Afternoon Tea | A Unique Experience at Mr Fogg’s Residence

Mr Fogg’s Residence is one of those places I’ve had my eye on for a while now and I eventually got to visit, as my good friend Vicky booked the Tipsy Tea for two, last Sunday afternoon. Situated down one of the side streets, not far from Green Park station, you’d be forgiven for missing this little gem: the signage is minimal and from its black exterior, it doesn’t look the most inviting of buildings. But once you step inside, wow!

The doorman took our reservation before ringing the old-fashioned doorbell and knocking on the door – and then we were inside! I felt as though I was a character from a bygone era, setting foot into an old Victorian living room. The decor is quirky, with portraits, tapestries and stuffed animals adorning the walls. The seating is a mix of padded booths and stools, with low tables. The lighting is minimal, but atmospheric and in the corner, the resident pianist treats you to a live performance. I have to add, he’s very talented.

To the tea, although there’s no tea here. Instead, the teapots are filled with gin and/or champagne cocktails – and you are welcome to try as many as you like. Vicky and I liked the sound of a few of the cocktails on offer, so chose a one pot of gin tea and another of the champagne. We sampled Catherine of Braganza, which was a citrusy gin pot containing lemon, orange and apricot, and Belvoir Castle: a deep pink gin and champagne cocktail, containing cherry puree, rose liqueur and pomegranate juice. We then decided we would go bottomless, upgrading to the Belvoir Castle pot – which I think we had an additional three of. I found the bottomless options contained a lot less ice than the single pots and each pot contained around four servings. We were by no means tipsy, though.

The finger food was dainty and elegantly presented. Vicky had notified the staff prior to our visit that she doesn’t like fish, so my salmon and cream cheese-filled mini brioche buns arrived on a separate saucer and the bottom tier of our cake stand was piled with additional sandwiches. The tandoori chicken flatbread was unusual, but delicious, if a little spicy; while the speck and rocket filling were equally as tasty and so flavoursome. I didn’t sample any of the cucumber sandwiches, but you can’t really go wrong with a simple, yet classic combination!

We each had a scone, with clotted cream and blackcurrant jam, before moving on to the smaller desserts on the middle tier. These were all beautiful and small enough to enjoy without feeling sick or getting a sugar headache. We tried two varieties of mille-feuille: vanilla and chocolate, a butter cream sponge sandwich and a rich chocolate truffle. The layered pastries were simply divine and I could have eaten tray after tray of them; they were just light.

We continued to catch up, listen to the pianist and sip our cocktails from our tea cups long after we finished and even though each table has a two hour slot, we didn’t drink for the whole two hours and we didn’t feel any pressure into getting the bill or leaving. It was just so relaxing and the perfect way to while away the hours on a Sunday afternoon.

It isn’t often I find myself wanting to return to the same spot for afternoon tea, but Mr Fogg’s Residence is certainly one of those places – not only have I got four other varieties of cocktail to try, I loved how wonderfully unique and special the setting was. I’ve heard nothing but good things about the cocktail menu as well, so maybe I’ll have to return for drinks first?

Love, Lucy xx

Mr Fogg’s Residence - 15 Bruton Lane, Mayfair, London, W1J 6JD

Trip Advisor

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram