Afternoon tea at The Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon, Fortnum & Mason

After so many months apart, reunions with loved ones this summer will be joyous, monumental occasions. And such memorable celebrations require a venue to match. If, for your party, London is calling, few dining rooms charm on invitation, pamper on arrival and delight all five senses throughout a sitting like The Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon at Fortnum & Mason.

The chefs and patissiers here have spent 153 days of lockdown experimenting, refining and honing a new array of delicately constructed morsels. Now, they’re ready to present diners with the results: an all-new afternoon tea, infused with contemporary flavours and delivered with traditional prestige.

To start, appease your savoury palate with a courgette and thyme scone with whipped ricotta; a Ragstone goat's cheese with date and walnut; a bite-sized cheeseboard; and Fortnum’s signature quail's Scotch egg – the emporium’s original afternoon tea creation.

Then, elevate your expectations for freshly baked goods with a sophisticated curation of miniature sweets, including a new elderflower, yuzu and matcha opera cake; a delicate brandy snap Eton mess with Kent strawberries; and Fortnum’s trademark flower tart with opalys ganache topped with a blackcurrant curd and raspberry jelly.

All this can be enjoyed while reveling in the surrounding finery of The Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon. The elegant setting is decorated with hand-painted silk wallpaper designed by the late David Collins, which inspired the brand’s Camellia teaware collection. Dotted throughout the dining room are paintings by David Remfry depicting playful daily occurrences within Fortnum’s tea rituals.

Whether dining with your favourite family members or best girlfriends, take things at your leisure and sip slowly on your brew of choice – after all, you’ll have plenty to catch up on. Or perhaps you’d rather take your tea with a glass of crisp Champagne?

Fortnum & Mason’s new menu is a tantalising introduction to the world of afternoon tea for those yet to discover this very British tradition, while for authorities on the subject, it’s a thrilling suggestion of just how versatile a high tea can be.

If you love what you try, pick up a copy of Fortnum’s latest book Time for Tea on your way out and look forward to recreating highlights from the memorable spread at home.

The Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon at Fortnum & Mason reopens on Monday 17 May. Book your afternoon tea today