Cherry blossom season may have come to an end in Japan, but that hasn’t stopped us Insta-loving Londoners from getting our flowery fix. From Sakura season to #wisteriahysteria and the upcoming Chelsea Flower Show, the city is in full bloom. One restaurant riding that beautiful wave? Nobu Shoreditch… and there’s a whole terrace dedicated to pink petals.
Comprising of an upmarket cafe, sprawling restaurant and spacious bar, Nobu’s Shoreditch hotel has it all. This spring, its terrace has been transformed into the ultimate Instagrammble space; celebrating the ancient Japanese practice of observing the cherry blossom. Not only is there a special House of Suntory cocktail menu, but there’s even a themed afternoon tea and I was invited to try it – the perfect thing for a mother/daughter day out.
The terrace may have space for 80 diners, but with it being a rainy day, we had the place to ourselves. Surrounded by leafy plants, tall bamboo and pink foliage, we tucked into a two-tiered spread. The afternoon tea comes with a choice of drink, so I opted for a glass of prosecco while mum went for jasmine tea.
Savoury dishes included bite-sized aubergine topped with miso pomegranate and elevated sushi rolls, while sweeter dishes leaned towards Asian-takes on British classics. Think raspberry and ginger choux, blueberry tarts with an injection of yuzu cream and rice pudding with sushi rice, candied pecans and dragon fruit.
Pretty settings and afternoon tea may be the name of the game here, but it’s clear to see that the menu is equally as important. While I was impressed by the quality of food, the quantity could be improved. £40 can get you bottomless bubbles and afternoon tea elsewhere, so I’d expect slightly more than just one glass of fizz or tiny pot of tea with two layers of food if I were paying this price.
Nobu’s Hanami afternoon tea menu is available throughout spring and summer.
The verdict: 7.5/10
What we ate:
- Smoked salmon with yuzu cream
- Tuna Matsuhisa shokupan
- Samurai California roll
- Nasu pomegranate miso
- Sushi rice pudding with pecan candies
- Mini cherry muffin
- Matcha marshmallow
- Raspberry ginger choux
- Blueberry yuzu tart
What we drank:
- 1 x jasmine tea
- 1 x prosecco
The damage: (£80 for 2 of us, but all comped – thank you Nobu!)
Afternoon tea in pictures:
You’ll find Nobu Shoreditch at 10-50 Willow Street, Hackney, EC2A 4BH.
London Girl ✖️
London Girl Munches 
It certainly looks stunning.
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It’s even better in person!
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