Afternoon tea in the city
Sweet Treats in the City
If you are enjoying a day or two in Birmingham city centre it is easy to get carried away with shopping, the art galleries and the stylish bars.
But even the most ardent shopper needs some respite from carrying all those bags and to have a little R&R before embarking on another expedition into the city. I found just the place.
The Hyatt Regency is a four-star deluxe hotel in the city centre, just a five-minute walk from the exclusive Mailbox and the Bull Ring.
Situated opposite Symphony Hall and the ICC on the vibrant Broad Street, the hotel has 319 luxury rooms, a fabulous spa complete with an indoor pool and a state-of-the-art gym. It also has a lovely restaurant called the Aria, which is where we were treated to a traditional afternoon tea. Afternoon tea is now the most fashionable way to catch up with friends and Aria is the perfect place to enjoy this most English of traditions.
Elegant and charming, this restaurant, with its spacious, glass-roofed atrium, seating that nestles around Roman-style pillars and water feature is a cool and relaxed place in which to dine.
After a long day, we were feeling particularly indulgent so treated ourselves to a glass of Champagne, which is an indulgent way to enjoy afternoon tea and essential if you are treating a loved one to a special occasion!
As well as the Champagne, we selected our beverage from a veritable tea menu. The Hyatt offers an incredible range of JING teas, one of the most prestigious tea suppliers in the world. JING supplies teas and herbal infusions, including some very rare teas that are not normally found outside their country of origin. We saw some unusual-sounding combinations, such as flowering dragon eye, Jasmine pearls alongside the more familiar Earl Grey, Darjeeling and Assam varieties.
A beautiful selection of sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and a delightful assortment of miniature cakes were presented on an exquisite tiered glass cake stand and were a feast for the eyes alone.
As is only proper, the sandwiches were cut into delicate fingers and were filled with a mouthwatering selection of fillings, such as smoked salmon, ham and mustard and my particular favourite, chicken and pesto.
The cakes are the pièce de resistance of any tea table, of course, and the pastry chefs at Aria excelled themselves with a beautifully light Victoria sponge, a sensational miniature banoffee pie and a pastel-coloured blackcurrant macaroon, which is my new preferred sweet indulgence. To top off the experience, there was also a crumbly scone with clotted cream and an assortment of jams.
This was a ritual I’d love to indulge in every day and I’d heartily recommend the Hyatt, thanks to its beautiful surroundings, impeccably presented food and charming staff.
Traditional afternoon tea is served from 12.00 noon-5.30 pm every day. Traditional afternoon tea is priced at £19 per person; the Champagne afternoon tea is £28, while the Rosé Champagne Afternoon Tea is £30.
To book your reservation call 0121 6431234 or email danielle.webb@hyatt.com
2 Bridge Street, Birmingham B1 2JZ
Tel: +44 121 643 1234
Fax: +44 121 616 2323
www.birmingham.regency.hyatt.com
Email: birmingham.regency@hyatt.com
0%
Click to share thisClick to share this