If you are looking for a spectacular Afternoon Tea experience in London, you have come to the right place. Reasonably child friendly and you don’t need to wear a Jacket and tie. The Savoy seems to have nailed the high-end Afternoon Tea with glitz and glam but with a relaxed feel.
I was gifted a voucher for a Champagne Afternoon Tea at The Savoy for my birthday from my Mother. I had been to a couple of Afternoon Teas before and had enjoyed the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory one in particular with my children. This one however, was a birthday treat, just for my husband and I.
The Savoy
Nestled along the iconic Strand, near West End theatres and Covent Garden, this luxurious hotel has been serving Afternoon and High Tea since 1889. It was the first purpose-built deluxe hotel in London with the attached Savoy Theatre right next door. The experience starts as you walk down towards the hotel from The Strand, as the entrance way and revolving doors have the wow factor. Once inside, you will love the interior décor, seating and especially the toilets!
The Afternoon Tea Experience
The newly decorated restaurant, Gallery, is host for the afternoon. You are welcomed by a member of the team in the small lobby area where you can wait if you’re early. Once you are taken to your table, the menu is explained to you where you can choose from the different options. I did find that although the restaurant was not very busy at all, we were seated right next to another couple. For such a large space, there was not much room between tables.
I did enjoy the live piano player, tinkling away in the background which gave the room a lovely ambience. The service was impeccable and we were made to feel welcome and comfortable. There was a whole variety of people present, many celebrating a birthday like myself or another special occasion. There was a family or two with children and a few groups. Mainly couples though or friends out together.
The Afternoon Tea Menu
The Savoy are very accommodating to dietary requirements. There are vegetarian and vegan options and given enough notice they can make it all Halal too.
Drinks
I am an unusual Brit, in that I don’t like tea. This was not a problem as you can choose coffee or hot chocolate as an alternative. I did try a mint tea – actually quite palatable but I did then move straight on to the hot chocolate. Delicious!
You can order top ups of your drinks at any time. My Mum had bought us the Champagne Afternoon Tea so we had one glass of champagned included. To be honest, I would rather just have the ‘basic’ package. With the variety of teas, coffee and hot chocolate on offer, one glass of champagne was not worth the extra expense.
Food
We enjoyed our food very much. The savoury course arrived first on a simple serving dish. My favourite savouries were the mini Yorkshire pudding with rare beef and the asparagus tartlet. You are offered second’s of the savoury course. We declined as we were saving room for the sweet course!
The sweet course, is the main event of an Afternoon Tea. It did not disappoint. Visually stunning with the multi-tiered serving dishes. Two different types of scones with cream, jam and lemon curd (a lovely surprise addition) with four more patisserie style cakes each. For a chocoholic, I actually preferred the lime and coconut sweet as the chocolate sponge was a little dry for my taste. This is the joy of an Afternoon Tea however, as you get to try a little of everything. There are no seconds for this course though, so savour every mouthful.
Even though each item is tiny, you very quickly become very full. My recommendation would be not to book a dinner later or have a heavy lunch on the same day. I personally had a snack for an early lunch, booked The Savoy for 2pm and did not manage dinner that night at all! We were there for 2 hours in the end so it work perfectly to eat a little later than I did then spend the evening at a West End Show
Afternoon Tea vs High Tea
Originally, a High Tea was just dinner, eaten by workers immediately after a day at work. It would literally be eaten at a high table and chair, consisting of tea, bread, veg and sometimes meat. Afternoon Tea was a social event for the upper classes when they would serve tea and cake to tide them over until their evening meal which they would have much later.
At The Savoy, you can decide to have a High Tea which includes all the items in an Afternoon Tea but with the inclusion of a main course between the savoury and sweet bites.
Read more: The Afternoon Tea menu at The Savoy
Dress Code
The website states smart casual and to wear whatever makes you feel comfortable and elegant. The majority of people, including myself, wore dark jeans and smart shoes with a nice top or shirt. If you wanted to wear more fancy clothes to make the experience more of an occasion, then you would not look out of place. Equally, as you need to wear comfortable shoes to walk around London all day, you could team comfortable but smart trainers with a slightly more dressy outfit and fit right in.
Location
The Savoy is located on The Strand, less than a 10 minute walk from Charing Cross Train and Tube station and a 5 minute walk from Covent Garden. It is perfect for a pre-theatre visit as it is very close to many of the theatres.
Toilets
These are almost worth the visit alone! Just next to the cloakroom on the ground floor.
Cost and reservations
This is a luxury treat. At £90 per person for the basic Afternoon Tea package I do think it is worth the money. Would I return? No, I have been and done it.
You definitely need to make a booking beforehand. It is easy to book online with real-time availability. My Mum booked in person and as she doesn’t have an email address, she was sent a gift card in the post to give to me.
FAQ
- Is it child friendly?
In theory yes. I would personally not take my children with me as it was very quiet and I would feel uncomfortable with my children making noise. There is a children’s menu and I did see a family with two children ages approximately 8 and 12. I would recommend the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Afternoon Tea at One Aldwych if you want to experience a more relaxed, child friendly place.
- Is The Savoy Afternoon Tea worth the money?
For a luxury, one off treat, yes. For an Afternoon Tea experience when visiting London, yes again. If you are on a budget however, you can enjoy cheaper experiences elsewhere and still feel like you’ve had a treat. You could combine an Afternoon Tea with a Thames Boat River Cruise which is not as luxurious but budget friendly.
- How long does it take?
We were there 2 hours and were not rushed. You could linger longer and drink more tea but I would say 2 hours is the minimum.
- What if I have a dietary requirement?
They are very accommodating. They do need a minimum of 72 hours notice but are happy to change the menu to suit your needs.
