Our second day in London started off a bit later than our first. We slept in and then headed out with our friends to Fortnum & Mason for Afternoon Tea at their Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon.
Fortnum & Mason, which opened in 1707, is one of the oldest department stores in London and is often considered the Queen’s grocery. They have been serving Afternoon Tea since the 19th century and has one of the most extensive tea menus that I’ve ever seen. Their tea menu is 21 pages long and features black teas, flavored black teas, rare black teas, Oolong teas, green teas, white teas, yellow teas, single-origin teas, and herbal infusions.
I opted for their Fortmason Tea, which is their own unique black tea blend. Made from a blend of Darjeeling and China teas, it has a beautiful aroma of orange blossom. A note: they only sell the Fortmason in their Piccadilly store, so make sure you pick some up after tea!
I decided on their classic Afternoon Tea, which features 5 types of tea sandwiches, plain and fruit scones served with clotted cream and Fortnum & Mason Strawberry Preserve and Lemon Curd, a selection of individual Pâtisseries, and your choice from the cake cart.
Fortnum & Mason’s Afternoon Tea is a foodie’s dream come true. It’s pricey, yes, but it was worth every penny (or shall I say pence). At £55.00 per person, it’s not the cheapest Afternoon Tea in London. But it is the best – and that’s coming from my foodie friends that live in London and have tried basically every AT there is in town. Besides, Fortnum & Mason’s Lemon Curd is pure crack.
The coronation chicken sandwich was the best darn coronation chicken I’ve ever had. The smoked salmon with tartare dressing was phenomenal. And the Pâtisseries were to-die for. Make sure you save some room for the cake table, because their large cakes are beautifully baked and to die for.
Pro Tip: If you’re having tea with a group, order a different tea. My friend had their Savory Afternoon Tea and I was able to sample some of the savory options from her tower.
Pro Tip #2: You’re allowed to change your tea as often as you like. I opted to try their Countess Grey for my second pot of tea. It’s a much lighter twist on your usual Earl Grey and I thought it was delightful. You’re also allowed to order as many refills for your scones, cakes, and sandwiches – so eat up!
We opted to walk off our food baby by exploring the British Museum. The British Museum is completely free to enter, but there is a suggested donation. You can spend hours here – but I recommend at least two if you want to see the highlights.
Here are a few of my favorites:



Loved the teatime photos! And I agree on the chessmen. I have what I think of as “the glum king” as my Flickr avatar.