Few things are prettier – and more instagrammable – than English high tea done right. The fancy teacups and bite size nibbles are impossible to resist. Keep calm and adjust those pinkes, here’s a glimpse of our favourite spots in London.
Thames Foyer at The Savoy Hotel: Built in 1904, the Savoy is a throwback to more elegant times where every event was an excuse to look your best. Enter the Thames Foyer, a drawing room of gilded beauty, and indulge in an afternoon of premier teas and irresistible traditional bites. Everything is homemade, from the finger sandwiches to the scones with sweet jam and thick clotted cream. With the scene completed by the stylings of an in-house pianist playing from a winter gazebo, it truly feels like an escape from the trappings of modern life. Strand, London WC2R 0EU
Afternoon Tea at The Ritz: Everybody knows The Ritz, and for good reason. This London icon has weathered the years impeccably and represents British dignity at its finest. Guests travel from all of the world to revel in its world class fare and glittering chandeliers. Afternoon tea is an event in its own right and there’s a formal dress code to match. As the resident pianist tinkers away and the tea is poured in the absolutely correct manner, you’ll feel like British royalty. 150 Piccadilly, St. James’s, London W1J 9BR
Sketch: In vast contrast you can opt for this pink palace of cuteness. Located in Mayfair, Sketch is an experience from start to finish. The venue is divided into a lecture room, gallery and parlor, decorated in bubble gum pink velvet with a French boudoir flair. The OTT ambiance is spectacular and the cuisine is delightful and dainty, you may baulk at the idea of scoffing it down. Haute tip: Take a loo break halfway through your tea, it may be the first time you unashamedly snap photos of a restaurant bathroom.
9 Conduit St, Mayfair, London W1S 2XG
Photo Credit: morganshotelgroup.com
Mad Hatter’s Afternoon Tea at The Sanderson: This Afternoon Tea is a theatrical delight of wondrously bizarre proportions. Never wavering from the Alice in Wonderland tea party theme, you’ll be treated to an eccentric menu of of edible delights. Simply having your meal presented would be giving up the game, so expect to find your menu smuggled inside books and your colourful sandwiches brought on whimsical crockery. Butterfly shaped desserts and hand labeled drinks in potion bottles ensure you’re pulled into the storybook fantasy. The Sanderson, a trendy Fitzrovia hotel, is lucky to host this wacky tea party and we just can’t get enough.
50 Berners St, Fitzrovia, London W1T 3NG
