Tea at the Ritz

on January 3, 2010

Tea at The Ritz was a wonderful way to celebrate our 1 year wedding anniversary!

Hard to believe that one year ago today, I was walking down the aisle towards my “Future Husband”! Times flies when you’re having fun.Â 🙂

It has been a dream of mine for many, many years to have Afternoon Tea at The Ritz, and the experience (and food) truly lived up to my expectations!

But before The Ritz, we met up with Chris and his roommate, Chris, for lunch and shopping in Covent Garden.

I dragged the boys to a vegetarian restaurant called Food for Thought, which was highly rated online and by readers and other bloggers.Â In fact, some websites call it the #1 vegetarian restaurant in London!

Food for Thought was a small, cafeteria-style place that was positively rammed.Â I ordered the vegetarian lasagna and a coleslaw; however, I was a little disappointed with my food (the lasagna was dry).Â The Husband’s dahl was delicious, though!

After lunch, Chris, Chris, the Husband, and I (whew!) did some shopping in Covent Garden.

We were on the look-out for unique gifts for the Husband’s mom and sister.Â They watched our dogs while we were away… we really, really appreciated it!

And then it was time….

THE RITZ!

Everything about The Ritz was first-class.Â The food, the tea, the atmosphere, the tinkling piano music…. it all oozed class.Â I felt so lady-like with my little tea cup!

We started off with the finest tea I have ever tasted…

And then we got our three-tier food platter!

The top tier was desserts, the second tier was scones, and the third tier was sandwiches.Â The Ritz has a vegetarian AND vegan tea options.Â We got the vegetarian sandwiches, which included cream cheese and cucumber, cheese, hummus, and tomato and cheese.

The dessert tier was the prettiest…

But the scones were the most delicious! I smothered mine in clotted cream and jam and enjoyed every single bite.

I had SO MUCH food.Â I was literally in a food and sugar coma (I had about four cups of tea to boot!).Â My blood was buzzing with caffeine and glucose!Â :)Â I joked I was going to have clotted cream babies (not one food baby… twins).

Tea at The Ritz was a wonderfully romantic and fun experience!Â I highly recommend it!Â 🙂

After our meal, we walked around London and enjoyed the last of the Christmas lights…

And now we’re packing up to go home tomorrow! Although I had a wonderful vacation, I am very excited to get back to my normal life.Â Isn’t it funny how vacations always end like that?

{ 70 comments }

Babycakes January 3, 2010, 4:18 pm
I was SO looking forward to this post! I had tea at the Ritz when I was about 10 years old, and I’d love to do it again as an adult. So glad you had such a great experience! Everything looked beautiful! 🙂
Kirsten January 3, 2010, 4:19 pm
I love Covent Garden! Congrats on your anniversary.
Estela @ Weekly Bite January 3, 2010, 4:20 pm
Loved this post! Looks like such a great time!

I’d love to do that one day!
Morgan @ Healthy Happy Place January 3, 2010, 4:20 pm
The Ritz looks GORGEOUS! I’m glad you and the hubby had such a great time.
Sana January 3, 2010, 4:21 pm
I am soooooooo happy that you had a lovely time 🙂
Amelia January 3, 2010, 4:22 pm
The tea looks like an amazing experience! I’m impressed that something as traditional as a tea service had vegetarian AND vegan food options. Very cool!
Deb (SmoothieGirlEatsToo) January 3, 2010, 4:33 pm
Wow- fairy tale day. The boys are so cute. You guys are adorable. Happy Anniversary! The Twins are happily fed. It’s all good 🙂

And it’s nice that you are happy on your vacay, but happy to return home- the sign of a really good and balanced time.

I’ve been disappointed with lasagna I’ve order in the UK as well. Tooo cheesy and gross.

BTW: notice in the photo of the Vegetarian restaurant- in the background there’s a sign that says “To Let” … it took me years to stop thinking that it was the sign for a “Toilet” 🙂
Kath January 3, 2010, 4:35 pm
How fun!! I went to high tea in London too and it was like yours – amazing.
Amanda (Two Boos Who Eat) January 3, 2010, 4:35 pm
I want to have tea at the ritz too! That looks delicious! What a wonderful way to celebrate your 1 year anniversary. Ours is in July and I’m thinking of going to Napa. Woo hoo!

