Coming up to Christmas, everyone needs a little treat to keep them going! We’ve prepared a list of the top 8 places you can go to across Ireland to enjoy some delicious festive afternoon tea!
The Heritage – Killenard, Laois
The best way to experience Christmas cheer this year is with Festive Afternoon Tea at The Heritage. Roaring fires, carols and delicious yuletide treats are sure to put you in the festive mood.
Treat your nearest and dearest this Christmas to an afternoon at leisure where you can celebrate the arrival of the festive season in the warm surroundings of The Galleria. The Festive Afternoon Tea menu at The Heritage offers an array of finger sandwiches, Laois spiced beef, Irish stout penny loaf with sauerkraut white crab and dijon aioli; brioche naveta alongside G’s cranberry relish and more. You’ll also find delicious warm fruit and plain scones served with locally made jam and clotted cream. Continue the indulgence with home-made mince pies and a delicious array of seasonal treats such as coconut and lime target with Italian meringue, an opulent black forest opera gateau and more.
Comfortably luxurious, there really is nowhere like The Heritage to celebrate the arrival of the festive season. Available from €39 per person, Festive Afternoon Tea at The Heritage is a gorgeous treat to gift your loved ones and friends this Christmas. Pre-booking is essential.
For more information or to book, go to The Heritage Website.
The Shelbourne – Dublin
Celebrating their 200th birthday this year, and therefore their 200th Christmas, The Shelbourne is the ideal place to relax, catch up with a friend or family member and keep your all-important Christmas shopping list updated. Sparkling chandeliers, the glow of the fire, impeccable service and delicate music playing in the background will instantly relax, and the selection of traditional favourites and specially created holiday treats on the Festive Afternoon Tea menu will immediately restore.
The Festive Afternoon Tea menu at The Shelbourne offers a range of finger sandwiches, including whiskey-cured smoked salmon with Lakeshore mustard on Guinness bread, cherry vine tomato with feta cheese on pumpkin bread and classic egg mayonnaise with cress on white loaf, along with delicious warm buttermilk and cranberry scones with clotted cream and Shelbourne preserves, and soft lemon pound cake rich in fruits. The pastry elves are back at it again this year with their wonderful festive feast. The menu features ‘Christmas Tree’ a cinnamon and vanilla infused granny smith apple compote covered with Madagascar vanilla bavarois and spiced Christmas cake; ‘Cheesecake Pot’ which is a luxurious cheesecake with Achill Island sea salt caramel sauce topped with praline and chantilly cream; and more.
Available daily at The Shelbourne from 21st November until 6th January, the Festive Afternoon Tea is €75 per person and Champagne Festive Afternoon Tea is from €98 per person. The children’s Festive €39 per child. For more information, and to book, visit theshelbourne.com.
Carton House – Kildare
Carton House, a Fairmont Managed Hotel, have added a festive twist to their Iconic Afternoon Tea, the story-telling tea they introduced earlier this year which plays tribute to a selection of iconic guests who have stayed there over the years.
Served Thursday through to Sunday each week, the Festive Afternoon Tea menu faithfully follows the traditional combination of sweet and savoury, but this fresh version includes delicacies specifically created to celebrate some of the icons who have also been guests at Carton House, Fairmont. Queen Victoria stayed in the Chinese Boudoir, a bedroom specially decorated for her during her visits to Carton House in 1849 and 1897, and there is a classic Victoria sponge with fresh strawberry and cream filling on the Iconic Afternoon Tea menu in her honour.
Dame Julie Andrews lived in Carton House, Fairmont throughout the summer and autumn of 1969 while filming the movie Darling Lili, and the carrot cake on the menu is based on a Julie Andrews recipe. Julie was a fantastic baker as well as being an award winning actor and singer. Princess Grace of Monaco holidayed in Carton House for three weeks in 1963 with her husband Prince Ranier III and their children. There’s a darling little peanut butter ganache chocolate replica of the Hermès Kelly handbag on the Iconic Afternoon Tea menu as an homage to Grace Kelly’s timeless style.
Other famous names featured in the menu include singer Lana Del Ray, Mick Jagger and Stanley Kubrick. Seasonal festive sandwiches feature honey roasted ham with Knockanore cheddar and Pommery mustard mayonnaise, and a Feighcullen turkey sandwich is enhanced with apricot and chestnut stuffing and cranberry dressing.
The Festive Iconic Afternoon Tea will be available Thursday to Sunday, in the rooms that originally would have entertained aristocratic visitors to Carton House, Fairmont. As you gaze up at the gilded ceiling of the Gold Salon, the exquisite coving of the Drawing Room, or out into the floral abundance of the Rose Garden beyond, these are the same views that have captivated visitors for over 200 years.
