[Shanghai] Red Velvet Afternoon Tea at Waldorf Astoria

Salon de Ville, Waldorf Astoria

Add: Waldorf Astoria, 2 Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu 中山东一路2号上海外滩华尔道夫酒店
Tel: 6322 9988
Hours: 10am-8pm
Website: www.waldorfastoria.com
Price: 338rmb+15%/person, free flow of coffee, tea, and finger food
Visited: Aug 2011

Afternoon Tea at Waldorf Astoria Shanghai. The tea set itself was not particularly impressive, but I quite enjoyed the regal yet relaxed ambiance brought alive by classical music performance (cello and violin on the day of my visit, harp on most weekends). What I liked most about Salon de Ville, in addition to its plush furnishings, is that there is a comfortable distance between each clusters of sofas, making it a perfect spot for a quiet afternoon of private tête-à-têtes.

The Red Velvet Afternoon Tea Set, priced at 338 RMB/person, includes a free flow of savory bites, finger sandwiches, scones, cakes, signature red velvet cupcakes, and coffee or tea (try the Irish Whisky Cream, which actually doesn’t contain any whisky but is rich and aromatic enough to intoxicate.)

Savory bites: smoked salmon pastry, quiche, chicken curry puff pastry.

Bottom tier: assorted finger sandwiches and potato salad.

Middle tier: plain scones, raisin scones (come with jam, clotted cream, mascarpone cream), coffee cream puff, pistachio cake, chocolate lemon rolled cake.

Top tier: red velvet cupcakes, raspberry macarons, blueberry tart, white chocolate mousse cake, New York cheese cake, chestnut cake.

The classic red velvet cake, made popular during the 1920s at the Waldorf Astoria New York, supposedly also made an appearance with Julia Roberts in her 1989 movie “Steel Magnolias”. While most red velvet cakes are artificially colored, the Waldorf Astoria rendition is naturally red with beetroot juice and cocoa powder.

As seats are limited, make sure to reserve ahead of time (and remember to ask for one of the two window tables, if that’s your thing).

For more high tea options in Shanghai, take a look at the Shanghai Afternoon Tea Guide.