Le Café Louis Vuitton launched a new afternoon tea at its flagship store in New York City on the upper east side.
As someone who was born and raised in New York City, I’ve always wanted to dine inside of the Louis Vuitton store but never had the chance. When I found out Le Cafè Louis Vuitton started offering afternoon tea at their New York City flagship store I knew I had to check it out.
When I walked in I was directed to the fourth floor of the store via escalator passing by larger than life displays of Louis Vuitton bags until I reached the check in desk. After I put my name down, I was escorted into the dining room which has an artsy, upscale vibe with warm pops of orange, over 600 books picked by editor Ian Luna and detailed artwork.
Le Café Louis Vuitton was created to have guests feel immersed in the culture and brand itself while serving up high quality cuisine. The menu for the afternoon tea was developed by TK.
In terms of the tea set up itself, the table was very nice with an orange place setting with small Louis Vuitton branded plates. When I sat down, I was instantly greeted by a pleasant server who went over the menu with me and asked for my tea order.
I decided to get the carrot which was unique and unlike anything I’ve ever had before but I loved it — very calming and tasty.
Shortly after, the tea tray was brought over to the table and that consisted of pastries, finger sandwiches and a marble loaf on the bottom. Unlike most afternoon teas I’ve done, this one didn’t come with biscuits or scones, but instead a tiny bread basket. I was a bit confused because the online menu said they have blueberry scones but maybe they ran out.
Le Café Louis Vuitton Afternoon Tea Menu:
The top level of the tea stand had delicate pastries:
- Cocoa tart
- Pavolva
- Marbled cassis
- Mini hazelnut entremet
- Mini vanilla entremet
The second level and the additional plate had finger sandwiches:
- Lobster roll
- Black truffle egg salad
- CucumberChicken sandwich
- Smoked salmon caviar
The lower level had another pastry:
- Chocolate and vanilla marble pound cake
I’ve done several teas and the food at this tea was my favorite from any I’ve done so far. Everything was so well crafted and the presentation with the logos added to the overall “it” factor. My top bites were the black truffle egg salad and the mini hazelnut entremet although the pound cake at the bottom was my ultimate favorite.
As for the tea menu itself, it was definitely more limited compared to other high teas I’ve done.
Normally I’d say $110 for an afternoon tea is pretty steep, however, given the location and the exclusivity of Le Cafe Louis Vuitton, I think it’s worth it. Would I do it every week? Absolutely not, but it’s definitely a nice treat if you’re looking for an elevated experience.
Although it was a luxury experience, it wasn’t overly stuffy and the atmosphere was still very much lively with not an empty table in sight and people chatting extensively which was refreshing. The space could accommodate parties of varying sizes so whether your two, four, or six, there was plenty of space.
The real question comes down to whether or not you can get a table. While I was waiting by the hostess stand I heard her tell another patron that reservations were completely booked out through the end of May. That said, there is a waitlist if you come early enough but that was also filled too.
Overall, I’d highly recommend the afternoon tea at Le Café Louis Vuitton to anyone looking for a lavish experience in New York City.
