After years of walking past and admiring the gorgeous Living Wall of The Athenaeum, I finally stepped foot inside to indulge in one of my favourite weekend pastimes, afternoon tea, at Galvin at The Athenaeum, the hotel’s restaurant from Michelin-starred London chefs, Chris and Jeff Galvin.
We were seated by the window, which is often my preferred choice in most restaurants because I love natural light and it’s an ideal spot to do some people watching. The table was set with lovely crockery that featured whimsical illustrations designed by Ali Miller, a fellow Londoner and quintessentially British artist.
Their classic afternoon tea is created using the finest ingredients, many of which are produced by Royal Warrant holders, a stamp of approval carrying the utmost prestige that is awarded to those who supply any goods or services to the British royal family.
Glasses of chilled Ayala Brut Majeur were offered to us which we graciously accepted – I never turn down a glass of bubbly. Their selection of artisan teas are sourced from Darvilles, Windsor’s oldest business and supplier of tea to the royal household. I love a classic Darjeeling, often known as the champagne of teas, and was delighted to find out that they served the first flush, a lighter tea with aromatic floral notes.
The selection of sandwiches included such classic fillings as Burford brown egg & watercress bridge roll, Cumbrian beef & Coleman’s horseradish on onion bread, Regents Park honey-roasted Dukeshill ham & mustard, coronation chicken, and my usual favourite, Galvin cure smoked salmon & herb cream cheese.
The plain and fruit scones were served warm and had a light and fluffy texture. These were served with clotted cream, strawberry jam, and one of my favourite bonus condiments, lemon curd.
From the top tier of cakes and pastries, there was an indulgent-looking classic Opera Cake, which tasted okay but unfortunately the sponge layers were slightly dry and dense. The egg custard tart was tasty with a lovely crumbly base and I liked the flavours of the mango and yuzu macaron, coloured a vibrant yellow. The raspberry and pistachio mousse cake was light and moist, the perfect summer flavour combination. My favourite amongst them was most definitely the apricot and mascarpone chantilly choux bun – I love a good choux, and this lived up to my expectations. I regret not requesting an extra portion.
I enjoyed my afternoon tea experience at Galvin at The Athenaeum, and am certainly tempted to return to visit their bar for some cocktails, and hopefully dinner one day.
Afternoon tea is available Monday to Saturday from 12.30 – 4.30pm and Sunday from 12.30 – 5.30pm, with prices starting from £39.00 per person – further information can be found on their website.
- I was invited to review the afternoon tea at Galvin at The Athenaeum – all views and photos are my own.