Relax and enjoy your afternoon tea experience. Proper etiquette is important as it is a sign of respect to the host and the rest of the guests at afternoon tea. Zoom in to see updated info. Use a tea strainer if needed and fill the teacups up to three quarters of the way. Break the scone in half by hand and eat each half separately or enjoy by breaking off bite-sized chunks. Be loud and gulp or slurp your tea. We ordered some oysters, and grilled quail to started and both were delicious. Hold the teacup by meeting your thumb and index finger in the handle and resting your middle finger under it. London's oldest restaurant is absolutely charming, without being pompous or intimidating. You want to make sure to leave room to allow your guests to add milk, lemon or sweetener to their tea if desired. This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC. more. But since then, tougher porcelain has been made. The occasional blunder is fine and all will be forgiven. Though my precious niece does have an electric teapot.). The décor is beautiful, all wood panelling with reds & golds on the carpet and curtains. Cut the scone with a knife or just take bites out of the whole thing. For mains, the venison was tasty and fell off the bones. Some rules can be broken for good reasons . That’s a common mistake as most assume it’s being fancy. In fact, the two are very different. Attire/Dress Code Do: Dress … But, pinkies out is not acceptable because it’s very pretentious. These are some common questions when experiencing a proper afternoon tea service. The food was great and in good portions. In fact, the two are very different. Quite right! Eat the savouries and tea sandwiches first, followed by the scones and then the sweets. Service was exactly what you would expect. It may differ depending on the venue, so always be sure to check before attending. Relaxing and enjoying company at afternoon tea is very important!! Rules Restaurant: Fantastic Royal Cream Tea - See 4,594 traveller reviews, 1,543 candid photos, and great deals for London, UK, at Tripadvisor. The service is first rate, with minute attention to detail.I had the Steak and Kidney Pie and it was delicious. Hook your finger through the handle or stick your pinky out. The veal escalope was also excellent. In England, afternoon tea time is typically around 4:00 pm. Rules Restaurant: An excellent Royal Cream Tea at Rules. I would LOVE love love for you to share your scone recipe! Map updates are paused. Trying to wear Chinese classical Chinese clothes to go to elegant tea is a good choice. Good point! Slurping your tea is necessary if you’re a professional tea taster, but definitely not at an afternoon tea setting. Then set the teaspoon on the right hand side of the saucer. By clicking on or navigating the site, you agree to our use of cookies. Strawberry jam is traditional for scones, but you don’t have to limit yourself. It’s no wonder the restaurant has been around for over 220 years (since 1798) - they know what they are doing. For mains, the venison was tasty and fell off the bones. Our waiter Paolo could not have done more. Make sure you feel great and bust out that fascinator if you want! Click here to learn more or control your settings. See more about the difference between high tea and afternoon tea here. Service was exactly what you would expect. or overfill the teacups. I could get an electric teapot, but I want to use my Old Country Roses, my Summer Chintz by Johnson Brothers, and my Noritake little gold teapot. We ordered some oysters, and grilled quail to started and both were delicious. London's oldest restaurant is absolutely charming, without being pompous or intimidating. In fact, I think the traditional scones served says a lot about the entire afternoon tea experience. Call it “high tea”. See more about the difference between high tea and afternoon tea here. The dress code these days is “smart casual”. We visited Rules as part of the celebrations for my Mum's 70th birthday. The decor focuses on the restaurant’s history a lot and has a strong English style. This Saturday, I’m hosting one for my granddaughters—age 2 (almost 3) and age 5. Oh! The mashed potatoes were creamy and the minted peas tender and fresh.The prices are 'west end' and reflect the kind of service that you get, but if you want a memorable experience, an occasion, and somewhere to remember, there's quite simply nowhere else to go in London. - See 4,586 traveler reviews, 1,542 candid photos, and great deals for London, UK, at Tripadvisor. This will create a lot of noise and possibly damage the delicate cup. I’ll have six little girls with a buffet of chicken nuggets, pb&j, and other kid friendly foods and treats. Assign one guest to pour tea for everyone at the table. !I have personally never been for proper afternoon tea before and if I do again, well all I have to say is it will have a lot to live up to after Rules! This is the oldest restaurant in London and they have served head of states, foreign dignitaries and royal families over the years. It’s no wonder the restaurant has been around for over 220 years (since 1798) - they know what they are doing. A little pricey but it had all the extras you expect from a fine restaurant. Rules was established by Thomas Rule in 1798 making it the oldest restaurant in London. Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more. I’m a tea-loving American—I just, now, learned from the previous article that I’ve been enjoying Afternoon Tea all this time. But again, not for porcelain, just glass. Our waiter Paolo could not have done more. Don’t: Call it “high tea”. Add the cream first, and then the jam (the Devon way) or add the jam first and then the cream (the Cornish way). I'm always seeking new ways to incorporate tea into my life and looking forward to sharing them with you here. The restaurant has a Victorian feel, even though it's older than the Victorian era. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. It would definitely be nice to able to use your lovely porcelain teapots! 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Phones, glasses, and any other personal items shouldn’t be on the table. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. However, in the United States, English afternoon tea time can vary by establishment. The veal escalope was also excellent. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. Leave your napkin on your chair when excusing yourself from the table. Stir the tea with a teaspoon up and down (6 o’clock to 12 o’clock motion), 2-3 times silently. It’s not the same thing. It’s a very very focussed restaurant, the decor is all about their history and is unique.My waitress was very keen, even complimenting me on my tie!The menus has reasonable choices and quite a lot I would eat.Starter was a spiced grilled Quail, really nicely cooked and presented.Main was a slightly strange veal escalope in a very sweet Marsala sauce.Dessert was a sensational lemon and raspberry posset Service was great although it took ages to get my billToilets very clean. This site uses cookies to improve your experience, to enhance site security and to show you personalised advertising. Review tags are currently only available for English language reviews. The tea in the teapots went so quickly and new tea made to fill the pot, that it wasn’t even a worry.