There’s something wonderfully quaint and yet quintessentially English about the ritual of afternoon tea. There are few better places to do it in London than at the Ritz Hotel. The experience is one of opulence and decadence. The additional benefit is that guests can feast heartily yet not leave bloated. Tea has a wonderful restorative effect.
Guests take their tea in the Palm Court. It is an opulent Louis XVI-style room complete with gilded mirrors, marble columns and a glass ceiling. It is easy to imagine being in a grand salon. Why not pretend to be part of the aristocracy, even if just for a couple of hours? The sense of occasion is heightened by staff in tailcoats. Guests must dress up too. The Ritz is one of the few remaining places in London where it is obligatory for gentlemen to don both a jacket and tie.
Once seated, tea is presented as a form of theatre. There is a dedicated Tea Master who will take orders. Guests can choose from a list of up to 20 different loose-leaf blends. Said tea arrives in a silver teapot. Staff remain on hand throughout to top up cups and refill pots. Nothing appears too much trouble. A glass of lovely house champagne (by Baron de Rothschild) helps things along too.
The eating experience proceeds in a set fashion, from savoury to sweet. Dainty finger sandwiches come first. There are six flavours to choose from. Throughout, the quality of ingredients was impeccable, evidenced in both the ham and salmon offerings particularly. My vegetarian comrade received her own dedicated plate, with options that spanned artichoke and hummus. As with the tea, constant replenishments are available. Next up came a trio of ‘tea pastries’ (pictured), the menu’s delightful description for some excellent cake. Each was both light in the palate – and on the stomach – yet packed with flavour, especially the rhubarb iteration in the middle. Scones followed, accompanied by clotted cream and some excellent strawberry jam. There was room for cake too. Our group enjoyed both the Ritz’s carrot cake and a more innovative Earl Grey and lemon peel sponge.
Throughout, a pianist tinkles the ivories, yet another part of the experience. An afternoon here is something every Londoner (or London visitor) should do. Word to the wise: sittings are for a maximum of two hours. Towards the end, the bill – not as expensive as feared – will be plonked on your table. Such is the Ritz’s cachet, that even a venue as esteemed as this needs to turn tables, ready for the next batch of excited guests.