The TOP 10 afternoon teas you can’t miss

Afternoon tea "originated" in China? You read that right. Several centuries ago, the East India Company shipped the first batch of Keemun black tea back to the British Isles, allowing them to come into close contact with traditional Western pastries. From then on, the ladies and gentlemen of the leisure class in Britain had something sacred to do at three or five o'clock in the afternoon. Nowadays, afternoon tea culture is becoming increasingly popular in China. For those who pay attention to food and dining environment, afternoon tea is indeed a good choice for relaxation. During the upcoming New Year holiday, you may want to explore the special afternoon teas of these ten hotels.

The most authentic British royal style:

The afternoon tea at The Peninsula Beijing Wangfu is rooted in the traditional British culture. Take The Peninsula Hong Kong as an example. There are long queues of fans every day, rain or shine for decades. This is not easy for Hong Kong people who value time like gold. The Queen of England also had afternoon tea there during her visit to Hong Kong, which shows its charm.

The Peninsula Beijing Wangfu Hotel, located in Jinyu Hutong, was once the residence of Prince Gong and Li Hongzhang. The Peninsula Beijing Wangfu Hotel is by no means lacking in royal aura. The afternoon tea here also inherits the "Peninsula quality". It is both powerful and famous, and keeps pace with the times. It will launch corresponding festival themes according to different festivals. Some loyal fans will even carefully note down the changes in the fillings of the finger sandwiches: smoked salmon, vanilla grilled vegetables, chicken and parsley rye... But the unchanging classic is the waffle, paired with homemade orange or strawberry jam, and some Peninsula-style solid cream, which can definitely appease all picky tastes. During the New Year holidays, you can also enjoy the rich-tasting Peninsula Detz champagne - in the UK, this kind of afternoon tea is called Royal Tea.

The most imperial temperament:

Beijing China World Hotel is close to Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, Chang'an Avenue, the central axis... When the weather is good, you can even see the dragon vein of the Western Hills. The only place that can provide afternoon tea with these conditions is the lounge on the 80th floor of Beijing's tallest building - China World Hotel.

The afternoon tea produced here is called "Forbidden City" and "Cloud Peak". The top layer is focused: raspberry scones, raisin scones, and pistachio scones, laying the foundation; the dessert layer in the middle is intended to be rich and varied: lime strawberry mousse cups, assorted fresh fruit tarts, mango, vanilla, strawberry ice cream, passion fruit cheese chocolate cake, raspberry cream puffs... demonstrating strength; and the savory snacks at the bottom layer are reminiscent of the Manchu Han banquet - not only in terms of richness, but also in its luxurious combination of Chinese and Western styles: lily, snow fungus and mushroom rolls, Japanese grilled eel with wasabi mayonnaise, foie gras mousse with butter bread and fresh jam, seared tuna with Italian pickled cucumbers, and Thai marinated beef salad. In addition to black tea and coffee, the tea here also has a museum-like collection of precious Chinese teas: 2000 Collection of Raw Pu'er, 1998 Collection of Ripe Pu'er, Mingqian Shifeng Longjing, Guanyin Competition King, High Mountain Oolong Tea, Wuyishan Dahongpao and other choices.

The First Lady's Hotel:

Located in the Liangmaqiao area, where a number of five-star hotels and embassies in China, including the US Embassy, ​​are located, the Westin Beijing Jinmao Hotel is like a moon surrounded by stars - otherwise why would the US First Lady Michelle Obama specify that she would stay here every time she visits China?

The Westin Beijing Jinmao is famous for its almost "no shortcomings". The afternoon tea in the lobby bar here is both "elegant" and "personalized and surprising". The three-tiered afternoon tea stand includes traditional English scones, cheesecakes, opera cakes, mini sandwiches and fresh fruit slices. Compared to the regular English afternoon tea, the "personality" here is reflected in the most popular green tea puffs. This is also very much like the American origin of this hotel - rooted in English culture, perfectly combining tradition and modernity.

The art of taking a break:

Fairmont Beijing Hotel opened an art hotel in the fast-paced CBD, which is a very learned thing in itself. Enjoying afternoon tea here is even more of an art of taking a break from the busy schedule. The chefs here are well versed in this art. Mr. Song, the head of the hotel's bakery, is the first generation of pastry chefs in Beijing after the reform and opening up. He is known as a "cake maniac" and particularly loves French desserts. With such a spirit, it is only natural to conquer the hearts and stomachs of our guests in the shortest time possible.

The savory side includes ham and cheese, smoked salmon, egg salad sandwich, grilled vegetable sandwich, each with its own strengths. For dessert, in addition to the classic English muffins with cream and strawberry jam, as well as fruit jelly, as mentioned earlier, the French desserts here are rare masterpieces in afternoon tea in hotels in Beijing and even in China - the most outstanding ones, in addition to handmade chocolate, are the super-famous macarons. As for the specific super method, you will know after trying it.

Afternoon Tea In CHINA Roots-Seeking Tour:

The true history of the Chinese hotel industry at The Astor Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Tianjin dates back to 1863. That year, the British built a hotel called Astoria in the British Concession in Tianjin. Since then, the history of English afternoon tea has also taken root in China. From Mr. Sun Yat-sen to US President Hoover, from the last emperor Puyi and Empress Wanrong to General Zhang Xueliang and Miss Zhao Yidi, all have enjoyed afternoon tea here.

