I recently visited the Dorchester London Park Lane to try their Afternoon Tea. Almost everyone talks about it in the city and for me the timing was just perfect. A lovely friend of mine was visiting from Dubai and I wanted to take her to a quintessential British afternoon tea experience.
Well this was it …we put our heels on and we were heading for The Dorchester located very near the Buckingham Palace (for my tourist friends ..tip). A table reservation is a must as this gets booked up quite fast, do it online or call them. We were slightly late due to a train delay but we called the hotel to keep the table for us. Straight out of Paddington, we get into the infamous London black taxi and the cab driver frisking through the inner lanes got us to the hotel in no time.
At arrival we were greeted by the doormen and escorted to the promenade, which is right in front, as you walk into the hotel. The tea is served at The Promenade. The entrance was decorated with a stunning flower setting paired with tennis rackets and tennis balls on either side, which complimented the Wimbledon themed afternoon tea. The space was lit with warm yellow lamps all along the length of the room and the olive green chairs and sofas gave the room a traditional yet elegant appearance. Bouquet of flowers filled the room, which signify the true essence of the Dorchester.
After we were greeted and seated, the charming waiter offered us the choice between Traditional and the Wimbledon Afternoon tea. As it was the first day of Wimbledon, to mark the occasion we both chose the Wimbledon afternoon tea. The tea comes with a glass of Laurent Perrier champagne or a coconut mocktail. We both chose the latter.
There was a wide range of teas available to select from. We went for the Middle Eastern Karak tea infused with various spices and refreshing Lemongrass/mint tea. Along with tea, we were offered selection of sandwiches. We both opted for the vegetarian option, which included cucumber with mint cream cheese, egg mayonnaise with shallot confit & shiso cress, cheese & pickle, courgette & mustard. In between the various servings to cleanse the palette they also offered us flower tea.
Now comes my favorite part….
Our waiter brings in fresh home grown British Strawberries with cream followed by freshly baked English scones with Cornish clotted cream.
By this time, we were too full. It was like a full meal however couldn’t resist not having anything that was on the table. Towards the end, Wimbledon themed pastries were served.
We spent nearly an hour and a half enjoying this British classic tea experience.
The afternoon was just perfect blend of English Tea, British hospitality, Wimbledon vibe and some girly time with my best friend.
Cheers !