Summer Afternoon Tea At The Ivy Clifton Brasserie

Oh my goodness ‘summer’ and ‘afternoon tea’ in the same sentence – two of my very favourite things together! A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to be invited along to The Ivy Clifton Brasserie to sample their delicious afternoon tea (with a new summertime addition!) – can you believe it was actually my first visit to this beautiful restaurant? I’m really not sure why I’ve not sampled the delights of their menu previously but I can assure you I’ll be making a return visit in the future!

Located within the impressive old bank within bustling Clifton Village, The Ivy is just a stone’s throw away from the iconic Suspension Bridge and is the perfect location for a stop-off after perusing the range of independent shops in the surrounding nearby streets. The restaurant lives up to it’s iconic name as the interiors are striking and luxurious whilst maintaining many of the original features of the architecturally impressive building.

From the moment my lovely friend and I walked into The Ivy the service we received was attentive and friendly. We we were welcomed at the door and shown to seats at the impressive bar area before spending a good while choosing which tempting cocktail to order. We decided upon a ‘Lavender Lady‘ and an ‘Orchard G&T‘ – both of which tasted even better than they looked!

After a little while we were shown to our table in the light and airy orangery – the perfect location to sit and enjoy the sunshine whilst finishing our drinks. Our lovely waitress brought over our choice of water and tea before checking for any allergies that we had. The kitchen were very accommodating to my smoked salmon allergy and offered a range of alternatives which I found very thoughtful.

The afternoon tea really was a visual delight! On offer were a selection of savouries – truffle chicken brioche roll, cucumber and dill finger sandwich and smoked salmon on dark rye style bread along with the additional option of cherry tomatoes with feta cheese in a brioche roll. I felt this was a good selection of sandwiches and I liked that The Ivy are happy to cater for a variety of dietary needs and tastes. All of the sandwiches were delicious and prepared us well for the sweet course that was to follow!

The puddings and cakes consisted of raspberry cheesecake (any cheesecake is always a winner for me and this was truly delicious!), chocolate and salted caramel mouse (dreamy!) and a completely moreish crème brûlée doughnut. The main attraction and the new summer addition to the afternoon tea was absolutely delightful! The ‘Ivy nursery pot‘ was unbelievably cute yet divinely scrumptious! In celebration of the summer season the chef has created an indulgent crumbly chocolate dessert (that resembles the soil!) topped with lavender cream and edible flowers. This edible beauty is only available until the end of August so I would suggest booking a table now if I’ve tempted your tastebuds!

Following this array of desserts we also were treated to warm scones with Dorset clotted cream, strawberry preserve and chopped fresh strawberries all washed down with a fresh pot of earl grey. Here I should note that we somehow managed to devour all of these without the slightest guilt!

We both had the loveliest of afternoons at The Ivy Clifton Brasserie – the attention to detail shown through both the food and the staff was impeccable and we really felt indulged! I would highly recommend a visit for a special occasion, a celebration or even just to spend an afternoon chatting away and enjoying a little indulgence! You can find their menus here and book a table through their website (highly advised as there are not always tables available for walk-ins!).

The Blonde x

*This is a collaborative post with the lovely folks at The Ivy but as always all opinions are my own and I only feature products or events that are fitting and in keeping with the tone and content of my blog or Instagram page.