I’ve been to London several times and have done most of the tourist things; except for one…. I had never had High Tea in London.
I had heard it was quite the production, but that it was also quite expensive. Were sandwiches with their crusts cut off really worth the £30? I didn’t like sandwiches that much, besides I am a celiac, meaning that I’m allergic to gluten – in other words sandwiches.
A Google search of “gluten-free high tea in London” almost immediately lead Jennifer from JDombs Travels and I to The Lanesborough. Located directly across from Hyde Park and offering the self-proclaimed “finest afternoon tea in London.” Curious as to what all the fuss was about, we decided to check it out.
Our high tea was served in a formal and stuffy room where the Queen of England would fit right in. I, on the other hand with my jeans….But in my defense they were nice jeans and I was wearing a dressier (ish) shirt. And I did not meet the Queen, or Kate, or William or any of the royals that day. But I digress.
The first order of the day was to choose a tea. I know the English like their tea, but I have never seen such a huge menu, all for tea. They all sounded good, but I ended up choosing some kind of energizing fruit tea. The name escapes me at the moment, but it was one of those cutesy names that caught my attention. And it was quite possibly the most fragrant and flavorful tea I have had – EVER!
Next up, came the first round. And yes that tray is just for one person:
First serving at High Tea in London. Note pictured is not the gluten-free option, but all other photos are the gluten-free option.
Followed by two more courses. I lost track, but there must have been more than 20 of the little sandwiches with no crusts/dessert thingies. And of course there were also biscuits!
Jennifer and I snapped photos like crazy, believing we were being subtle about it since we were only using our iPhones. We were in a very posh place after all! The amused looks we got from the other tables indicated otherwise. Aggh commoners!
I didn’t eat everything (I’m a picky eater) but I did sample everything. If you don’t think that finger food can fill you up, you’re just not eating enough. I left stuffed and skipped dinner that evening.
In summary, high tea is an entertaining way to spend an afternoon. After seeing all the food that was served I think the £30 was reasonable (although definitely not cheap) despite my initial doubts. I won’t be doing high tea every time I come to London but then again, most Brits that I know don’t make a regular habit out of high tea either.
