At this point in my life, If it doesn’t have an experience involved, I don’t want it. When headed across the pond, & as a Ravenclaw Alum, I couldn’t pass up the chance to flaunt my knowledge of witchcraft & wizardry. I also wanted to have a proper afternoon tea, but I was so surprised at the prices of a few finger sandwiches and desserts (that’s a story for a different day). Luckily for us we were able to combine the two and have a magic-filled afternoon tea experience at Wands & Wizards Exploratorium.
THE BASICS
The tea was one of the most affordable we’d seen at around ￡40-￡50. The entire tea lasted about 1.5 hours and featured traditional teas, sandwiches, and desserts. We had an instructor to guide us through the experience and were seated in a room with four or five other groups during our reservation.
THE DECOR
The best part about the tea was that the theme was carried out perfectly. We walked our way up a narrow winding staircase that was beneath a cloud that glowed colors of purple, red, and blue. *I do not believe any tea room was located on the ground floor, so this experience may not be accessible for witches and wizards who are disabled or have a difficult time climbing stairs* The walls were adorned with articles from the Daily Prophet, plants that Professor Sprout would be proud of, wands, and a variety of things that can only be found in the wizarding world.
THE FOOD
The tea itself was…. Tea. I honestly was not a huge fan or cucumber sandwiches going in. I tried an afternoon tea once at Gryphon in Savannah, GA and I enjoyed it. At the same time I wouldn’t run back for the food alone. So if you’re coming just for the food.. maybe choose one of the teas hosted at an actual restaurant. I thoroughly enjoyed the desserts, especially the dragon’s blood infused macarons.
INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCE
The interactive experience happened throughout the tea. From our tower that was topped by a dragon egg to the tea chest only accessible by wand and spell, I had a great time. Each participant was also given robes to wear during the tea. Our host was great and was sure to chat with us and to ask us questions to test what we’d learned at Hogwarts.
OVERALL EXPERIENCE
Overall, I applaud the staff’s dedication to the theme and appreciate the level of detail they included throughout the building and during the experience. The next time we’re in London I would probably opt for splurging for a fancy tea to compare the taste of the food offerings. As we continued to explore the city there didn’t seem to be a shortage of wizard and Potter themed shops, but I would highly recommend you try the tea for yourself the next time you’re in the city.