But now tea at the ritz looks like fun!
Karla January 3, 2010, 4:36 pm
TEA! How fun! I had tea at Harrods when I went to London. I bet tea at the Ritz is a MILLION times better!
Lindsay Perrone (goodiesgalore) January 3, 2010, 4:37 pm
Look at you all high class! Good for you. Something about the words clotted cream just doesn’t sit right with me. I would rock that top tier. Yum. Happy anni!
Cassie @ A Very Busy Mind January 3, 2010, 4:40 pm
I don’t think you could have found a more food blogger-friendly place than The Ritz…amazing-looking food makes for amazing-looking pictures!

P.S. I don’t think everyone feels the way you’re feeling when a vacation ends. I think the fact that you’re looking forward to getting back to your routine shows that you’re in a great place in your life and that you’re truly happy. Awesome. 🙂
Jessica @ How Sweet It Is January 3, 2010, 4:40 pm
How beautiful! I feel like this is a fairy tale. 🙂
kirsten January 3, 2010, 4:42 pm
happy anniversary to you and the husband! 🙂
Danielle (Coffee Run) January 3, 2010, 4:43 pm
omg everything is beautiful. Glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Chloe (Naturally Frugal) January 3, 2010, 4:45 pm
How fun! Happy anniversary to you both, and best wishes for many years to come!
Kailey January 3, 2010, 4:55 pm
that is so fancy to have tea that the Ritz 🙂 sounds like royalty to me!! haha
have a safe trip home!
christie, honoring health January 3, 2010, 4:55 pm
So glad you enjoyed tea at the Ritz! It looks delightful!
Jenny January 3, 2010, 4:56 pm
That tea looks so sweet and amazing! It reminds of somewhere you guys went a while back where they had the “three tiers” of treats and tea? I can’t remember, but I know you blogged about it!
Erica January 3, 2010, 4:57 pm
Looks like an amazing and wonderful trip! What a fantastic way to spend the holidays. Happy Anniversary and thanks for sharing all your trip details…I couldn’t wait to read what you were going to be doing next! Have a safe trip home 🙂
Julie January 3, 2010, 4:59 pm
How fun!! I’m glad you enjoyed it and got to take pictures!! I want to go back!
Jordan @ Salt Sweat Sugar January 3, 2010, 5:01 pm
You’re so lucky! That place looks ammmmaaaazing. I love doing fancy things like that. Makes me feel classy!
Lauren January 3, 2010, 5:11 pm
You are bringing back so many wonderful memories for me. English scone and clotted cream! I almost forgot how amazing this delicacy was.

Oh I miss England! 🙁

Hope you have a safe trip home Caitlin.
Sam (Merit to the Carrot) January 3, 2010, 5:11 pm
Tea at the Ritz is indeed a fabulous occasion to remember forever. My grandma took me 3 years ago, and it is definitely one of my short life’s highlights 🙂

Happy Anniversary!!
Island Girl Eats January 3, 2010, 5:23 pm
I have enjoyed reading all of your holiday posts. I am sad you are going home! It seems like you had such a good holiday – I don’t think that you could have done much more with your time there! It seemed like you were always on the go!

Safe trip home!
Danielle January 3, 2010, 5:24 pm
Lovely! I can’t even imagine how beautiful tea was. Thank you for sharing your experience with us 🙂

I also agree that no matter how wonderful a vacation is, it’s always nice to get home, sleep in your own bed, and get back into a normal routine.
Freya @ foodfitnessandfreya.wordpress.com January 3, 2010, 5:26 pm
WOW! I’m so jealous! I’ve always wanted to have tea at the Ritz! Or afternoon tea in any of the amazing fancy London places. They had the finalists of Masterchef do afternoon tea once, and ever since I’ve been dying to go!
What a brilliant end to your trip 🙂 I hope you enjoyed England!
Have a safe flight back 🙂 and Happy Anniversary again! 🙂
Heather @ The Joyful Kitchen January 3, 2010, 5:34 pm
How elegant! You guys always do the coolest things 🙂
Britt (Runnerbelle) January 3, 2010, 5:39 pm
Fun! I love doing afternoon tea. Some friends and I had tea at the Taj hotel in Boston recently, it was so much fun and incredibly delicious!