The Festive Iconic Afternoon Tea at Carton House, Fairmont is available daily for €75 per person, with reservations essential. Champagne Festive Iconic Afternoon Tea is €95 per person, and little ones can enjoy a Children’s Festive Afternoon Tea for €35. For more information and to book visit cartonhouse.com.
BrookLodge & Macreddin Village – Wicklow
This holiday season, treat yourself to the warm hospitality and seasonal indulgence of a Festive Afternoon Tea at BrookLodge & Macreddin Village.
Festive Afternoon Tea is served in the inviting Waterside Lounge, a cosy hideaway where the fire crackles, and time slows down. The talented team at Macreddin always make the most of the rich bounty of nature at every time of year, crafting food from wild foraged ingredients, house-made preserves, and organic ingredients sourced locally. Their seasonal Christmas menus are love letters to winter, with food that showcases the best of Ireland’s organic and wild larder.
The Festive Afternoon Tea menu is a delightfully curated selection of treats, each prepared with locally sourced ingredients and served with BrookLodge’s signature touch. Enjoy savoury bites from Ireland’s first and only certified organic restaurant, The Strawberry Tree, including house spiced beef with pickles and horseradish sauce, Macreddin smokehouse salmon with chive crème fraîche on brown bread and warm Cavanbert cheese with toasted walnuts, cranberries, and focaccia.
Sweet treats are crafted by the talented Macreddin Organic Bakery and Pastry Kitchen teams, offering warm fruit scones with homemade cream, curds, and jams, Pastry Kitchen mince pies and spiced banana bread. And, the irresistible tributes to the season include a decadent wild boozy trifle, 12-month matured Christmas pudding, and a rich dark organic chocolate yule log.
Pair these delicacies with organic fair-traded teas, freshly brewed coffee, or add a splash of holiday cheer with a glass of Macreddin’s own wild elderflower prosecco (€13).
Festive afternoon tea is available Wednesday-Sunday from 2.30 pm – 4.30 pm, and pre-booking is essential. The experience is priced at €49 per person. For bookings and further information, visit www.brooklodge.com.
Fota Island Resort’s Amber Lounge – Cork
Indulge in the ultimate festive treat with Fota Island Resort’s Festive Afternoon Tea, served in the bright and cosy surroundings of the Amber Lounge, the resort’s relaxed and casual all-day dining venue. Perfect for a leisurely meet-up with friends during the whirlwind of Christmas preparations, this lovely experience showcases some of the favourite flavours of the season.
Begin your afternoon with a selection of classic gourmet finger sandwiches, including gin-cured salmon with lemon crème fraîche on homemade soda bread, smoked turkey with cranberry relish on chestnut loaf, and egg salad with mustard cress on spinach bread.
Sweetness arrives with amarena and dark chocolate mousse choux buns, spiced mandarin macaroons, chestnut Mont Blanc tarts, and pistachio and raspberry Yule logs. And no afternoon tea would be complete without freshly baked scones – plain, and festive cranberry and orange – served with clotted cream and strawberry preserve, alongside a slice of rich Christmas fruit cake.
Pair these delicacies with a pot of the exclusive Fota Island Resort Blend Tea, or elevate the occasion with a glass of prosecco or Champagne. Whether you choose traditional afternoon tea (€45), prosecco afternoon tea (€55), or Champagne afternoon tea (€65), experience this delectable slice of the season at Fota Island Resort.
Festive afternoon tea at Fota Island Resort is the most relaxed and enjoyable way to embrace the magic of the holidays, and is available Sunday to Thursday from 1-3pm, and Friday to Saturday from 1-2.30pm. For more information and to book, visit www.fotaisland.ie.
The Kingsley – Cork
Atmospheric and cosy, with abundant natural light, The K Lounge is the ideal setting for festive afternoon tea by the Lee this holiday season.
Festive afternoon tea at The K Lounge features a selection of delicious savoury and sweet options, created by the talented team at The Kingsley. The savoury options include Kenmare Bay smoked salmon on homemade treacle brown bread with cream cheese and Goatsbridge trout roe, classic spiced beef on brown bread with sweet pickled red onion and horseradish, sliced roast turkey on white with coronation mayonnaise, and smoked Knockanore Cheddar choux puffs.
The irresistible sweet range includes Christmas pudding cheesecake and Bailey’s crème brûlée and, of course, the afternoon tea essential of buttermilk fruit scones with homemade strawberry jam, lemon curd & Chantilly cream.
