“Autumn seemed to arrive suddenly that year. The morning of the first September was crisp and golden as an apple.” - J. K. Rowling
Last weekend I returned to Cloud 23 to have afternoon tea for my birthday. You can read my previous review of Cloud 23 here.
This wasn’t just any ordinary afternoon tea. Cloud 23 has recently launched a new afternoon tea menu called “Bubbles and Berries.”
Served in the Zeus Lounge on the 23rd floor of the legendary Beetham Tower, with stunning panoramic views across Manchester, Bubbles and Berries is an Autumnal taste experience.
Glasses of Champagne arrived on a chunk of tree dressed with foliage, and the food was served on a stand with berries and twigs tucked away inside, all adding to the autumnal theme.
My friend and I are both vegetarian so a few of the options were substituted but here is the standard menu.
BUBBLES AND BERRIES AFTERNOON TEA
SAVOURY
Mini bagel with cream cheese and beetroot cured salmon, caper berries
Caviar blini, pomegranate pearls
Ham and redcurrant croque monsieur
Butternut squash and manchego cheese quiche, plum chutney (v)
SWEET
Chocolate dipped strawberries, freeze dried strawberry
Pink Champagne and blueberry jelly shot
Berry burst frangipane slice
Bellini curd part
SCONES
With raspberry jam and Kir Royale clotted cream
£35 per person a glass of Champagne, plus unlimited tea and coffee
Our favourites were the vegetarian croque monsieur and the butternut squash quiche with plum chutney.
We were also given the option of sipping on a hot chocolate rather than the usual tea or coffee, perfect with the dainty warm scones.
We dined at 4.00pm, giving us the opportunity to watch a fantastic sunset from our elevated spot up in the clouds.
“And the sun took a step back, the leaves lulled themselves to sleep and Autumn was awakened.” - Raquel Franco
Not quite ready to move on after devouring the afternoon tea, we asked our lovely waiter to fetch us some more bubbles, which arrived in a puff of smoke.
I’m not sure if it was the dry ice or the bubbles but we left feeling like we were floating in the clouds.
Service was excellent throughout, our waiter explained to us that some days Cloud 23 serves up to 180 afternoon teas in a day. No wonder they do it so well!
Bubbles and Berries is the tastiest and cosiest of ways to ease yourself into the crisp autumnal season. It is available until 12th November on the 23rd floor of Manchester’s famous Beetham Tower - 301 Deansgate, Manchester M3 4LQ.
Book in advance and make sure you ask for a window seat, the views really are incredible. Cloud 23 is an experience you won’t forget!
“It is better to have your head in the clouds and know where you are… than to breathe the clearer atmosphere below them, and think that you are in paradise.” - Henry David Thoreau
