According to many locals, a visit to Cape Town is incomplete without experiencing the afternoon tea at the Mount Nelson Hotel. So, to ensure that our visit there would be complete, we made reservations for what was dubbed as the "Best Tea in the World" by the UK Sunday Times and Condé Nast Europe.
The colonial style of the Mount Nelson hotel sets the mood for the grandiose experience. A distinguished old lady playing the grand piano in the corner added to the ambiance. Smoked salmon, roast beef, and cucumber finger sandwiches; quiches, scones, and assorted cheeses were some of the items included in the spread.
The menu included over 40 different loose-leaf teas. If we could have tried all of them, we would have. The Mount Nelson Hotel blend accompanied the savoury foods, while we chose the vanilla tea to compliment the confections.
The indulgent dessert selection was almost as extensive as the tea options. Meringues, miniature cupcakes, chocolates, fruit tarts, hot berry compote coconut ice, and petits fours were laid out on pretty silver platters and cake stands.
Needless to say, we left very content and several pounds heavier. We'll be chasing that vanilla tea for awhile.
A Proper Tea is much nicer than a Very Nearly Tea, which is one you forget about afterward. ~A.A. Milne
27 comments:
I had actually been waiting for these pictures :) loved the last post of the hotel area and really wanted to see what it was like on the inside! looks beautiful!!! and delicious! what an amazing experience, to be able to have high tea in cape town!
xox
Bikinis & Passports
That looks like such a lovely experience! I have added it to my wish-list for when I make it to Cape Town eventually! Beautiful photos and the food looks delicious :-)
I was a bit behind on your journey, but I think I've caught up! Looks like a fabulous time in Cape Town - it's one of the places that I most want to visit! And we'll have to pop in for tea when I finally make it!
Afternoon tea and around-the-world travel? What's not to like?
What a beautifully written post! Afternoon tea is so decadent, it sounds like you experienced one of the world's greatest high teas!
I love tea, what a lovely place! xo
These photos are incredible .. I love the first one. Tea is one of my favorite things and have recently fallen in love with a tea from a tea shop in San Francisco called Paris Tea , hints of vanilla and notes of orange. This post was wonderful. XO
Wow, that dessert and tea looks amazing! How is the rest of South Africa?
Properly delicious! Oh my!
Everything looks delicious! I recently went to tea at a really cute place in Pasadena, CA, but the one you went to looks phenomenal.
i adore your photos. they are so clear + lovely. you capture the moment beautifully.
:)
xo Alison
lovely photos! well done!
i was in cape town a few years ago, but for some reason NEVER WENT HERE? am i crazy? must go back!
Mmm looks delicious and fun!
wow that cake looks delicous!
oh my goodness, this looks and sounds like so much yummy fun! a for real tea party! love it. :)
surely martha made it here! looks pretty fab
that dessert looks fantastic :)
These photos are so lovely. The dessert looks amazing yum!! (:
Hi alex and mina,
what a gorgeous experience! i'll be including tea at the mount nelson into my south africa to-do list. was it an expensive affair? how much should we budget for this one?
Vanilla tea sounds delightful! All of the desserts look heavenly.
I can't think of a more fun way to gain weight. Afternoon tea is surely my favourite past time. This all looks so excellent!
How very "proper" of you too! :) Looks more like a feast than an afternoon tea!
oh my goodness, LOVED this post. all the afternoon tea photos were beautiful and lovely. and all the little treats and tea looks delish! it must have been a wonderful experience. :]
- L
High Tea! High Tea! If only they had some little dill-lemon-shrimp finger sandwiches for you;)
The best proper tea I've enjoyed was at the Willow Tea Room in Glasgow, in the spectacular Charles Remy McIntosh building. His wife designed all the chairs and sterling (all of which are still in use) and it's just the most glorious space and experience.
Safe travels and thanks for stopping by!
This looks like so much fun! Not to mention delicious... ;)
so excited to discover your lovely blog...looking forward to following!
:)
yummmmmmmm that desert looks delicious
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