside in 1920s carriages with exquisite marquetry and Art Deco features.
Savouries, sandwiches, cakes, pastries and scones are served on bespoke china and welcome champagne poured into sparkling glassware by liveried stewards before guests are invited to explore the train or simply sit back and watch the countryside go by. £215 an adult. CHARLIE AND THE CHESTERFIELD An elegant afternoon tea spot, The Chesterfield in Mayfair offers an award-winning classic afternoon tea, and one with a golden ticket.
The Charlie and the Chesterfield Afternoon Tea embraces Roald Dahl’s tale of Charlie Bucket and Willy Wonka, with shots of Fizzy Lifting drinks, Oompa Loompa cupcakes, Wonka Bars, Everlasting Gobstoppers, chocolate dusted scones and a Willy Wonka chocolate tea blend among the 18 loose teas from which to choose.
Guests also receive a Chesterfield Mayfair Golden Ticket with the chance to win a weekend in a Junior Suite, a magnum of champagne and other treats. From £36.50 per person or £17.50 for a child under 12 years. GENTLEMAN’S TEA Finger sandwiches and delicate, pretty cakes tend to attract more women to afternoon teas than men, but London also has a number of Gentleman’s Teas to tempt.
One such tea for blokes is at Sanctum Soho, where the menu includes baby back ribs, mini steak rolls, Scotch eggs, and rum and raisin scones. Served in the Soho club’s vintage No.20 Restaurant, the tea also includes a choice of a silver tankard of Jack Daniel’s “Gentleman Jack” or a Villager Export Cigar to puff on the roof terrace. £50 per person. TEA AND CRICKET The frightfully British combination of tea and cricket awaits at Lord’s Cricket Ground, where afternoon tea is taken in the Long Room with views over the outfield.
Afternoon tea at the Home of Cricket is a formal affair, with men expected to wear jackets and ties, and jeans and trainers not permitted for men or women.
Scones, jam and clotted cream are served with finger sandwiches, cakes and dainties, and champagne is on hand for those who would like to raise a glass. After enjoying their tea, guests are taken on a guided tour of the Pavilion and MCC Museum to soak up the history of the most famous cricket club in the world. £54 or £65 with champagne.