This brie-lliant new ‘Afternoon Cheese’ flips a British tradition on its head with delicious, dairy-laden delights – it’s a ‘cracking’ afternoon tea stuffed to the brim with cheese

'Afternoon Cheese' might look like an ordinary afternoon tea at first glance, except for the sheer amount of cheese.

an array of cheese-y afternoon tea dishes on various platters and plates — Credit: Firmdale, Covent Garden Hotel

– Staff Writer

· 8 May, 2026

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This May, a brilliant new dining experience has landed in the city, combining two of our favourite meals. ‘Afternoon Cheese’ is a dairy good new offering from Brasserie Max at the Covent Garden Hotel, suffusing a British tradition with prolific amounts of dairy. That’s right, folks, it’s a cheese-filled afternoon tea. It’s the perfect ocassion for those who are just ‘crackers about cheese’.

There’s something almost meditative about afternoon tea. It’s a slower dining affair, filled with tea, tiny cakes, and finger sandwiches – and perhaps some bubbles, too. And the same can be said of a cheeseboard, due to its inherently social nature. (‘Can’ be said, that is, because the rate at which I can devour one is frankly alarming.) So, naturally, we’re completely on board with this delightful fusion of the two.

a luxuriously set table for a cheese-focused afternoon tea, with tiered trays of cheesey delights, glasses of wine, and various small plates — Credit: Firmdale, Covent Garden Hotel

A cheese-filled afternoon tea

At first glance, Afternoon Cheese doesn’t look too different from a typical afternoon tea. But look closer, and you’ll recognise that absolutely every element has been given a cheese-filled makeover. Well, except for the tea and the wine…

While Afternoon Cheese may flip the traditional pastime on its head, it remains quintessentially British. The dishes utilise a variety of British cheeses from the fromage fanatics over at Neal’s Yard Dairy.

The lactose-laden spread sees the classic scones replaced with cheddar varieties, topped with goat’s curd and condiments. And in place of the finger sandwiches, there’s a Welsh rarebit-stuffed doughnut.

someone spreading jam on a goat curd topped cheese scone, next to a tray of cheese scones — Credit: Firmdale, Covent Garden Hotel

And then there are the pastries. They don’t look too different from the usual sweet treats, but these are entirely cheese-led. We’re talking everything from a Colston Bassett éclair with pickled walnut and chives to a Ragstone and caramelised onion macaron, a Lincolnshire Poacher burnt cheese tart, and more. That’s right – cheese-y eclairs and macarons!

So, what do you say? Are you ready for edam good new afternoon tea?

🧀 Afternoon Cheese starts at £56 per person. It’s available every day between 2-6pm.
🫖 Find out more and book here.
📍 Covent Garden Hotel, 10 Monmouth Street, W2CH 9HB.
🚇 The nearest stations are Covent Garden and Leicester Square.