It’s a curious coincidence, but I’m going to present another outstanding Afternoon tea today! That’s two in a row while a few months separate my last two experiences. Indeed, in my latest post, I presented the quintessentially British tradition of Afternoon Tea at Fortnum & Mason. This time, you will discover a modern, original and lavish (and completely irresistible!) version of it.
Today, DOYOUSPEAKLONDON takes you to Corinthia, in the heart of London, for a luxurious Afternoon Tea!

Corinthia Luxury Hotel, London

The luxurious Corinthia Hotel is located in one of London’s most prestigious areas, a few steps away from Trafalgar Square, St James’s Park and Whitehall.

The hotel has a rich and exciting history: it originally opened in 1885 as the Metropole Hotel, and its close location to the Palace of Westminster meant that the hotel was requisitioned during both World Wars.
During inter-war years, the hotel became a well-known cabaret fixture called the “Midnight Follies”.
After the Second World War, it was purchased by the Ministry of Defence and used as government offices until it was sold by Crown Estates in 2007. At that time, it was restored as a hotel and took the name of the Corinthia Hotel.

Historical considerations apart, on this sunny Sunday of January I had a lovely meeting with friends for one of our regular tastings of the best Afternoon Teas in London.
A good resolution taken last year which has not been abandoned (on the contrary to most others…) and give us the opportunity to escape the hustle and bustle of the city every three months and indulge in a gorgeous afternoon tea…

I had no clue of the venue until the very last moment (as I was not the one organising the Afternoon Tea this time) and I have to say it was worth the wait: The Corinthia Hotel did not disappoint our greedy (and delicate) stomachs nor our critical minds!

Once stepping out of the Embankment tube station, we had a quick stroll along the River Thames before being welcomed at Corinthia Hotel with the sound of a piano in the entrance hall.

A first glance at the interior and we were all seduced by the place and ready to enjoy our afternoon tea…

Exquisite afternoon tea at Corinthia

Afternoon teas are made to savour the moment and celebrate exquisite food and drinks in good company. You would not enjoy an afternoon tea alone, would you?

We ordered some champagne to kick off this lovely afternoon and were all already salivating over the menu before the waiter could even suggest a few teas to accompany our afternoon tea (also a quick peep at the desserts guaranteed us an impossible disappointment).

We started with the five traditional finger sandwiches and very much appreciated their original twists.

The pickled cucumber was associated with goat’s curd and mint (on brown bread). It tasted fresh, flavoursome and deliciously crispy.
The smoked salmon with horseradish creme fraiche was delicious, very tasty (on brown bread too) and smoked to perfection.
The coronation chicken with its crunchy gem lettuce and its onion bread was sensational too! Different textures and flavours in the mouth…scrumptious!
The clarence court egg mayonnaise with truffle and Dijon mustard on brioche was a must! Certainly my favourite of all…Rich and melting in the mouth. Divine!
The honey roast Wiltshire ham and Dijon mustard with watercress was maybe the sandwich I enjoyed the least in comparison with all the other incredible flavours. The less original, maybe? Still very good, no worries 🙂

Next in the order of meals served during the afternoon tea ceremony come the Plain and Sultana scones.

Let me tell you: These.Scones.Are.Legend.
Still warm on arrival, soft both on the inside and outside, a perfect mix between a cake and a brioche. I loved every bite of them (I have a preference, however, for the plain scones)!
The selection of jams was also flawless: Organic Strawberry (was sooo good that you could feel how much love had been put into it) and Rhubarb and Litsea Cubeba (definitely a must-try). Absolutely delightful, both for the originality and taste!

Last but not least, the desserts!

These four pastries were absolutely divine…

The Chestnut & Cassis Eclair was unanimously praised for the intensity of its flavours, its presentation, and its mix of sweet and acid textures.

The Coffee, Cocoa Nibs and Praline Mousse is my favourite. Such a beautiful design for such a scrumptious delicacy! Again, overpowering flavours that remain in the mouth for long…I would recommend eating this dessert last in order to enjoy the feeling even more.

The spiced Pear Mousse & Chai Chantilly was absolutely sensational. So delicate both in flavours and textures (the biscuit is the perfect combination with the softness of the mousse). Incredible! Actually, upon reflection, it might also be my favourite ex-equo along with The Coffee, Cocoa Nibs and Praline Mousse…!!

The last of the most impressive pastries was The Coconut and Lime Cake, Passion Fruit & Chantilly. Very impressive I must say, very sweet too.

All. Very. Good.

Corinthia Head Pastry Chef

Behind all these amazing pastries there’s The French Head Pastry Chef Loic Carbonnet, whom I’d like to present a bit.

Loic Carbonnet has been working at The Corinthia for the past five years, leading a team of 11 pastry chefs responsible for the main hotel (he worked before at The Four Seasons and The Lanesborough Hotels).

On the hotel’s website, Loic Carbonnet mentions that what makes Corinthia London’s afternoon tea so special is “the way we showcase our afternoon tea – particularly with the afternoon tea trolley that’s filled with cakes that get presented to all of our guests”.

He also says that the success of an afternoon tea lies in the quality of the pastries and sandwiches, but also “50% of it is the service – the setting, the glasses, the china, the human contact”. I have to admit that on this last point, our server did not express any warmth or empathy. Although we were kind of taken aback by it at the start, we made the decision to not pay attention to it and enjoy our afternoon tea the most.

The Fullmoon Baccarat Chandelier, Corinthia London

This stunning Chandelier has been created in 2011 by Chafik Studio and produced by Baccarat exclusively for Corinthia Hotel.

It’s been installed under the glass dome of the lobby and this central position makes it the center of attention to every visitor.

I’m in love with the story behind this impressive artwork, listen: this Chandelier is made of 1000clear crystal bubbles, and at the heart of it was placed a 1001rst red crystal bubble “in reference to the red tassel which traditionally adorns and distinguishes Baccarat chandeliers”. Astonishing, isn’t it?

I hope you’ve enjoyed this post and found inspiration here. If you are about to book an afternoon tea at Corinthia London soon, please share your experience and opinion on DOYOUSPEAKLONDON’s blog!

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To go further:
Corinthia London: Whitehall Place, London SW1A 2BD
Website
Afternoon tea booking
Interview with Pastry Chef Loic Carbonnet
Valentine’s afternoon tea will be served 11 – 14 February 2022

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