There’s nothing quite like the time-honoured tradition of settling in for the afternoon with a cup of tea and a scone while you catch up with friends. As autumn blows through Hong Kong, we’ve rounded up the city's cosiest afternoon teas. Pinkies out! By Carolynne Dear.
HUE Dining
Harbour views and an Aussie-inspired tea at HUE Dining.
Hong Kong’s Woolly Pig dining group is partnering with London essential oil specialist Aromatherapy Associates to launch not one, but two seasonal teas.
HUE Dining on the harbour front at Tsim Sha Tsui will be serving the HUE x Aromatherapy Associates Afternoon Tea throughout the autumn. The tea tray comes laden with savoury and sweet treats, including crispy bacon croquette with yuzu mayo, beef tartare served on baby gem lettuce, crab Beignet, cheese shortbread and duck liver pate on fresh-baked baguette. Patisseries run from dark chocolate profiteroles, rice puddings and lemon olive oil cake topped with Chantilly cream to lamington truffles, strawberry tarts and house-made plain and macadamia cranberry scones with lashings of vanilla clotted cream and orange and thyme marmalade.
Enjoy it with a traditional cuppa or a coffee, or add a cocktail for an additional HK$90. And guests come away with an Aromatherapy Associates gift set worth HK$400.
HUE x Aromatherapy Associates Afternoon Tea, HK$680 for two, 3.30 to 5.30pm, Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, September 24 to November 20, 1/F Hong Kong Museum of Art, 10 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong, +852 3500 5888.
District 8
District 8 has partnered with UK beauty brand Aromatherapy Associates.
Woolly Pig’s District 8 dining space in Tsueng Kwan O is offering the Urban District 8 x Aromatherapy Associates Afternoon Tea Set throughout the autumn season.
The tea has a European comfort eating slant, with caramelised white onion toasties, smoked salmon tarts, potato dauphinoise, ox cheek bon bons and savoury mille feuille dressed with cauliflower and beetroot.
The cake-stand is stacked with raspberry macarons with a fresh raspberry and pistachio filling, chocolate profiteroles oozing a hazelnut cream, coconut and lime doughnuts, mini lemon meringue pies and tiramisu tarts. And of course there are scones (as well as mini croissants) served traditionally with clotted cream and strawberry jam.
Each pair of guests will receive an Aromatherapy Associates gift set worth HK$280.
District 8 x Aromatherapy Associates Seasonal Afternoon Tea Set, HK$480 in the week and HK$520 on the weekend for two people, 2.30 to 5pm, Thursdays and Saturdays, September 22 to November 29, Shop 10, Greenwich Village, Waterfront Promenade, G/F, Alto Residences, 29 Tong Yin Street, Tseung Kwan O, Hong Kong.
HUSO
Putting the sparkle into afternoon tea at HUSO.
The newly launched tea set is available daily at this Central-located dining space, showcasing a variety of sweet and savoury petits fours to take you through the mid-afternoon ‘dip’.
The tea features eleven petits fours, including a refreshing gazpacho, salmon rillette, hand-cut steak tartare, cured hams and potato salad. Sweet options feature French macarons, mini cheese cakes, chocolate slice and creamy tiramisu. The ubiquitous scones are served traditionally with clotted cream and strawberry jam and proceedings are rounded off with a soft serve ice cream champagne jelly.
Tea and coffee is complimentary or enjoy two glasses of Laurent-Perrier La Cuvee NV Champagne served with French caviar for an additional HK$388.
HUSO Afternoon Tea Set, HK$528 for two, 3.30 to 5pm, daily, The Pottinger Hotel, 74 Queen’s Road Central (main entrance at 21 Stanley Street), Central, Hong Kong, +852 5801 1280.
Palm Court at The Langham
English strawberries influence afternoon tea at Palm Court.
The entirely elegant Palm Court dining space at Hong Kong’s The Langham hotel is taking its cue from England with a strawberry-inspired offering.
The seasonal Strawberry Fields Afternoon Tea runs until the middle of this month (Britain’s strawberry season lasts through the summer) with a tea tray laden with English-inspired treats.
Enjoy summer roulade, strawberry wine jelly, strawberry tarts with fresh lemon mousse and strawberry cream puffs.
Balance the sweet with savoury finger bites including cucumber truffle cheese sandwiches, salmon tarts, garden vegetable salad with 52-month cured Iberico ham and foie gras bon bons. Fresh-baked plain and fruit scones are accompanied by signature rose petal and sour cherry jams and clotted cream.
Wash it down with premium loose leaf JING teas and two glasses of Summer Strawberry mocktails. Or add unlimited Saicho Sparkling Tea at HK$898 for two or a glass of Taittinger Champagne at HK$898 for two.
Strawberry Fields Afternoon Tea, HK$698, 3 to 5.30pm weekdays or 2.15 to 4.15pm and 4.30 to 6pm weekends and public holidays, until September 19, The Langham Hong Kong Hotel, 8 Peking Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong, +852 2132 7898.
Le Meridien
Enjoy an elderflower gin cocktail with your scones at Le Meridien.
The Cyberport hotel has launched The Fragrance Garden Afternoon Tea as a collaboration with Italian beauty brand ACCA KAPPA.
Tuck into four savoury bites and six sweet treats inspired by the signature lemon, juniper and lavender ingredients of ACCA KAPPA’s White Moss fragrance collection.
The tea is served at the hotel’s new Southside Bistro dining space. Guests can enjoy green views and treats including brie cheese mille feuille with almond brittle and blueberry lavender coulis, home-smoked juniper and gin salmon with avocado and bruschetta, warm spinach and chorizo mini tarts and slow-cooked scallop with Parma ham, cantaloupe and lemon citrus zest.
Moving onto the cake plate, indulge with a green mousse crunchy cake, lemon meringue crumble tart, opera cake, apple mousse cake and honey and yuzu cupcakes. Freshly baked fruit scones come with dollops of clotted cream and mixed berry jam.
Enjoy two cups of tea or Italian Illy coffee or upgrade to two glasses of elderflower gin cocktail for an additional HK$100.
The Fragrance Garden Afternoon Tea, HK$568 for two, 3 to 5pm, daily, until October 16, Le Meridien Cyberport, 100 Cyberport Road, Cyberport, Hong Kong, +852 2980 7417.