September 15, 2021
Traditional and reinvented afternoon teas, served with 5 star panache at Taj 51
I recently had the opportunity to visit Taj 51 Buckingham gate suites and residences to try their traditional and reinvented afternoon teas.
Located in SW1 and within walking distance from all surrounding public transport, Taj is an ideal place to get away and relax. When walking around the residency to get to the restaurant you can sense the grandness of the surrounding buildings and courtyard which truly gives you the feeling of being in a 5-star luxury hotel.
There are two options for afternoon tea which is served at their contemporary European restaurant Kona, Alice’s queen of hearts afternoon tea and Jasmine Indian afternoon tea both priced at £45. I went with Alice’s queen of hearts option which has been inspired by one of my all-time favourite children’s books Alice in Wonderland.
From the time we entered the restaurant the service was excellent, our waitress explained the menu and selection of amazing teas to accompany our food. We were also given a complimentary glass of prosecco which was a lovely touch.
The Queen of Hearts selection had all your staple sandwiches and pastries you would find in an afternoon tea some of the sandwiches that stood out was the coronation chicken and the smoked salmon with horseradish crème Fraiche on rye double time. Our waitress was always so attentive and was there to refill any of our sandwiches.
Staying true to the Alice in Wonderland theme Taj has gone above and beyond creating lovely savoury and sweet treats that tasted good as much as they looked. Each table was decorated with a handmade top hat in the centrepiece which looked amazing and brought the theme of Alice in Wonderland to life. Another fine touch was how all our savoury treats were served on fine china plates which the waitress pointed out had illustrations from John Tenniel’s original book. We loved all the little details which made the whole experience memorable.
So many of the sweet treats stood out but I especially loved every bite of the red velvet cupcake which was topped with roses and chocolate ganache which was called No White Roses. Another favourite of mine was a strawberry pocket watch macaron called Running Late, tasted great and looked beautiful. Each of the sweet treats sat on a glass checkerboard positioned like pieces on a chessboard.
Afternoon tea is served from Wednesday to Sunday at Taj 51 Buckingham gate suites and residence. I recommend trying the new Queen of Hearts afternoon tea, from the amazing selection of savoury and sweet treats to how beautifully each piece is created and presented always drawing on inspiration from Alice in Wonderland to truly give you an unforgettable experience.
Afternoon Tea timings
Afternoon Tea is served Wednesday to Sunday
Wednesday – Friday: 12:00 & 14:00 seatings
Saturday & Sunday: 12:00, 14:00 & 16:00 seatings
Children 4 – 11 years old avail to 50% discount
T: +44 (0) 20 7769 7766
E: Bookings
W: Taj 51 Buckingham Gate
Written by Remisa Allanaj for Luxuria Lifestyle London and International