Safe travels on your way home!!!
Juli January 3, 2010, 5:45 pm
Hey I thought you couldn’t take pictures in there!?!
- caitlin January 3, 2010, 6:39 pm
  a really sweet reader emailed the manager and asked for me and they told her it was fine 🙂 and it was!
Evan Thomas January 3, 2010, 5:58 pm
So cool! That’s definitely one of the neatest ways to celebrate an anniversary
Lex @ sweettoothlex January 3, 2010, 6:11 pm
Wow, your time at the Ritz looked absolutely amazing!!!!
Glad you had a wonderful vacation!

Safe trip home!!
Rosey Rebecca January 3, 2010, 6:13 pm
Happy Anniversary!! Hope you have a safe trip home!
Meghan@traveleatlove January 3, 2010, 6:48 pm
Covent Garden is a lot of fun! I always look forward to cooking after vacations if I haven’t stayed with family or in a rented flat. Have a safe flight home!
teacherwoman January 3, 2010, 7:02 pm
Sounds like a great way to spend your 1 year anniversary! 🙂
Erin January 3, 2010, 7:11 pm
This looks so beautiful and fun. I love going to formal tea — we go every time we’re in England and also twice a year at the Ritz here in Washington, DC. Great food and a fun splurge. 😀
Karmen @ Fit Twentysix January 3, 2010, 7:19 pm
Oh how fun! I’ve always wanted to have tea like that =) One day for sure. Have a safe trip home.
Lindsey @ EatReadRun January 3, 2010, 7:33 pm
Tea at the Ritz looks fabulous. High tea anywhere is such a fun event. Maybe I just love tiny food and tea way too much.

And I always feel that way toward the end of a vacation – it’s been great and amazing, but I’m always ready to head home. I’m a homebody at heart. Have a safe trip back and start getting pumped for your marathon!!
Rachel January 3, 2010, 7:59 pm
Wow, it looks amazing!
Angela (The Lady Loves to Eat) January 3, 2010, 8:05 pm
That looks amazing! What a great way to spend your first anniversary! Have a safe trip home!
Hillary @ Nutrition Nut on the Run January 3, 2010, 8:10 pm
Tea in England – couldn’t imagine doing anything else. Safe travels tomorrow!
Jenna January 3, 2010, 8:10 pm
The ritz looks so fab!
Glad you are coming home tomorrow! By the end of vacations I am always ready to return home!
Jenna
Lauren January 3, 2010, 8:27 pm
You guys are a beautiful couple. Really. That picture made me all warm and fuzzy inside!
Nicci@NiftyEats January 3, 2010, 8:38 pm
Happy Anniversary!
caronae January 3, 2010, 8:42 pm
The Tea sounds wonderful! Now I really want to go sometime!!! Have a safe trip.
Anna @ Newlywed, Newly Veg January 3, 2010, 8:53 pm
So pretty! What a special, unique experience (and a great way to celebrate your first wedding anniversary!). Lovely!
Jessica @ Going Off Birth Control Pills January 3, 2010, 9:03 pm
I’m ALWAYS ready to come home at the end of a vacation! There’s just something so nice about your own bed, your own bathroom, everything. Even if the vacation accommodations are plush, being HOME is just better, always!
emily January 3, 2010, 9:08 pm
Oooh the Ritz looks amazing, so jealous! Congrats on your anniversary, we celebrated our 2year this vaction as well, it’s crazy how time flies.
Gracie January 3, 2010, 9:16 pm
I’ve always wanted to eat little tea sandwiches and pastries off of a teired-food platter 😛
monica January 3, 2010, 9:19 pm
Food tastes awesome when it’s stacked:) I want a chris for myself!!!
Kristine January 3, 2010, 9:25 pm
That all looks so picture perfect. Have a safe trip home and Happy Anniversary!!
Joelle (The Pancake Girl) January 3, 2010, 9:37 pm
YAY what a gorgeous tea- happy anniversary! Safe travels to you! 🙂
ashleigh January 3, 2010, 9:38 pm
Happy Anniversary!! what a great day 🙂
Lee January 3, 2010, 9:42 pm
That’s awesome that they have vegetarian and vegan options at the Ritz!
Deva (Voracious Vorilee) January 3, 2010, 9:57 pm
Happy Anniversary! Your tea looks divine – I love the three-tiers of food, it all looks yummy 🙂
Diana @ frontyardfoodie January 3, 2010, 10:02 pm
congrats:) Isn’t marriage fun!?

