Looking for a deliciously fun, interactive experience the kids (both big and small) are going to love? Look no further – The Ampersand Hotel have created the most wonderful Science Afternoon Tea experience!

Afternoon Tea is one of my most favourite past times, but since becoming a mother it has been increasingly difficult to attend with my son – little ones aren’t always so interested in delicate patisserie or relaxing in elegant settings to while away the afternoon. This experience has been the one exception: there are so many immersive elements that we both were thoroughly entertained throughout and the adult version is also so detailed I would also return for a child free date!

After being seated in the light, airy tea room we are served pipettes, beakers and test tubes filled with a variety of different coloured liquids. A mini instruction card explains how you are able to make your own fruit flavoured tangy lemonade and the science behind making it fizzy. Whilst it was refreshing, the interactive element was a great way to kick off the experience. The children also receive hot milk, served in a mug with a disappearing image and a chocolate astronaut on a stick to melt, creating a rich hot chocolate. A side of chocolate balls and marshmallows make it even sweeter!

After enjoying our drinks, we were given a small wooden box and told to open it to discover some edible fossils! Hidden under chocolate ‘soil’ were 3 mini dinosaur chocolate and biscuits that we could discover with the tools left on the table. This was yet another enjoyable addition whilst waiting for the main piece to arrive.

The Afternoon Tea is served theatrically upon a three tiered stand cascading with smoky dry ice cascading onto the table – what an entrance! The children’s zooms in on a rocket shaped stand, with smoke pouring out the base as if it would really take off!
Once we calmed after all the excitement of the arrival of the food, we were really able to admire all the details found on both the sweet and savoury pieces. No boring finger sandwiches were found here: two soft brioche buns filled with roast beef, watercress and cornichons and a basil and lemon chicken mayo filling were placed next to a warm cheese quiche. The smoked salmon is served creatively curled around a scoop of cream cheese upon a blini. They were flavoursome and filling, and we were also kindly offered refills of our favourites.

As we opted for the Science Teapot Tails addition, a ‘Darwin’s Draught’ mocktail arrived, also smoking from it’s spout! The earl grey syrup worked really well with the apple & lime juice and it complimented the savoury selection beautifully.

The children’s sandwich selection was well thought out too – the crisp cheese straw was rocket shaped, the jam sandwich was a dinosaur and the mini hot dog is also available in a vegan version for those with alternate dietary requirements.

Scones are a quintessential part of any Afternoon Tea experience, and along with the traditional clotted cream and strawberry preserve, a tube of passion fruit curd and freeze fried raspberry, pineapple and chocolate pearls are available to add various flavours and textures to this traditional course.
The next teapot cocktail was also served as we adorned our scones – Marie Cure-All magically changed colour from a blue tea lemonade to purple!

Finally, my favourite course – the sweet treats! Four Instagram-worthy cakes, designed to compliment the theme perfect take centre stage at the top of the three tiered stand. We started with the planet Saturn, a soft, light Dulcey chocolate mousse, filled with a blackcurrant heart. The variety of colours added to excitement when tucking in! The Petri dish, designed to look like bacteria growing is in fact a light mandarin and cherry jelly and the nutty pistachio, almond and raspberry cake is shaped as a crescent moon, accompanied with a chocolate astronaut. Even a humble macaron has additional extras, attached to a pipette filled with a fruit coulis to add an alternate flavour and texture to the centre.

The last mocktail also arrived whilst enjoying the sweet treats – this time topped with a dinosaur fossil print. The sweet grenadine, lime and pineapple juice played beautifully with the ginger ale and was a lovely way to finish what was a really wonderful experience.

This is one of London’s most unique Afternoon Teas - the attention to detail and thought that has gone behind creating such an interactive experience is evident throughout and it is an out of this world encounter for both big and little kids alike!

Science Afternoon Tea at The Ampersand Hotel is served 12pm to 6.30pm from Mon-Fri and 12pm to 7.30pm on Sat-Sun, starting at £49.50 per adult and £35 per child. Click here for more details and to book.