What’s higher than afternoon tea in London for households? Clearly a Wizard afternoon tea in London with youngsters, the place you possibly can concoct potions, whip out your wand to attempt some magic, and eat a lot of cake on the identical time.
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This wasn’t the primary time we’d visited the Wizard Exploratorium in Soho – a number of years again, my daughter had gone alongside for the wand making, shortly after it opened, but it surely didn’t take a lot to tempt us again for a magical afternoon tea.
There’s additionally a Potions Making Expertise (for teenagers aged 5+) on supply, however with a busy time out deliberate in the course of the summer season holidays, this beat a boring lunch palms down – right here’s what we thought, in my overview of the wizard afternoon tea, London.
London’s Wizard afternoon tea: the expertise
Arriving shortly earlier than our reserving, we had an opportunity to play with a number of of the working magic wands on show, turning on lightbulbs and debating if unicorn or dragon can be higher because the magical core.
There’s additionally a variety of enchanting sweets – or presumably enchanted sweets – with every little thing from unicorn poo to thoughts snakes and imitation mice (warning, might make you crave cheese).
Having been launched to unicorn bartender Artemis, and checking by means of our dietary necessities, it was time to climb the rickety stairs for afternoon tea – be careful for the pixies alongside the way in which.
There are two rooms put aside for afternoon tea, and round half a dozen tables in every, so at peak occasions they’ll squeeze in seatings each hour.
Our personal afternoon tea was organized for 1.45pm; a bit sooner than conventional, however excellent as a substitute of lunch. Regardless of the title, you’ll find slots as early as 9.15am, and so they run till mid afternoon most days – occasions do differ every day although.
It was tempting to cease and have a very good have a look at every little thing adorning the partitions earlier than sitting down – handblown glass bottles, piles of books, empty image frames (some with butterflies resting on them), peacock feathers, candles, intriguing bottles, chests, containers with odd dials on and who is aware of what else.
However fortunately there’s time to eye all of it up later, whenever you’re prepared for a break between treats, in addition to discovering a number of interactive spots to wave your wand.
Our personal desk was arrange prepared with a tree to carry all of the plates, topped with a glowing dragon’s egg, a glass teapot and glasses on the underside and a menu tucked between the sandtimers.
If a laminated checklist doesn’t really feel significantly magical, I used to be very completely satisfied to fake it was parchment with inky thrives after I learn the checklist of cocktails and mocktails.
Some come served in a mini cauldron, however in the long run a Serum of Unfastened Lips (a mixture of peach, citrus, Aperol, vodka and milk, designed to disclose one’s deepest truths) acquired my vote, whereas my daughter set her sights on Infinite Summer season, a fruity mocktail.
However first there was work to be completed. Essentially the most accountable particular person on the desk was advised to take the wand – evidently, my 11-year-old daughter was put in cost – and to fastidiously faucet out the sequence which might open our tea chest.
Lights illuminated and locks unlocked, and we found a small pestle and mortar plus a string of cork topped bottles, all with completely different teas inside, plus tea baggage to fill to make your individual excellent concoction, together with fruit and natural blends.
I made a decision to stay with peppermint, though we couldn’t resist eyeing up the others and crushing a number of rosebuds in an try and make one thing new and weird.
A phrase of recommendation: the wand additionally is available in very helpful for summoning charms – together with sizzling water, and later for further jam.
And earlier than lengthy, tea arrived: not home elves (that is very firmly a non-branded wizard’s afternoon tea) however tray after tray delivered to every desk with sandwiches (sorry, sand-witches) and savouries, truffles, scones and different desserts specified by entrance of us.
There are a number of completely different menus you possibly can select between, together with vegan and vegetarian – there’s a complement of £3 if you happen to select both of those or the gluten-free choice – however past that, you possibly can’t make some other adjustments.
If in case you have choosy eaters, it’s value realizing that whereas nothing is wildly outrageous, there’s additionally nothing significantly easy – cucumber comes with minty cream cheese, for instance, whereas there’s mustard mayo on the turkey ham and cheese sandwich.
This meant I did additionally get to eat my daughter’s leftovers, together with a few of her mushroom quiche (scrumptious!)
Even the pickiest eater will love the truffles although: an orange and poppyseed cupcake with a shimmering swirl of icing, a person lemon meringue tart, an Elven scone (similar to a basic one) with jam and cream.
Plus a number of extra surprising treats, together with a ardour fruit panna cotta plus a chocolate macaron with an added pipette of dragon’s blood.
Squeeze it into the macaron, we had been suggested, or drizzle it on high – or just squirt it into your mouth. However please don’t put it in anybody’s hair (apparently that has been completed). It’s positively far too good to waste – who knew dragon’s blood tastes fruity?
With our macaron oozing temptingly, limitless jam and cream, and my potion in entrance of me, just one factor may drag us away from the desk: Artemis the unicorn bartender.
Heading again downstairs to the doorway, my daughter was given a wand and glass, we made our courtesies to Artemis (a pat on the nostril and a flourishing bow respectively) earlier than conjuring up a drink of Infinite Summer season.
