Mad Hatters Afternoon Tea Sanderson Hotel Soho: Review

Located in the Sanderson Hotel on Berners Street, a short walk from Soho, the Alice in Wonderland afternoon tea serves a full feast of Wonderland-inspired treats for anyone with a love of the novel.

I was recently invited to try the afternoon tea with my mother in time for Easter weekend, when the hotel will be putting on a theatrical show of ballet performances during afternoon tea sessions.

All the treats are themed around the book Alice In Wonderland (Image: Palm PR)

Afternoon tea is served in the outdoor courtyard, which is currently covered with a gazebo with heaters and blankets for the colder months.

Alongside the regular afternoon tea, The Sanderson also offer vegan and gluten-free alternatives for guests too.

We first began with a welcome drink consisting of a combination of cold brewed teas which, when blended together, was a refreshing drink with notes of strawberry and bergamot.

There are a range of specially brewed teas inspired by different characters in the book (Image: Palm PR)

We began by selecting our tea choices, along with standard tea options like English Breakfast, Black Tea and Green Tea the Sanderson also have a range of specially brewed teas inspired by different characters in the book.

I went for the “Mad Hatter” tea, which is a rich black tea with a sweet and slightly fruity aftertaste and went really well against the sweet treats.

Savouries consisted of a selection of sandwiches including classics like coronation chicken with mango chutney, smoked salmon, a tzatziki sandwich on tomato bread, and an egg mayonnaise vol-au-vent.

There was a wide range of sandwiches, scones and sweet treats (Image: Emily Davison)

This was followed by two warm and freshly baked scones served with clotted cream, strawberry jam and marmalade, before moving onto the plethora of sweet treats.

I will say I don’t think I’ve been to an afternoon tea that had so much in the way of sweet treats on offer.

All the treats are inspired by different elements of the book, from a drinkable potion made with rhubarb, orange and rosemary to a Queen of Hearts inspired cheesecake made with Madagascan vanilla and strawberry gel.

The tea also paid homage to characters like the White Rabbit, with an edible chocolate flower pot served with chocolate mousse and an edible crumble, and a Blue Caterpillar inspired choux pastry made with wild berries and white chocolate.

Sweet treats included a rich chocolate dessert inspired by the Tweedle Brothers (Image: Emily Davison)
For chocolate lovers there was also a rich chocolate dessert inspired by the Tweedle Brothers made with rich dark chocolate and salted caramel.

One of my personal favourites was the Tea O’Clock macaroon made with almond, passionfruit and lime ganache.

The afternoon tea is a relaxed and friendly family experience (Image: Emily Davison)

But if you’re still hungry after all that food there was also a teacup brimming with edible candyfloss foam to finish off.

The Sanderson offers a relaxed and family-friendly afternoon tea that brings together an edible feast to recreate a beloved childhood classic.

Guests can relax and enjoy ballet performances during their afternoon tea (Image: Emily Davison)

This Easter weekend, between March 30 and March 31, the Sanderson will be offering ballet performances for those booking the Mad Hatters Afternoon Tea.

Slots are priced at £55 a person with slots bookable at 1:15, 2:30 and 4pm across both days, with performances choreographed by former English National Ballet soloist Jenna Lee.