Mad Hatter's Afternoon Tea at the Sanderson Hotel

As a 'twixmas' meet-up, my friends and I decided to go out for afternoon tea. I had done lots of research on the best afternoon teas in London (I had no idea there were so many!) and found a fantastic sounding Mad Hatter's Afternoon tea at the Sanderson hotel, just off Oxford Street. I booked a table and was glad that I did, as the traditional time of around 4 o'clock was completely booked up. I would definitely recommend booking if you are planning on attending afternoon tea anywhere, as this gives you the opportunity to let them know if you have any special requirements, like a birthday or a particular celebration.

When we arrived we were seated on a high table on stools with a view into the courtyard with a large fountain. Some people were sat outside in marquees with patio heaters having their afternoon tea, however I think being inside definitely had its benefits, as it wasn't long after Christmas! Once we were seated, the waiter arrived with a selection of teas to cheese from. The loose leaves were contained in small glass bottles with labels, and you were asked to smell them to make your tea choice. I chose peppermint and dark chocolate, however the other flavours sounded equally delicious with strawberry and cream and rhubarb and custard. 

Playful and beautiful crockery

The menu for the tea was displayed in a vintage book, and the sugar cubes were kept in a music box with a rotating ballerina that tinkled and played a song when it was opened. The tea arrived in a large teapot with a paper crown, and the beautiful crockery set it off perfectly. Next, the sandwiches and three tier cake stand arrived filled with all sorts of delicious goodies, and we spent a fantastic couple of hours exploring all of the different layers and devouring all of the delicious items.

The menu hidden in a vintage book

The 'Drink me' Potion: A mixture of passion fruit, mango and tropical flavours

Bottom Tier: The 'Drink 'Me' potion, dark chocolate edible cups with white chocolate and green tea mousse, savoury olive scones with herb butter and sweet scones with a hint of cinnamon with clotted cream and strawberry jam

Middle Tier: Victoria Sponge 'Clock' cakes and mango cheesecake served in a white chocolate curve

Top Tier: Marshmallow mushrooms and meringue carrots hidden in a teacup amongst green shoots

Savoury: Sandwiches and quiche of the day. My favourite was the smoked salmon and cream cheese on lime bread, absolutely delicious!

This was a fantastic place to go and experience afternoon tea. Not only was it an unusual and stunning concept, but you never felt rushed or uncomfortable. You were allowed to order unlimited tea, sandwiches and sweet scones, and nothing was too much trouble for any of the staff. The dress code was smart casual with groups of girls like us, families and even big birthdays catered for. The atmosphere was lovely and I would highly recommend it for any occasion you could think of. I'm already thinking of planning another trip...!