The new Evening Tea at the Tearoom at the Midland is the best of both worlds - from hot savouries to sweet treats
Opulent and historic, with a wonderful sense of occasion - there are few better places to enjoy afternoon tea than The Midland Hotel.
This grand dame of hotels has been serving the British tradition since 1903, when it was owned by The Midland Railway Company. Since then, it’s welcomed everyone from Kings and Queens to rock stars and now has the only dedicated afternoon tea setting in Manchester.
Elegant and unpretentious, The Tea Room at The Midland is the perfect meld of modern and traditional. Much like its innovative new Evening Tea.
Available Thursday to Sunday, 5.30pm to 7pm for £35pp, this clever invention combines afternoon tea classics with mouth-watering hot savouries and two craft gins. And you can eat it at an actual mealtime - no worrying whether to have lunch beforehand, or getting the late night munchies because you’ve had an early dinner.
Alongside a choice of loose leaf teas including three private blends, the menu begins with a range of sandwiches: chicken, mango & coriander on granary bread; honey-baked gammon, pickled cabbage choucroute on white bread; and asparagus, artichoke & parmesan mimosa on brioche bun with cured egg yolk.
These are accompanied by an equally delectable trio of savouries: cured royal fillet of salmon with Hendricks gin & apple chutney; buttermilk fried chicken with Sriracha sauce; and ox cheek & blue cheese croquette (possibly one of Confidentials’ favourite nibbles ever).
All is paired with Manchester Three Rivers - a local gin with a spicy black pepper finish; served with apricots, rosemary & Fever Tree Mediterranean tonic.
Onto the sweet stuff, and a freshly baked sultana or plain scone. Lather with Devon clotted cream and & Mrs Darlington’s jams for a taste sensation...
Last but certainly not least is an assortment of home-baked cakes, including elderflower & gooseberry cake and dark chocolate & salted caramel tart, complete with a bee-engraved chocolate shard. These are paired with Brockmans, an intensely smooth and fruity gin served with dehydrated berries and Fever Tree tonic.
Confidential had the pleasure of trying Evening Tea (vegetarian version also available) and were blown away by the attention to detail. Mediocre afternoon teas are plentiful these days, but ones of this calibre are hard to find. Add in a majestic view of Central Library and you have yourself a treat indeed.
