The Rosebery at Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park

Close your eyes. Imagine yourself in a high-ceilinged room, there’s a violinist in the corner playing renditions of Taylor Swift, and the smell of jasmine fills your nose as a server quietly pours your tea. Now stop imagining and head to The Rosebery at Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park. The elegant tea room inside a fancy Knightsbridge hotel is our favourite afternoon tea spot when it comes to sandwiches. Coronation chicken sandwiches are nicely spiced and generously filled, while truffle egg numbers have you ordering another round immediately—which is encouraged. Flavours are on point and while you’ll have a favourite, we’d happily eat any of them again. The excellent scones are warm and buttery, and while the desserts look like a work of art, the flavours can be overpowering. Even so, the calming music in the background, comfortable sofas you’ll want to spend hours in, and those hauntingly good sandwiches make this worth a visit.

photo credit: The Rosebery at Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park