Anarch’ Tea at W London Leicester Square is a little different to your usual British afternoon tea experience. Sure, I was still left feeling unbelievably guilty after devouring plates of sugary goodness washed down with large amounts of caffeine, but this one is served with a crescendo of punk rock Britannia. While you’ll be pleased to hear that there aren’t actually guest appearances from Johnny Rotten and co., Anarch’ Tea does draw inspiration from those moments in British culture that were distinctly anti-establishment. Which is a good thing, may I add.
Anarch’ Tea is served in the W Lounge, with the glitz and glamour of the shiny decor a stark contrast to the views over the chaos in Chinatown below. We took our seats on the generously-sized sofas and chose from a selection of teas and coffees. Then, out came the vinyls; three tiers of sandwiches, scones and an eccentric selection of pastries designed and created by W Pastry Chef Rachel Newman. The first two courses were excellent- roughly cut sandwiches and soft scones always go down well- but it was these pastries and cakes that stole the show.
In the spirit of all things anarchy, each is named after, and boldly influenced by, a specific punk rock band from British history. My personal favourites were ‘The Stranglers’; a pair of red chocolate lips encasing a red velvet sponge and frozen strawberry mousse and ‘God Save the Queen – The Sex Pistols’; a colourful Battenberg cake, complete with marzipan and its very own gold crown. Both were full of flavour and refreshingly different to the more delicate afternoon teas I’ve sampled in the past. Forget petit fours and cupcakes, gentlemen, the Anarch’ Tea is a rebellious teenager on a plate.
Obviously, a trip to W London isn’t complete without the obligatory cocktail and so, with our stomachs full and our sweet tooth satisfied, we whiled away the afternoon sipping on cocktails while peering down at the streets below. The musically-themed ‘Wet Wet Wet’ and ‘Here Comes the Sun’ cocktails were both excellent, although I’d expect nothing less from W London. The combination of pineapple and vodka was very refreshing and I love the fact that they serve this one in a metal tumbler, keeping it ice cold. As my rebellious streak slowly fizzled out, normal service was resumed and I nodded to the barman and pointed to my drink. Cheers to the freakin’ weekend.