Afternoon Tea with an Italian Twist at Baglioni Hotel London
It is Afternoon Tea Week (12th-18th August 2019) and if you happen to be visiting London, then make sure you head to the five-star Baglioni Hotel near Kensington Gardens to experience afternoon tea with an Italian twist.
I had fleetingly heard of the Baglioni Hotel group earlier in the year. In addition to London, they have hotels and resorts in Rome, Venice, Florence, Milan and now even in the Maldives. And I was told that a visit to/stay at one of their hotels would allow you to experience authentic flavours of Italian cuisine as well as Italian hospitality at its best. And last weekend I got my chance. After a spot of sightseeing in London, we made our way to the Baglioni Hotel to try out their afternoon tea.
Located just a short stroll from Kensington Palace, Baglioni Hotel London offers an afternoon tea menu that takes inspiration from Italian regional products. Served in the contemporarily decorated Brunello Bar and Restaurant, the indulgent afternoon tea features an array of delicious sweet and savoury treats all with flavours from Italy.
The beverages
The afternoon tea is served with a glass of Ferrari sparkling wine. And guests have the choice of the finest loose leaf teas from Camellia’s Tea House. While the choice in terms of tea was not exhaustive; the quality of the teas was excellent. Bhavin opted for the 'Formosa Oolong' which is a very smooth tea with the scent of sweet orchids and a wonderfully rich and fruity flavour. I chose 'White Apricot' which is a Gold Taste Award winning fusion tea combining white tea with the honey-like sweetness of apricot pieces. It was excellent. Refills do not count, so guests can order as much tea as they like.
The savouries
The savouries were an excellent selection including sandwiches using tramezzino bread with capriccioso salad and grilled vegetables – both taking inspiration from Veneto and tramezzino bread with gorgonzola cheese and walnuts from Lombardia. There were two miniature brioche buns - one with caciocavallo cheese and caramelised onion from Puglia and the other with mortadella and pistachio from Emilia Romagna. While the sandwiches were lovely, it was the brioche buns that were our favourites; with a distinctive strong flavour these were different from the standard fare and we really appreciated this.
Fresh scones
Next up were the scones, freshly made - plain and fruit versions - served with clotted cream, raspberry jam and the Italian favourite, Nutella! And there's more. There was a Sicilian Brioche, soft and fragrant. It tasted lovely topped with clotted cream as it did with a spread of Nutella.
And the sweet treats...
We were served a lovely selection of sweets including Sicilian cannoli filled with orange and ricotta cheese filling. The cannoli was crisp and crunchy and the filling yummy. Then there was the very popular and delicious Italian biscuit La Pesca – with Alkermes and chocolate. Bhavin loved this. The Italian influence continued and the next sweet treat was Brutti ma Buoni which is usually made in Central Italy. The name 'Brutti ma Buoni' translates to 'ugly but good' and it is a type of hazelnut flavoured biscuit - crunchy on the outside and sort of chewy inside. It was good. There was also a chocolate praline filled with mascarpone. My favourite was the Panna cotta with wild berries; creamy and delicious with every spoonful being sweet and tangy. Absolutely delicious!
It was truly an Italian twist on a quintessentially British tradition. And coupled with the impeccable service from the staff, it certainly made for a delightful experience.
The Afternoon Tea with an Italian Twist at Baglioni Hotel London is available from £42 per person.
For reservations:
Brunello Bar and Restaurant | Baglioni Hotel, 60 Hyde Park Gate, London.
Phone | +44 207 368 5900
PS. We were guests of the Baglioni Hotel London, but all thoughts and opinions are my own.
I had fleetingly heard of the Baglioni Hotel group earlier in the year. In addition to London, they have hotels and resorts in Rome, Venice, Florence, Milan and now even in the Maldives. And I was told that a visit to/stay at one of their hotels would allow you to experience authentic flavours of Italian cuisine as well as Italian hospitality at its best. And last weekend I got my chance. After a spot of sightseeing in London, we made our way to the Baglioni Hotel to try out their afternoon tea.
Located just a short stroll from Kensington Palace, Baglioni Hotel London offers an afternoon tea menu that takes inspiration from Italian regional products. Served in the contemporarily decorated Brunello Bar and Restaurant, the indulgent afternoon tea features an array of delicious sweet and savoury treats all with flavours from Italy.
The beverages
The afternoon tea is served with a glass of Ferrari sparkling wine. And guests have the choice of the finest loose leaf teas from Camellia’s Tea House. While the choice in terms of tea was not exhaustive; the quality of the teas was excellent. Bhavin opted for the 'Formosa Oolong' which is a very smooth tea with the scent of sweet orchids and a wonderfully rich and fruity flavour. I chose 'White Apricot' which is a Gold Taste Award winning fusion tea combining white tea with the honey-like sweetness of apricot pieces. It was excellent. Refills do not count, so guests can order as much tea as they like.
The savouries
The savouries were an excellent selection including sandwiches using tramezzino bread with capriccioso salad and grilled vegetables – both taking inspiration from Veneto and tramezzino bread with gorgonzola cheese and walnuts from Lombardia. There were two miniature brioche buns - one with caciocavallo cheese and caramelised onion from Puglia and the other with mortadella and pistachio from Emilia Romagna. While the sandwiches were lovely, it was the brioche buns that were our favourites; with a distinctive strong flavour these were different from the standard fare and we really appreciated this.
Fresh scones
Next up were the scones, freshly made - plain and fruit versions - served with clotted cream, raspberry jam and the Italian favourite, Nutella! And there's more. There was a Sicilian Brioche, soft and fragrant. It tasted lovely topped with clotted cream as it did with a spread of Nutella.
And the sweet treats...
We were served a lovely selection of sweets including Sicilian cannoli filled with orange and ricotta cheese filling. The cannoli was crisp and crunchy and the filling yummy. Then there was the very popular and delicious Italian biscuit La Pesca – with Alkermes and chocolate. Bhavin loved this. The Italian influence continued and the next sweet treat was Brutti ma Buoni which is usually made in Central Italy. The name 'Brutti ma Buoni' translates to 'ugly but good' and it is a type of hazelnut flavoured biscuit - crunchy on the outside and sort of chewy inside. It was good. There was also a chocolate praline filled with mascarpone. My favourite was the Panna cotta with wild berries; creamy and delicious with every spoonful being sweet and tangy. Absolutely delicious!
It was truly an Italian twist on a quintessentially British tradition. And coupled with the impeccable service from the staff, it certainly made for a delightful experience.
The Afternoon Tea with an Italian Twist at Baglioni Hotel London is available from £42 per person.
For reservations:
Brunello Bar and Restaurant | Baglioni Hotel, 60 Hyde Park Gate, London.
Phone | +44 207 368 5900
PS. We were guests of the Baglioni Hotel London, but all thoughts and opinions are my own.
I would love to try this. We live in Kent but are visiting London next month, so this has gone on my must-do list.
ReplyDeleteGreat. I am sure you will enjoy it. Do book in advance to avoid any disappointment.
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