The Lanesborough Reimagines Afternoon Tea Through Bridgerton

London enters the season with a sense of theatre. Not the loud kind, but the cultivated hush of ritual, silk gloves, and candlelit rooms where history still lingers in the plasterwork. At The Lanesborough, that atmosphere finds new expression in a limited edition afternoon tea inspired by Bridgerton, created in partnership with Netflix and Shondaland to coincide with the arrival of Season 4 in January 2026.

Rather than leaning into nostalgia, the experience interprets the Regency era as a state of mind. A period defined by ceremony and spectacle, by coded glances across ballrooms and the choreography of social life, is refracted through a contemporary fine dining lens. The result feels less like homage and more like conversation between past and present, where tradition is respected but never left untouched.

The setting does much of the storytelling. Afternoon tea unfolds beneath The Lanesborough’s original glass dome, where daylight filters softly across neoclassical bas reliefs cast from hundreds of moulds. As evening draws in, chandeliers take over, bathing the room in a glow that feels intimate and faintly conspiratorial. It is a space that understands drama instinctively, not through excess, but through proportion, light, and restraint.

The menu, devised by Head Pastry Chef Jolan Thiry, is structured as a quiet narrative. Savouries arrive first, composed with precision rather than flourish: Westcombe cheddar paired with spring onion aioli, Scottish smoked salmon lifted by citrus crème fraiche, harissa-spiced chicken softened with basil, and a cooling combination of cucumber, avocado, and mint. A truffled potato bun slider anchors the selection, while alternative menus ensure the experience remains inclusive without feeling compromised. Scones follow, warm and deliberate, accompanied by cream and jam that feel less obligatory and more ceremonial.

It is in the sweet course that the emotional register deepens. Four creations form the centre of the experience, each drawing on character and mood rather than literal reference. The Lady in Silver crowns the stand as a shared centrepiece, its lemon sponge and vanilla cream layered with yuzu gel, finished in silver leaf and edible pearls. It evokes Sophie not as a character, but as an idea: elusive, luminous, quietly powerful.

Benedict’s Masquerade leans darker and more introspective, layering chocolate and tonka mousse with hazelnut praline on a fragile sable base, a study in indulgence tempered by control. Let Love Take Flight is lighter, almost whispered, pairing blackberry mousse with sesame sponge in a form that recalls antique cameos and private tokens. Cottage Bloom turns outward again, capturing the softness of an English garden through green apple, ginger mousse, and floral detail, a moment of stillness amid the social swirl.

The cocktails extend the narrative rather than interrupt it. Forbidden Love arrives theatrically in crystal, Hendrick’s Gin softened by vanilla and lemon, lifted with peach and jasmine soda and finished with a veil of rose water. Its non alcoholic counterpart, Beneath the Mask, mirrors the same notes of fruit, florals, and gentle sweetness, offering seduction without excess.

Pricing is quietly folded into the experience rather than announced. Afternoon tea is offered at £92 per person, rising to £102 with a cocktail or £110 with a glass of Laurent Perrier La Cuvée Champagne. A children’s menu is available for younger guests, though the atmosphere remains resolutely grown up, favouring conversation over novelty.

What lingers after the final cup is not simply the craftsmanship, but the feeling. This is afternoon tea as mood, as pacing, as shared attention. A reminder that luxury, at its most compelling, is less about abundance than about intention, and that the most memorable experiences are those that invite guests not just to consume, but to linger, observe, and feel.