Palm Court Bollinger Bar

This review appears in the The List's Eating & Drinking Guide 2008 – in the shops now or buy online.

The glamorous entrance into the Balmoral Hotel is an experience in itself, but when the soft notes of a harp reach your ears in the Palm Court Tearoom and Bollinger Bar, a proper sense of grandeur is felt. Staff attend to your every whim, and before you know it there's a starched napkin across your lap and you've ordered a glass of champagne despite the fact that it's hardly four in the afternoon. This is the ultimate afternoon tea, the art of which has been preserved by the Balmoral Hotel since the day when it was simply the done thing. Throughout the afternoon it is possible to order from a selection of fine teas or coffee with shortbread, or a classic smoked salmon sandwich chosen from the variety available. A thrilling choice of beverages ranges from vintage Bollinger, single malts and champagne cocktails to chateauneuf-du-pape, vermouth, or a Virgin Mary – a tipple for every taste and occasion. The pièce de résistance, the 'Balmoral tea', is presented on a three-tier cake stand with a selection of traditional finger sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam, and tiny sweet tartlets, all made in the Balmoral bakery.

• High point: A stylish setting and vintage bubbly make this teatime experience most decadent
• Low point: Less focus on quantity and more on quality would perk up the cake stand