Introduction

My reservation for afternoon tea is at 15h00. On my way there from the hotel, I detour to the Cathedral of our Lady of Antwerp to see the three Rubens paintings it houses that depict the raising of the cross following the crucifixion of Christ, the lowering of his body after his death, and then the resurrection.

From the cathedral it’s only about 15 minutes on foot to the Botanic Sactuary Hotel.

The Antwerp Botanic Sanctuary Hotel

The Botanic Sanctuary Hotel is housed in what used to be a convent in the heart of old Antwerp. Next to it is the botanical garden which used to be part of the convent and which was also where the nuns raised their own vegetables. Today, the garden is a public park with young couples lazing and chatting in the shade as they attempt to escape the summer heat.

The Botanic Sanctuary Hotel is a member of the Leading Hotels of the World, and certainly the leading hotel in Antwerp. In fact, it is quite noticeable that the big luxury brand hotels are absent in Antwerp.

The afternoon tea is served in what used to be the old kitchen of the convent, right next to where the dormitory used to be.

The Service & Staff

The staff are well trained and have excellent manners. When we I arrive at the hotel, I tell the young lady at reception that we have a reservation for tea. Rather than giving me directions where to go, she welcomes us to the hotel first and then asks us to follow her to the dining room where the afternoon tea is served. Once we reach the front desk, she introduces me with my family name and explains to her colleague that we’re here for the afternoon tea for which we have a reservation. And that, boys and girls, pretty much sets the tone for the afternoon tea experience at the Antwerp Botanic Sanctuary Hotel.

The Tea Room

The afternoon tea is served in a low, squat building. Our server explains a bit about the hotel as she guides us to our table. We’re in a small room with only six tables that is nicely decorated with flowers all around. On the mantle by the fire place there are jars of fruit that have been preserved at the hotel. They somehow make the place look elegant and homey at the same time.

Our table is simply set with delicate porcelain plates, cups and saucers in a bright floral pattern.

The Afternoon Tea

To start, there’s a glass of Veuve-Clicquot Champagne. However, I ask for a glass of sparkling water instead. It’s just way too hot outside for me to be drinking alcohol at this time of day.

Shortly after, our server brings us the amuse bouche, which is a delicate crispy pastry filled with fish and a lid made of a rich and fragrant curry cream semi freddo.

Next up, the savouries are brought out on a five tier étagère, with one étagère for each guest. The savouries are brought out by the sous chef, who also recommends in which sequence we had best go through the individual items. We start with the small espresso cup, which is a gorgeous, creamy lobster bisque that is rich and flavourful. So, so good.

The lobster bisque is followed by a croquette of braised short rib and mashed potato which is packed full of flavour and surprisingly light.

One of my favourites is the smoked salmon on rye bread, which is served with a small white pearl of white asparagus that is bursting with flavour the moment you bite into it. It goes so well with the salmon!

The red dish shaped like a tomato is a delectable tomato sugo mousse that is filled with a liquid basil core. This dish is tasty and very refreshing. There’s nothing like the taste of tomato and basil in the summer.

The gold egg is filled with boiled egg in a truffle mayo with onion and small pieces of smoked eel and a black foie gras pearl on top. The fish has a bit of a zing that contrasts nicely with the rich mayo. To drink with the savouries we follow the chef’s suggestion and go with a delicate white tea.

Once we’re done, the étagères are removed, together with out plates and cutlery, both of which are immediately replaced with a new set. For the next course, we have the sourdough based waffles with gravlax, served with crème fraîche, herbs, and Dijon mustard.

And then it’s time for the scones, which are served with homemade strawberry preserve and whipped cream. The scones are warm. They’re rather small, which is why there are three plain scones and three with sultanas. For the scones we change to an aromatic Earl Grey tea infused with kefir lime leaves.

Before the sweets are served, our server brings us tea vinegar infused with mango, which is served in an icy cold shot glass. The vinegar cleanses the palate.

The sweets are served on a large, multilayered étagère. On it are six small and beautiful creations. The first is a yuzu cheese cake. This is followed by another pastry with fruit of the forest and has a sharp zing to it.

There’s also a little mini Pavlova filled with a lemony frozen yogurt that is just lovely and very refreshing.

Perhaps the most unusual dessert, though, is the chocolate brownie served in a small short crust pastry with a crispy lid on it and a refreshing cucumber cream. As I bite into the small green pearl, there’s the taste of fresh cucumber. It’s an unusual combination that works surprisingly well!

And then to conclude, there is a variation of dark chocolate encased in a macha scented white chocolate crust. It’s good that I left this one for last because it’s amazingly rich!

Conclusion

Now, this afternoon tea was really something. From start to finish it took over two hours to finish at a pleasant, leisurely pace. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The staff were very friendly and kind, the venue was beautiful and very nicely decorated, and the food was simply divine and well prepared. There were so many dishes that it’s difficult to decide which one was my favourite. However, if I had to choose, I think I’d probably have to say say it was the lobster bisque.

Apart from the great afternoon tea, my visit to the Antwerp Botanic Sanctuary Hotel was also a bit of a reconnaissance mission of sorts. Next time I visit Antwerp, I think I’d definitely consider staying at this hotel.