Located in the heart of London, Great Scotland Yard Hotel is offering a playful twist on a luxury Afternoon Tea. The themed menu was based on the building’s esteemed history, atmosphere, and the surrounding area of Westminster. 

When arriving, there was a sense of grandeur walking through the imposing main entrance and into the hotel lobby. The mood and ambience created by the original decoration, furniture and soft lighting, was effective in respecting the building’s heritage, whilst creating a modern place to dine in style. The walls surrounding the main lobby celebrated Great Scotland Yard’s great history, as we walked through, helpful staff were on hand to explain the significance of each item on display.

The Great Scotland Yard building is named after and located on the iconic Great Scotland Yard Street in Westminster, connecting Northumberland Avenue and Whitehall. The old building was refurbished into living quarters for the police commissioner in 1910. Since then, the building has been redeveloped multiple times into the venue we visited for Afternoon Tea.

As we walked into The Parlour dining room, we were immediately struck by the unique decoration, with Indian Tea trade inspired wallpaper conveying the history of the tea selection and its importance in the relationship between India and Britain. The dining tables were beautifully presented, with smooth white tablecloths placed on the tables.

The staff at Great Scotland Yard were extremely welcoming and created the perfect setting for us to relax and enjoy our Afternoon Tea.

The menu started with a brief history of Afternoon Tea and its significance towards the hotel and then illustrated the Afternoon Tea options. We selected Afternoon Tea with a glass of champagne and our waiter questioned what tea we would dine with. With a wide selection of different teas on the menu, it was difficult to choose. The helpful waiter made it less intimidating with her abundance of knowledge on the flavour and variety of each tea, giving us unique recommendations based on the types of tea we prefer to drink.

They served our tea in elegant London inspired teapots and saucers with the River Thames cleverly engraved on the top of each one. We each went for a different tea selection, to appreciate the scents and flavours that each tea offers.

After the Champagne and tea had been delightfully served, we then got our first impression of the hotel’s Afternoon Tea, as the savoury selection was presented to the table. The assortment of pastries and sandwiches were placed on a unique box with smoke escaping each side to emulate the fog that enveloped Scotland Yard and the surrounding areas in Victorian time. As we peered at the generous assortment, we noticed through the glass various items that hinted towards the great history and stories associated with the building, with handcuffs, pearls, a map and a magnifying glass.

The coronation chicken sandwiches were fantastic, with the mix of chicken and sultanas creating a great balance of flavours for us to enjoy. The salmon and cream cheese sandwiches were particularly interesting, being shaped like sushi with caviar placed on top.

The first pastry we tasted was the sausage roll. The pastry was golden and flaky with a generous amount of sausage meat in the centre, surrounded by a thin layer of mustard. The meat was seasoned well, and the pastry was surprisingly crispy. The sausage rolls also had a generous drizzle of chutney that balanced the richness of the pastry and ensured a delightful start to the meal.

We then selected the Brioche egg mayonnaise sandwich as our next savoury. The buttery bread was effective in partnering with the creamy and tangy filling, with the hint of truffle keeping our tastebuds entertained.

One of the best savouries we tasted during the Afternoon Tea was the mushroom and cheese quiche. The pastry and earthy mushrooms were the perfect accompaniment to the tangy and nutty cheese on top.

After the delicious selection of savouries, it was time to enjoy some more tea and then move on to the decadent deserts and scones. We were impressed by the complexity of the desserts and the chef later detailed the effort that goes into creating such intricate designs for the Afternoon Tea.

First, we tried the mousse moustaches. The texture was surprisingly soft and crumbly, as their shape and sturdiness resembled more of a biscuit than a mousse. The creaminess of the mousse was countered by a dark chocolate base and caramelised crumb interior and was a great start.

The next delight was sensational, a puff pastry casing filled with apple compote and cinnamon cream, with a cinnamon mousse elegantly placed on top, separated by a thin layer of orange chocolate. This was our favourite dessert and the highlight of the Afternoon Tea due to the combination of sweet cream and tangy apples, elevating the simple elements into something special.

Finally, it was time to taste the most impressive looking desert, a chocolate inkwell, complete with a feather quill on top. Inside was Battenburg cake surrounded by butter cream and chocolate fondant. The dish had a bubble of chocolate mousse placed on top with a white chocolate feather spearheading the layers of chocolate decadence.

No Afternoon Tea would be complete without great scones, with the waiter presenting three chocolate and three plain scones for us to try alongside the deserts. The scones were buttery and the chocolate pieces substituting for currents, made for a pleasant change. The scones came with a generous amount of clotted cream and zesty orange marmalade, partnering each other to create a symphony of indulgence.

Overall, the Afternoon Tea at the Great Scotland Yard Hotel was a great experience, full of history, atmosphere and of course, great food and service. Their focus and effort in theming the Afternoon Tea helps in elevating the overall experience and makes you realise you’re dining in a special place, full of history.

Afternoon Tea at The Parlour at Great Scotland Yard Hotel starts at £65 per person. Click here for more information and to book.