The launch of a new themed afternoon tea at one of the top London hotels has become as much of an event as a new restaurant opening, and it’s almost as difficult to get a reservation for this summer’s Bridgerton Afternoon Tea at The Lanesborough as a Taylor Swift concert. But when you see the attention to detail that has gone into creating this ‘Regencycore’ experience in partnership with Netflix and Shondaland, you won’t be in the least surprised. We visited the hotel, located on Hyde Park Corner and just a short stroll from Hyde Park, during Afternoon Tea Week and found an Instagrammer’s paradise awaiting us.
A member of the prestigious Oetker Collection, the hotel’s beautiful restaurant, The Lanesborough Grill, adorned with crystal chandeliers, 250 mouldings of Wedgewood china, and an original glass domed ceiling offering natural light, is the ideal Regency-styled backdrop for an afternoon tea celebrating the popular Netflix series, while the fact that diners, the majority of whom were women (no surprise there), were wearing their prettiest dresses, added to the party atmosphere and sense of occasion. After all, what is afternoon tea but an occasion? Even when it’s not your birthday. In the words of Simon Basset, “You deserve nothing less. You deserve everything your heart desires…”
The Lanesborough’s photogenic patisserie is met with oohs and ahhs at every table – presented on a three-tier cake stand adorned with a bower of faux flowers and setting the flamboyant and dandified scene with all due fanfare – this afternoon tea is a colourful homage to the costumed drama which has garnered an international following. With desserts almost too pretty to eat, at least following the traditional order and commencing with the dainty selection of finger sandwiches allows you the chance to admire (and photograph) the beauty of these painstakingly hand-crafted desserts before diving in. And the sandwich fillings are just as special; Truffled egg and watercress, Lambton and Jackson smoked salmon with horseradish and dill and poached corn fed chicken with chive and sour cream. Even the cucumber in the cucumber sandwich is organic darling.
I was delighted to find that The Lanesborough offers a dedicated gluten free afternoon tea menu, with quality wheat free bread for sandwiches and impressive homemade scones, tucked away in a crisp white napkin to keep them warm and accompanied by strawberry preserve, lemon curd and Devonshire clotted cream. But for most diners, the highlight of this lavish afternoon tea experience will be the top-tier patisserie selection with each jewel-like creation designed by The Lanesborough’s Head Pastry Chef Pierre Morvan-Benezet and his talented team, paying tribute to the most popular Bridgerton characters.
Just like her narrative, The Lady Whistledown is a bittersweet dessert of grapefruit and raspberry mousse encased in a grapefruit glaze, finished with a white chocolate cameo and feather. The Book of Eloise features a cheesecake vanilla mousse with blueberry insert, Chantilly cream and blueberry gel, sandwiched between thin blue-coloured white chocolate sheets fashioned to resemble the books Lady Eloise loves and finished with edible blue flowers, while my personal favourite is Colin’s Travels, a dark chocolate spondee topped with ganache and gold leaf dedicated to Colin Bridgerton’s passion for exploring the world. However much I love chocolate, it cannot be denied that the crowning glory visually is The Social Butterfly, inspired by Penelope’s new look and featuring a pistachio and mandarin mousse and pistachio sponge encased in a pistachio green glaze and topped with an edible intercut gold leaf butterfly.
Enjoy homemade scones with Devonshire cream, lemon curd and strawberry preserve with your tea of choice. Aside from the ‘teas with a twist’ such as White Choco Chilli and Rhubarb and Vanilla, and classics like Earl Grey and Darjeeling (rumoured to be the present King’s favourite) The Lanesborough have their own signature leaf tea blends, created by Hoogly. I recommend sampling the Bridgerton Blend Afternoon Tea – a fragrant black tea blended with fruit and rose petals designed to complement both sweet and savoury teatime treats and I also enjoyed The Blooming Wallflower non alcoholic cocktail, a delicious marriage of cherry and raspberry shaken with fresh lemon and cranberry and finished with a dessicated coconut rim and a cherry speared onto an unapologetically kitsch feathered cocktail stick. There is also a selection of fine champagne including Moet & Chandon, Tattinger and Krug, or why not try the ‘Friends to Lovers’ alcoholic cocktail, described as a twist on the Margarita and featuring 1800 Coconut tequila, cherries and cranberry. It sounds as if the imbiber will be ready to fall into the arms of the next tall, dark and handsome stranger they meet after a few ladylike sips!
Accompanied by a live pianist on weekends, the highly imaginative, limited edition Bridgeton Afternoon Tea is every bit as spectacular as I’d hoped, and thoroughly enjoyable regardless of whether or not you’re a Bridgerton fan. The service is second to none, while The Lanesborough’s beautiful interiors ensure an unforgettable dining experience. If you’ve already tried and failed to get a table, the hotel are offering an additional Bridgerton Afternoon Tea service on 18th and 25th August served in the hotel’s Belgravia Room overlooking Hyde Park. Your carriage awaits.
Bridgerton Afternoon Tea at The Lanesborough is priced £85 pp, £95pp with a cocktail/mocktail or £98 with a glass of Champagne. Children’s afternoon tea menu £50 per child under 12. For more information and reservations please visit the website.
