The Blurb
If there is something Kona does well, it’s to inject some theatre and showmanship into the classic afternoon tea. So, what could be more fitting than that, for their festive menu, they have found inspiration from the Bard himself – William Shakespeare – and created a multi-course, magic-infused, fairy-dust sprinkled extravaganza in the spirit of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Think colour-changing cocktails, abundant floral displays, and patisserie hearts so delicate it would be a shame to break them (though an even greater shame not to)! If you are finding yourself bemoaning the dark days of winter, and need a break from all the Christmas festivities, Kona is the place to head for a slice of summer sunshine!
The Style
Located in a courtyard corner of the Taj 51 hotel, the Kona dining room is an oasis of peace and sophistication. Steeped in Victorian townhouse charm and cosiness, the rich colours and plush seats of both the dining spaces and library room at Kona make you feel right at home instantly. For their seasonal Midsummer Night’s Dream themed menu, the tables are extravagantly decorated to resemble a veritable fairies’ tea party dream; faux foliage, glitter-embossed flowers, wooden place settings, and bespoke tea ware where you can spot Shakespeare’s characters in all their mischievous glory.
The Drink
As you’d expect from the Taj family of hotels, the tea is exceptional. Of course, you can order anything from their carefully curated tea menu: delicate Silver Needle, earthy Pu Erh, or (perhaps most fittingly for a MSND-themed menu) Flowering Green Tea. But we plumped for the seasonal special Elixir of Enchantment, a delicious blend of green tea with lingonberries, cranberries, raspberries, and strawberries. It was delicate and refreshing against some of the richer food offerings, and so delicious we had multiple pots.
For something stronger, the Midsummer-inspired cocktails are certainly going to cater for the sweet-toothed. Included in the standard menu is a shot of Puck’s Mischief, an intense but lip-smacking blend of bourbon, wild berry sherbet and bitters. Or for £20 extra, you can enjoy the Moonlight Academy. Served in a twisted rose-stem glass (that gave me pure Disney Beauty and the Beast vibes), it’s a mix of gin, orange liqueur and blue pea tea infusion. Added Midsummer magic comes in the form of a colour-changing trick and swirls of glitter!
The Food
My personal menu high was our very first course, the Viola Moelleaux, a violet-infused madeleine with a buttery, perfect crumb. The second, savoury course included inventive takes on the classics (no bog-standard cucumber sandwiches here); we were treated to spiced butternut squash hummus and caramelised onion puff, orange-zested ricotta and cucumber in beetroot bread, dill cream cheese and Dukkah-spiced avocado on spinach bread, black olive tapenade cream cheese and arugula pinwheel in caraway bread and finished with fried tofu and peperonata in brioche.
Feeling already on the way to full (the staff were extremely attentive to see if we wanted seconds – or thirds!), our platter of sweet treats included a dark chocolate heart with tropical a drizzle of mango sauce, tarragon and cherry mousse in a delicate white-chocolate dome, a pistachio-lemon chocolate work of art that was almost too pretty to eat, and a buttery rich frangipane berry tart. We barely had room for the excellent scones that came last, with ‘all the trimmings’, but they were too delicious not to at least make a solid attempt at.
In A Nutshell
Who would have thought the best way to get over some heavy Christmas shopping would be to escape to the Midsummer forests and fall in love (with some fairies or some heavenly pastries – you decide), but I suspect it might be. Arrive hungry, bring your sweet tooth, and leave enchanted!
The Details
Kona are serving up their festive A Midsummer Night’s Dream Afternoon Tea from 18th December 2025 to 4th January 2026, so be quick and get booking:
www.taj51buckinghamgate.co.uk/en/dine-central-london/kona-afternoon-tea/
Kona, Taj 51 Buckingham Gate Suites and Residences, 51 Buckingham Gate, London SW1E 6AF
