EATING IN LONDON - London 2015 - page 673

act, pound on the table. Reserve in advance online or by phone (adult- £ 50, child- £ 30, fam-
ily deal for 2 adults and 2 kids- £ 110—Sun-Thu only, 15 percent discount for Rick Steves
readers—can't combine with family deal, Mon-Sat around 20:00, Sun around 18:00, veg-
gie option possible, rentable medieval garb, The Medieval Banquet Ivory House, St. Kath-
arine Docks, enter docks off East Smithfield Street, Tube: Tower Hill, tel. [phone],
www.medievalbanquet.com ).
Near East End Street Markets: Brick Lane in “Banglatown” is where London's
Bangladeshi community goes to dine at their favorite curry house. If you join them, be
prepared for curbside hawkers pitching their eateries (Tube: Aldgate East, see here ).
Taking Tea in London
Once the sole province of genteel ladies in fancy hats, afternoon tea has become more
democratic in the 21st century. While some tearooms—such as the wallet-draining £ 50-a-
head tea service at Claridges and the finicky Fortnum & Mason—still require a jacket and
tie, most happily welcome tourists in jeans and sneakers.
TEA TERMS
The cheapest “tea” on the menu is generally a “cream tea”; the most expensive is the
“champagne tea.” Cream tea is simply a pot of tea and a homemade scone or two with
jam and thick clotted cream. (For maximum pinkie-waving taste per calorie, slice your
scone thin like a miniature loaf of bread.) Afternoon tea —what many Americans would
call “high tea”—generally is a cream tea plus a tier of three plates holding small finger
foods (such as cucumber sandwiches) and an assortment of small pastries. Champagne
tea includes all of the goodies, plus a glass of bubbly. High tea to the English generally
means a more substantial late-afternoon or early-evening meal, often served with meat or
eggs.
Tearooms, which often also serve appealing light meals, are usually open for lunch
and close about 17:00, just before dinner. At all the places listed below, it's perfectly ac-
ceptable for two people to order one afternoon tea and one cream tea (at about £ 5) and
share the afternoon tea's goodies.
Places to Sip Tea
The Wolseley serves a good afternoon tea between their meal service. Split one with your
companion and enjoy two light meals at a great price in classic elegance ( £ 11 cream tea,