What could be better than spending a Sunday afternoon in good company, sipping on comforting tea while enjoying savories and confectioneries crafted like works of art? Not much I would say!
Even though Tokyo may not be the first place that comes to mind when you think about afternoon tea, it is actually thriving with great options for exquisite tea breaks. I had some serious catching up to do with a friend, so we decided to treat ourselves to Le Jardin‘s afternoon tea at Hotel Chinzanso.
Le Jardin offers a 4,500 yen afternoon tea. It is not exactly cheap, but the service was wonderful and I had a great time, so I consider it money well spent.
Le Jardin’s decor is quite antique and they use real China teapots for a truly authentic feel. The tables face the floor-to-ceiling windows, so that you can enjoy the view of Chinzanso’s magnificent garden. I highly recommend you request a table by the window when you make a reservation!
We were lucky enough to have the special Peach & Pear Afternoon tea made in collaboration with the French Perfumer Goutal. We even had a sample of their new perfume Petite Chérie waiting in our plates when we arrived. That was such a nice thought!
Pear & Peach Afternoon Tea menu
Pear Flavored Jelly with Gold Leaf
Peach Butter Cake
Pear Cream Corn Resembling a Bouquet
Pear Mousse Tart
3 scones (Plain, Pear, Peach)
Clotted Cream, Jam
Pear and Cream Cheese Open Sandwich
Okra and Lentil Tortilla Roll
Smoked Bacon Tart
Zucchini Cake Sale
** Free flow of tea and coffee **
The menu lived up to my expectations. Every bite was extremely beautiful and absolutely delicious. My favorite bites were the Pear and Cream Cheese Open Sandwich as well as the Smoked Bacon Tart.
The drink menu was quite impressive with over 20 different teas to choose from. However, I wish they had a little more variety of coffees, such as lattes or cappucinos. I was pleasantly surprised when I asked for some soy milk and the staff kindly accommodated for my request!
Le Jardin‘s afternoon tea is very popular. Even tough we reserved about 3 weeks in advance, we could only have a table for 12:00. This afternoon tea was actually our lunch, but we still left satisfied. Time went by really fast – too fast! We had to leave our table for the next customers at 14:30. Luckily, Chinzanso has a beautiful garden that is open to non-staying guests, so we were able to have a nice walk afterwards. If you go all the way there, it would be a shame to miss it!
Le Jardin
Opening hours: Open every day from 10:00 to 22:00
Website: click here
Address: 10-8, Sekiguchi 2-chome, Bunkyo-ku, 112-8680 Tokyo
Telephone: 03 3943 1111
