Ummmm. I feel as if this blog is unintentionally turning into a reflection of London afternoon teas. You might think I’m obsessed with them, but I simply enjoy the experience and it’s a delightful alternative to lunch / brunch at times. 

What’s more, I was always interested in trying novel afternoon teas and this Chinese Afternoon Tea at Michelin star restaurant Kai, was on my bucket list. A couple of years ago I visited Kai for dinner (I still recall having the best Crème Brûlée in London here) so it was nice to be back for a different occasion; I’m not sure why, but it definitely felt more special the second time round (might be because my first visit was during postpartum and I was somewhat ‘out of it’ to say the least)!

Despite being a quaint restaurant tucked away on a rather quiet street of Mayfair, it still manages to create an elevated, intimate feel. Upon arriving the table was set up just as unique as before; bright coloured birds clipped onto the napkin rings, pastel, oriental influenced crockery, quirky centerpieces and this time even a red apple on each seat with a note to share the significance of the fruit during such an auspicious year. 

Like with the Indian afternoon tea at The Taj (now there’s another tea post pending!) the Chinese afternoon tea was substantial and filling; it’s not sandwiches and pastries, but actual wholesome treats such as mini bao buns, miso soup - a nod to some of the most loved Chinese dishes reimagined for high tea. And they were delicious.

I loved that it was child friendly too; I took my two year old and nine month old with me so unsurprisingly spent most of my time running around the table. But the staff were patient, kind and accommodating making you feel at ease. 

And let's not kid ourselves, anything with a ‘child-friendly’ label comes with the assumption that the experience must be somewhat compromised. Nothing could be further from the truth here; it was an indulgent, beautiful, luxury afternoon tea, just…with the babies!

It can also be really tricky to ascertain whether you should visit novel afternoon tea experiences as many can be lackluster, this definitely isn’t one of them and I highly recommend it. It’s also one of the lesser known dining experiences and incredibly underrated.

The space certainly is not as grande as many other luxury afternoon teas, especially those held by five star hotels, but the quality, value and experience is just as special, perhaps…even better.

Culinary insights