It’s the most wonderful time of the year when London’s best restaurants and eateries pull out all the stops to deliver magical food and tipples to let us know that Christmas is finally here. From festive afternoon teas to Christmas lunches and dinners, I’m posting a series of reviews featuring London’s Best Festive Menus. Next up is the Festive MarTEAni Afternoon Tea at Dukes Hotel, Mayfair, London. 

Tucked away in luxurious Mayfair, Dukes Hotel is a 5-star hotel that I’ve had the pleasure of staying in before. It’s a beautifully furnished and stylish hotel with a real feel of quintessential British charm. This time I was here to try their Festive MarTEAni Afternoon Tea created in partnership with The East India Company and inspired by the hotel’s world renowned martinis. Each of the three afternoon tea courses is paired with a mini martini created with The East India Company Gin. 

The afternoon tea is served in the hotel’s elegant Drawing Room which feels warm and cosy and is a perfect setting to enjoy an English tradition. 

The tea selection is provided by The East India Company and features a select green, white, black, and herbal infusion teas. I highly recommend the Spiced Rooibos Christmas Blend which has lots of Christmassy flavours including cloves, Star Anise, orange peel and cinnamon.  

The first course is of course finger sandwiches and these include Roast Turkey, Cranberry Mayonnaise, Sage & Onion Stuffing on Malted Granary Bread, London Cure Smoked Salmon, Dill Cream Cheese on Beetroot Bread, and Festive Ham, Apricot And Shallot Chutney, Aged Cheddar on Onion Bread. The sandwiches were very nice and I really enjoyed the roast turkey sandwich which had lots of lovely herby stuffing inside. 

The martini served alongside the sandwiches is the Chilli Dry Mini Martini which has a nice kick to it from the infused chilli. 

The scones were next and these include Plain and Fig & Raisin Scones served with Plum Jam and Clotted Cream. The scones were buttery, warm and quite crunchy which I was surprised about but really enjoyed. The plum jam was also delicious and was especially delightful with the fig and raisin scones.

I’ve had a lot of scones recently and I have to say that these were the best I’ve tried. The martini pairing is a Rose Buds Dry Mini Martini. Fragrant from the rose bud infusion, this was my favourite martini and it went perfectly with the fruity scones. 

The final course was of course the patisseries and they all looked fabulous. They include Dark Chocolate & Cranberry Delice, Candied Orange Roasted Chestnut Choux with Clementine Cremeux, and Black Cherry Yule Log.

My favourite was the candied orange choux as it had a lovely crunch to it from the candied orange and the clementine cremeux was silky smooth with just the right level of sweetness and citrus flavour. The dark chocolate and cranberry delice was also delicious and rich with dark chocolate and a perfect combination with the cranberry. 

The final martini is a Spiced Caramel Mini Martini which like the rooibos tea had lovely flavours of cinnamon, orange peel, clove as well as vanilla. A very festive martini to end our MarTEAni Afternoon Tea with the taste of Christmas. 

Price?

The Dukes Festive MarTEAni Afternoon Tea is £49 per person and is served every day from noon to 6pm. 

They also serve Afternoon with a glass of Champagne for £46 per person and Afternoon Tea served without alcohol it is £37 per person.

Overall?

I had a great time revisiting Dukes Hotel and trying their unique MarTEAni Afternoon Tea. The Drawing Room is the perfect environment to enjoy a relaxed and leisurely afternoon tea and the selection of teas from The East India Company perfectly compliment the experience.

The martinis are a great addition and I really enjoyed trying them alongside the delicious afternoon tea courses. The festive MarTEAni Afternoon Tea at Dukes Hotel is definitely a experience to savour and enjoy during this Christmas season. 

Book your Festive Afternoon Tea today!
Address: 35 St James's Pl, St. James's, London SW1A 1NY
Phone: 020 7491 4840
Closest tube station: Green Park

Her Favourite Food x

My meal was complimentary, all opinions are my own.