Our incantation led to a barely enthusiastic supply from Artemis, who snorted a few of it over the ground, however apparently the mocktail was properly value a number of splashes.
When you’ve labored by means of all of the plates of treats, there’s time for a bit extra wand-waving – this wouldn’t be a magical afternoon tea in any other case, proper?
First up, there’s transfiguration: no-one will get became a frog until you’re significantly unfortunate, however having began your tea brewing, a number of faucets with the wand illuminates the realm to place your teapot, and you’ll watch it slowly change color.
Then preserve your ears open for the clue to resolve a riddle, and unveil a hidden drawer containing three further elements – add these in, and every glass takes on a complete new look.
Having completed that, you possibly can rummage by means of the additional elements and add additional extracts to create the right potion for you – the maple syrup got here in very helpful after I sourly found I’d been considerably heavy-handed with lemon juice.
After which there’s one ultimate fabulous foaming frothing cup to finish the meal – though this one you positively don’t drink!
Imitation mice in hand, we headed again out into the actual world.
For extra enchanting locations to go to in London with youngsters, take a look at my choose of essentially the most magical Harry Potter areas in London, from the studio tour to Home of MinaLima
Wizard afternoon tea with youngsters: the decision
I’ve not often taken my daughter to afternoon tea earlier than – I do know that she has very sturdy likes and dislikes, and whereas I like the entire indulgence and class of a basic afternoon tea, there doesn’t appear a lot level forking out when you’ve got youngsters who gained’t eat half of it.
However whereas she did choose and select between the meals right here, it was simply value it for the tea expertise.
An enormous fan of all issues magic, she liked waving the wand to activate lights and unlock puzzles, whereas making the colour-changing interactive teas was big enjoyable – even when she didn’t significantly wish to drink it afterwards.
The workers had been nice at bringing the entire magical environment to life as properly, even the sensible data will get an added enjoyable twist to steer you ever additional into this explicit wizarding world.
And it’s laborious to high a drink served by a mix of unicorn and magic wand, in any case.
From an grownup perspective, I liked the meals – and the cocktail – so if you happen to and your youngsters are wanting ahead to the meals as a lot because the interactive components of a themed afternoon tea, you shouldn’t go residence disenchanted.
If you happen to’re seeking to conjure up a fantastic expertise for wannabe witches and wizards, this positively must be on the checklist.
It’s additionally a fantastic choice to mix with a go to to Harry Potter and the Cursed Little one, which is taking part in in London only some minutes from the Wizard Exploratorium
Wizard afternoon tea London: Must know
The Arcane Wizard’s Afternoon tea prices £42 per particular person, whereas the Little Wizard’s Afternoon tea prices £32 per particular person.
Kids aged 11 and underneath can order the Little Wizard Afternoon tea for smaller parts, or can get the complete Arcane Wizard Afternoon tea if they like. Whereas we didn’t go residence hungry, an 11-year-old may simply end every little thing within the grownup model (in contrast to some afternoon teas which appear to have ridiculous quantities of meals)
If you happen to’d like greater than tea, you can too pre-order drinks to get 10% off, so long as you do it as much as 24 hours earlier than your reserving, together with Effervescent Shot of Loss of life, Signature Potion or molecular mocktail. Present vouchers are additionally accessible.
The timings differ from each day, with the final reserving at 3.30pm on Monday, Tuesday & Thursday, at 5.30pm on Wednesday, at 4pm on Friday, at 1.30pm on Saturday, and 4.30pm on Sunday.
The entire expertise lasts round 1 hour 45 minutes. Ours was nearer to 1 hour half-hour, though there was no rush to go away and we by no means felt hurried consuming our meals or whipping up our potions.
The Wands & Wizard Exploratorium is at 26 Greek Avenue in London’s Soho – if you happen to’re searching for extra wizard afternoon teas in London, it’s value realizing that the earlier choice on the Potion Room at Cutter & Squidge is now not accessible.
The Wizard Exploratorium is in an outdated constructing, over 5 storeys (wand-making is on the highest flooring) and the rickety stairs imply it isn’t wheelchair accessible.
If you happen to go to in summer season, it’s additionally value realizing that there’s no air con – throughout our go to, the home windows had been open and followers on, however if you happen to’re at one of many tables in the back of the room, it’s fairly sizzling. If you happen to’re searching for someplace cosy in winter, it’s virtually definitely supreme!
You may deliver youthful youngsters to the Wizard Afternoon tea, however under-fives should not allowed within the potion room for the Potions Expertise. The Wand Making Expertise is for age 8+ solely. There are bogs on the primary flooring, however no child altering.
There’s additionally Wizard Afternoon Tea in Edinburgh, in addition to Potion Making in Brighton,
Disclosure: This publish accommodates affiliate hyperlinks – any purchases you make are unaffected however I’ll obtain a small fee. Our expertise on the Wizard Afternoon Tea London was free for overview – all opinions are mine (and my daughter’s)
Photos copyright MummyTravels
