When you think of afternoon tea, you probably picture taking someone you love, like your mum, your sister, your best friend and settling in for a leisurely afternoon of delicate sandwiches, beautifully crafted cakes and, of course, a glass of fizz or two… But why should grown-ups have all the fun? Our little ones deserve their own afternoon tea adventures too, and when I heard that Dalloway Terrace was offering a Secret Garden Afternoon Tea for children, I jumped at the chance to introduce my three-year-old to something I absolutely love. I had a feeling he was going to love it just as much as I do.
Dalloway terrace, part of The Bloomsbury hotel is absolutely stunning, it’s known for it’s spectacular florals and quintessentially British charm blooms, a botanical setting like no other, I’ve been lucky to visit a few times and every time I visit I'm blown away, it really does feel like a treat.
The Secret Garden Afternoon Tea, priced at a reasonable £30 per child, has been designed especially with little guests in mind. Inspired by the much-loved children’s classic The Secret Garden, it’s the perfect size for smaller appetites while still feeling every bit as special as the grown-up experience. And the details are adorable. There’s a chocolate flower pot served in a tiny terracotta pot, a shortbread key and Mary’s Victoria sponge, all adding to the secret-garden theme. Children also receive an activity book and coloured pencils on arrival, giving them something to enjoy while they wait for their treats to arrive. The savoury selection includes classic finger sandwiches filled with cucumber, free-range egg mayonnaise and Emmental, all served on soft white bread. Then come the sultana and vanilla scones, accompanied by Cornish clotted cream and seasonal preserve.
Right next to Dalloway Terrace is the Coral Room, equally as gorgeous and impressive, we entered through The Coral room, once inside it’s hard not to stop and marvel at the decor. The Coral room was pretty quiet and more spacious, and I thought being seated here would give him enough room to wiggle around when the excitement inevitably became too much for one chair. The staff were incredible in accommodating and seating us on a big table in The Coral Room.
Our waiter greeted us with a big smile and immediately brought over the complimentary activity book and coloured pencils, my son’s eyes lit up and within seconds, he was happily drawing away while I settled in with a glass of champagne and a matcha latte.
Once the eye-catching cake tiers arrived my son perked up and started eyeing up the cakes I managed to get him to try the delicate finger sandwiches first, he enjoyed the cucumber and free-range egg mayonnaise sandwich and before I could persuade him to try another he jumped up and asked for the chocolate flower pot served in a terracotta pot, I must say it certainly was a piece of art, beautiful crafted and almost too good to want to break in and devour it. Luckily for my son, he didn’t share the same thoughts and tucked in the minute it hit his plate. It was chocolatey and indulgent, it was a huge hit.
The shortbread key was a little sparkle of joy and that was picked up next, by this point I was totally winning mum points! Next up were the warm scones, and watching a three-year-old proudly apply his own jam and cream on his scones, was almost as enjoyable as watching him eat them. The scones were buttery, soft and exactly what you want from a traditional afternoon tea. The afternoon tea also comes with a little silver pan with mini carrots and cucumber sticks which was a welcome surprise, as much as you want the experience to be enjoyable with all the sweet treats, if there is a way to sneak in some vegetables, that’s the real bonus!
The dining experience was exceptional, from the moment we arrived, my son was treated like a very important little guest. The activity book immediately captured his attention, the food felt exciting and special, and the whole experience was relaxed enough for my three-year-old to enjoy. He talked about his little chocolate flower pot long after we’d left, which I think says everything.
Available everyday from 12pm to 4pm.
For more information and to book, click here.
Words and photography by Nyla Sammons
