Incapable of making such a major decision on where to go for High Tea, serious first world problems - I know, I ranted my list off to my buddy, Manish from London, who quickly suggested The Wolseley for its grandeur and elegance at a reasonable rate.
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… and then our conversation went something like this…
me: What’s the BEST afternoon tea in London?
Manish: That would be The Ritz.
me: So why don’t we go there?
Manish: Because it’s 42 quid per person.
me: 42 pounds??? That’s like $80. That’s INSANE!
Manish: Yup, so I’ll take you to The Wolseley which is half that.
me: Yeah, but is it as good as The Ritz?
Manish: It’s amazing, it has all the fluff and pretense you are looking for.
me: Sweet!
Yes, when it comes to High Tea, it is no secret that I’m all about frilly places that rip you off with their watered down fancy teas and dainty little finger sandwiches served up on silver trays. It’s all that jazz that I keep falling for, but Afternoon Tea wouldn’t be Afternoon Tea without the frills. Right?
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And so, the next time you visit London, make sure you relish in an Afternoon Tea experience. It is SO worth it.
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LOCATION: 160 Piccadilly (St. James)
COST: £££
CUISINE: Afternoon Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, British.
RECOMMENDED TO: Couples, Fine Dining, Small Groups, Romantic Dining.
AMBIENCE: classy/relaxed/casual, but dressy
And now, let’s begin. Between 3 people, we ordered 2 afternoon teas, trust me, it was more than enough.
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I started with a a Traditional English Breakfast Tea which was not as bold. but slightly watered down, perhaps I should have been more patient and allowed my tea to brew.
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And then comes my most favorite part of Afternoon Tea, the Fruit Scones with Strawberry Jam and Clotted Cream… oooh, I’m getting so excited just thinking about it. The scones were warm, not terribly sweet. Combine that with jam and clotted cream, just heavenly.
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Speaking of jam and cream, I love the combination of strawberry jam and clotted cream! Ina Garten once said the equivalent of clotted cream here in the United States is mascarpone cheese.
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Next up were the mouthwatering Finger Sandwiches, we were served 2 plates of these… hope I can remember the fillings…
- egg salad. Amazing.
- cucumber and butter. Simple, yet delicious. (2 servings of this since I skipped the smoked salmon sandwich)
- chicken salad with tarragon. What an insanely delicious concoction? My favorite.
- tomato with cream cheese on wheat bread. Yum!
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Lastly, dessert time. My favorite was the checkered pink and yellow cake known as Battenberg Cake. A simple moist sponge cake. Scrumptious!
Other desserts included, Opera Cake, Cheesecake, Éclair, and my second favorite, the Raspberry Tart - a buttery crust filled with cream and topped with fresh raspberries. Light and delicious.
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VERDICT: 4.5 / 5
Afternoon Tea at The Wolseley was a delightful experience and I can’t wait to go back for more. Everything from the grand décor to the impeccable service to the heavenly scones, sandwiches, & desserts was nothing short of perfection with the exception of the English Breakfast Tea. Yes, I'm very aware of the fact that I am extremely picky with my tea, but in my defense, it didn't quite taste as flavorful and medium-bodied to me. And that’s why The Wolseley falls short of a perfect 5, but other than that, it is flawless.
Furthermore, with all due respect to Manish, if he is reading this, the next time I visit London, “we” are heading to The Ritz. I’m thinking if The Wolseley is this good, one can only dream about how exquisite The Ritz might be. Ahhhh… probably not for another couple years, and by then I will have convinced myself that it is okay to spend 42 quid per person on tea time, you live only once!
Food: Excellent
Drinks: Good (tea was a bit weak)
Decor: Excellent (classy)
Service: Excellent
Value: Standard
* this week's Friday Favorite Things was substitued with an Afternoon Tea post, after all, tea time with friends is one of my most favorite pastimes in the world.
TELL ME: Have you relished in an Afternoon Tea experience in London? If so, what place(s) do you recommend? Share with us!
