Your childhood fantasy of being let loose in a toyshop may have faded with age. After all, the Peppa Pig aisle of your local toy warehouse holds little allure for most fully grown adults. But the magnetic pull of an afternoon tea grows in inverse proportions. Which is why Benjamin Pollock’s Toyshop Theatre Afternoon Tea at the Strand Palace Hotel is a dead cert. You’ll love it whether you’re seven or seventy. And, what’s more, if you’ve not made it down to the iconic afternoon tea yet then you’re in luck… It’s now running all the way through to April.
Which is great news because the hotel’s wonderfully whimsical (and fiendishly tasty) Benjamin Pollock’s Toyshop Afternoon Tea is one of the best teas about right now. Plus you’ll receive a complimentary glass of Prosecco if you book a tea between Friday 3rd March and Friday 28th April.
Benjamin Pollock’s Toyshop has been a Covent Garden mainstay for over 100 years. The Victorian-esque shop continues to trade just yards from the Strand Palace hotel.
And the shop now exists in afternoon tea form at Haxell’s, the hotel’s highly recommended restaurant.
The iconic shop has been recreated in afternoon tea form in Haxell’s…
Toy and tea fans alike will enjoy the array of sandwiches, scones and sweet treats. Not to mention the impressive selection of assorted special loose leaf teas.
Aside from the delights on the plate, there’s a goodie bag of Victoriana that’ll delight the inner child in anyone. Or, indeed, any actual children.
The bag includes a themed colouring sheet. It comes with pencils, ideal for keeping tableside children at bay while you order another glass of Prosecco and top up the sandwiches. Or perhaps some adult mindfulness between courses?
There’s also a Pollock’s Victorian inspired paper cut-out pantomime, which is as charming as it is fun plus a voucher for Benjamin Pollock’s Toyshop itself, giving shoppers a 20% discount (or a lucky dip prize).
Finally there’s a surprise toy which will, without spoiling the surprise totally, be either traditional wooden afternoon tea biscuits or play theatre tickets.
Benjamin Pollock’s Toyshop is famous for its miniature paper theatres, music boxes and traditional toys. So the tea really does come with a taste of the shop!
Benjamin Pollock’s Toyshop is best known for its miniature paper theatres, music boxes and traditional toys…
And talking of taste, there are vegan and gluten free menus available, so everyone is welcome.
The tea was originally launched ahead of Christmas, and proved to be so popular that Strand Palace have decided to extend its run to April.
It’s a great afternoon tea, one of the most theatrical and enjoyable in town, making it an ideal booking in the run-up to Mothers’ Day. And why not stay at the hotel too? We sent our writer Lottie to check it out, here’s her review of the Strand Palace Hotel!
Find it: 372 Strand, WC2R 0JJ
Click it: www.strandpalacehotel.co.uk
Splash it: Adults for £39 per person and children for £19 per person
‘Gram it: @strandpalace
