Summer afternoon tea in Knightsbridge: three to book before September
Afternoon tea is a year-round ritual in Knightsbridge, but the summer menus have a lightness the winter ones never manage, and most of them disappear when September arrives. With August half gone, these are the three summer teas we would book now, each with a different idea of what an afternoon in SW3 and SW1 should feel like.
The Egerton House: a classic, done prettily
On a quiet terrace a few minutes from Harrods and the V&A, The Egerton House is serving its Summer Afternoon Tea until Monday 31 August. The sweet course is where the season shows: a lemon meringue and a rose and lychee opera slice, alongside delicate sandwiches, warm scones and a list of fine teas. It costs £75 per adult, £45 for children under 12, or £94 per adult with a glass of Champagne, according to the booking listing. The hotel also hosts private afternoon tea parties for birthdays and baby showers, which makes it a useful address to know beyond the summer. The Egerton is at 17 to 19 Egerton Terrace, SW3.
The Rosebery at Mandarin Oriental: the polished choice
At the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, afternoon tea is served in The Rosebery on the ground floor, from midday into the early evening. The menu changes with the seasons to reflect the best local ingredients, and the tea list is unusually long, with 29 loose-leaf varieties to choose from. It is the most polished option of the three, served in a grand ground-floor room, and the late serving times make it easy to fit around a museum visit or a shopping afternoon. Details are on the hotel's dining page.
The Lanesborough: a Regency fantasy
At Hyde Park Corner, The Lanesborough leans fully into theatre. Its afternoon tea is currently themed around Bridgerton, with a limited-edition menu that pays homage to the Regency era and the much-loved characters of the series, now in its fourth season. It is the most playful of the three and the obvious choice for fans, or for anyone who wants the full gilded-salon experience in a hotel whose interiors were made for it. The hotel is busy this summer: its Grill is serving a three-course Plated festival menu with a glass of Laurent-Perrier, and from September the Garden Lounge becomes Le Café LPM, a year-long residency from La Petite Maison, so there is plenty to come back for.
Booking tips
Book a few days ahead, and earlier still for weekends, and mention any dietary requirements when you reserve so the kitchen can adapt the tiers. If the weather turns, The Egerton and The Rosebery are both indoors, as is The Lanesborough, so none of these depends on the weather. Knightsbridge station is within a short walk of all three, so a tea can easily follow a morning at the museums or on Brompton Road, and none needs more than a gentle stroll afterwards.
Lead image: Tips For Travellers via Flickr, CC BY 2.0.
