The Whittard of Chelsea Covent Garden Tea Bar
London, England, UK.
Afternoon Tea in London with all its accoutrements is truly a special treat! Whittard of Chelsea serves a delicious spread of finger foods accompanied by a truly excellent tea selection at their Covent Garden Tea Bar. Best of all, with all-day tea service from 10 to 10, you can enjoy tea with friends or family without the need for advance reservations.
First a note on terminology. There are several British tea traditions and high tea is not the same as afternoon tea. Furthermore, there are other lesser known tea times. You might have heard of elevenses, which was not invented by Tolkien for the Hobbits of Middle Earth, but consists of a late morning work break with baked goods and hot tea or coffee. According to historian Bruce Richardson as reported by NPR, the tradition of elevenses probably arose in the 20th century, but is now well engrained in British culture.
Afternoon tea for the upper classes became popular in the mid 19th century, when tea prices dropped after the introduction of 茶 (pronounced cha or tey)* from China in the 17th century. Also known as "low tea" because the crustless finger sandwiches, scones, macaroons and cakes were served around low tables surrounded by low armchairs or loveseats, it was reportedly popularized by Anna Russell, the duchess of Bedford and friend to Queen Victoria, as a fancy snack between meals. In contrast, high tea refers to a hearty early supper with tea that was enjoyed by the lower classes after work. These meals of kidney pie, potatoes or breaded fish with buttered toast and scones were served at a high dinner table or countertop with a pot of strong tea to nourish and revive body and spirits after a long hard day at work. Then there is cream tea, a variant of afternoon tea focused on scones with clotted cream and jam.
Irrespective of what time you wish to enjoy your tea with cakes and other food, the Whittard Tea Bar in the downstairs Whittard tea shop at Covent Garden is truly worth a visit. With a choice of over 100 loose leaf teas ranging from traditional to inventively spiced, the afternoon tea gives you a chance to sample new flavors with little risk. They will switch your pot to a different tea if you dislike your first selection. They also serve coffee, hot chocolate and cold beverages, as well as spirits and tea-infused cocktails. Plus it's fun to explore the shop and taste the samples of both hot and iced beverages. Notably, only the most popular teas come prepackaged. For the real selection of loose leaf teas, go to the back of the shop.
We asked our hotel to check on availability, and then set off for a lovely walk to the Covent Garden piazza. The first Whittard storefront we walked in directed us to their larger downstairs shop, where we were seated right away. Walk-ins are also available, and there was a small line forming by the time we got our tea. The three of us all opted for the full Whittard Tea experience at 30 pounds a person. This consisted of finger sandwiches filled with coronation chicken salad, egg salad, buttered cucumber or smoked salmon with lemon cheese. The type of chicken salad was originally prepared for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, and consists of tender chunks of chicken breast in a curried mayonnaise dressing. This was our favorite of the sandwiches.
Afternoon tea for the upper classes became popular in the mid 19th century, when tea prices dropped after the introduction of 茶 (pronounced cha or tey)* from China in the 17th century. Also known as "low tea" because the crustless finger sandwiches, scones, macaroons and cakes were served around low tables surrounded by low armchairs or loveseats, it was reportedly popularized by Anna Russell, the duchess of Bedford and friend to Queen Victoria, as a fancy snack between meals. In contrast, high tea refers to a hearty early supper with tea that was enjoyed by the lower classes after work. These meals of kidney pie, potatoes or breaded fish with buttered toast and scones were served at a high dinner table or countertop with a pot of strong tea to nourish and revive body and spirits after a long hard day at work. Then there is cream tea, a variant of afternoon tea focused on scones with clotted cream and jam.
