Afternoon tea is the quintessential London experience. There’s something about afternoon tea that makes a girl feel special. I don’t know if it’s the getting dressed up, sipping tea from beautiful china or simply just because of the fabulous cakes but afternoon tea is definitely one of my favourite things to do in London. And what better place to do it than the Ritz in Piccadilly?!
Not many venues could be more beautiful and elaborate than Palm Court at the Ritz. The airy light filled room is beautifully decorated with gold gilding throughout, plush furnishings and marbled floors.
An extensive selection of 17 different types of loose leaf tea is offered, each served in a generous silver tea pot and bone china. I broke the tradition for English Breakfast and opted for green sencha which was surprisingly refreshing on the palate.
The traditional afternoon menu is served on a three tiered stand and includes freshly cut sandwiches with smoked salmon, cucumber, egg mayonnaise, roast ham and Cheddar cheese fillings. The second tier consists of freshly baked apple and raisin scones, which are served warm with strawberry preserve and clotted Cornish cream, followed by a delectable selection of afternoon tea cakes and pastries.
The finger sandwiches are each perfectly cut with a great mix of traditional fillings. It’s hard to stop at a few though. My advice is not to fill up on bread!
The scones were light and fluffy and did not crumble. Of course I had to eat them the Cornish way, jam first then cream!
The cakes and pastries were equally delicious and catered for all tastes; for the chocaholic the chocolate fondant torte and for the lighter creamy types – the vanilla slice, raspberry tart and macaroon.
I could have easily sat here for hours eating cakes, drinking tea, listening to the piano player and soaking up the ambience. It definitely lives up to its reputation and is worth the wait. Will definitely be back for more – next time with an empty stomach. Don’t be sneaky and ask for a doggy bag, apparently it’s not Ritz etiquette!
http://www.theritzlondon.com/tea/london-,default-en.html
Bookings essential. Traditional afternoon tea starts from £45 pp.
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After the feasts, the plates would have absorbed the gravy or sauces and remnants of the feast would be embedded into the soft dough.
You can place a lettuce leaf on a plate and put a scoop of chicken
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Hi Lisa I love having high tea wherever I’m visiting. You have done a fantastic job at capturing the elegance of the Ritz that is hard to explain. Fantastic blog. Keep up the good work. It’s lovely to read that us young ones are still into afternoon tea sittings after all these years. Thank you.
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Oh thanks Shannyn, afternoon tea is one of my favourite things to do in London! Let’s hope the tradition continues to many years to come 🙂
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