The Gruffalo Afternoon Tea at Raffles

The latest in London's themed luxury afternoon teas, we visited the new Gruffalo tea in The Drawing Room at Raffles London at The OWO to check it out. Our first impression: this is very five star. There's a pianist, the tinkle of silverware and a luxury atmosphere where children are really welcome - I wouldn't want to bring a tantruming toddler, but stepping into the tea feels really special for parents and children alike.

The menu cleverly translates Julia Donaldson’s world into delicious bites. The kids were offering hot chocolate stacked with cream and marshmallows (or fruit juice) alongside themed sandwiches: there's 'Roasted Fox' (ham), 'Little Brown Mouse' (cheddar with scrumptious tomato), 'Scrambled Snake' (egg watercress), and 'Deep Dark Wood' (cucumber).

Next course was plain or sultana scones with clotted cream, strawberry jam, and lemon curd, alongside fun (and deeply sophisticated) pastries like Owl’s Pot of Soup (carrot and vanilla cream), and a chocolate shortbread Gruffalo.

At £50 per child, this is a steep investment, and a few details fell short: we weren't offered sandwich or pastry refills, although they were provided when we asked for more sarnies (four, a £50 a pop, felt stingy). And while the menu alludes to storytelling, and the cakes had Gruffalo images, it wasn't as interactive as some other teas, which have diggable chocolates or themed books provided to go home with. Again, this is nit-picking but the price demands perfection.

Adults are also served a separate Old War Office-inspired tea menu (£85/head), which was really lovely, and triggered questions about the unique venue and what history happened there from the kids.

Our verdict? This was a gorgeous, memorable luxury splash-out, and we came home with a box of leftover cakes and scones that extended the fun - though story-loving kids may wish for a bit more hands-on magic.

NB We were invited to try out the tea as guests of Raffles, but all views are our honest own ones!