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Kensington Palace Orangery

The Orangery, Kensington Palace, Kensington Gardens, W8 4PX Full details & map

Café: British

Time Out says 3 Users say 2/5 Rate it

By Time Out Editors Posted: Nov 28 2011

Though now largely dominated by tourists, Kensington Palace Orangery retains all the grandeur you'd expect from a former royal, alfresco entertainment space. Imposing colonnades, vaulted ceilings and a spacious terrace make it a lovely place to stop for breakfast, lunch or afternoon tea.

The latter is a relatively simple affair, with sandwiches, scones and orange-themed petits fours arriving all together on a tiered stand. It's not the best spread in town (the orange-flavoured scones were particularly unpleasant), but the setting helps things along.

Breakfast focuses mainly on pastries, and lunch options are equally brief. Our seasonal mains included a goat's cheese, fig and pomegranate salad (wonderful once we'd asked for additional figs) and a convincing combination of warmed smoked salmon, green beans and new potatoes. The filling, tasty food is elevated unquestionably by the incredible backdrop.

Tags: European, British, Families & kids, Local flavour, Outdoor : Dining, Romance, Wow factor, West, Kensington, Mid-range, Tea room (afternoon tea), Café

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Kensington Palace Orangery details

Address

Kensington Palace Orangery

The Orangery, Kensington Palace, Kensington Gardens W8 4PX

Transport High Street Kensington or Queensway tube

Telephone

020 3166 6112

Kensington Palace Orangery website

Open Mar-Oct 10am-6pm daily. Nov-Feb 10am-5pm daily

Main courses £8.75-£13.50. Set tea £15.15-£34.45

Credit cards AmEx, MC, V

Facilities

Tables outdoors ( 20, terrace ), Babies and children welcome ( children's menu; high chairs; nappy-changing facilities ), Disabled ( toilet )

Kensington Palace Orangery map

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Comments & ratings 2/5 (Average of 3 ratings)

By Jan - Jul 29 2011

1/5

Took my daughter here as a special treat - what a mistake. Sandwiches were indifferent (cheese and pickle?!) scone dry and heavy, cakes just ok but nothing special.The glass of champagne was nice, as was the tea, but this was a very disappointing rip off at over £47 for two.
The manager was also extremely rude about my daughter's puppy - we were sitting outside and the puppy was sitting in my daughter's bag, not disturbing anyone.While I accept that the manager had the right to object, he did not have the right to shout and be aggressive. Thans to a very kind family who offered to take the dog for a while we did manage to finish our tea but would never, ever, return

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By Linus - Jun 15 2011

5/5

I've been here a number of times now for lunch, tea and cake or afternoon tea and I cannot recommend it highly enough. The cakes are delicious and beautifully displayed, the range of teas is really excellent - including some of the rarer and more exclusive teas stocked by Fortnum's, and the service has always been fantastic. Having tried many, many restaurants and cafes during the seven years I've lived in London, this is by far my favourite and I have probably recommend the Orangery to everyone I know!

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By TM - Mar 27 2011

1/5

A fairly basic 'tea' with only one choice of sandwich filling, one scone, two small cakes.

Two of the choices of tea were made with a tea bag!!!! and no refills - we were expected to pay (very mean considering they only had to provide another tea bag and boiling water!)

We have had far, far superior afternoon tea experiences (notably in The Library (previously GLC building now Marriott Hotel) so were disappointed that we chose this one for a special 60th birthday celebration.

Tourists wanting a 'royal' experience might be impressed but, sadly, we all felt a bit let down especially considering we had paid over and above the actual prices booking via Virgin Experience days which included a visit to the palace.

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By S.M. Landry - Jan 22 2011

My niece, her friend and I had tea at the Orangery in Nov. 2010, and we so enjoyed the experience. The food was good, so different from what we are used to and the tea fantastic. We arrived after 5 p.m. closed to the end of tea, the staff was nice to 3 Americans. When my friend and I make a return visit, I plan another trip to the Orangery to introduce my friend to this great experience

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By G. Potts - May 28 2010

The afternoon tea was very disappointing. Service was awful, waited over 30 minutes before the waiter even came to the table. Considering it cost £20 each the the quality and quantity of the food was very poor. I will not be returning.

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By H.Soper - May 17 2010

I met my sisters here at Christmas as a special treat, having travelling a long way to get here. What a dissapointment, I could have put on a better afternoon tea myself. We left virtually all the sandwiches as we couldn't even decide what the fillings were ? mashed sardines. The scones were like rocks...not homemade i don't think, the Champagne was ok but at £20.00 a head for 'champagne tea' very overpriced for what you get. I will definitely not be visiting again.