Afternoon Tea at Wolseley in London
Jun 13th, 2009, 08:35 AM
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Afternoon Tea at Wolseley in London
Anyone had Afternoon Tea at The Wolseley recently? We are going to London in July and found it listed as a good place to go for Tea. It's less expensive than others.
Jun 13th, 2009, 10:46 PM
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You CERTAINLY don't need a jacket. And Britain doesn't have this weird American convinction that there's something odd about women wearing trousers, or about anyone wearing jeans.
The Wolseley's just a sensible restaurant. That means it doesn't ponce about with dress codes, since its job is to serve its customers, not lecture them. It's also a working restaurant: a place people eat at (normally in the course of business), not come to to make a statement.
Most people wear the uniform of their particular business: smart casual if they're hedge fund people, smart jeans if they're in one of those businesses that call themselves creative (or any of us after the theatre), or suits if they're journos interviewing politicians and are going on TV straight afterwards.
Scruff is unusual - but since we're all more interested in our companions than in you, no-one's going to worry if you're scruffy. The convention is simply to wear whatever YOU think appropriate to the rest of your day.
Much as the posturing idiots at the Ritz (and far too many ill-informed foreigners on this board) try to make it otherwise, London is a free city. Dress codes are what they do in the unfree world.
The Wolseley's just a sensible restaurant. That means it doesn't ponce about with dress codes, since its job is to serve its customers, not lecture them. It's also a working restaurant: a place people eat at (normally in the course of business), not come to to make a statement.
Most people wear the uniform of their particular business: smart casual if they're hedge fund people, smart jeans if they're in one of those businesses that call themselves creative (or any of us after the theatre), or suits if they're journos interviewing politicians and are going on TV straight afterwards.
Scruff is unusual - but since we're all more interested in our companions than in you, no-one's going to worry if you're scruffy. The convention is simply to wear whatever YOU think appropriate to the rest of your day.
Much as the posturing idiots at the Ritz (and far too many ill-informed foreigners on this board) try to make it otherwise, London is a free city. Dress codes are what they do in the unfree world.
Jun 14th, 2009, 02:43 AM
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flanneruk is spot-on about dress at the Wolseley. You see it all, from the all-black-and-shaved-head look to Saville Row suits, with khakis and open-necked shirts in between. But note the repeated use of the word "smart".
And I might dispute the phrase "since we are all more interested in our companions than you" is not necessarily the case at a place like the Wolseley where the likely presence of celebrities (along with hedge fund and creative types and many ordinary people)is something of a draw for many. If you are a celebrity, expect considerable discreet interest. But you don't have to worry about people coming up to ask for your autograph or to have their picture taken with you. The management tries to make even celebrities comfortable.
And I might dispute the phrase "since we are all more interested in our companions than you" is not necessarily the case at a place like the Wolseley where the likely presence of celebrities (along with hedge fund and creative types and many ordinary people)is something of a draw for many. If you are a celebrity, expect considerable discreet interest. But you don't have to worry about people coming up to ask for your autograph or to have their picture taken with you. The management tries to make even celebrities comfortable.
Jun 14th, 2009, 06:20 AM
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I saw a lot more women in England last week wearing dresses than you'd see in my own home town, by the way. Cute sundresses everywhere. I dare dispute flanner on this one point.
At breakfast at the Wolseley last week almost every man was in, yes, smart business dress, and most of the women. Presumably getting fueled up before going out to restore the economy.
Only tiny complaint about the Wolsely is the room was noisy; all those polished surfaces.
At breakfast at the Wolseley last week almost every man was in, yes, smart business dress, and most of the women. Presumably getting fueled up before going out to restore the economy.
Only tiny complaint about the Wolsely is the room was noisy; all those polished surfaces.
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