As much as I love a classic afternoon tea offering, I do equally enjoy sampling a contemporary take on this British tradition. Having previously tried a handful of afternoon teas paired with gin and martini cocktails, which I was undoubtedly partial towards, I was intrigued to hear about the world’s first afternoon tea centred around the love of the Mexican spirit, Tequila.
Set within the NYX Hotel London by Leonardo Hotels, an urban oasis in the bustling hub of Holborn, their recently launched Afternoon TeaQuila combines the much-loved classics with a fresh Mexican twist. The Afternoon TeaQuila is served in the hotel’s vibrantly decorated restaurant on the ground floor, where their bar houses an impressive tequila library with over 20 varieties, from popular serves through to more niche mezcals – I shall remember to spread the word to my tequila-loving friends.
As a gentle build-up to our boozy experience, we were first offered a hot drink from their selection of teas and coffee, before we moved onto one of their punchy margaritas, ‘La Margarita’, a perfectly balanced cocktail made with Volcán Tequila Blanco, fresh lime juice, and agave syrup.
We were each served our own individual platter of hearty savoury delights which included mini veggie burritos, mini tacos generously filled with chipotle chicken, green mango, sour cream & chilli, baby peppers stuffed with Mexican beef, mini cones filled with salmon tartare, and Tequila grilled shrimps served on the skewer. Until then, I never realized that Tequila grilled shrimps was a thing, but now that I’ve tried it, I’m definitely hooked and am going to try rustling some up in the kitchen sometime.
And of course no afternoon tea would be complete without scones, a classic element which they’ve thankfully retained on the menu, accompanied by clotted cream and a sweet strawberry jam infused with Tequila, for that extra touch of booziness to tickle the tastebuds.
Served on a three-tiered cake stand, the sweets included a decadent dark chocolate & chilli brownie, a zesty key lime chilli posset, miniature seasonal fruit tarts, dainty macarons, and bespoke hand-made cookies, created in partnership with London-based biscuit company, Biscuiteers; one of their perfectly-iced biscuits aptly made into the shape of a margarita, to tie in with the theme.
The afternoon tea is served from daily from 1pm – 4pm, priced at £39 per person. Reservations are recommended which can be made via this link.
- My afternoon tea experience was complimentary – views and photos are my own.