If you’re enjoying a quiet moment of solo relaxation during the seasonal madness, or gathering to celebrate with loved ones, festive afternoon tea at The Kingsley is served from 12.30 pm to 3.30 pm, for €47.50 per guest, or with an added glass of prosecco, for €58.50.
The Kingsley also has a takeaway afternoon tea service, which is available for €35 per guest with 24 hours’ notice. To book, visit www.thekingsley.ie.
The Fitzwilliam – Dublin
A gorgeous new spot in the heart of the city, The Lounge at The Fitzwilliam Hotel is a must-visit for a merry afternoon over seasonal afternoon tea this Christmas.
Standing tall at the top of Grafton Street, overlooking St Stephen’s Green, The Fitzwilliam Hotel is the perfect place to slip away from busy Christmas shoppers for an indulgent afternoon tea in the hotel’s brand-new Lounge.
Be welcomed at the door by one of the iconic concierge in purple and step into the welcoming entrance beautifully decorated for the festive season with a roaring fire to warm you up from the December chill. Take in the glamour of The Lounge, a new addition to city, with mirrored antique walls and Art Deco inspired finishes, The Lounge at The Fitzwilliam Hotel is a plush setting to enjoy decadent afternoon tea.
The seasonal afternoon tea menu features savoury Christmas classics like the turkey, ham & cranberry relish toastie, smoked salmon on Guinness bread and burrata with mortadella and cherry tomato. With a sweet selection of mini mince pies, hazelnut and chocolate choux buns, mulled wine pavlova, pistachio madeleines and lemon & saffron pate de fruit, there is lots so savour. Paired with The Fitzwilliam Hotel’s Bespoke Tipsy Marzipan Fruit Infusion tea and a selection of the hotel’s herbal infusions, teas and coffees.
Afternoon tea is available 7 days a week, from 1-4pm daily, prices start at €55 per person or €65 with a glass of prosecco. Hotel parking is available onsite. To book call 01 478 7000 or visit www.fitzwilliamhoteldublin.com to find out more.
The River Lee – Cork
This autumn, The River Lee hotel in Cork invites you on a foodie journey along the banks of its namesake with the launch of its new Afternoon Tea offering, The Journey of The Lee.
Starting on the weekend of September 28th, and available every Saturday and Sunday from 12 pm to 3pm, this themed experience pays tribute to the ever-changing beauty of the River Lee, with a selection of treats as varied and enchanting as the river’s course itself.
The River Lee’s new Afternoon Tea is a sensory celebration of the surrounding landscape and tranquil waters. Desserts and pastries reflect the shifting hues of the river and the sky, all in tones of the prettiest soft blues and vibrant greens, while each carefully crafted bite showcases the natural beauty of Cork’s local produce.
The Journey of The Lee honours Cork’s finest local suppliers, incorporating their produce into a selection of sandwiches, pastries, and desserts that tell the story of the river’s rich food culture. From Folláin Jam and Macroom Buffalo Mozzarella to Healy’s Honey and Franciscan Well Brewery, each ingredient is a testament to the area’s bounty.
The experience begins with a selection of savoury sandwiches, each a nod to Cork’s renowned local producers. From robust flavours of Twomey’s spiced beef with aïoli and pickles on Guinness bread, to delicate Ballycotton crab and dill on a navette bread roll, West Cork chicken pesto mayonnaise and Riverview egg mayonnaise with black truffle brioche, each shines a light on local excellence.
As do each of the delightful assortment of miniature handmade desserts where local flavours shine, like in a Barry’s Earl Grey tea macaron, Healy’s farm honey crémeux, paired with a delicate blue butterfly pea tea jelly, and the Franciscan Well Rebel Red caramel & milk chocolate mousse cake. The journey continues with a trio of freshly baked pastries –including a gingerbread slice, a pumpkin spice scone, and a sea buckthorn Madeleine – adding a distinctly seasonal touch to this unique afternoon experience. Choose from a curated selection of teas, including Cork’s own Barry’s Gold Blend – the house pour, of course – or explore the rich flavours of Ronnefeldt’s loose-leaf teas, or a variety of speciality coffees.
Served on Saturdays and Sundays from 12pm to 3pm on The River Club Terrace, The Journey of The Lee invites you to sit back, unwind, and let the river’s peaceful flow enhance your afternoon. Whether you’re looking for a classic afternoon tea (€45 per person) or a touch of sparkle with the Champagne option, this riverside escape is an invitation to slow down and savour some of the best of what Cork has to offer.
To find out more visit www.thedoylecollection.com/cork.
