The tea rooms of Los Angeles are beginning to open up again and one of the first to relaunch and blow off steam is The London West Hollywood at Beverly Hills’ popular Afternoon Tea Service in their Boxwood restaurant.

The menu conceived by executive chef Anthony Keene features a choice of eight specialty teas sourced by Rare Tea Company of London, the preferred tea company of the royal family. The selection goes from strongest to mildest, starting with a robust and traditional Royal Airforce English breakfast tea with soft floral and smooth malty notes. There’s also a fragrant Dragonwell green tea from Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China. Something you don’t see often on tea menus and a personal favorite, the wild rooibos from South Africa is beautifully honey-colored with earthy notes and a hint of berries. There are caffeine-free options as well as lemon verbena, chamomile and mint.

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Afternoon Tea scones and pastries at The London West Hollywood (Michele Stueven)

A selection of traditional tea sandwiches on house-made breads starts with apple and cherry wood smoked salmon on black brioche, curried chicken with grapes on walnut bread, cured ham with mustard cress and egg, watercress and cucumber. 

Warm currant and plain cones follow with fruit jam, lemon curd and clotted cream. Up next, a selection of house-made pastries including a Battenburg sponge cake with apricot jam, wrapped in marzipan, mini Black Forest chocolate eclair, passion fruit and coconut meringue and peach and raspberry streusel tart.

Pair afternoon tea, which is available on Saturdays and Sundays for $68, with a glass of sparkling wine and sink into the overstuffed couches overlooking a re-energized West Hollywood. 

 

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Scones with lemon curd and clotted cream (Michele Stueven)

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