Afternoon Tea at Sketch: dining wonderland or monetary wasteland?

How would you spend £100 in London? Buy a monthly pass for the Tube? Head over to West End for dinner and a show? Or you could spend nearly your entire lot for afternoon tea at London's Sketch- a 5 restaurant serving diners since 2003. But Sketch's unassuming exterior- an 18th century house- conceals the aesthetic playground waiting inside.

At Sketch, food, tea, art, and music come together to create a truly immersive dining experience that far exceeds your traditional afternoon tea time. However, getting inside doesn't come easy or cheap. Reservations and "Art Smart" dress are required for entry, and afternoon tea begins at a whopping £59 per person. But some, at least, are willing to pay for the pleasure. That being said, is the price truly worth the experience?

I first learned about Sketch a few months ago via Instagram. A friend of mine studying in London at the time posted a picture of the venue’s eclectic and futuristic toilets. How attention-grabbing can these toilets really be, you ask? Very. But we’ll talk more about the architecture later. After seeing the picture, I knew Sketch would be on my bucket list for my upcoming London trip. So, last week, my two roommates and I decided to have a go at the afternoon tea.

Walking into the tea room, I can only think of one word to describe the interior before me: pink. From the ceiling, to the walls, to the tables and chairs, Pepto-Bismol pink floods the room. Popping out against the sea of colour is an art gallery by David Shrigley, the British visual artist. His works, filled with satirical comments and overly simplistic designs, line the walls.

Okay, the interior is stellar. And an Instagram hot spot, for sure. But what about the dining? After all, isn’t that the main reason we’re here?

At Sketch, afternoon tea doesn’t just get you a pot of tea and a few pastries. You’re able to pick from 24 different teas an unlimited amount of times. Throughout the afternoon, I sip on at least 4 different teas, ranging from vanilla and black, rosebud, tropical bunch, and peppermint.

David Shrigley designed all tableware for the restaurant, if you can't tell from the minimal and interpretive designs on the tea set pictured below. (Oh, this set and more are available for purchase on site).

Each tea I try is warm, vibrantly flavourful, and best of all, unending. But I guess it should be- since, you know, the 59 pounds and all.

Upon ordering our third round of tea, my table decides to check out the Instagram-famous washroom. And picture-worthy, it is.

I mean, doesn’t this look like something out of the capitol from The Hunger Games? (I'm not lying). Or the newest Alice in Wonderland adaption? Each “egg pod” contains a toilet inside, with the sink area placed outside. The main purpose may be a washroom, but it’s also an architectural masterpiece. Who knew toilets could add so much pizzazz?

Upon returning, the pastries and finger foods arrive. We devour our spoonful of caviar and quail egg and quickly move on to tackle the tier of various sweet and savoury goodies nestled in the middle of the table.

The presentation looks stellar. It's notably vibrant and the detailed textural display would catch anyone's eye. But the taste? Anti-climatic.

See the smoked salmon bite on the bottom left? You can't debate its fabulously intricate and detailed design. But in this case, looks aren't all that matter. The tasteless wheat cracker provides no enjoyment. The salmon itself doesn't do much to salvage the taste, as the stuffing inside overwhelms my tastebuds. Honestly, I can't say the taste testing improved as I ventured on to the remaining noshes. The disappointing lack of flavour and displeasing textures can be said for the majority of the lot. The taste ultimately suffers as the design of the food seems to be the chefs' priority.

Just when I think our time at sketch has come to an end, we're given scones accompanied with various jellies and a slice of cake to share. Again, average, underwhelming pastries.

After 2+ hours of visually astounding but tastefully disappointing dining, our £200 check arrives. With my belly full but wallet empty, I walk out of Sketch feeling conflicted about my experience.

Overall, I am pleased to have witnessed the famous architecture and art the venue has to offer. However, the food and the tea certainly did not compete with the mind-boggling interior. Sketch is a place to visit for its picture-worthy decorations and designs but not the food. If you’re craving to see the insta-worthy aesthetics and have the money to do so, go for it. If you’re just looking to spend an afternoon enjoying tea and pastries, don’t waste your time here. Your bank account and taste buds will thank you.

To schedule your reservation and check out the full menu, visit Sketch's webpage here.