Afternoon Tea at The Westin, Dublin

The Westin Hotel, Westmoreland Street, Dublin 2

Something to add to your list of ‘To Do’s’ when in Dublin is Afternoon Tea at The Westin Hotel. The Westin is on Westmoreland Street, near Trinity so it’s nice and handy for post shopping trips or indeed for that catch up with your friends or family, or both.

Afternoon tea isn’t saved for us ladies either, ladish lads, so don’t be afraid to book a table for your catch up … it doesn’t always have to be a guinness fart-aired pub! And don’t get me wrong about the Irish pub, I have a fondness for them as much as the next man or woman.

Anyhoo Afternoon Tea at the Westin Hotel is held in the Atrium Lounge, it is so called because it is in the centre of the hotel. The layout gives the feeling you are outside when in fact you’re inside with it’s bright high walls and glass ceiling – clever eh! It is decorated with comfy antique couches, chairs and tables that are the perfectly in tune with one another. I went along on Sunday afternoon with two of my favourite gals, my sister and my brothers girlfriend. We booked a table for 3pm. The Afternoon Tea is available Monday to Sunday from 2 to 6pm and on Saturdays from 1 to 6pm. I’m not sure whether you need to book in advance but I did spot quite a few reserved tables on Sunday so I would advise that you do, to save disappointment. There are two menu’s to choose from for Afternoon Tea at The Westin, there’s A Most Peculiar Afternoon Tea and the Traditional Afternoon Tea. Being a tad bit peculiar myself at times, I felt it only fitting that I choose the peculiar option, my sister did the same … it must run in the family! My brother’s girlfriend chose the traditional one, as she tried the peculiar option before and fancied a change.

We were shown to our table and big comfy couch and chairs, again the set up is lovely as you aren’t sitting on someone’s lip, as they say and there is a nice bit of room between tables so you can natter away to your hearts content about whatever you feel. The waitress that served us was lovely. She took our orders, set our table and when our pots of tea and Victorian Mojito were brought to our table she elegantly poured our drinks over our personal strainers into our china teacups … Okay you did read that correctly I did say Victorian Mojito and yes it was delicious. After that our Afternoon Tea was served.

The dishes are served on slates if you choose the peculiar option and on china plates if you choose the traditional option, both are served on a three tiered serving platters. The peculiar option has the savory items on the top level of the platter and the traditional has theirs on the bottom. Each bite was delicious with my favourite savory items being the Confit of Pork Cheek, Stilton and Honey Aioli and the Oak Smoked Irish Salmon, Caviar, Cream Cheese Blini, however I did really like them all. The Banana and Walnut Bread, Cinnamon and Honey Butter was divine. I thought I could make Banana Bread until I tried The Westin’s … guess I better get myself back in the kitchen. The desserts were just fabulous looking with two of my favourites being the Popping Vanilla Marshmallows … fun! and the Chocolate and Caramel Sea-salt Brownie … talk about melt in the mouth! The traditional option went down a treat too but to be honest when I return, which no doubt I will, I will most likely go the peculiar route again as it was so up my street.

For more information you can visit The Atrium Lounge website here. If you’d like to check the menu’s out for yourself in a readable/printable format then click here … but for now have a little drool over my photo’s … enjoy and if you’ve been? Let me know what you think!