Harden's survey result
Summary
Hermès, Loewe and Zimmermann help inspire the Spring/Summer 2023 Prêt-à-Portea collection on the ‘cakewalk’ of this Belgravia chamber, which takes annual inspiration for its wizard patisserie selection from the catwalk of the fashion industry. If you have money to burn, it’s an impressively skillful and witty twist on the afternoon tea experience – tuck into “Hermès’ tasselled bucket bag, crafted out of Victoria sponge sandwiched with apricot jam, wrapped in chocolate and finished with a chocolate feather plume!”
Summary
Pimp your Insta in fine style with a trip to this pretty chamber and its fashionista afternoon ‘Prêt-à-Portea’, whose exquisitely crafted cakes are regularly re-shaped to mirror the fashions of different designers. From April 2022 it is ‘couture cakes inspired by designers from Saint Laurent to Schiaparelli’: ‘Schiaparelli’s couture golden mini dress combines caramel sponge, dark Valrhona chocolate and hazelnut praline, all topped with a shimmering, chocolate oversized collar’, apparently. Not one if you’re counting the pennies of course, but something genuinely different and deftly realised for those with money to burn.
Summary
“The Pret a Portea champagne afternoon tea was my highlight of 2021! Phenomenal!” – Each year, the team at The Berkeley produce a new, fashion-themed afternoon tea and – if you can afford the hefty price tag – it’s an AbFab experience (‘…the 2021/22 collection debuts with Donatella Versace’s ocean-themed cocktail dress, reimagined as a coconut dacquoise and mango confit, encased with exotic fruit mousse and topped with a sugar starfish’). Results are “incredible, a perfect balance between tartness and sweetness: my mouth is literally watering as I remember it. Huge amounts of delicious sandwiches followed by an inventive afternoon tea spread and unlimited choices of teas and coffees. I can’t wait to go back!”.
Summary
“‘Pret-a-Portea’ remains the most creative afternoon tea, bar none!” and is “always an amazing delight, both for the eyes and the lips” (this year, its beautifully crafted cakes inspired by fashion catwalks came with a Dior tie-in to match the exhibition at the V&A). “Sitting in the light and airy Collins Room is a treat” in itself too, but while for other occasions the food is “always of a high standard” then for a full meal “do not go hungry as portions can be small”.
For 33 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).
Have you eaten at The Collins Room, The Berkeley Hotel?
The Berkeley Hotel, Wilton Place, London, SW1X 7RL
Restaurant details
Prices
 Drinks |
|
|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £40.00 |
| Filter Coffee | £6.00 |
 Extras |
|
|---|---|
| Bread | £0.00 |
| Service | 15.00% |
The Berkeley Hotel, Wilton Place, London, SW1X 7RL
Opening hours
| Monday | 7:30 am‑10:30 pm |
| Tuesday | 7:30 am‑10:30 pm |
| Wednesday | 7:30 am‑10:30 pm |
| Thursday | 7:30 am‑10:30 pm |
| Friday | 7:30 am‑10:30 pm |
| Saturday | 7:30 am‑10:30 pm |
| Sunday | 7:30 am‑10:30 pm |
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