That tea sounds sounds positively lovely. Someday……
Heather January 3, 2010, 10:10 pm
Happy 1st Anniversary! What a great way to spend it-having tea at The Ritz! Enjoy your last night.
Nicole January 3, 2010, 11:05 pm
Happy Anniversary! You were a stunning bride! LOVE your cake!

Safe travels back to the states!
Morgan @ Life After Bagels January 3, 2010, 11:39 pm
I want to go to tea!!!!!!!!!!
Melissa S. January 4, 2010, 12:43 am
What a great night at the ritz! so jealous!

have a safe flight home!! i’ll see you at the end of the weeeeek!!!
Leo @ cupcakes in Paris January 4, 2010, 1:12 am
Your tea looks fantastic. What a classy way to celebrate your anniversary!
Have a safe trip back home!
Penny January 4, 2010, 1:27 am
Tea at the Ritz looks fantastic!!!
Katie January 4, 2010, 12:22 pm
That is a gorgeous pic of you and your husband. Happy anniversary!
Carolyn January 4, 2010, 12:54 pm
What fun! The husband and I didn’t do much for our one year anniversary, but I think we’re going to change that for #2. It’s important to acknowledge and celebrate the time we’ve spent together.
Jolene (www.everydayfoodie.ca) January 6, 2010, 1:15 am
Tea at the Ritz sounds absolutely perfect!
Grace February 9, 2010, 7:06 am
Oh My goodness!
I honestly am sitting here in SHOCK!
I only found your website today, after hearing (reading?) about you often from Jenna (eatliverun) I don’t really know why it took me so long to pop on over (I have visited operation beautiful a few times – and love it!)

But today, I was going through your back posts for some inspiration and to settle some curiosity and I saw you got back from England around when I did and thought, isn’t it a small world. Then saw your bit about Covent Garden and had a few flashbacks of wandering around that area when I was in London (Dec 14- Jan 17). Nice memories!
But then, (this is where the shock part comes in) I saw the anniversary part where you went to The Ritz, and flashed back to going to The Ritz myself with my friend and my sister, for my sister’s birthday. Which is on the 3rd!!
From complete opposite sides of the globe (I’m from Australia), we ended up in the same room, somewhere in the middle!!
What are the odds?!!?! Oh! It was lovely, wasn’t it? But you were right about the sugar coma! I wasn’t game to take photos, but rather enjoyed the experience moment for moment.

So I was wondering if you’d mind me ripping some of the pics off this post to add to the tangible memory banks, just in case the memories start to fade (which is doubtful – definitely a once in a life time thing for me at least!)

Anyway, please let me know if that’s ok.

Loving your blog. You really are an inspiring person!

Grace xx
- Caitlin February 9, 2010, 7:11 am
  how COOL! 🙂
  
  were you against the center decoration? if so, i remember three women eating and i bet it was you!
  
  you can borrow pictures, of course!
Grace February 9, 2010, 7:24 am
Thanks for pics. Once I got home the family was disappointed not to see pics of what it was like!

We were right against the fountain at the far side opposite the few stairs. Oddly enough, I think we had ‘afternoon tea’ at 11.30 in the morning, but then didn’t eat much for the rest of the day! It was so good!

I also love your observations in the few post/s before. Transport there was amazing! So convenient and clean (considering people eat on there all the time, and take pets! – a punishable offence here in Aus).
We also hated the tiny fridge, and missed the clothes dryer too, but became very adept at timing flipping of clothes drying on radiators about the flat so we didn’t burn the place down!
HVL March 10, 2011, 10:10 am
Next time you visit London try InSpiral (http://www.inspiralled.net/) or Manna (http://www.mannav.com/). If you want an informal meal, go to Inspiral – a bit on the hippy side with huge portions of really wholesome food, lucious cashew ice cream, and AMAZING desserts (the tiramisu if my fave). If you want something more ‘upmarket’ and for special occasions, go to Manna. You will NOT be disappointed!

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