Apologies to all the scone-loving guys out there, but my afternoon tea outings tend to be quite girly affairs. It’s a lovely way to catch up with the ladies and indulge our sweet tooth at the same time! I’m pretty sure London’s Sofitel St James is tapping into this with the theme of its afternoon tea – from petals in the cocktails to the decor to the cupcake piping, it’s all pretty and pink! Although I’m not big on pink as a general rule, I loved this afternoon tea. The service was excellent, the atmosphere was lovely, and the food was all delicious – including the dairy-free scones.
I love a good chandelier
You can opt to start the afternoon tea with champagne or a champagne cocktail – an option I wholly approve of. When in The Rose Lounge, huh?! We moved on to the teapots soon after, choosing from an extensive menu. They were topped up regularly and unobtrusively. Soon enough these beauties were placed in front of us!
The girls’ delicious dairy-inclusive spread
My dairy-free sandwiches were a little on the lean side in terms of fillings, but I did like the interesting addition of beetroot bread. The scones were satisfyingly fluffy, without being either crumbly or stodgy, two common mistakes with dairy-free baking. The stars of the show were the huge range of patisserie – another link to the French theme. Rather than having individual cakes, the girls had two platefuls of different treats to share. From tiramisu to cheesecakes to tarts, they were all sampled and most pronounced delectable. I was happy to tuck into my giant raspberry macaron – it was one of the tastiest I’ve tried!
So cute!
Aside from the pink hues, a lot of thought had been put into the atmosphere in the Lounge. The gorgeous chandelier pictured above was just the start. The chairs were super comfy, the lighting was soft, and we sipped our tea to the background of a harp – just lovely!
A seriously decadent display
I really liked this afternoon tea – it was well done and a lot of fun too. I’d definitely go back – with whoever wanted to join me!
For more information on the Rose Lounge at the Sofitel St James, click here
