Hello,
Sorry to post an afternoon tea question again! But I have a slightly different question from what I've seen here before so I thought it worth posting. Our family of 4 will be visiting London this summer. While there my son will turn 9 - so as a special treat for his birthday I would like to take him for afternoon tea. He loves Enid Blyton books and would like to have afternoon tea like the children in those books. He is not interested in the drinking tea part but more in the eating. Which would be a good place for this? All four of us couldn't care less about drinking tea but would like to go to a place where there are good, plentiful snacks (scones, pastries etc.) and sandwiches.
Thanks!

Fortnum & Mason would be a good place; they do a very good afternoon tea, and for a real celebration you could finish up with ice cream at the fountain.

You might also consider Harrod's.

Fortnums is cheap and easy.

I'd be interested to hear your opinion of the unabridged Enid Blyton texts with frequent racist references "that horrid black man..the big ugly black man... etcetera" she wasn't all sweet dear.

We found Harrod's eating establishments as expensive, touristy and overrated.
Just for these and if it were me, I'd go along with the Fortnum suggestion even though I have no clue as to the offerings at Fortnum.

Damn. After all these years, now I feel sort of betrayed in my wholesome concept of Enid Blyton's books.

m_kingdom2, I think the books my kids have read have been sanitized but undoubtedly there are racist undertones (even against the French in some books).

I couldn't find any useful info at Fortnum's website. Any idea, how much it costs? Can anybody relate their experience of having tea there?

Fortnums will offer a super knickerbockerglory which I'm sure your son will love, it's about fifteen pounds a head I'd imagine, not too pricey at all.

If you go to Fortnumn & Mason for tea, they have an absolutely heavenly cake called "Victoria sponge cake" - the most delicious cake I've ever eaten. Unfortunately they don't sell them in the bakery - I asked.

Sounds like Fortnums is the best choice then. Do we need to make reservations?

I wouldn't imagine one is needed, however, there is no harm in booking if you know where and when.

jand,

You can access the menus at Fortnum & Mason through their website: http://www.fortnumandmason.com/cgi-b...rants_Fountain

We also found it enjoyable to go to tea at the Orangery. It's a beautiful conservatory in Hyde Park. My sons got hot chocolate instead of tea.

Susan

Diasy,

You can easily put together a Victoria sponge--it's just a round sponge cake split in half and filled with jam and whipped cream. And it is indeed heavenly.

We've had afternoon tea at Fortnum's on a number of happy and delicious occasion. The standard tea is finger sandwiches (cucumber, egg salad, sometimes smoked salmon, ham, tomato on wheat), scones with clotted cream and jam, and an assortment of pastries and cakes. There might also have been bread and butter. As I recall, you can order additional items if you wish. It's a veritable feast.

Perhaps more Agatha Christie than Enid Blyton, my vote for afternoon tea goes to the Basil Street Hotel in Knightsbridge. Here's a website to visit for info about what is available both at the Basil and at other places. http://www.gofortea.com/hotels/188.htm

The Basil Street Hotel drawing room where tea is served is indeed Agatha Christie--perhaps even Dorothy Sayers. Probably not quite the thing for a child, I should imagine, but we certainly enjoyed the ambience.

We had afternoon tea at the St. James Restaurant at Fortnums about 4 years ago and it was about £18 then. It's a nice tea, restaurant-type atmosphere.

Fortnums also has another restaurant where you can have tea - it's called Fountains and the tea includes an ice cream sundae. This may appeal more to your son.

I was able to find some info on the teas on Fortnum & Mason's website - click on the Piccadilly Store, then restaurants. The .pdf menus for St. James Rest. weren't working, but the menus for the Fountains were.

All of the above are good. If you fancy something simpler, but still charming and full of history, go to Maison Berthau (sp?) just off Old Compton Street in Soho. It's a small place, with tables outside too. Nice cakes, paper napkins, non-matching pots and cups and saucers and is not at all touristy. It is not a major event, just a nice, London place to enjoy a cuppa.

Thanks everybody for the wonderful suggestions. I think I'll try out the Fountains at Fortnum's.

Have a lovely time, and Happy Birthday to your son. Any boy who hankers after afternoon tea deserves a big celebration!