I was always told that afternoon tea, or Low Tea is typically consumed between 4 – 7pm. On a recent visit to Dubai, I noticed that most restaurants there refer to their afternoon tea time as High Tea. Now please do correct me if I’m wrong, but my understanding of the term High Tea has always been: a larger cooked meal that is consumed later in the afternoon or early evening, sometimes as a replacement for dinner.
I guess my British-Indian schooling had me pondering over the terminology for a while- until I visited a couple of restaurants and realised that it didn’t even matter anymore.
Afternoon Tea/High Tea/Low Tea/snacks & nomnomnom time in Dubai.. is… AMAZING. They really aren’t joking when they talk about taking their hospitality seriously.
One & Only Royal Mirage, Samovar Lounge
If you are in Dubai for an extended period of time and just want to take some time out to read a book or enjoy a peaceful venue, the One & Only Royal Mirage is the place for you. I’ve frequented their Samovar Lounge countless times for tea, where USD30 gets you a three tire tray of pastries, finger sandwiches, and scones. Mm those scones and that clotted cream. Totally worth the calories.
At.Mosphere, Burj Khalifa
So this is way cooler than buying a USD100 ticket to the top of the tallest building in the world. For approximately USD90 you get (and I’m not kidding) all-you-can-drink ice tea sangria, teas, coffees, pastries, warm scones, finger sandwiches and a fresh chicken quiche. Portions are small and I’m a foodie, so I definitely did not hesitate to ask for seconds. The best part was that our super polite server cheerfully obliged. If you book a table during the week you will find yourself a guaranteed spot near the window, to experience the spectacular view from their 121st floor(or was it 123rd? I can’t even remember anymore)
You do not necessarily need a booking for Samovar Lounge during the weekdays, but I have heard that At.Mosphere is booked up almost every single day.
And as always, please remember to tip your server! 🙂
That Girl Who Travels 