The hottest, freshest and quirkiest new afternoon teas in London this month include Wimbledon and Pride themed meals, plus plenty of traditional scones, sarnies and cakes. Read on, then get booking to be one of the first to try these new menus — some of them aren't around for long.
The Art of Travel at Searcy's, St Pancras
Afternoon tea is served in a suitcase at St Pancras station, paying homage to 12 European destinations and celebrating the art of travel. It takes places at a summer travel pop-up at Searcy's Champagne Bar in the station, aimed at those hopping on the Eurostar to the continent, but open to everyone. The menu includes French Opera gâteau, Belgian white chocolate mousse, and passion fruit Swiss meringue pie, and when the pop-up opens in mid-July, each of the 12 booths will be themed on a different country.
The Art Of Travel at St Pancras Champagne Bar by Searcys. £26 per person.
Available: Art of Travel afternoon tea available now. Art of Travel pop-up opens 15 July. Until 9 September
NY-Tea at Balthazar, Covent Garden
Traditional English afternoon tea meets all-American blowout at brasserie Balthazar in Covent Garden. The NY-Tea (see what they did there?) pays tribute to the restaurant's New York origins, beginning with NYC-inspired sandwich fillings — including a pastrami bun with egg, pickle and mustard — followed by a peanut butter and jelly eclair, pecan pie, cookies and cream tart and Key lime pie.
NY-Tea at Balthazar in Covent Garden. £29.95 per person, or £39.95 with a cocktail or champagne.
Available: Monday-Saturday 3pm-5pm, Sunday 3pm-6.30pm.
North African afternoon tea at MOMO, Heddon Street
Moroccan-inspired Momo extends its North African influences to its new afternoon tea, which is served on the Palm Terrace, among Moorish lanterns and rattan chairs.
Sandwiches include halloumi croque with tomato and basil, Tunisian fricassee with egg, tuna and olives, and cucumber with labneh and mint. Sweet options include Muhalabiya, a Middle Eastern milk pudding delicacy with strawberry rosewater, and an exotic twist on a lemon tartlette. Scones are date flavoured, served with quince and prickly pear jam. Sip on traditional Moroccan mint tea, or upgrade to champagne.
North African afternoon tea at Momo, Heddon Street. £32 per person/£42 with champagne.
Available: Daily, 12pm-4.30pm
1840s themed tea at St James's Hotel & Club
Celebrate the bicentenary of Queen Victoria's birth with a range of treats themed on the Victorian era, and the 1840s, when afternoon tea was invented.
Tipsy cake soaked in sherry, Cheshire cheese scones made with the oldest recorded British cheese, and an array of traditional savoury delights are all served on Victorian-style crockery. Tea is provided by The East India Company — which was responsible for bringing tea to our shores in the first place.
1840 Afternoon Tea, St James's Hotel. £40 per person/£52 with champagne.
Available: Daily, 3pm-5.30pm.
Afternoon tea at No. Fifty Cheyne, Chelsea
Elegant Chelsea riverside restaurant No. Fifty Cheyne kicks off its afternoon tea service with a Wimbledon-themed offering, but these strawberries keep coming long after the last set has been served. It's available throughout the summer, and consists of eight delicacies; scones with clotted cream and Pimm’s’n’strawberries jam, a selection of open sandwiches, a chocolate brownie served with fresh berries, Eton mess, lemon meringue tartlet, and a strawberry delice cheesecake.
Afternoon tea at No. Fifty Cheyne. £25 per person/£35 with a cocktail.
Available: Throughout the summer.
Rock 'n' roll afternoon tea at The Gore, South Kensington
South Kensington hotel trio The Gore, The Pelham and The Franklin just keep impressing with their themed afternoon teas. Past offerings have included Winnie the Pooh and Frida Kahlo, and now we're delving into the music world with a rock'n'roll menu. Artists including the Rolling Stones, David Bowie and Guns 'n' Roses have inspired the puntastic menu items — think 'Goodbye Ziggy' lightning bolt chocolate cake, and 'Sweet Choux O' Mine' pastries. Luxury event planners La Fête helped design the afternoon tea, which also features mini drum kits and chocolate guitars. Rock on!
Rock'n'Roll afternoon tea at The Gore. £35 per person.
Available: Until June 2020.
Pride afternoon tea at The Other Gin Palace, Victoria
You'll have to be quick to sink your teeth into The Other Gin Palace's Pride afternoon tea, as the psychedelic offering is only served until 6 July. It's part of the Love Is Only Love programme of events, and embraces the Pride rainbow flag with colourful cakes and bagels, plus other sweet treats and tea.
The same venue — a gin specialist bar inside a theatre — is also serving three limited edition Pride rainbow cocktails, again only until 6 July.
Pride afternoon tea at The Other Gin Palace, Victoria. £40 for two.
Available: Daily from midday, until 6 July.
Se'deuce'ing Wimbledon afternoon tea at Brown's Hotel, Mayfair
A cleverly punning name is given to the largely traditional Wimbledon themed offering at Brown's Hotel. Choose from 17 different teas to wash down warm scones, freshly prepared sandwiches and strawberries and cream. The pièce de résistance pastry includes Pimm's jelly topped with cucumber cream (opinion is split at Londonist Towers over this one...).
Se'deuce'ing Wimbledon afternoon tea at The English Tea Room, Brown's Hotel, Mayfair. £65 per person.
Available: 1-14 July.
Wimbledon afternoon tea at The Petersham, Richmond
In addition to creating a special tennis-themed dessert, Richmond restaurant The Petersham gives its traditional afternoon tea a Wimbledon twist for the fortnight of the tournament. A mango and passionfruit Eton mess tartlet and a white chocolate truffle with champagne and dried raspberry have been added to the sweet selection, along with a version of that tennis dessert, with a chocolate mousse filling.
Wimbledon afternoon tea at The Petersham Restaurant, Richmond. £29.50 Monday-Friday/£32.50 Saturday and Sunday.
Available: 1-14 July.
Grand Slam tea at Lincoln Plaza London, Canary Wharf
Canary Wharf Hotel Lincoln Plaza London is serving up a special Grand Slam cream tea for the duration of Wimbledon, with matches from the tournament shown on big screens in the hotel lobby. Tuck into a selection of teas and freshly baked scones with cream and jam, plus strawberries and cream, and a Pimm’s jelly shot.
Grand Slam Tea at Lincoln Plaza, £20 per person.
Available: 1-14 July.
Wimbledon afternoon tea at The Bentley, Kensington
Kensington hotel The Bentley is another one getting in on the Wimbledon action. Sandwiches including cucumber and mint with soft cream cheese, and smoked salmon with dill crème fraiche are paired with a praline tart, elderflower raspberry mousse and strawberry Eton mess, and a glass of Pimm's.
The Bentley Hotel's Wimbledon afternoon tea. £36 per person.
Available: 1-14 July.