Starting with the off-white patterned Narumi bone china tea set and the steel plate stand, everything is of authentic British aristocratic standard. In addition to traditional British scones paired with silky strawberry jam and imported whipped cream, melt-in-your-mouth cheesecake, and fruity mousse cake, what you can't miss is the Astor chocolate that was grown in China but has a century-old heritage. Its crisp taste and rich cocoa aroma make this taste buds' adventure complete. Of course, the star of the savory section is also not to be missed - the fresh prawn sandwich.

The most fantastic fairy tale:

Shanghai Hengshan Mahler Villa Hotel is located in Mahler Villa, which is almost the geographical center of Shanghai city. It was the best weapon for Shanghai people to argue when they heard their parents say "Look at other people's children" in their childhood. In 1927, Mahler, a British-Jewish businessman who settled in Shanghai, commissioned the then famous Huagai Architectural Office to design and build this private garden villa, just because his little daughter dreamed of a fairy-tale castle. It took 9 years to complete. It is indeed a model of "Look at other people's fathers". The Mahler family left China forever, but they could not take this dream castle with them. The living room that once served as a place for the Mahler family to enjoy their family life is now used for afternoon tea again. The optical design of the stained glass in the living room is as exquisite as that of a church, allowing the most beautiful time here to start on time at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. At the same time, the time machine for Shanghai's old-timers and young rich people to pursue their dreams of prosperity on the sea is also opened: the porcelain plates and silver teapots are both authentic Belle Époque style. Macarons and cheesecakes are considered too sweet by many new nobles who grew up under the red flag, but they are actually the original flavors before 1949.

The best balance of grandeur and refinement:

Apart from Beijing, Nanjing, which also has its name in the Jing generation, also has a proud central axis - the Central Road-Zhongshan Road line. The Westin Nanjing is located right beside this line where French plane trees stand guard like guards. The greater luxury is that the two most majestic places in Jinling, Purple Mountain and Xuanwu Lake, are right within your excellent sight range. You can look down from a high vantage point and enjoy it. As the hometown of Beijing and Suzhou cuisine and Jinling snacks, Nanjing is a city famous for its picky taste. In addition to the excellent view, the afternoon tea at the Westin Nanjing also wins people's hearts with its extensive and exquisite taste. In the afternoon in Jiangnan, in the warm and relaxing Westin lobby bar, in addition to traditional bagels, scones and rich and flavorful new-style sandwiches, sweet and thick macarons, brownies, blueberry tarts, there are also exquisite handmade chocolates, biscuits paired with Jing tea and coffee, and cupcakes are the most tempting feature here.

Leisure at 400 meters above sea level:

The St. Regis Shenzhen is the tallest hotel in mainland China for afternoon tea - the Leisure Lounge on the 96th floor of the St. Regis Shenzhen. Looking out from the 8-meter-high windows, one side is the prosperous scenery of the Special Administrative Region; on the other side is the mangrove forest, the only large-scale nature reserve in Hong Kong, where every inch of land is valuable. The intersection of mountains and water is breathtaking. Even if the real purpose is not the wine but the scenery, the success or failure of an afternoon tea still depends on the product. More than 40 kinds of tea wine showcase China's 5,000-year-old tea culture, and each of the many tea snacks is like a piece of meticulously crafted art, making people linger in the elegance and even reluctant to taste them. From low-calorie and healthy vegetable rolls to fresh, tender and smooth salmon sauce tarts, from colorful macarons to exquisitely shaped strawberry cheese cups, everything exudes the wonderful freedom of stealing a half-day of leisure from life. Also worth mentioning is the jazz music here, which forms a perfect afternoon symphony with the fragrance of tea.

The days in the clouds also bring the best of the Pearl River:

Although the afternoon tea at Four Seasons Hotel Guangzhou is arranged in the lobby bar on the 70th floor, which is not the tallest in China, the Guangzhou International Finance Center where it is located is the ninth tallest in the world with 103 floors, and it belongs to the Four Seasons family, the most luxurious of luxury hotels. Having afternoon tea here is the ultimate luxury. This is the "heart" of the new Guangzhou, and it enjoys the most beautiful scenery of the Pearl River, the mother river of Lingnan. Here’s a tip: Tables 15 and 16 have the best sightlines, so once you decide to go, make sure to book as early as possible. Since “food is in Guangzhou”, even the most high-end afternoon tea will hardly win people’s hearts if it only relies on gimmicks. In addition to the traditional three-layer 11-piece dim sum in the classic set, there are also some dim sum that the waiter will bring to you on a cart and you can order them individually. The quality is just as good and the price is not as expensive as you think. As for the dozen or so kinds of tea included in the set meal, if you are trying it for the first time, you might as well choose one of the several kinds of fruit tea with unique secret recipes.

A slow-living paradise in the city:

The pace of life of modern people is getting faster and faster. Chengdu is the best destination for the bourgeoisie who desire a slow life but are reluctant to give up the bustling city. The hotel lobby bar, which serves afternoon tea, is designed with inspiration from the ancient Shu Jinsha civilization, with precious jade blocks everywhere. Mr. Cai, the head pastry chef, was once a major contributor to the preparation and opening of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Dubai Financial Center. In addition to the traditional British pastries, egg salad with caviar sandwiches, lemon meringue puffs, and mango pudding are all considered the best of Western afternoon tea. During festivals, creativity is added here - for example, in May, which is Mother's Day, the pastries are made into the shapes of women's bags and high heels. These complement the highly stylish table flower arrangements and lighting designs, turning the mundane affairs of eating and drinking in this urban capital into a brilliant art form.