Anti:dote’s Impressionist-inspired afternoon tea: A day with the greats and picturesque bites

Food is art — in the way it’s plated, in the techniques woven into each dish, and in the intent behind every flavour. So, what happens when art and food come together more literally — in an afternoon tea inspired by the Impressionism movement?

Anti:dote, a stylish cocktail bar at Fairmont Singapore, is presenting Impressionism in edible form — as an afternoon tea available daily from 12pm to 5pm, now till end-January.

It’s not out of the blue, either — Into the Modern: Impressionism, Southeast Asia’s largest Impressionism exhibition, is currently showing at National Gallery Singapore, which is just a short stroll away.

The exhibition, a collaboration between the National Gallery and The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, is running from now until March 1, 2026 — and it’s already drawing long queues and weekend crowds.

Whether you’ve visited, plan to, or simply want to savour Impressionism in another medium, Anti:dote offers a thoughtful way in.

The afternoon tea honours the beauty of the movement through its art-inspired menu, with reproductions of paintings placed around the room — from Monet’s Poppy Field in a Hollow near Giverny to Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec’s Carmen Gaudin in the Artist’s Studio.

It’s quite an interesting experience to experience art that is literally built into Anti:dote’s delicately crafted bites — each one conceptualised by executive pastry chef Yong Ming Choong and junior sous chef Ong Sze Ling.

The sweets, the savouries, and the scones

The afternoon tea is priced from S$78 per adult, which includes two non-alcoholic drinks, and S$39 per child aged (six to 12 years old) with a choice of hot or iced chocolate, or juice.

Besides the drinks, the menu offers five savoury bites and seven sweet ones — all presented in Anti:dote’s signature afternoon tea box, with the nibbles carefully concealed within pull-out drawers.

There’s a selection of sweets and savouries — though we’ll admit: The sweets won us immediately. We enjoyed every one of them.

The standout pieces were those adorned with tiny, delicate replicas of the paintings themselves.

The Charlotte pistachio with raspberry marmalade, inspired by Camille Pissarro’s Two Peasant Women in a Meadow, balances nutty richness with a berry acidity that lifts the whole bite.

The berries velvet Gallery with blackberry ganache creation mirrors Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s Dance at Bougival. It is lush and velvety with fruity flavours and a gentle floral sweetness.

There’s also a red velvet cake with raspberry cream cheese, reflecting Carmen Gaudin in the Artist’s Studio by Toulouse-Lautrec. It was soft, a tad tangy, and just sweet enough.

Among the non-illustrated sweets, the apple lemon curd sable tart deserves a mention. It echoes the still, composed nature of Paul Cezanne’s Fruit and Jug on a Table. 

It has a sharp, sunny citrus and buttery crumble — a lovely palate-brightener amidst the richer desserts. 

The savouries hold their own, too. 

A particular favourite of ours was the Boston lobster with lemon confit, caviar and coffin bun — a tiny, luxurious bite. It’s inspired by the bold, theatrical personality of Toulouse-Lautrec, and you taste that sense of drama in the layering.

The lobster is slightly sweet and supple, the lemon confit adds a sweet tang, and the caviar brings brininess that ties everything together in the soft, bready bun.

The final drawer reveals vanilla and raisin scones, served with Devon clotted cream, citrus butter curd, and strawberry marmalade. It’s a classic Anti:dote signature.

The strawberry marmalade was especially memorable — fragrant and sweet with a gentle tartness. It paired perfectly with the warm, crumbly scones.

Impressionist-inspired drinks

Anti:Dote’s head mixologist, Edu Zamora, has crafted two Impressionism-inspired drinks to accompany the menu.

The Impressionist Fizz (S$17) is a non-alcoholic cocktail with Seedlip Grove 42 — bright with bitter citrus peel, lemon, and blood orange — blended with clarified peach cordial, acid solution, soda water, and topped with vanilla-peach foam.

It’s meant to evoke the haziness and luminous quality of Impressionist art, and it does capture that gentle, dreamlike blur.

Its flavour profile leans bold and sharp, driven by the assertiveness of Seedlip Grove 42. It took us a few sips for the drink to gradually grow on us.

The beautiful Liquid Abstract (S$22) cocktail was our favourite. It is made with rhum agricole, Disaronno amaretto, fermented spiced dragon fruit with peach, and citrus, then topped with a rainbow meringue garnish. 

The flavours are layered: Earthy rum, almondy, with a sweetness from the dragonfruit and a refreshing, tangy lift. It’s slightly whimsical — like a painting in movement — and quite delicious, too.

If you prefer coffee or tea, Anti:dote also serves a wide range of TWG Tea — from Holiday in Paris that infuses white and green tea to the Lovers Leap pekoe – Ceylon black tea. Nespresso coffee is available, too.

The afternoon tea experience felt like a pause in the day. The ambience was lively but calm, inviting great conversations and providing the pleasure of taking your time.

Catch it before it ends. Whether you go with a family member, a partner, or a close friend, it’s a thoughtful, mindful way to enjoy art in the form of food — and savour the moment as it is.

This was a hosted tasting.

For more ideas on what to eat, read on Moxie’s new and comforting brunch menu and the new Michelin-rated Tiong Bahru Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice at Takashimaya.