On one of the hottest weeks of what had been a record-breaking summer, I headed to Dalloway Terrace for a blissfully alfresco afternoon date. After all, what’s the point of a heatwave if you can’t lounge outside all day? Located at the Bloomsbury Hotel in the heart of literary London, an area forever associated with Virginia Woolf and the Bloomsbury Group, this is one of the rare terrace dining experiences favouring a whimsical English floral atmosphere over a Mediterranean influence, and there’s something utterly romantic about a backdrop of floral walls and striped canopies for a leisurely afternoon tea.
Taking its name from Woolf’s beloved character Mrs Dalloway, this enchanting spot offers both a shady oasis on a balmy day and a cosy shelter come autumn, allowing you to feel a world away from the hustle and bustle of central London. The split level outdoor space, with a fully retractable roof and heaters for the cooler months, is entered via the glamorous Art Deco-styled bar and restaurant, The Coral Room, which, with its bespoke tiered Murano glass chandeliers and artwork by Luke Edward Hall, could easily double as a set in a Wes Anderson film. They too serve afternoon tea, but on a warm summer’s day we decided that Dalloway Terrace was a more fitting option, followed by a cocktail at The Coral Room.
Holder of an AA Rosette, Dalloway Terrace also serves lunch and dinner, along with a pre-theatre menu highlighting the restaurant’s close proximity to the West End. It’s understandable that afternoon tea for which they are most in demand. It’s difficult to imagine a more synergistic joy than partaking of an elegant English teatime whilst being served a chilled glass of bubbles on a scorching weekday afternoon in midsummer. The premium English-produced Nyetimber is the house, while non drinkers like myself can indulge in the Jasmine sparkling tea by Saicho, served with the finger sandwiches.
Despite the terrace being at full capacity, the front of house never looked remotely ruffled; the service we received so slick that we’d hardly have been aware of our waiter had it not been for his charm and excellent tea recommendations, nor did our dietary restrictions (gluten and alcohol) throw the team when I informed them in advance. It turned out that most of the patisserie, or what used to be termed ‘fancy cakes’ in Virginia Woolf’s day, were gluten free recipes, including a divine raspberry and matcha green tea opera cake with ruby chocolate – as delicious as it was pretty.
There are many London venues offering extravagant afternoon tea experiences, but Dalloway Terrace combines a unique setting with imaginative pastry chefs, constantly offering something new. I especially love their reinvention of favourite British cakes, including an inspired update of the humble carrot cake which they have refined so as to be worthy of any Parisian bakery: a light sphere of carrot sponge sitting on a buttery cinnamon sable biscuit, surrounded by a cream cheese mousse and concealed in a thin coating of blonde chocolate.
Dalloway Terrace also recently launched a Secret Garden afternoon tea for younger guests, inspired by the beloved children’s book by Frances Hodgson Burnett; a treat for the summer holidays encouraging curious 21st century children to connect with fictional ones from the turn of the 20th – and who wouldn’t delight in a chocolate flower pot, shortbread key and ‘Mary’s Victoria Sponge’? Little tea-goers are also provided with an activity book for when the sugar rush kicks in.
If you should also have abundant energy following afternoon tea I highly recommend exploring the local area by hunting out English Heritage Blue Plaques. One of the most notable Blue Plaques commemorating the Bloomsbury Group can be found on the UCL School of Pharmacy exterior, where Virginia Woolf once resided (the house was demolished in 1938) with four men; Duncan Grant, Adrian Stephen, Leonard Woolf (whom she later married) and John Maynard Keynes. When questioned about this hugely bohemian set-up, Virginia adroitly responded that were anything to go amiss, they had the Foundling Hospital on their doorstep!
England’s first home for abandoned children was established by Captain Thomas Coram in 1739, and while the original building was torn down in 1926, the new headquarters at 40 Brunswick Square incorporated the Rococo design of the original premises. Today, the address is home to the Foundling Museum (opened in 1998; a must-visit for art lovers due to the Picture Gallery’s impressive collection of the 18th century paintings and sculptures donated by prominent artists of the day in order to support the enterprise. From William Hogarth to Thomas Gainsborough and Joshua Reynolds, it effectively made the institution the first permanent public gallery in the country.
Speaking of interiors, the Bloomsbury Hotel’s ‘Sitting Room’, decorated in the eclectic style now synonymous with the writers and artists who made up this legendary fraternity, is a wonderful hideaway for hotel guests, complete with comfy armchairs and sofas, an open fireplace, flamboyant wallpaper, portraits of the Bloomsbury Group and complimentary ‘Granny’s Garden’ iced tea. There is a great deal to love about this hotel, so if you can possibly combine afternoon tea at Dalloway Terrace with a stay, then do!
Proving that Dalloway Terrace is most certainly not simply a summer venue, their latest floral transformation for autumn sees the venue turned into an English harvest meadow in partnership with Nyetimber. Inspired by the English wine producer’s West Sussex, Hampshire and Kent vineyards, prepare for an abundance of dahlias, echinacea, cosmos and stocks in shades of peach, blush, gold and deep plum, while their new signature afternoon tea menu celebrates autumnal British flavours with a touch of nostalgia; from finger sandwiches featuring hot smoked salmon with mascarpone and capers on a fragrant caraway rye bread to buttermilk scones made to Pastry Chef Jake’s family recipe from the 1920s and seasonal patisserie including a tempting fig and heather honey tart and maple and pear choux. Treats to comfort as the days turn cooler and the leaves on the trees more burnished, it’s no surprise that it was Virginia Woolf’s favourite time of the year: “Autumn is my season, dear. It is, after all, the season of the soul”.
The Nyetimber Afternoon Tea at Dalloway Terrace, 16 – 22 Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3NN, is served daily from 12pm – 4pm until the end of October, priced from £55pp with a glass of Nyetimber Classic Cuvee Multi-Vintage. Follow @DallowayTerrace on Instagram and for more information and reservations visit the website.
