Tea is probably the one thing everyone associates with England, and particularly with London. Although I had visited the city several times before, I had never made it to a proper English afternoon tea. After a bit of online research, we settled on The Veranda, the afternoon tea venue at The Goring. If you are not familiar with the British royal family, which is perfectly understandable, Princess Kate spent her final night here before marrying her Prince Charming. If it was good enough for a future queen, it was certainly good enough for us.
The Goring @London
The flowers outside looked spectacular, although I suspect this is not a permanent feature. Still, it made for a wonderful first impression and set the tone for the rest of the experience. Afternoon tea needs to be booked well in advance, so the menu handed to us was mostly a formality. Nevertheless, it was nice to see exactly what would be arriving at the table. There was also an extensive tea selection to choose from, and both the tea, as well as sandwiches and scones were served with unlimited refills. In reality, the standard portion was more than enough for us, but I can imagine the extra servings being useful if you arrive particularly hungry.
tea menu @The Goring
The Veranda was busy during our visit and even hosted a small wedding party. Despite that, it never felt crowded. The tables are fairly close together, but the staff set the tone by speaking softly, and the guests seemed to follow suit. The result was an elegant and relaxed atmosphere and made for an incredible experience.
the Veranda @The Goring
The experience began with a pink cocktail and a brioche topped with strawberry cream before the sandwiches arrived. I found it slightly unusual to start with something sweet, but I certainly was not complaining. I am sure there was a reason behind the chef’s decision.
a pink cocktail @The Goring
brioche with raspberry cream @The Goring
The sandwiches were far removed from the average ham and cheese offering. Instead, there was honey glazed Dukeshill ham with Pommery mustard mayonnaise on white bread, smoked salmon and dill on beetroot bread, egg mayonnaise and cress on onion bread, cucumber and cream cheese on brown bread, and chicken with tarragon mayonnaise on white bread.
the sandwiches @The Goring
The sandwiches were enjoyable, although some worked better than others. The beetroot bread with salmon did not quite win me over, and the egg sandwich had a stronger onion flavour than I fancied. At first I actually thought it contained truffle. While the sandwiches looked delicate, they were surprisingly filling with all the mayonnaise. Knowing that the famous three tiered stand was still to come, we decided against ordering any refills and saved room for the sweet course.
Soon the elegant stand arrived at our table and looked exactly as an afternoon tea should. The bottom tier held four scones, two traditional raisin scones and two sprinkled with lavender sugar. The middle tier contained Cornish cream alongside strawberry and raspberry jams. The top tier showcased an array of mouthwatering pastries.
the sweets @The Goring
These included blueberry and violet tartlets, rose water, lychee and raspberry macarons, and a white chocolate and chamomile opera cake with lemon curd and fennel pollen.
the pastries @The Goring
The scones were the highlight for me. Together with the cream and jam, they delivered exactly the classic afternoon tea experience I had hoped for. Personally, I prefer clotted cream over Cornish cream, but it was still delicious. The pastries, however, were more of a mixed bag. The macarons and blueberry tartlets were pleasant enough, but the white chocolate and chamomile opera cake simply was not to my taste. We both sampled it and ended up leaving one untouched, which is not something that happens often when enjoying a luxury afternoon tea. I guess I am just not fancy enough for an experience like this.
So, is afternoon tea at The Veranda worth it? That depends on what you are looking for. I loved the setting. The conservatory style room inside The Goring is beautiful, and the service was impeccable throughout. The champagne was excellent and served from a magnum bottle, which many believe produces a better result. The glasses were generously poured, with none of the tiny servings that we get here in Vienna.
What I am less certain about is whether the food itself justified the considerable price tag. Everything was beautifully presented and thoughtfully prepared, but some of the flavour combinations felt a little too inventive for my taste. If you are looking for a classic afternoon tea focused on outstanding sandwiches, scones and pastries, The Veranda may actually be a touch too fancy. If, however, you value the atmosphere, service and sense of occasion as much as the food, it remains a memorable London experience. Yours, Pollybert
