TOZI does a really good (and proper) afternoon tea

National Afternoon Tea Week is the 7th-13th August, and TOZI are getting their celebrations in early. For a month only they are collaborating with Good & Proper Tea to create an exclusive menu with a suitably Italian twist. The decadent tea is served in their equally decadent dining room which manages to give all the opulence of a European grand cafe despite being in the shadow of Battersea Power Station.

We tried out the three tiers of cakes, savouries and cups of tea and what a delight it was. Let’s start with the tea itself. Good & Proper Tea was set up by coffee-adverse Emilie in 2017 who, after drinking cup upon cup of pretty average tea, decided to take matters into her own hands and make a cup of tea that was worth drinking. We sampled four different flavours: the Earl Grey, the English Breakfast, the hibiscus and the green tea too. Though we thought the classic English Breakfast would steal our hearts (and it was very, very good- even without the milk!) we were surprised by how much we enjoyed the bright pink hibiscus. Emilie filled us in- this one is a healthful infusion which has all kinds of benefits to the body, as well as being a zingy and refreshing… a real winner for us and really delicious when sipped on between mouthfuls of the cakes to come.

The food was really cleverly created. The first two tiers haven’t been changed from the usual afternoon tea selection at TOZI and that was fine by us, because they were both as impressive as each other. The bottom tier was all things savoury; the crispest pane carasau on which we piled cured meats and a combination of melty, creamy cheese and an extremely tangy blue cheese. The homemade pear chutney that was served in a little pot had no hope of survival after the first try- a sneaky triumph. We also loved their version of the sandwhiches; a prosciutto, mozzarella and tomato stack on ciabatta as well as a luxurious pesto-y marinated vegetables on focaccia. Italian as it comes and you bet we weren’t missing any egg and cress.

Next up were four perfect maritozzi. These are little brioche buns sliced open and filled with a very fruity strawberry jam. But the whipped cream on top? What a soft, cloud like mouthful this was. Though the four together looked like a big portion to split between two they were dangerously easy to finish. We are telling ourselves that the majority of the bites were air anyway…

It was the final, top tier that has been tampered with to really highlight the collaboration with Good & Proper Tea. And it was these trio of treats that really, really won us over. Up top was a strawberry and green tea infused macaron. Though these look unassuming, they pack a punch. There was a bit of jam nestled in the centre of the strawberry flavoured macaron, so despite the naturally strong flavour of green tea, there was a balance of both elements. Then there was the decadent Earl Grey torta. Chocolatey mousse, shards of dark chocolate and a whisper of fragrant bergamot from the Earl Grey made for a real treat of a cake- our companion announced it as their favourite and we’d imagine it might take number one spot for a lot of people. But for us? The morello cherry and hibiscus crostata stole our hearts. It was beautifully presented: a bright red cherry on a puffy pink cloud of cream, all on top of a crisp pastry case filled with cherry jam. It was a challenge to get it in delicately but no matter- because it was an absolute showstopper. All the textures, the tartness of the hibiscus and cherry next to the sweet cream, the satisfying crunch of the pastry… we could have eaten those all day long.

The tea was gone in a blink. The three tiers of treats look so impressive when they are placed in front of you and you’ll be surprised with how easily it all slips down, especially when taken with a gorgeous selection of teas between bites. And all for just £28 per person? This really is a deal to get your hands on. But remember: you’ve got just one month to get this exclusive menu, so make sure to get your bookings in ASAP. It’s really, really good. And proper.