Sit back and lose yourself in the opulent surroundings of the Savini at Criterion Restaurant, one of London’s most historically distinguished restaurants and attractions.
Originally opened in 1874, this luxurious venue has been serving afternoon tea to the cream of London society for over a hundred years.
Savini en Criterion Afternoon Tea Review
I visited on a rainy Saturday afternoon and the interior of this place is impressive. There’s a real ‘wow factor’ when you walk through the revolving doors of Piccadilly Circus and it feels like a palace ballroom with its super high gold mosaic ceilings and marble walls with huge mirrors. I was told that the sumptuous neo-Byzantine decor never fails to impress and really, it’s worth visiting just to see the inside. (You can stop for a quick drink at the Long Bar if you’re short on time.)
The lighting here is great as it cleverly reflects off the gold tiles and keeps the place warm.
I had a 2.30pm reservation so there were plenty of diners still enjoying lunch and the large restaurant was able to accommodate this mixed dinner.
Tea selection
The teas are from ‘Twinings of London’ and there were ten options, including fruit infusions. I was impressed with how the staff were able to help us make a decision by bringing a presentation box of loose teas to our table so that we could see and smell them. The way the tea was served was also extremely good as the teapots allowed the loose tea to be in an infuser that could be lowered and removed once brewed according to an egg timer left on our table. For tea connoisseurs this will be a real welcome touch as it is always disappointing to have a wonderful first cup and more cups to stew.
Cake stand
The sandwiches (egg, salmon, cream cheese, and cucumber) were served on a three-tier cake stand. Two wonderfully warm scones were served with clotted cream and a selection of three preserves, including rhubarb and ginger which was divine. I wish I could have tried more of each, but there were delicious pastries to pass, including an amuse-bouche, a slice of pecan pie, carrot cake, tiramisu, a strawberry tart, and a creme brulee. They were all small and delicious.
Long wait
We tried to order a second cup of tea before starting the cakes and we placed our order and waited. We waited and asked again. We waited and asked again. After more than 20 minutes, and having asked three times, I got up and went to see if we could have our tea.
It arrived shortly after and we followed our egg timer during brew time, but it was too strong as I guess the tea had not been measured correctly. They also gave us coffee mugs that didn’t have a hole for the handle so they were difficult to use. We asked for cups of tea, as we had used before, but the waiter came back with the same cups of coffee and said that was all they had. Hmm. This really took the shine off the afternoon as it had gone so well.
As we were leaving we saw our original service staff and he commented that he thought we would have left by now and told us that he had been busy getting ready for the night. We explained to him about our wait for tea and thanked him for his excellent service, but suggested that other staff needed to learn from him.
Conclution
It was a real pleasure to dine here as it is such a wonderful place. It was an oasis of calm on a busy Saturday afternoon in the West End and I would love to return soon. I hope the staff receives more training as the senior staff, who you can recognize by their uniforms, are doing a wonderful job.
Afternoon tea information
Lugar: Criterion Restaurant, 224 Piccadilly, Londres W1J 9HP
Days and times: Thursday to Sunday, from 2:30 pm to 5:30 pm
Cost: from £ 16.25 per person
Dress code: elegant but not formal.
Photography: Allowed.
Children: welcome.
Music: Lounge / jazz background music.
- Afternoon Tea Menu Criterion
- Selection of sandwiches
- Homemade Criterion Scones, Preserves and Clotted Cream
- A selection of traditional homemade cakes, tarts and sweets.
- Served with tea
As is common in the travel industry, the writer received complimentary afternoon tea for the purpose of reviewing those services. While you have not influenced this review, About.com believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest. For more information, see our Ethics Policy.
