Tucked inside the home of the Mandeville Hotel, Marelybone, a few streets back from the bustle of Oxford Street is a delightful little venue, Reform Social and Grill. If you didn’t know about it you could almost walk past on a rainy evening in London Town. But try not to bypass this gem if you are looking for a cracking afternoon tea as this venue ticks all the right boxes.
We had been invited to sample the children’s afternoon tea and it was on a cold rainy pre-Christmas afternoon we grabbed a cab to Reform, en route to review Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, hoping for the right grub to fill a gap. Hungry kids and hungry mums don’t equal a happy medium so with tummies growling we were looking forward to what was ahead of us.
The children chose their themed teas while we opted for a Gentleman’s tea and a Vintage respectively.
Peanut butter & jam sandwiches, mini fish fingers and ketchup, and BBQ chicken sliders. Dainty but delicious. One tip from the mouths of babes, Reform could lose the BBQ option and load up on the fish if truth be told.
With the Great British Gentleman’s afternoon tea came a colourful variety of savouries: Sausage Roll, Fish Finger with Mushy Peas & Steak Sandwich with snails promised much but the portion sizes did leave us wanting more (Not so much the snails though!!)
We needed a savoury fix before tucking in to the sugar stack and were left wanting an extra sandwich or two. Our sparkling glasses of champers soon dulled that yearning and onwards to our sweet treats we progressed.
Our sweet stack was loaded and looked darling. The crockery was beautiful and the presentation gorgeous as we oohed and aaaahed at each layer which appeared. Instantly Instagram-able, we got clicking away as soon as the pretty butterfly China hit the scene.
Scones, tarts, Dundee cake, shortbread and gooey chocolate cake galore, we gallantly bit our way through the lot. We were full and happy by the end and the variety was a palette pleaser too.
Back to the the children’s sweet treats which were laden with sugarcraft and while this pleased the kids no end, us mums were a little stressed at the thought of our wired offspring, post event. Even Harry who has his mums sweet tooth exclaimed (with eyes gleaming!), ‘Mummy, this gingerbread man is pure sugar!’ They could have done with the intense treats being offset with a little touch of fruit purée or the like, just to balance it up a touch.
The quaint little lunch boxes they got with their fare would have been a lovely touch, had they got to keep them, but they were whisked away with the empties and due to please the next batch of lucky munchkins who visited.
Overall, it was a fabulous visit and one I’d wholeheartedly recommend, but a word to the wise, don’t starve yourselves and the kids before you go, you may end up at McDonalds on the way home!
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Where’s your fave afternoon tea? Will you take your Mum on Mother’s Day?
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13 Comments
Michelle
You rock woman! Great pics too xxx
Lisa
OMG this looks amazing! What a great idea to have a children’s option for high tea. I’m definitely going to go here (and will steal a few bites from the children’s menu!) xx
Ginger Mum
Oh it would be right up your street! Very cute!
Single Mum Speaks
This looks amazing! I’ve walked past the Reform Grill many times, but for some reason I thought it was a members only club, so never thought to venture in. Those sweet treats looks fantastic! #KCACOLS
Ginger Mum
Go for it next time! Yes, they were yummy!
Fi - Beauty Baby and Me
I love this idea – I love afternoon tea!! Josh is way too young to contemplate taking just yet but this might be a wonderful idea for my nieces birthday – thanks for posting xx #KCACOLS
Claire at Tin Box Traveller
What a wonderful treat. I love the kids’ lunch boxes and that gooey chocolate cake looks amazing. Thanks so much of linking up with #KCACOLS and I hope you can pop by again next week x
Jess Powell (Babi a Fi)
It looks lovely – especially that gooey chocolate cake! x #teaandcakelinky
Ginger Mum
Mmmmm, it certainly was!
A Moment with Franca
Wow this place looks amazing!! Look at those lunch boxes!! All the food look delicious. And those desserts are to die for!! I’m 100% sure that my daughters will love this!! I have never heard of this place before but living in London I will certainly have a look of it next time I’m around Marelybone. Thanks so much for sharing this at #KCACOLS. I’m happy to have you for the first time. I hope that you like it, 🙂 x
Ginger Mum
Thanks Franca! Yes, please do give it a go I’m sure you will all have a fab time!
Lucy Melissa Smith (Hello Beautiful Bear)
Ooh this looks super-yummy but I’m such a glutton, I definitely would have wanted a MaccyD’s on the way home! 😉
Such a shame that they weren’t able to keep their lunch boxes, how much were the children’s options retailing at?
I also agree that too much sugar can be offputting (even with this sort of thing) so if it’d of been me I’m sure I would have appreciated a healthier snack to accompany the sugarcraft as well.
Saying that, everything looks completely delicious and I’m glad you had such a wonderful time.
How was the show? I’ve heard it’s fabulous!
Lucy
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#TeaAndCakeLinky
Ginger Mum
show was amazing, review on the blog if you are interested! Thanks Lucy x