tea ()
God save the king! And London, too, for its plethora of amazing locations to sit around acting “proper” while enjoying a fresh cup of steaming hot tea in England. I don’t even like tea, but the thought of dressing up, daintily sipping out of fine china with my pinky finger in the air was just too tantalizing to pass up while touring London.
My husband and I are fortunate enough to have friends who are locals and made reservations for an unforgettable afternoon tea at Fortnum & Mason’s Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon in Piccadilly.
For over 300 years, The Tea Salon has been “epitomising the sophistication of Afternoon and High Tea in all its splendor.” From cakes to scrumptious scones to those tiny finger sandwiches with the crust cut off, this salon has everything your heart desires. When you exit the elevator and walk into the salon there is a gentleman dressed dapper as can be playing the piano. You’ll immediately notice the beautiful white, gold and light aqua decor just beckoning you to stay for a while.
Start your experience with a nice glass of champagne while you mull over what kind of tea you’ll have. Fortnum’s has been making tea since 1720 and offers a range of blends. Browse rare teas, black teas, oolong teas, green teas, white teas and yellow teas and ask your server questions about what would be best for you. Enjoy multiple flavors throughout your time there. I chose one of Fortnum’s famous blends, the Afternoon Blend that boasts a light, refreshing flavor. With a healthy pouring of cream and a scoop of sugar, I thought it quite lovely!
““The Tea Salon has been epitomising the sophistication of Afternoon and High Tea in all its splendor.””
— Fornum & Mason
There are a few options to choose from for your food. You can have Afternoon Tea, Savory Tea or High Tea. We opted for Afternoon Tea and were delighted with the following finger sandwiches: cucumber and mint butter; coronation chicken; Ploughman’s; rare breed hen egg and mustard cress; smoked salmon with lemon dill butter. They were all delightful, but the coronation chicken with a hint of curry was our favorite. We also had scones and a variety of bite size sweets on a three-tiered display. The scones came with clotted cream, jam and lemon curd and were absolutely delicious! I could’ve eaten five, but a lady probably shouldn’t and it was a bit of a formal area so I settled for two and saved room to try every dessert. The desserts included a chocolate and raspberry mousse tart, a red velvet cake, a vanilla cream dream and a chocolate, basil and strawberry tarte, which I found to be, quite frankly, not my cup of tea.
The best part about all these treats? They are endless at this location.
You can have as much tea, sandwiches, scones and cakes as you’d like! If you favor one thing over another, you can simply get more of that item. If you have leftovers, no problem. They’ll box them up in fancy to-go boxes, secured neatly with a ribbon bearing the Fortnum & Mason name. I’d just go ahead and fast for the day in preparation for the culinary delights that are included in this experience. When you think you couldn’t possibly eat another morsel, think again. There is a cake cart with even more sweets! We were able to choose from chocolate, vanilla and raspberry or Battenberg cakes.
After you’ve eaten a healthy portion of food and consumed your fill of tea, settle up the bill (it’s going to be quite pricey, 65 pounds or more per person) and wander around the rest of the floors to see all the luxury goods for sale. Don’t miss their famous hampers or the chance to buy tea and bring it with you to remember your time there. From perfume to pens more expensive than some cars, there are certainly some exceptional items to browse here! If you love tea or are just looking to take part in one of the most quintessential English customs, I highly recommend you find time to visit Fortnum & Mason.
