Indulge in a quintessential British Afternoon tea at Fortnum & Mason!

Fortnum & Mason afternoon tea Doyouspeaklondon Lifestyle London Blog

I discovered Fortnum & Mason quite quickly after I arrived in London. First attracted by the fancy windows, it’s the delicate biscuits, jams & tea selection I then was in awe of (and their branding!).
But since I’ve started to appreciate the beautiful English tradition of afternoon teas, I couldn’t wait any longer to have such an experience at Fortnum & Mason, which seems to be the reference on the matter. It was on a great occasion: my husband’s birthday and we were in the perfect festive mood to enjoy such a treat!
Today, DOYOUSPEAKLONDON takes you to the quintessential British afternoon tea in London!
Fortnum & Mason afternoon tea Doyouspeaklondon Lifestyle London Blog

Fortnum & Mason, Piccadilly London

Fortnum & Mason afternoon tea Doyouspeaklondon Lifestyle London Blog

For those who don’t know Fortnum & Mason yet, it is an 18th-century department store located on Piccadilly avenue and renowned for its gourmet groceries including teas, biscuits, chocolates, and posh preserves.
Fortnum & Mason afternoon tea Doyouspeaklondon Lifestyle London BlogIt’s definitely the place I love at Christmas to help me find the last presents’ ideas. Who wouldn’t like delicious items wrapped up in beautiful packaging? Fortnum’s also offers a wide range of alcohols and spirits at the lower level if you fancy specific drinks.

Fortnum & Mason afternoon tea Doyouspeaklondon Lifestyle London Blog
Fortnum’s at Christmas with its giant calendar and beautifully animated shop windows.

There are several bars and restaurants available at Fortnum & Mason so that you always have the opportunity to relax with a drink and a good meal, before or after your shopping:
The Field (re-opening 1st February) is on the Ground Floor Mezzanine;
The Parlour (for an ice-cream or a sweet treat) on the 1st Floor;
The Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon on the Fourth Floor;
45 Jermyn St. a few steps away from Fortnum & Mason department store.
Fortnum & Mason afternoon tea Doyouspeaklondon Lifestyle London BlogThat day, we had a booking made for a special occasion in the Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon…

The Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon, Fortnum & Mason

Fortnum & Mason afternoon tea Doyouspeaklondon Lifestyle London Blog
Visitors are welcomed in the central hall where a magnificent piano sits, creating a cozy atmosphere

Each place has a story. The Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon has one that spans over 314 years! First, it was an “apartment for the Fortnum family, then became an interior decorating department in the 1920s and 1930s, and later an antique department, and finally a restaurant known as St. James’s”.

Fortnum & Mason afternoon tea Doyouspeaklondon Lifestyle London Blog

Since 2012, the Tea Salon has been dedicated to the timeless tradition of Afternoon Tea.

Fortnum & Mason afternoon tea Doyouspeaklondon Lifestyle London Blog
I loved the illustrations on the wall: a style I did not expect from the place, quite fresh and modern

The Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon was “named in honour of Her Majesty’s visit in 2012, when she formally opened the room, in the company of their Royal Highnesses the Duchess of Cornwall and the Duchess of Cambridge”.

Fortnum & Mason afternoon tea Doyouspeaklondon Lifestyle London Blog

What I really appreciated in this Tea Salon is the light. It is not always that you can enjoy an afternoon tea in a room full of light like this one. I could look at every detail and take pictures in the confidence they would reflect the place very well…

Fortnum & Mason’s iconic Afternoon Tea

Fortnum & Mason afternoon tea Doyouspeaklondon Lifestyle London BlogIn addition to being a bright room, The Tea Salon is the perfect retreat from Piccadilly’s hustle and bustle, while you can still enjoy a panoramic view from it.

Fortnum & Mason afternoon tea Doyouspeaklondon Lifestyle London Blog
Impressive entrance with a Steinway piano playing for us…

One step out of the lift, and you’re instantly immersed in a calm atmosphere with a piano playing in the central hall.

Fortnum & Mason afternoon tea Doyouspeaklondon Lifestyle London Blog

We were warmly welcomed by the staff and could choose our table in the center of the room, which allowed me to take photographs with a 360-degree view of the Tea Salon.

Fortnum & Mason afternoon tea Doyouspeaklondon Lifestyle London Blog
Fortnum’s style combines elegance with a casual atmosphere and we immediately felt at ease. 

The room filled up quickly after our arrival, which caused us to wait a bit before we could order. The waitress dedicated to us was very friendly and attentive, and made her best to catch up with the delay though.

Fortnum & Mason afternoon tea Doyouspeaklondon Lifestyle London Blog
We chose our tea from a large selection of flavours and types.

Soon after the tea arrived, we were served our treats. Among the variety of afternoon tea menus to choose from*, I opted for the Afternoon Tea, and my husband picked the High Afternoon Tea.

Fortnum & Mason afternoon tea Doyouspeaklondon Lifestyle London Blog
The traditional delicacies: finger sandwiches, scones, and cakes… freshly-baked by Fortnum’s chefs!

I enjoyed my sandwiches, which did not disappoint in taste as I found them particularly fresh and flavoursome, but they did not show any originality. I know Fortnum’s praises traditional afternoon tea, but I was hoping for a few surprises in the ingredients selection and the design of these sandwiches. As W. Somerset Maugham said Tradition is a guide and not a jailer.”

Fortnum & Mason afternoon tea Doyouspeaklondon Lifestyle London Blog
Traditional finger sandwiches: Suffolk Cured Ham with English Mustard, Cucumber with Mint Cream Cheese, Egg Mayonnaise, Fortnum’s Smoked Salmon, Coronation Chicken

On the other hand, my husband started with a top-notch dish: the Lobster Omelette Victoria with Truffle. That was a memorable one! (yes, I was blessed he shared it with me :-)). The truffle had an intense flavour and the omelette was rich and succulent…definitely a must-try!

