Afternoon Tea at Ting Shangri-La London

Afternoon Tea at Ting Restaurant at the Shangri-La London features a delicious replica of The Shard.

This is an Afternoon Tea experience that ticks a lot of boxes for anyone either living in or visiting London, as I will demonstrate.

Firstly, you may (especially if you’re Australian) like to know, what is The Shard?

Described as ‘an icon of modern London’, this iconic development rises like a shard of glass out of London, offering unrivalled views across the city to those inside. It comprises offices, residences, restaurants and public spaces, and even includes the hotel Shangri-La The Shard London, which offers dining experiences to both hotel guests and members of the public.

 

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Before we were welcomed to our seats and had our coats taken, my guest and I marvelled at the 360-degree views from level 35. From the lobby and reception space, the panorama boasts The London Eye and St Paul’s Cathedral. From our table at Afternoon Tea in Ting Restaurant, we looked out onto The River Thames wending its way up to Canary Wharf. The view of Tower Bridge from our table was awe-inspiring, particularly later in the day as a magical blue twilight set in, and as the lights of the capital began to glow.

We began with the ‘Winter Tea’, (blackcurrant, lemon juice, sugar) an appetiser which set the festive tone perfectly with its light and delicate flavours.

Our wonderful host served us two flutes of Veuve Clicquot Champagne. We enjoyed these while taking in the vista.

I will review the finger sandwiches first.

Coronation Chicken with Raisin, Madras Curry and Caramelised Onion: this was a delicious combination of flavours, and the highlight for me.

Truffle, Egg & Cress: another highlight, very moreish, beautiful texture and flavour.

Smoked Salmon and Cucumber: the salmon was mild and tasted fresh and was paired perfectly with fresh cucumber and fluffy white bread.

Roast Beef: hit the spot, yet detracting somewhat was (what my guest and I believed to be) whipped butter coming through quite strongly.

Chicken and Duck Liver with Maraschino Cherry and Cherry Gel: this was served on a very light cracker, and while my guest absolutely loved the intense flavour, the airy texture and intensity of the duck liver wasn’t for me.

Celeriac Burger: this was chopped celery in a brioche bun with black garlic confit, and another divisive savoury due to the intense and of course slightly bitter celery component, so while I thought it was interesting (but not really ‘my thing’), my guest loved it.

Marble Cake: classified under ‘savouries’ on the menu, this candied orange cake came on its own after the tea stand was brought out, with chocolate ‘surprises’ within, and was absolutely delicious in its moist sweetness. It was also delightfully fluffy and presented very beautifully.

The scones came out after we had enjoyed the savouries. I enjoyed a plain scone with jam and clotted cream, which was pleasant but could have been a little fluffier, in my opinion.

The Frozen Sphere: containing green shiso mousse, grapefruit and black pepper, this blue ball of sweetness was adorned with a snowflake and tasted even better than it looked (and it looked beautiful!); both my guest and I decided that this delighted our palates the most.

Mont Blanc: this blackcurrant and chestnut mousse cake was superb; like the sphere, it delighted the palate with a beautiful, light consistency which is entirely appropriate for diners who have just enjoyed sandwiches and savouries, and do not want to eat rich sweets.

Pistachio Delight: with a cake consistency but of a light texture (not nutty and thick) it was another triumph for Ting Restaurant’s enormously talented chefs, with an intriguing flavour.

‘The Shard’ Apple Crumble: a particularly festive component of the Afternoon Tea, the replica of the building we were sitting in was actually brought out right at the beginning of the experience, so that we could enjoy some theatre before we ate. ‘Dry ice’ caused what looked like steam to spread out across the table, away from the edible replica. I have a weakness for cinnamon, and although I had eaten a great deal at this point, the taste of this dessert truly wowed me.

Alongside dessert, I enjoyed a mint tea infusion which had delightful hints of lemongrass.

On a side note, the Ladies restroom offered a truly glamorous experience, including heated toilet seats, beautiful views out to London, and gorgeous mirrors.

The view from The Shard, London combined with Shangri-La’s signature charming, warm hospitality made Afternoon Tea at Ting Restaurant not only a wonderful dining experience, but a very memorable day out. I can’t think of a better way to catch up with friends in London, and I was truly wowed by the details.

Delicious food (tick)
Warm service (tick)
A sense of occasion (tick, mostly thanks to the views)
Luxurious touches (tick)
Theatre (tick, the dry ice)

A final comment: let every restaurant adopt handbag stools!

Bees in Bloom Afternoon Tea

The Winter Skyline Afternoon Tea (reviewed above) was available until the 11th of February 2024. From the 12th of February 2024  the Bees in Bloom Afternoon Tea is available at TĪNG Restaurant and Lounge. Served on a stand adorned with golden bees and whimsical wildflowers, guests can savour a limited-edition afternoon tea, especially designed for the collaboration and infused with local honey from Bermondsey Bees. The Bees in Bloom Afternoon Tea is priced at £79 per person, or £89 per person with Champagne. Vegan and vegetarian options are available upon request.

 

Afternoon Tea London – find more experiences
in our High Tea Venue Directory