If you fancy yourself an afternoon tea detective in the fashion of the great Sherlock Holmes, then you’ll doubtless have sniffed out one of the most imaginative afternoon tea venues in London; The Great Scotland Yard Hotel, belonging to the Hyatt group. Served in the hotel’s charming, vintage-styled Parlour and changing seasonally, their current offering is the ‘Signature GSY Themed Afternoon Tea’, inspired by the property’s fascinating history as the first British Police headquarters, with unique pastries reflecting the tales long associated with the building, along with the colourful characters who found themselves on the wrong side of the law.
As a life-long fan of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s genius fictional detective, Sherlock Holmes, who piqued the world’s obsession with the criminal underworld and continues to be celebrated and spawned so many other iconic detectives with Watson-eque sidekicks, I was thoroughly delighted to be sipping tea at the Great Scotland Yard Hotel with my very own Dr Watson! The hotel is also a stone’s throw from Admiralty House where Sir Winston Churchill famously presided as Lord of The Admiralty before becoming Prime Minister during WWII.
Crime may seem an unusual theme for a pastime typically centred around more feminine interests like flowers and fashion, however, the vibe of GSYH is a light-hearted one thanks to The Parlour’s jazzy music and interiors referencing British Victorian explorers. Think plants, books under glass cloches and comfortable tasselled-throw-covered-sofas; the perfect spot in which to enjoy a relaxing afternoon tea after exploring this fascinating area of London. Your dog is also welcome to not only accompany you to The Parlour on Sundays, but tuck into their very own ‘Doggy Afternoon Tea’, with dishes guaranteed to set tails wagging.
If anywhere in the world can be hailed as the afternoon tea capital of the world, then it would have to be London, with themed and sensory experiences an increasingly popular choice for celebrations. Even the act of browsing a menu is relaxing, is it not? The Great Scotland Yard Hotel have an exemplary cocktail and mocktail list, along with a fine Jing Tea selection, timed, so our waitress informed us, to ensure that we received the perfect brew. As unapologetic traditionalists, my husband and I both opted for the Earl Grey and a delicious Everleaf-based alcohol free cocktail muddled with orgeat to kick off proceedings.
But let’s get to the food as I have never seen finger sandwiches delivered with more fanfare; the ‘1829 Egg Truffle Mayonnaise’ charred with the year in which Scotland Yard was established, while the suitably majestic ‘Chicken Coronation’ was topped with a sliver of pickled red onion for texture and vibrancy. All were temptingly arranged on a glass-topped wooden box, safely protected from the theatrical ingredient; dry ice to rival any 19th century London fog Mr Holmes ever had to contend with during an investigation. When the mist finally evaporated, coinciding with our demolishing of the best sandwiches we’ve enjoyed for a long time, we discovered a pair of handcuffs and a pearl necklace sitting beneath the glass in a nod to a jewel theft. Were we to be given further clues?
I notice that most five star London hotels serving luxury afternoon teas choose to serve the savoury course before the cake stand of wow-factor patisserie, and it does indeed crank up one’s anticipation. The GSY ‘Tea Cakes and Patisserie’ arrived on a classic three-tier stand and included Plain and Chocolate Chip Scones (When Harry Met Sally “YES!” moment) accompanied by clotted cream and ‘Orange jam’ (aka marmalade), rumoured to have been the late Queen Elizabeth II’s favourite preserve with scones. Don’t knock it until you try it! The marmalade happens to be a heavenly marriage with both Everleaf and Jing Earl Grey.
I’d also recommend that you commence with the unmissable cake selection before ruining yourself on the scones; ‘The Writer’s Ink Pot’; orange, almond and dark chocolate Battenburg, ‘Great Scotland Yard Dream Key Choux’; their sophisticated version of a classic apple crumble, and ‘Masters of Disguise’; a pumpkin and hazelnut mousse atop buttery shortbread in the shape of a moustache – or should that be mousse-tache? More impressive still, is the fact that the fabulous patisserie on the current menu were adapted for our gluten free requirements without compromising on any of the drama, attention to detail or flavour. If you also suffer from dietary restriction you’ll know the fun of eating an especially-prepared dish that is the envy of the dining room.
When you’re tired of the usual ‘suspects’ serving up the same old, same old, the GSY Afternoon Tea at The Parlour offers a generous helping of English eccentricity and wit alongside the creativity of the hotel’s talented pastry chefs. Following an inexhaustible search with a dedicated (and extremely pedantic side-kick of my own) I conclude that The Parlour is your man. When I enquired of my husband if the ‘moustache’ was good he nodded enthusiastically. “Excellent!” he cried. “Elementary,” I replied.
Signature GSY Themed Afternoon Tea at The Parlour, Great Scotland Yard Hotel, 3-5 Great Scotland Yard, London SW1A 2HN, is priced at £65pp and served Monday – Sunday 12pm – 8.30pm (last orders 7.30pm). Dogs are also welcome to accompany diners on Sundays. For more information please visit the website.
