Flemings Mayfair Hotel
7-12 Half Moon St, London W1J 7BH
020 7499 0000
www.flemings-mayfair.co.uk/london-afternoon-tea.html
What sets one afternoon tea apart from the rest? Well, I think it’s a combination of the actual afternoon tea (the food, the tea), the setting and ambiance of the venue, and the service. Flemings Mayfair Hotel did not disappoint on any level! Their AT is offered in both their Drawing Room and their Grill Restaurant. We had the pleasure of indulging in their “Chocolate Indulgence Afternoon Tea” in the gorgeous drawing room of the hotel, but there are even more AT choices on offer from the hotel: gluten free, vegan, vegetarian, diabetic and of course, traditional afternoon tea. All are offered with a selection of East India Company’s traditional or exotic loose leaf teas. You can also opt for champagne, and the Ruinart Rose champagne is what I enjoyed with the outstanding Chocolate Indulgence Afternoon Tea.
I personally loved the AT being served in the hotel’s drawing room, boasting fabulous turquoise velvet seating, gorgeous paintings and flower arrangements, and ooh their mirror “wall” was fab, allowing for some fun photo opps. And wait ‘til you see the actual AT cake stand! The showstoppers for me were really the amazing “chocolate balls!” They were fabulous chocolate mousse creations, one encased in plastic baubles and one made of pure chocolate! (I adored the bling-y gold leaf accents!) The chocolate choux pastries and “fingers” were all delicious and all mini works of edible art. OK, I can’t not mention the chocolate scones. Chocolate. Scones!! The lovely Chef John came out to greet us and explain each of his wonderful creations (via Periscope, no less!) If you prefer a non-chocolate option, the pastries and petit-four served with the traditional afternoon tea were equally impressive – to look at and eat!
You wouldn’t have thought that we could manage to eat the full AT. I mean, after having requested even more of their epic egg sandwiches. Who knew I’d love egg sandwiches so much!? The finger sandwiches were generously-sized and the bread was perfectly soft and fresh, with equally generous amounts of fillings. I opted for the rose tea which was so fragrant and light… perfect to wash down the entire contents of the cake stand J The team at Flemings, under the supervision of Milema in the Drawing Room, were all so helpful; Milema personally took the time to explain the various teas on offer.
That’s just one of the things I enjoyed most about this afternoon tea at the Flemings Mayfair Hotel: the intimate setting and personal service. The seating was so comfy, un-stuffy as far as drawing rooms go, and this is not one of those ATs that make you stick to a time slot – yup, so you can take your time enjoying a wonderful afternoon tea. As the Drawing Room has limited seating, please be sure to book ahead! I hope my photos do justice to how indulgent this AT truly was, and check out the teaser of the gorgeous “traditional AT” sweets plate.