Afternoon Tea at Joia Battersea - Review

art'otel London Battersea Power Station proudly overlooks one of London’s most exciting new neighbourhoods and the iconic Battersea Power Station. Although the hotel is a relatively new addition to the skyline, it holds itself with poise, confidence and style. Joia - meaning “jewel” in Portuguese - is the aptly named title of the hotel’s 15th floor restaurant. The restaurant serves up contemporary twists on Portuguese and Catalonian dishes under the guidance of two Michelin-starred Chef Henrique Sá Pessoa.

In keeping with the theme of old and new that the hotel and the Battersea Power Station area represent, Joia serves up a very traditional British afternoon tea and somehow makes it feel very modern.

With spectacular sweeping views over the power station's chimneys and the London skyline in the background, you almost get the sense of an immersive history lesson. With the brutalist architecture of the power station framed in the glass viewport of Joia, and juxtaposed against the slick contemporary aesthetic of the space.

The restaurant is bright with pink pastels, touches of gold and all the curves that provide all the modern mid-century feels.

Afternoon tea is a familiar three-tiered medley of sandwiches, sweet treats and of course the beloved scones, jam and clotted cream. The sandwiches are punching a little over their afternoon tea category with a smoked salmon, cucumber, dill and cream cheese, a salted egg & dijon mustard mayonnaise and our personal favourite, the beef and horseradish which is tender with a light heat from the horseradish.

The sweet treats are delectable and look every inch as good as they taste. What appears to be some sort of chocolate roll sandwiched between two white chocolate walls, reveals a surprising chocolate and banana mousse. There’s a pear & almond choux bun with passion fruit crémeux. And our personal favourite a sumptuously crusted cinnamon custard tart topped with raspberries. The sandwiches and sweets bravely stand out from the very familiar scones, with Jam (first), then thick cream, but what would an afternoon tea be without this addition?

Joia offers Afternoon tea with an iconic view and an environment that makes it all feel that little bit more special. For a laid-back weekend afternoon, it’s a winner in our books.

Afternoon Tea is available at Joia every Saturday and Sunday for £55pp or you can push the boat out that little bit more with the Champagne Afternoon Tea, including a glass of Telmont Brut Réserve Champagne for £65pp. 

For more information and to book visit https://www.joiabattersea.co.uk/

Written by Rick Hartley

Photography courtesy of Joia Battersea