The Kempinski Frankfurt Gravenbruch afternoon tea is probably one the best I have ever had in Germany, all criteria considered. Let me explain why:
Afternoon Tea / High Tea at the Kempinski Frankfurt Gravenbruch ★★★★★
“Tea Time” Afternoon tea price: 39€/person
Savoury bites, Scones & Sweets with Hot beverages and a glass of Champagne
Food refills: Yes (Sandwiches & Scones); Tea refills: Yes; Alcohol refills: No
Service hours: Every day from 3 to 6 pm in the K-Lounge or on the Terrace
The Setting ★★★★☆
The hotel isn’t located in the centre of Frankfurt but in the nearby village of Gravenbruch, easily reached by bus or taxi.
Granted, the location isn’t exactly convenient but that’s exactly why afternoon tea at the Kempinski Frankfurt felt that nice: you’re far from the bustling city of Frankfurt and its skyscrapers.
The K-Lounge ★★★★☆
Afternoon tea is served in the K-Lounge. The venue is quite nice but it would be a pity to stay inside on a beautiful summer day.
The K-Lounge Terrace ★★★★★
Nothing beats an afternoon tea with a view, especially when that view is essentially trees and water. Long story short: try to plan this afternoon tea on a sunny day and book a table on the terrace whenever possible.
I recommend asking for a table by the water or on the elevated part of the terrace (in front of the cigar lounge) if you favour a bit of privacy.
There is a musical fountain show every day at 6,7 and 8 pm:
The Tea & Beverage Selection ★★★★★
Like most German hotels, the Kempinski Frankfurt sources its teas from the Ronnefeldt tea house. There are 14 teas and infusions to choose from, with almost all tea varieties on offer. Allow me to recommend the Gyokuro tea ♥.
The teapot is brought with an hourglass as well as a recipient to stop the infusion once the brewing is strong enough for you. Speaking of teapots, you can tell that the tea service hasn’t been changed in a while so don’t be surprised if you notice a few stains this and there (it’s probably the only negative aspect of this afternoon tea, hardly a deal breaker IMHO).
Each afternoon tea also comes with a glass of Laurent-Perrier Champagne. It’s a pity that you can’t opt out of the Champagne and pay a bit less, though I didn’t feel like skipping the bubbly on such hot day 🙂
Classic teas offer 17 (5 black, 3 green, 2 white, 2 oolong & 2 infusions)
Brewing method: At the table; in a ceramic teapot containing a removable tea strainer
2 hot beverages per afternoon tea; 9€ per extra teapot
The Savouries ★★★★☆
The afternoon tea starts with three run-of-the-mill Sandwiches:
- Smoked Salmon & Chive Cream, Full-Grain Bread Sandwich (white bread)
- Cucumber & Dill Remoulade, Wheat Bread Sandwich (green bread)
- Chicken Breast & Chilli Dip, Wheat Bread Sandwich (red bread)
The cucumber sandwich is a tad disappointing but the use of flavoured bread is a nice touch: it adds a bit of a kick to what would otherwise be an ordinary sandwich.
The Scones ★★★★☆
Each serving of afternoon tea comes with two scones. they are served with authentic clotted cream and two sorts of delicious homemade jam (blueberry and apricot).
Something that’s very unusual in Germany (but common in the UK), you can ask for refills of food if you want a few extras. Of course, I totally did order a few extra scones as I did not want to let that homemade jam go to waste!
The Cakes & Sweets ★★★★☆
The Kempinski Frankfurt afternoon tea is generous from start to finish, there are a whopping 10 cakes and sweets, all refillable:
- Chocolate Macaron with berries
- Burnt apricot Tarte
- Millefeuille
- Chocolate & Coffee Tartelette “Kempinski”
- Lemon Tartlet ♥♥
- Paris Brest puff pastry
- Mini-Madeleines ♥
- Coconut confection
- Chocolate éclair
- Heidesand shortbreads
The cakes and sweets are great and original. I especially loved the mini-glazed madeleines and the lemon tartlet.
The Service ★★★★★
The staff is friendly and efficient. Melissa, Daniel and Niklas took great care of us all afternoon-long even though it was a very busy Sunday.
Below is a video detailing the full contents of the afternoon tea:
Conclusion & Overall Mark ★★★★★
Afternoon tea at the Kempinski Frankfurt Gravenbruch is among the best afternoon tea I’ve had in Germany in terms of value for money, along with the Waldorf Astoria Berlin. For 39€/person you get a fantastic view, two choices of tea, a glass of champagne and a whole lot of (refillable) tasty food.
If you don’t know what to do on a beautiful day and don’t mind leaving Frankfurt’s town centre, make sure to give it a try!
+: Beautiful terrace with a view
+: Peaceful atmosphere
+: Great tea selection
+: The food refills
+: The Scones & Homemade Jams
+: The Cakes & Sweets
+: The service
+: Excellent price/performance ratio
-: The ageing tableware
-: Slightly underwhelming sandwiches
Kempinski Frankfurt Afternoon Tea Official Website & Menu
Email : restaurant.frankfurt@kempinski.com
Phone: +49 69 389 88 676
Address: Graf-zu-Ysenburg-und-Büdingen-Platz 1, 63263 Neu-Isenburg, Germany
