The Peninsula
Add: 32 Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu, near Beijing East Road / 中山东一路32号, 近北京东路
Tel: 2327 6756
Hours: [afternoon tea] 2-6pm
Website: www.peninsula.com/Shanghai/en/
Price: 260 RMB or 340 RMB (with champagne) + 15%/person
Visited: Feb 2012
Please note that this is an arranged tasting.
TSubtle tones of celadon green and ivory, triple-height ceiling with palatial columns, live music wafting down from the Minstrels’ Gallery performed by the Lobby String…it’s no wonder that having high tea at The Peninsula is every afternoon tea-er’s dream.
The Peninsula Afternoon Tea (260 RMB + 15%/set), a spread of exquisitely orchestrated British traditional fare, is served on a claw-footed three tier stand. If you are wondering why the set looks so pink, it’s because the current tea theme is strawberry – from finger sandwiches to scones to macarons, everything is adorned with a touch of pink.
Starting at the bottom layer: Boursin cheese tart with strawberry balsamic salad, strawberry-hazulnut bread with smoked salmon, dill brioche with house-smoked salmon, and a brie, arugula, strawberry jam, beetroot rosemary bread.
On the middle layer, we have plain scone, rose petal scone, strawberry & gingerbread cookie, lemon shortbread, and strawberry & vanilla macaron. I was especially happy to discover the delicious macarons – I’ve been having a hard time finding good macarons in Shanghai, and the ones here are certainly near the top (though I was once very disappointed by the macarons at Sir Elly’s right upstairs…)
My favorite from the top layer was the strawberry cheesecake, a creamy dome sitting atop a strawberry macaron cookie instead of the typical graham cracker crust. What else was on the plate: rhubarb tart, strawberry & basil gateaux, and manajari mousse with strawberry.
Here’s a close-up shot of the scone, which came in two varieties (plain and rose petals) and accompanied by clotted cream, lemon curd, and strawberry jam.
Coffee, tea, or a glass of Vueve Clicquot champagne (tag on another 90 RMB).
Come early as the Lobby Lounge does not take reservations, and – if you care enough – dress well, for this is a place to see and be seen.
For more high tea options in Shanghai, take a look at the Shanghai Afternoon Tea Guide.
Looks delicious! Have had many a lackluster afternoon teas in Taipei, so it’s good to see how it’s done well
Yes I have to say that SH wins in terms of afternoon tea service in comparison to TPE, though there’s definitely still lots of room for improvement :)