At most, Lim recalls, maybe one item - say, a curry puff - would nod toward the local food culture. Because afternoon tea at the big hotels was "fancy" and expensive, Lim says even locals wanted the food to be authentically British. Why would anyone pay so much to eat a Malaysian snack they could buy down the street for just a few ringgits?
A string quartet was playing in the hotel's lobby on our arrival, and the music drifted gently through to the Green Parlour as we took our tea. The tea room itself is unmilitary in style, with lots of soft greens and botanical art on the walls. For those who like their afternoon tea with bubbles, there's a choice of English sparkling wines at the Green Parlour.
The Circus Afternoon Tea is the newest afternoon tea offering from the boutique five-star Vintry & Mercer in the City, joining the hotel's acclaimed The Crown Afternoon Tea and The Magic Afternoon Tea. Each themed tea is served in a different space. The Circus Afternoon Tea is served in the Vintry Kitchen on the ground floor, a relaxed cafe that is New York-like in its design, with wooden ceiling fans, glass skylights and lots of green foliage. My teenage son particularly liked the eco-decor.
Whether you prefer your Assam served with scones and clotted cream in a gilded hotel, or a cup of matcha in a serene garden, there's a tea experience to suit every mood. From quirky neighborhood tearooms to champagne-soaked dining rooms, these spots invite you to pause, sip, and savor the city's most civilized afternoon pick-me-up. Filoli With its historic manor house and 16 acres of formal gardens, Filoli makes afternoon tea feel like something out of a storybook.