‘AFTERNOON TEA’, THE BEST SELLER…

If you tap into Google ‘ Afternoon Tea’ you will have a choice of over 64,100,000 sites to choose where to have your afternoon tea !!!

‘Betty’s’ which has been famous for its ‘afternoon teas’ for decades is now relegated to page three after you have browsed ‘afternoon tea’ at places like ‘The Mayfair Hotel’ in London and I had to actually type in ‘Afternoon tea at the Ritz’ to get those details.

The question is which one should go on your bucket list – well without a question of a doubt if you have not been to Betty’s then that should be on your list and The Ritz as I feel that’s where it all started and it oozes luxury.

At the heart of The Ritz London lies The Palm Court, an elegant salon originally designed as a destination for glamorous guests from high society to ‘see and be seen’. Originally known as the Winter Garden, The Palm Court is a dramatic room of fanciful design, flanked by high walls of gleaming mirrors, a ceiling seemingly woven together with intricate gilded trellis, romantic birdcage chandeliers adorned with ornate metal flowers, a striking stone fountain inhabited by large gilded statues and at the centre of the room a soaring, vibrant floral display.

The Palm Court remains a pivotal social point as the venue for the famed Afternoon Tea at The Ritz, an institution in itself and the quintessential British experience. The menu offers guests a selection of 17 loose leaf teas, cut finger sandwiches with traditional fillings, a daily selection of tea cakes and pastries as well as warm baked scones with strawberry preserve and rich, delectable Devonshire clotted cream. Afternoon Tea is theatrical: the glamorous setting of The Palm Court filled with chattering guests, immaculately presented waiters flitting amongst the tables that are topped with pretty chinaware and gleaming silver tea services, and the resident pianist playing the soundtrack to accompany it all.