Afternoon tea review – The Royal Drury Lane theater
Originally posted: 240627
Hej friends!
I´m in London drinking afternoon tea!
If you missed the previous blog posts I´ve already reviewed the afternoon tea at The Royal Lancaster hotel and The NoMad hotel in London. This will be my third and final afternoon tea review for now.
The Royal Drury Lane Theater
So! Today we are visiting the Royal Drury Lane theater, a place which was created as early as in the year of 1663! Since then, this popular London theater has both burned down and been rebuilt, it has put on some amazing shows and is the home of some of the famous West End theater produced in the country.
It is also the worlds oldest theater site that has been putting on plays continuously since the start!
Dramatic staircase inside the Royal Drury Lane theater in London
Last time I was going for tea, the door magically opened for me when I was approaching so I was kind of expecting the same kind of pampering here. But to my surprise instead of the door opening I find that I get STOPPED by a female guard in a yellow west when I try to enter the Royal Drury Theater.
“Where are you going?” she asks.
I tell her that I am going for tea and she wants to know if I have a reservation, which I do.
Then she want´s to search my handbag and I of course let her do that.
The Afternoon tea
Slightly perplexed by the not so warm welcome, I step inside and get guided upstairs to the tea room. The tea served here is, according the Royal Drury Lanes website, “Regal inspired” and I´m keen to find out what that means.
The grand Saloon at the Royal Drury Lane theater is like being inside of a huge pastry
The theater has newly been refurbished to look like it did in the year 1812 and the afternoon tea is served in the Grand Saloon. I admire the room and it´s high vaulted ceilings, dusty pink walls and stuccos in white and gold. The big crystal chandeliers and dark wood around the bar gives the room more substance and the pink and white carpets mute my steps while I get guided to my table.
The waiter brings me a small welcome drink, it´s an iced jasmine tea served in a small cold glass.
I sip on my drink and read the tea menu.
Some items on the tea menu. I liked the Organic ginger and lemongrass tea.
Sandwiches
For the first tea I end up choosing an organic ginger & lemongrass tea. The tea is nice, I like the gingery touch of it and it goes really well with the savory bits. Instead of sandwiches we get two small pies and some sort of crumpet.
Pies and crumpet
The clientele here are more dressed up than the tea drinkers at the Royal Drury but way less dressed up than at the NoMad hotel. I enjoy the calm atmosphere, the guests toned down conversations, clinking glasses and the soft piano music in the background. The waiter offers to take a photo of me.
Me at the tea table with my earrings from Studio Minerva
Scones
For the scones I choose my favorite tea – Earl grey. I pour my self some water while I´m waiting for the tea and wonder if I have become spoiled since I think that it takes for ever to get the tea. The scone is served with clotted cream and jam.
The sweets and the scone with clotted cream and jam
Sweets
I decide to not order a third tea for the sweets and stick with the Earl grey. The sweets consist of a vanilla cake with passion fruit, a miniature sticky toffee pudding and a mint choc chip ice cream sandwich. None of them very memorable.
I pay my bill and leave.
I´m here on a sunday and the Afternoon tea costs 59 pounds per person.
Suprise – great paintings around the theater
On the way out I suddenly encounter some amazing paintings. They are super dramatic depictions from famous theater plays and are painted by an artist called Maria Kreyn. I walk around for a while and admire the paintings before I head out to the busy Covent Garden streets again.
Score 3/5
All though the paintings were good the tea was not that great. Maybe I have become spoiled by visiting the NoMad hotel but I think for the price of 59 pounds you can find better tea in London.
The score of 3 / 5 is based on the following parameters.
Food 3
Atmosphere 4
Service 3
Firstnimpression 2
Price 3
This was the last Afternoon tea review for now 🙂
xoxo/Salla V
Originally posted:240627