London and tea are practically synonymous. Personally, my youth was filled with old British sitcoms and Mr. Bean’s most famous sketches, in which British humor went hand in hand with what, in the collective imagination, is perhaps one of the most quintessentially British traditions of all: the sacred five o’clock tea. A ritual that, ever since I was a child, I’ve learned to associate inextricably with Anglo-Saxon culture. Tea rooms, afternoon tea, high tea, and the many, more elegant variations of this ritual have now become part of the European collective imagination. But London remains—at least in the collective imagination, and likely also due to the variety and quality of what it offers—one of the premier destinations for experiencing tea culture.
Selfridges, the historic London department store and a true institution of British shopping, knows this well; it has made experience, creativity, and the fusion of fashion, art, and culture one of its defining characteristics. And it is precisely here that the legend of tea is reinterpreted with a contemporary twist. In fact, Selfridges has just opened the Imagination Café, a truly unique tea spot that takes the place of Dolly’s Café, the historic Art Deco café located in the heart of the department store.
The name Dolly’s Café pays homage to the Dolly Sisters, the famous identical twins who captivated audiences in the 1920s with their glamorous and enchanting performances, including alongside Selfridges’ founder, Harry Gordon Selfridge. The café, inspired by Art Deco aesthetics, was one of the spaces designed to celebrate the great British tradition of afternoon tea, offering a selection of teas and coffees, pastries, sandwiches, and even an elegant Champagne Afternoon Tea.
Today, that same space has been transformed, taking the tea ritual into a whole new dimension. The Imagination Café features installations by artist Katie Stout, while the menu, curated by Malik Acid, plays with unexpected colors, shapes, and flavors. Of course, there’s also a reimagined take on afternoon tea, along with non-alcoholic cocktails designed to promote a sense of well-being and an endless array of decidedly Instagram-worthy details. Delicious, colorful cakes are paired with small pastries and sweet creations, transforming the classic tea time into something lighter, more fun, and more contemporary. It’s a different way to spend a London afternoon, surrounded by colors, sweetness, and a touch of whimsy. An experience designed for all ages, it takes one of the city’s most iconic traditions and views it through a completely new lens.
[📷 Instagram: theofficialselfridges]
