Fairmont Cheshire, The Mere is a luxury five-star hotel in Cheshire and is the perfect setting for Afternoon Tea. Slow down for a few hours with a glass of something sparkling and enjoy a traditional Afternoon Tea done properly. 

Housed within The Orangery, set beneath a beautiful light-filled atrium, the restaurant has an easy, relaxed elegance to it - the kind of space that invites you to slow down for a few hours with a glass of something sparkling and enjoy a traditional Afternoon Tea done properly.

The menu features traditional sandwiches alongside two additional savouries that elevate the course beyond the usual sandwich selection. All served on homemade bread, the sandwiches include English organic cucumber with lemon emulsion on spinach bread, St Ewe egg mayonnaise, traditional coronation chicken with macerated raisins on granary bread and Scottish smoked salmon with yuzu & dill cream cheese and caviar on rye. 

The hot-smoked salmon choux and Cheshire cheese tart savouries are a delicious addition to the savoury course. The Cheshire cheese tart was the standout of the two for me; a rich and creamy cheese on a perfectly baked base where the flavour comes through immediately, finished with a scatter of chives. 

No Afternoon Tea is complete without a good scone, and Fairmont Cheshire, The Mere delivers excellently - freshly baked and served with Cornish clotted cream, Mrs Darlington's strawberry jam and a bright, tangy lemon curd, giving you a choice beyond the usual cream-and-jam debate. Simple, well made, and exactly as a scone should be.

This is where the pastry chefs really get to show off. Each pastry has its own distinct and thoughtfully composed flavour combination. The Chocolate & Lime Tartlet pairs a rich, dark 58% chocolate mousse with lime jelly and a caramel gold chocolate ganache. The Granny Smith Cheesecake is built on a brown sugar Breton biscuit with a cream cheese mousse and an apple and shiso compote, giving it a fresh, slightly herbal lift.

My favourite pastry was the Tropical Mask - a coconut frangipane topped with a pineapple cremeux and a coconut mousse. Bright, tropical and beautifully balanced between the sweetness of the pineapple and the richness of the coconut.

Set within 157 acres of picturesque Cheshire countryside, Fairmont Cheshire, The Mere offers a luxurious setting overlooking the beautiful Mere Lake. Just moments from Knutsford, the resort combines beautiful surroundings, exceptional hospitality and some of the region’s most celebrated dining experiences.

Book Afternoon Tea in The Orangery and enjoy this beautifully traditional menu for £55 per person.

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