Review; Afternoon Tea at Sketch, London
Eating cake and drinking tea is a favourite pastime, so I’ve wanted to try what I imaged to be the ultimate afternoon tea at Sketch in London for some time.
Last month I visited my my niece who lives in London, and we agreed that as it had been so long since each of us had treated ourselves to a good afternoon tea, it was time to go all out at Sketch.
We’d heard mixed reviews about the menu and the experience, but nevertheless I had a strong feeling that I was going to enjoy it. At sixty of your English Pounds for the ‘basic’ menu it’s not a cheap afternoon out, so I felt the need to offer my verdict on the experience in case this sways your decision (to go!)
The Gallery at Sketch
If you haven’t been to The Gallery at Sketch before, prepare to be amazed, especially if like me, you’re a lover of pink. It’s a must-see on the all hot list interior spaces, mainly because of the evocative design by India Mahdavi, which includes satisfying uniform rows of her symbolic ‘Charlotte’ chairs, designed specifically for The Gallery. India compares the back of the chairs to ladyfinger biscuits, therefore very apt for this environment. You’re also greeted by whimsical, comical, ever changing art work by David Shrigley that you can giggle at while drinking your rosebud tea.
Take me anywhere that’s pink
The perfect shade of pink (specifically, Pantone Rose Quartz 13-520) cocoons you instantly, making you feel calm, relaxed and happy. You’re very aware that you’re entering a lavish space, but the pink hue somehow puts you at ease, and makes you feel fabulous. We also had the added treat of live music by a string trio, which was the cherry on top to the luxurious experience.
Charlotte chair by India Mahdavi
I love small details so I was observing everything, from the branded (and pink of course) hand sanitiser, the individually packaged teaspoons of sugar, contained in a teacup with ‘It’s OK’ on the side, a brushed brass table lamp exuding flattering, warm light, to the beautifully written and illustrated menu, which I’ve popped just underneath for your perusal.
This is the menu that we had for £60 (note: the Petit Gateaux menu had changed which I’ve noted in the sweet section below) which includes unlimited tea (see second menu) plus, extra sandwiches and petit fours if you so wish.
Sketch Afternoon Tea Menu
Sketch Afternoon Tea Menu - Tea Selection
We tried five different flavours of tea. We wanted to make the most of what was an offer and also wanted to try teas that we wouldn’t normally have the opportunity of trying without buying a box of it. The ‘Whole Rosebuds’ was a firm favourite, and has inspired me to buy some for home.
Now for the food.
For the first course we were served with a play on the simple boiled egg and soldier. Greeted by the ‘caviar man’, suitably dressed in a pink suit and wicker hat, he gave each diner a teaspoon of caviar. He recommended that we taste half of the teaspoon of the delicacy on its own, and then mix the rest into the frothy egg mixture inside the ceramic egg, which could then be mopped up with the toast. The toast was soft and not really toast like, but dip-able nonetheless. It was a very enjoyable experience, and the first time that I’d tried caviar. I’ll be honest, it’s not really my taste, but the theatre this course was a pleasant encounter.
Not your usual finger sandwich
The three tiered stand was then bought to the table, with the ‘Egg Gougere’ on a side plate. Each and every sandwich was deliciously tasty! I mean, these were really tasty sandwiches, absolutely not your standard afternoon tea finger sandwiches on a standard afternoon tea spread, I even had an extra ‘Salmon and Ricotta’. The ‘Truffle Brioche Bun’ was a delight and a real point of difference to the usual choices of bread and fillings.
Afternoon Tea at Sketch, London
Third, fourth and fifth course
The extremely flavoursome sandwiches had me very excited for the sweet stuff; the Petit Gateaux on the top two layers, of which there were five varieties! Which were; Orange & Pistachio Globe (on a biscuit base), Blackberry Marshmallow, Peach & Verbena Cheesecake, Mara des Bois Battenberg and Chocolate Chox. Every one, an absolute delight.
For second seconds, we had the option of plain or fruit scones, with strawberry & poppy jam and clotted cream. These arrived warm, and wrapped in a napkin, a little white blanket to keep them toasty. After these, we completely forgot about the final course… Victoria sponge cake!
At this point we were completely full (not only of sandwiches, petit fours and scones, but of five teas!) which meant that we could only manage one slice between us. This was the perfect opportunity to ask for the Sketch takeaway box, to take the other slice home (via the whole of London.)
The most gorgeous takeaway box, Sketch style
Book my in, fortnightly
This completed the afternoon tea at Sketch. We had the table for two hours, and we needed the full slot of time to work our way through every delectable delight. Yes, £60 is your upper end of the afternoon tea price range, but was it worth it? Oh yes, and would go again. I didn't particularly feel that I’d missed the fizz, as I really enjoyed trying so many teas, but that might be a nice way to do it next time. I would highly recommend and give it a rating of five Petit Gateaux out of the available five. Enjoy, LLG x
