Afternoon Tea at The Ritz

Afternoon tea at The Ritz: there’s something indulgent about even uttering those five wondrous words. Proceedings are hosted within the hotel’s opulent gold-tinted Palm Court, beneath gilded ceilings and ornate birdcage chandeliers. Flanked by two vast marble columns and surrounded on all sides by paned mirrors and leafy palms, it’s a thing of eyewatering beauty.

Feeling like we’ve wandered into a fairytale ballroom, suited and booted staff procure for us a three-tiered cake stand laden with crustless sandwiches and dinky patisseries. Savoury fillings feature classic combinations, from smoked salmon with lemon butter to egg mayonnaise on brioche, while the bread is fresh and feather-light. Just as we polish off a tarragon chicken number, a waiter swoops in with a replenished layer of sandwiches, a welcome addition in our eyes for a meal that often places too much emphasis on the sweets.

Delicate patisseries are perfectly sized and reimagine nostalgic flavours, from a twist on lemon meringue pie featuring butter-rich biscuit, lemon curd and fluffy, Italian meringue, to inordinately good choux buns filled and topped with pistachio cream. Freshly-baked scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam arrive somewhere between the sweet and savoury course, so that guests don't feel obliged to fill up on the least exciting but just as necessary part of the meal.

Stellar service seals the deal. A brigade of impeccably-trained staff swan around the room pouring loose leaf tea from heavy silverware and replenishing cakes and savouries when required, all the while seeming genuinely warm and relaxed. There’s also a cake trolley that does the rounds while you dine, lest you run out of dessert at any given moment.

A glittering affair from start to finish, this royal British tradition is elevated to the highest degree at London’s most iconic hotel. It's as magical an affair as one would expect.

There isn't a more iconic British activity than partaking in afternoon tea at The Ritz. With five sittings served daily in the grand surroundings of the hotel's Palm Court, guests will leave the Mayfair dining room having indulged in the finest of afternoon teas. 

Located on the ground floor of the hotel, the Palm Court stuns with its grand chandeliers, ornate designs and high ceilings. Decorated in tones of gold and cream, this stunning room looks like something straight out of a fairytale, and features leafy palms, huge paned mirrors and vast marble columns as you enter. Depending on your sitting, guests are also serenaded with live music while they dine, as expert musicians play the piano, cello, harp or violin at intervals thoughout the day.

The traditional afternoon tea is a quintessentially British offering of sandwiches, pastries and freshly baked scones with clotted cream and preserves. Start off with delicate Scottish smoked salmon and citrusy lemon butter on sourdough, followed by a classic cucumber and cream cheese sandwich that is served with the elevated flavour pairing of dill and mint. A chicken breast and creamy tarragon mayonnaise meets malt bread while some sandwiches are served in a rich, buttery brioche roll. 

In terms of tea, guests are spoilt for choice with 18 different types of loose-leaf tea available. From The Ritz's own breakfast tea, to a floral earl grey, refreshing mint and the more complex Chinese green teas. 

Moving onto the sweet selection, guests will find an assortment of seasonal pastires and cakes alongside the staple of scones, Cornish clotted cream and strawberry preserve. Turn the afternoon into a celebratory occasion for the whole family with a children's menu, and the addition of a glass of Champagne for the adults to indulge in.