Afternoon Tea at The Beaumont

If you haven’t yet discovered The Beaumont Hotel, this stunning, art deco-style hotel is quietly tucked away along one of Mayfair’s most exclusive streets. It’s perfectly located within the picturesque Brown Hart Gardens and feels a million miles away for the bustle of Bond Street, even though the shopping mecca is mere moments away.

The afternoon tea is one of the highlights of The Beaumont experience and is offered daily between the hours of 12.30pm – 5pm.

The Dining Room

The Gatsby Dining Room is the setting for your afternoon experience, and one of the loveliest rooms in which to enjoy the tea. The room is inspired by the art deco era of the 1920’s and reflects the history of this great building. The sumptuous surrounds are courtesy of renowned French designer and architect, Thierry Despont.

It’s a relaxed, genial affair with plush sofas, grand bookcases, and has the air of a luxury private members club. You sink into the sofa with a glass of Champagne and feel you’ve been transported to another time.

The Teas

After a glass of Champagne – which is a lovely way to begin the afternoon – you’ll be presented with the option to choose from a variety of fine leaf teas.

To our relief, we were not faced with a book of endless options, instead, a carefully thought through selection that has a wide appeal for all tea drinkers.

We started with the Vanilla Black from Sri Lanka; a soft, creamy blend which paired well with the sandwich element of the tea. You don’t even need milk as it has a lovely, sweet finish.

You can never go wrong with a classic Earl Grey, which has that bright burst of citrus from the bergamot. We agreed that this was one of the finest Earl Grey teas we had tried. It was no surprise to discover the teas are courtesy of the brilliant and distinguished, Jing Teas.

The Savouries

A selection of dainty finger sandwiches arrive on a beautiful plate, with perfectly cut off crusts (as tradition dictates) with a choice of four tempting fillings.

We started with the Hendrick’s Cured Lox with Cucumber and Tonic Creme Fraiche, which is a charming take on the classic salmon and cream cheese. The thinly sliced lox is deeply rich and salty and matched beautifully with the creamy tang of the crème fraiche.

A glorious Heirloom Tomato, Buffalo Mozzarella and Basil Pesto with the fresh, sweet tomato being the star of the show, balanced with a generous slice of creamy mozzarella and herby, aromatic basil pesto.

The Pulled Ham and English Pea delight that followed was a deliciously savoury and inventive combination. Soft, salty ham with sweet, fresh peas is joined by creamy sheep curd and a mint salsa verde – utterly addictive and an instant hit at our table.

The sandwich element of the tea wouldn’t be complete without the inclusion of the much-beloved Coronation Chicken. We love the fact this recipe is made with ‘smoked’ chicken which works well with the creamy curry sauce, along with the tang of the mango chutney and fresh, leafy spinach. It’s a moreish, savoury bite and such a fan favourite.

You’ll also be offered extra sandwiches before the pastries arrive, which is a thoughtful, generous touch. Surprisingly, we were both full after the sandwiches, or maybe we were eager for the sweet treats to come!

The Sweet

It’s always the highlight of the experience when the cake stand is set down in the centre of the table. Our lovely server, Diana, kindly talked us through each individual pastry, along with the plain and raisin scones peeking out under a fresh napkin.

So, where to start? The delicate, Strawberry and Cream Choux immediately caught our eye. The centre of the choux is generously filled with strawberry and cream, with the perfect light crunch of the choux is quite simply pastry perfection. We also loved the addition of mini, marshmallows on top of the choux.

We greedily moved on to the Peach, Verbena and Raspberry Mousse, with its perfect glossy, bright red outer layer. The vibrant, sweet peach comes through with just a hint of lemony verbena. The outer raspberry layer also gives the mousse a satisfying sharp kick. It’s a delicious summery addition, and an instant favourite.

If you’re a fan of the classic Bounty chocolate bar, then the Coconut and Chocolate Mounds will be an instant reminder of this well-loved chocolate confection. We can confidently say The Beaumont’s version is a far more elevated experience, and the quality of the chocolate combined with the exotic coconut flakes reminded me of my love for this timeless flavour combination.

We love a classic British ‘pud’ and so to discover a mini–Cherry Bakewell Pie was a delight. The almond centre with the sweet cherry takes you back to childhood puddings (I know it did for me). It’s a far more elevated dessert with the addition of wild Bali vanilla.

And then to the freshly baked scones which is always a highlight. We were particularly impressed by how soft and beautifully bronzed the scones were, and still a little warm on this inside, which was a bonus. First, a generous amount of the homemade strawberry jam and then a layer of Cornish clotted cream and you have one of the best scones in the city.

Overall, we think this afternoon tea is perfect for ‘tea traditionalists’ who want things done the proper way, without any gimmicks or throwaway fads. It’s a timeless affair, as a good afternoon tea should be.

How much is the afternoon tea:

£70 Classic Afternoon Tea
£70 Vegan Afternoon Tea
£30 Children’s Tea
If you opt for a glass of Champagne or a Cocktail, this will come at an additional charge.

Do I need to book?

Yes, making a reservation is essential to avoid disappointment.

Where to find The Beaumont?

8 Balderton Street
Brown Hart Gardens
London
W1K 6TF

Nearest Tube:

Bond Street

Website:

https://www.thebeaumont.com/dining/afternoon-tea-in-gatsbys

Main photo by Justin De Souza