If you’re looking for an afternoon tea with a difference and one of the most spectacular views anywhere in Edinburgh, head to the 10th floor of the W Edinburgh for SUSHISAMBA’s unique take on this British tradition.
Forget your usual finger sandwiches and fairy cakes – SUSHISAMBA is renowned for its fusion cuisine, and their afternoon tea offering stays true to form. Featuring a selection of both savoury and sweet dishes that reflect the restaurant’s distinctive style, it’s all served against a panoramic backdrop of Edinburgh’s skyline, from Calton Hill to the Balmoral Hotel and down Princes Street.
We started with glasses of Laurent-Perrier Brut Champagne as we took in the spectacular views and perused the menu. You’ll need a flexible dining companion who doesn’t mind choosing between the fish or vegetarian option as a pair – thankfully, the sweets are universal.
As a non-fish eater, I was delighted they made an exception to include the Highland Wagyu Katsu Sando (minus the arenkha caviar!) alongside our vegetarian selection. This isn’t your average beef sandwich – served between pillowy white bread with crusts removed, of course, it was pure indulgence with the creamiest sriracha mayo adding a lovely touch of sweetness.
Service was, shall we say, unhurried. With our Champagne flutes empty, it took some time to catch the attention of the staff for our Canton Tea order. I wondered if perhaps they were waiting for it to arrive on the slow-boat from China!
The wait proved worthwhile when my Jasmine Pearls arrived, ceremoniously served in a bamboo-handled black teapot. These hand-picked treasures from Yunnan Province are hand-rolled into perfect iridescent pearls and blanketed with fresh jasmine flowers for six nights. The result? A beautifully light, fragrant cup that delighted the senses.
My dining companion bravely ventured into Matcha territory – a proper ceremony ensued as our waiter skilfully whisked the vibrant Japanese powder with a bamboo whisk before adding perfectly heated water. While the presentation impressed, the moss-coloured result was described as “earthy” – though personally, I thought it resembled the puddle water her Spaniel might enjoy on walks. Gen-Z can keep that particular trend!
All courses arrived on a beautiful 7-tier tree-like serving platter. Chopsticks are offered for the adventurous, but knife and fork are helpfully provided for those wanting to avoid a sticky situation.
The Green Bean Vegetable Tempura with black truffle mayonnaise offered a beautiful contrast of textures and flavours. The Crispy Vegetable Taquitos were definitely hand-food rather than chopstick-appropriate – eat them in one brave bite or risk wearing the contents of avocado, radish, red onion, peppers and pickled shimeji mushrooms on your fingers (as I discovered!).
Besides the exceptional Wagyu sandwich, my favourites were the Veggie Maki with avocado and the Veggie Nigiri with asparagus tips.
The sweet selection was enticing – Japanese Milk Buns with passion fruit curd and mango salsa that explode with flavour, indulgent Chocolate Cremieux with 66% dark chocolate and miso, and an Almond Taco with plum, mandarin and white chocolate that challenged even my most delicate eating techniques.
Our Honey and Tahitian Vanilla Scones arrived warm – unlike any I’ve ever made in shape or texture, these salty creations perfectly complemented the homemade strawberry compote and smooth, piped clotted cream.
At £75 with a glass of Laurent Perrier (or £100 if you opt for the Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle), this isn’t the cheapest afternoon tea in town. But if you’re looking to celebrate with spectacular views and tea with a difference, SUSHISAMBA delivers an experience that rises well above the ordinary.
https://www.sushisamba.com/events/afternoon-tea-edinburgh
