Last summer, I had the opportunity to study abroad at the Condé Nast College of Fashion and Design in London. This experience was truly something that only dreams are made of, and anyone who knows me personally has heard me rant about it endlessly ever since I came back. During my stay across the pond, I had the opportunity to experience a lot of what this beautiful city had to offer whenever I had some time off from school. It is noteworthy to mention that this free time was sponsored by an unhealthy caffeine addiction since we were in school all day Monday-Friday. No, this isn’t a Starbucks #ad but it definitely should be.
Anyways, one of my favorite parts of my time in England was getting to experience afternoon high tea. To an American, this experience is quintessentially British and unbearably exciting; or at least that’s what high tea is to me. In no way am I being dramatic when I say this: I truly have been waiting my entire life to sip tea and eat little sandwiches in England. This meant that it was naturally daunting for me to try to find the perfect way to actualize my childhood dreams, especially being that I am a vegan.
So to all of you out there, dietary restrictions or not, I am here to tell you that the place you absolutely need to have high tea at is at The Ritz London. I tried other afternoon teas while abroad and I am happy to say that they were very accommodating to my dietary restrictions. However, I could not be more thankful that my research paid off and I spent my 21st birthday afternoon drinking English Breakfast tea in The Ritz’s Piccadilly hotel.
There are many different afternoon high tea opportunities throughout London that provide quirky updates or modern food takes, but The Ritz’s afternoon tea embodies the tradition and elegance envisioned by little girls and their dolls everywhere. If you don’t think that afternoon tea is for you, or don’t really know what it is, definitely read this brief description on the history of it all. It’s an experience that is even fun for people who don’t like tea, but I mean who doesn’t like tea?
You can have your tea at The Ritz as a celebration with cake and/or champagne as I did, or you can have it without! If you do have any dietary restrictions, know that you should make them aware of it beforehand when making your reservation as they are so incredibly accommodating. They quite literally made the vegan desserts and birthday cake of my dreams.
Also, be sure to book your tea months in advance because it surely fills up due to popularity. If you are flexible with your dates, or perhaps are planning on going during a less busy time of year for London, it should not be too much of a struggle. However, my getting a peak afternoon slot on a Saturday in July was basically like the hunger games. Visit The Ritz London website here and book your afternoon high tea reservation here.