Fortnum & Mason afternoon tea Doyouspeaklondon Lifestyle London Blog
A-ma-zing Lobster Omelette Victoria with Truffle!

We continued with the plain and fruit scones, served with jams (Fortnum’s Strawberry & Wild Blueberry Preserves) and Somerset Clotted Cream.

Fortnum & Mason afternoon tea Doyouspeaklondon Lifestyle London Blog

Fortnum & Mason afternoon tea Doyouspeaklondon Lifestyle London Blog

Again, knowing the large choice of delicious jams Fortnum & Mason proposes in their stores (their Strawberry & champagne, or Strawberry & Rose Petal, and cherry preserves are divinely scrumptious, the lemon curd is amazing..!) They have so much to share that I would have appreciated some originality here… Am I the only one to think so?

Fortnum & Mason afternoon tea Doyouspeaklondon Lifestyle London Blog

Nevertheless, let’s speak of the scones. I found them okay overall, but maybe just a bit too sweet for me and not enough soft inside. I still have a great memory of the perfect scones I had at the Rosewood London
Shall I mention here that scones are not my favorite treat? This is why I am certainly more fussy than any one on the subject!

Fortnum & Mason afternoon tea Doyouspeaklondon Lifestyle London Blog
I would have liked to give the precise name and components of these good-looking cakes, unfortunately they did not appear on the menu…let’s say they speak for themselves!

Desserts were all beautiful and tempting. My favorite though are definitely the tarts: coffee-chocolate and lemon. I loved their textures and pronounced flavours.

Fortnum & Mason afternoon tea Doyouspeaklondon Lifestyle London Blog
My two faves!
Fortnum & Mason afternoon tea Doyouspeaklondon Lifestyle London Blog
On the inside: same perfection as one the outside!
Fortnum & Mason afternoon tea Doyouspeaklondon Lifestyle London Blog
The crusty pastry inside was excellent, the whole bite was delicious!
Fortnum & Mason afternoon tea Doyouspeaklondon Lifestyle London Blog
I loved the design of this one too: looks like a cake in a fashionable dress!

Fortnum & Mason afternoon tea Doyouspeaklondon Lifestyle London Blog

Fortnum & Mason afternoon tea Doyouspeaklondon Lifestyle London Blog
Desserts from the High Afternoon Tea menu

At this point, let’s face it, there was hardly any space left in our bellies… We tried a bit of the desserts of my husband’s menu, but were not particularly thrilled by them honestly. In comparison to the Truffle Omelette’s amazing standard, these desserts were surprisingly bland with no character. Definitely not my cup of tea, but everyone has different tastes, right?

Fortnum & Mason afternoon tea Doyouspeaklondon Lifestyle London Blog

The waitress didn’t know what to think of the fact that we had left a few desserts on our plates and offered us to bring the leftovers back home…as well as some sandwiches, if we wanted. We only chose a few sandwiches because she insisted, but we didn’t want to overload the take-away bag (more a choice not to over-consume rather than a practical problem, but you got me :-)).

Fortnum & Mason afternoon tea Doyouspeaklondon Lifestyle London Blog

As we were about to leave with our doggy-bag, the waitress realised it was my husband’s birthday and asked us to wait a bit before she came back … with a birthday cake!

Fortnum & Mason afternoon tea Doyouspeaklondon Lifestyle London Blog

Although we acknowledged to think it was a lovely and thoughtful attention, we were completely unable to eat this umpteenth cake! If I may say -and I hope Fortnum & Mason will see these words- celebrating a client’s birthday is a great way to make a difference in the customisation of his or her experience at Fortnum’s.
But adding a cake to the long list of already eaten items might not be the best option. Why not think of a glass of Fortnum’s champagne? Undoubtedly the best way of celebrating and the assurance that the clients will have tasted Fortnum’s champagne in the best condition and might buy it later in confidence, remembering the occasion. Or, if we go into the marketing more deeply, why not create specific small products that would be seen as gifts/samples and would be distributed on birthdays occasions, like these small delicious preserves the brand has the secret of? Or small boxes of the brand’s renowned biscuits? All these gifts being designed specifically and brought back home with a special note… Clients need to feel special. Fortnum’s is definitely special. I think the Afternoon Tea experience must be special too, particularly when clients are celebrating at Fortnum’s.

Fortnum & Mason afternoon tea Doyouspeaklondon Lifestyle London Blog

All in all, we enjoyed this experience at Fortnum’s as the setting was nice, the staff very friendly, and a few dishes were truly delicious (mmmhhh that omelette!).
But -as well as I am looking for truthful advice from other bloggers, I want to be very sincere with my readers too- I would only advise you to go there if you are looking for a traditional, authentic approach to the Afternoon Tea in London. Especially if you don’t already know Fortnum & Mason products yet, because it’s the best way to get to know the place, the brand and its emblematic products at the same time as you discover this -so pleasant- tradition of Afternoon Tea.

Fortnum & Mason afternoon tea Doyouspeaklondon Lifestyle London Blog

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


To go further:
Fortnum & Mason: 181 Piccadilly, St. James’s, London W1A 1ER
Website


*Afternoon Tea, Savoury Afternoon Tea, High Tea, Vegetarian Afternoon Tea, Made Without Gluten Afternoon Tea

3 thoughts on “Indulge in a quintessential British Afternoon tea at Fortnum & Mason!

  1. Myriam says:

    Mmmhhh the truffle omlette !!
    Et bravo pour la sincérité des commentaires !
    Le bâtiment et les décors semblent agréables.

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