Quite possibly the best afternoon tea I’ve ever had, The Dior Couture Collection Prêt-à-Portea at The Berkeley was one of the most special, and unique dining experiences I’ve enjoyed so far. I’ve been here before for their Fashionista Afternoon Tea a couple of years ago, and it was nice to see that The Berkeley are still leading the way with their afternoon tea experiences.
It’s obviously no secret I’m a huge Dior lover, and so I couldn’t contain my excitement when I found out the latest line up to their fashion themed afternoon teas was inspired by Christian Dior. Afternoon tea here is priced at £60 per person, or £70 to include a glass of Laurent Perrier, or a signature mocktail. Now yes, this is slightly pricier than your average afternoon tea, but my gosh is it worth it…
The second you walk through the door into The Collins Room, you’re treat like royalty – honestly, the service is second to none, and it’s easy to see why this special treat is so popular. Teas, coffees and hot chocolates are unlimited; and as soon as you’ve finished one, the waiters are there ready to take your next order – this in itself justified the price for me – the hot chocolates were something you’d expect to pay on average about £12 each for in a London cafe, and I mean let’s just take a look at the Dior embossed coffees… Need I say any more?
Service starts with your drinks, then shortly afterwards you’re presented with a platter of sandwiches and savouries that took us quite a while to get through! You really do get your moneys worth here and you’re never left wanting for anything. The sandwich menu consisted of:
Roast corn fed chicken, truffle celeriac remoulade, lettuce, and thyme cress on onion bread;
Pastrami, light blue cream cheese, sauerkraut, gherkin and rocket on brown bread;
Smoked salmon, shallot soya mirin butter, daikon, and nasturtium leaves on rye bread;
Heritage Copper Maran hen’s mayonnaise, beef heart tomatoes, and mustard cress on brioche bread;
Heirloom beetroots, horseradish scented feta, and watercress on tomato bread;
and aromatic cottage cheese, baked courgettes, peppers, artichokes and baby spinach on seven grains bread.
Now I’ll usually comment on my afternoon tea reviews about which were my particular favourites, but this time, I didn’t have one – they were all honestly equally as amazing as each other.
Then the savoury dishes in the middle were made up of:
Baked camembert brioche, spiced Victoria Plum jam, and Manchego cheese;
Parsnip cream, crispy chicken skins, Jerusalem artichokes, truffle walnut puree, and foraged herbs;
and seared tuna, hibiscus and cep tea, tapioca and marinated root vegetables.
Then, it’s time for the main event… the platter of Dior themed cakes and biscuits and from the top down we have:
Rose pink Miss Dior eau de Parfum lychee and raspberry cake topped with lychee pate de fruit, and a chic oversized bow
The Muget pavlova and raspberry jam cake dress, with Madagascar vanilla chantilly, coconut marshmallow, and an elegant white sugar bow (this was outstanding);
Miss Dior floral Dulcey mousse dress, with a Berriolette centre set on sable Breton and crowned with a violet edible flower;
Evening Junon gown fromage blanc and cassis jelly, encased with scallops of white chocolate sprinkled with edible glitter;
The iconic Bar jacket chocolate biscuit, iced with light cream royal icing;
This seasons must have J’adior slingback pump vanilla biscuit with royal icing, and finished with an edible sugar ribbon;
The Lady Dior Handbag that was gifted to Princess Diana by France’s first lady Bernadette Chirac. Sandwiched with strawberry ganache and iced with red chocolate miroir.
Guys honestly, if you’re in London and are an afternoon tea and fashion lover, this experience is a must. It’s worth every penny, and it’s something I’ll never forget. I’m so pleased I booked in for this, and I can’t wait to see what afternoon tea experience The Berkeley introduce next.
The Berkeley: Wilton Pl, Knightsbridge, London SW1X 7RL
