Review: Literacy Afternoon Tea at Hotel Café Royal
There are few places in London where an Afternoon Tea feels quite so naturally intertwined with the history of the city, and Hotel Café Royal is certainly one of them. Sitting proudly on Regent Street, this historic address has been part of London’s social and cultural fabric since 1865, when Café Royal first opened its doors. Over the decades, it became a meeting place for writers, artists, politicians, royalty and some of the most fascinating characters of the era.
And it is this extraordinary literary history that provides the inspiration for Hotel Café Royal’s current Literary Afternoon Tea, which is an experience that feels every bit as glamorous as its setting.
The Afternoon Tea is served in the Café Royal Grill, and the room itself is quite spectacular. Ornate gilded detailing, mirrored surfaces and beautifully decorated ceilings create an atmosphere that is both grand and wonderfully theatrical. There is something particularly special about sitting beneath those historic surroundings and knowing that this room has witnessed so many chapters of London life. The Café Royal Grill dates back to 1865, with its Louis XVI interiors having survived as one of the hotel's most distinctive links to the past.
It is easy to see why Café Royal has attracted such a fascinating collection of patrons over the years. Oscar Wilde was a regular, and the hotel’s own history records the many occasions on which he held court here. Virginia Woolf was also among the literary figures associated with Café Royal, while decades later, John le Carré was part of the Detection Club, the celebrated gathering of crime writers that met here from the 1930s. Today, those literary connections have been brought to life in a much sweeter form.
The experience begins with a warm canapé, which is a lovely point of difference from a more traditional Afternoon Tea. Rather than going straight into the sandwiches, a small savoury bite arrives first – in this case, cured ham with truffle mascarpone and marinated fig on toasted brioche.
It is an elegant little introduction, bringing together the richness of the truffle mascarpone with the sweetness of the fig and the savoury depth of the cured ham, while the toasted brioche adds a pleasing contrast in texture. It immediately sets the tone for an Afternoon Tea that takes familiar flavours and gives them a more considered, contemporary treatment.
Then comes the first of the three main courses: the savouries. A beautiful three-tier stand arrives filled with a selection of traditional Afternoon Tea finger sandwiches, each offering something quite different in flavour and texture. There is a Coronation Chicken sandwich with golden raisins and aromatic curry mayonnaise, bringing together gentle spice, creaminess and little bursts of sweetness. The cured smoked salmon is paired with horseradish crème fraîche, wild rocket and rye sourdough, adding freshness and a subtle pepperiness. There is also Cacklebean egg mayonnaise with mustard cress on soft white bread, alongside an English cucumber and elderflower combination, with elderflower-pickled shallots and cultured cream cheese.
I particularly enjoyed the way the sandwiches move between soft, creamy and delicate textures, with the different breads and fresh garnishes adding contrast. They remain recognisably traditional Afternoon Tea sandwiches, but the ingredients have been carefully chosen to give each one its own personality.
No Afternoon Tea would be complete without scones, and the Café Royal version continues the literary theme with The Bloomsbury Scone: a Victorian-style raisin scone served with traditional strawberry preserve and seasonal fig jam. The combination of the warm, softly crumbed scone with the sweetness of the preserves makes this the comforting heart of the Afternoon Tea. The fig jam is particularly fitting for the autumnal feel of the menu, adding a richer, fruitier note alongside the more familiar strawberry preserve.
And then comes the part that really brings the concept to life. Rather than simply adding a literary name to a conventional menu, Hotel Café Royal has created pâtisserie that actually tells a story. The concept draws on three writers who have a genuine connection with Café Royal: Oscar Wilde, Virginia Woolf and John le Carré. Each has inspired one of the signature sweet creations, transforming their literary worlds into something edible.
Virginia Woolf's influence can be seen in Mrs Dalloway's Hat, inspired by the world of Mrs Dalloway. The delicate creation combines vanilla sablé with hazelnut mousse, orange marmalade and nut praline.
Oscar Wilde's Dorian's Gilded Mirror takes inspiration from The Picture of Dorian Gray, with honey mousse, spiced plum, almond sponge, plum glaze and chocolate. It is an especially beautiful combination of textures, moving from light mousse to sponge and richer chocolate elements.
Then there is The Secret Letter, inspired by John le Carré and the world of espionage. Earl Grey tea mousse, Pink Lady apple compote and cheesecake sablé bring together fragrant tea notes, fresh fruit and a delicate biscuit base.
There is something wonderfully clever about being able to look at each dessert and understand the story behind it before even taking the first bite.
Even the details around the experience continue the literary theme. The menu features the outline of a book embossed into the design, a subtle touch that ties the experience together without feeling overdone. It is these little details that make the concept feel considered from beginning to end.
And of course, the literary theme is particularly fitting given Café Royal's history. The hotel wasn't simply chosen as a setting for a literary Afternoon Tea – literature is already woven into the story of the building itself. The Detection Club, founded in 1930, brought together some of Britain's most famous crime writers at Café Royal, including Agatha Christie, P.D. James, Ruth Rendell and John le Carré.
And just when you might think you've reached the end, there is one final creation: the sharing cake. Made to resemble three books, the cake brings together the three literary worlds that have inspired the Afternoon Tea. It is a particularly lovely way to finish because, by this point, you are likely to be feeling very full after the sandwiches, scones and individual pâtisserie.
Rather than another small individual dessert, the sharing cake is rich and decadent enough to enjoy together and, if you simply cannot manage another bite, it is the sort of thoughtful finishing touch that you can take home and enjoy later. It makes the experience feel generous as well as indulgent.
Of course, no Afternoon Tea is complete without tea, and there is an extensive selection to choose from, giving you plenty of opportunity to find something to complement the different stages of the menu.
With a live pianist adding to the atmosphere, it is the sort of experience that encourages you to slow down rather than rush through each course. The literary theme never feels like a gimmick. It has been thoughtfully woven into the history of the hotel, the presentation, the menus and, most importantly, the pâtisserie itself.
From the gilded surroundings of the historic Café Royal Grill to the three-tiered stands of sandwiches and sweets, the warm canapé, Victorian-inspired scones and beautifully detailed book-inspired cakes, this is an Afternoon Tea that feels rooted in tradition while still offering something genuinely different.
