Review: Afternoon tea at The Angel Hotel in Abergavenny

The Angel has won numerous accolades for the quality of its offering – including the British Tea Guild Council’s top City and Country Afternoon Tea Award and The Award of Excellence – so hopes were high when my partner and I paid a visit on a sunny Sunday afternoon.

On arrival we were ushered through to the bright and airy dining room by the friendly and attentive staff and seated immediately. Afternoon tea is all about relaxation so the casual atmosphere was just the ticket.

For drinks to start my parter opted for a kir royale cocktail - light and refreshing - while, as designated driver, I started with coffee.

But you don't sit down for afternoon tea to drink an americano, so attentions turned to the seemingly endless list of types of tea on the menu - just have a look at the website if you think I'm exaggerating.

While I enjoy a cuppa as much as anyone, I wouldn’t describe myself as anything close to a tea connoisseur, so at the waiter’s recommendation we opted for Keemun Gong Fu, which the menu informed me is known in China as "the prince of teas". He didn’t steer us wrong, with possibly most refreshing cup of tea I've ever tried, perfect for a hot day, and beautifully presented in an iron teapot alongside the dainty crockery.

And then it was time for the main event.

The two towers of treats - I'm a vegetarian while my partner isn't, so our food was presented separately so there wasn't any confusion around what I could and couldn't eat, while other diners shared larger towers - arrived swiftly, with the only issue being how to choose where to begin.

In case you've never had the pleasure - and I'd rectify that as soon as possible - afternoon teas are usually presented in three levels, with sandwiches on the bottom, cakes and pastries in the middle, and savoury treats on top.

The range on offer was frankly staggering – to go through them all would require an epic of War and Peace-proportions, but it would be remiss not to mention some of the highlights.

The chocolate and stout cake was basically everything I want in a baked good, while the sandwiches were delightfully light and the perfect accompaniment to the deliciousness lying above them.

The custard slice was frankly a marvel of engineering, wobbling away to the extent that it seemed just about ready to collapse, yet still maintaining its form - even when attacked by a fork. I’m not entirely convinced there wasn’t a bit of actual magic involved.

My partner's sausage roll certainly looked impressive - Greggs this ain't - and, on tasting, my partner called it "the best sausage roll I've ever eaten".

She was also full of praise for the bacon and cheese quiche, while a meringue treat with fresh fruit was lauded as "too pretty to eat". She did anyway.

But by far the highlight for me was the choux pastry with mushroom and stilton was simply one of the most delicious things I've ever tasted. I'd eat a whole plate of them if I could.

As if the towering offering wasn't enough, it was followed by two delicious freshly-baked scones and the obligatory jam and cream.

I won't spark the 'jam or cream first' debate here - when it's this good, who cares?

Although, true to form, I managed to scoff everything that was put in front of me, my partner admitted defeat with a few nibbles remaining, and it’s hard to blame her given the sheer range on offer.

Thankfully the staff are happy to box up what you don’t finish to take home and enjoy later – a nice touch.

It's easy to see why afternoon tea at The Angel has won the awards it has, and if it keeps up this level of quality and service, there'll be plenty more to come. Book now because you won't want to wait.

• Afternoon Tea at The Angel Hotel costs £44 per person. Call 01873 857121 or visit angelabergavenny.com