Khushboo says
This was a fun post to read! I have actually only ever done high tea in Mumbai...ironically enough! I love everything about it and I'm with you about the added frills- especially if it's a one-off outing, paying a little extra for high tea at the Ritz is so worth it. Although the Wolseley looks pretty amazing too! Is it crazy that as much as I love fancy foods, cucumber & butter sandwiches are usually my favorite at high tea....even better if they are triangle-shaped ;)!
Parita says
I had never heard of high tea until Khushboo blogged about it. Sounds like so much fun! Do you have to dress up? Haha - I can't imagine going for high tea in jeans and a t-shirt!
Josie says
I've never been to London -- I wand to go soooo badly!
xo Josie
http://www.winksmilestyle.com
Dixya says
now reading about this high tea and all the fancy scones, I want to go to London too SO BAD!!
Alba says
great pics!!
xoxo
Guru Uru says
Simply classy afternoon tea my friend 😀
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Ameena says
I thought for sure that I mentioned the Wolseley to you for tea...because Ali and I had an amazing tea there. And then went for dinner the next night. I loved the vibe, the tea, the service, the location (near our hotel). Everything was great.
Love the pictures Nisha! So clear...so gorgeous. I feel like I'm back there.
PS: I'll be in NYC for Thanksgiving...are you free to meet up?
honeywhatscooking says
@Khushboo - totally agree. Cucumber and butter sandwiches are really yummy, so simple, yet so delicious. Oh, next time I go to London, I'm so going to The Ritz. It looks amazing. That is ironic you haven't done afternoon tea in London, you are a Brit. 🙂
honeywhatscooking says
@Parita - High Tea is so much fun P. I mean, the Wolseley claims to be casual, but most people were dressed up. It's nice to wear something cute. 🙂
honeywhatscooking says
@Josie @Dixya - me tooooo! Just go for some Afternoon Tea in your area, and you'll be pretty satisfied.
honeywhatscooking says
@Ameena - Thanks Ameena. I actually didn't know you went to the Wolseley, you mentioned Fortnum and Mason and that was one of the places on my list. It looked so pretty. Yeah, I really enjoyed the Wolseley, would definitely consider going again for breakfast or dinner. 🙂
OMGGGG - whenever you come to NYC, I go to CA, I just booked my tickets today for the Wed of Thanksgiving. Will be there for around 2 weeks. I will send you an email to get your dates. Let's make it work this time.
RachieCakes says
This looks divine, I should add it to my bucket list!!
xo Rach
rachiecakes-rachael.blogspot.com
The Squishy Monster says
oh please please please take me with you next time! I've never been to a tea NOR had clotted cream 🙁 Last time I searched, the closest place to get it here was 2 1/2 hrs away--lol.
honeywhatscooking says
@RachieCakes - definitely should be on your bucket list, and everyone else's. 🙂
honeywhatscooking says
@Squishy - you are so cute! LOL. Really, no clotted cream or afternoon tea? Where do you live? I would imagine any major US city should have Afternoon Tea. Well, the next you plan a trip to a major city, you should definitely look up their afternoon tea. 🙂
asmita says
Loved these pictures! Need to visit London, soon.
Kiran @ KiranTarun.com says
I'm a huge sucker for a great "afternoon tea" experience. Must visit London soon! Your photos had me drooling. No joke.
honeywhatscooking says
@asmita - it is a beautiful city, you should.
@Kiran - Afternoon Tea in London is amazing, definitely a must-do.
Arianne says
I freaking love their Battenberg. Last time I went our server was so nice he gave my brother and I extra slices on the house. I actually loved their tea more than the Athenaeum's.
honeywhatscooking says
@Arianne - Batterberg is scrumptious, init? I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought so. SO great. I wanna make this at home That is so generous of them to do that. Their tea was a bit diluted for me, next time I wanna try the Ritz or Fortnum & Mason. 🙂