The Foyer & Reading Room at Claridge's

The Foyer & Reading Room is the all-day dining room at the heart of Claridge's, the Brook Street hotel's own restaurant from the first breakfast service to a late-evening menu. The day runs through breakfast, lunch, Afternoon Tea and dinner, with seasonal menus, a children's menu and a late-night card beside them, all served on the jade and white striped tableware that has become the room's signature.

Afternoon Tea is what most people know it for. Claridge's describes it as a tradition of 185 years, and it is served to a live pianist and cellist, with finger sandwiches, scones and pastries set against a long list of teas. The kitchen's chicken pot pie is the dish regulars return for, and it is one of the recipes the hotel chose for its own cookbook.

For a private occasion, the Foyer Private Dining Room sits within the restaurant and seats up to 24 guests. Claridge's offers it through the day, so a party can take it for a breakfast, a lunch, an Afternoon Tea or a dinner, with menus drawn up for the occasion by the hotel's private dining team.