Sweet treats and scenic views: Paddington lands in Singapore with the cutest afternoon high tea set

Known for its scenic views from its perch atop the 70th floor at Swissotel The Stamford, Skai at Swissotel has a new afternoon high tea set up its sleeve — and we’d like to think it’s its cutest one yet.

Say hello to the tea’s main star, Paddington Bear . You recognise him from the beloved children’s book series, or from the silver screen in one of his eponymous films, too. 

This well-loved character from British literature is known for his love for marmalade jam, playful disposition, and exciting adventures that have captured the hearts of the young and those young at heart. 

In this respect, Skai’s new Paddington-themed afternoon high tea, priced from S$78 for adults, and from S$39 for those aged six to 12,  hopes to capture that same playfulness and fun.

Besides a cute and yummy spread, the experience includes a beautiful view of the city’s skyline, as well as adorable, themed-keepsakes for you to take home — a cute card with quotes from Paddington bear himself, and an adorable bookmark for you to look back at the experience on.

A plethora of treats, both sweet and savoury 

Our tea began on a refreshing start with a citrus basil sorbet with earl grey tea and orange pomelo salsa. 

What first looked like a mini orange turned out to be sorbet encased in a thin chocolate shell, once we lightly cracked open the crisp chocolate sphere. It’s pretty, yes, but do remember to have all of it quick, before it melts.

We were then greeted with a colourful display of goodies, shaped and carefully constructed as nods to Paddington’s signature motifs. One such example is a little travel-worn brown suitcase bearing his initials, which turned out to be a sweet and tart royal hazelnut praline.

Another dessert that caught our eye was the raspberry Battenburg sponge, made to look like London’s iconic red double-decker bus — it was too adorable to dig into! 

It was the right mix of fruity and sweet, perfect for those who don’t have a huge sweet tooth.

Of course, we can’t forget a high-tea staple – the macaron. Imprinted with the image of the loveable bear, the Paddington fruity macaron carried a hint of citrus and sweetness.

Surprisingly, our favourite sweet treat among all of the treats, was one that looked rather simple — the lemon tea meringue shortbread.

Shaped in the form of a mini cupcake, the dessert comes topped with fluffy tangy lemon-tinged meringue, something we appreciated after all these sweets. The buttery shortbread was crumbly and smooth, too. 

We wished we hadn’t downed it so quickly, because this little treat was definitely one of the more memorable ones that we wish we kept around for longer to savour. 

Moving on to the savouries, the cheese and truffle gougeres (cheese puffs) came with a thin red glaze on top, an ode to Paddington’s iconic red hat. It was a cheesy and decadent treat suffused with rich truffle aroma.

But the true star of the savoury show for us was the honey baked ham, apple and whole grain mustard remoulade. 

Served in a bright red bun, this treat brought the sweetness of the honeyed ham together with the gentle notes of apple and tangy mustard in an unexpected, but pleasantly memorable burst of flavour. 

If it were served on the menu as an a la carte item, this would be the one I’d come back for, just to enjoy it all over again! 

No high tea is complete without warm, freshly baked plain and raisin scones along with homemade jam, and Devonshire clotted cream and butter —  just like you would have in the UK during tea-time. 

Wash all these down with a choice of TWG tea, gourmet coffee or one of its special non-alcoholic cocktails, made specially for this occasion. (There’s also the option to add bubbly to your high tea session, for a small add-on, if you’re in the mood for a boozy one!) 

For the traditionalists, you can opt for the Tea with Paddington, which blends earl grey tea, orange juice, orange marmalade and lemon juice, to create a citrusy, light and easy-to-drink beverage. It even comes with an image of Paddington perched on top! 

If you prefer your beverages cold, there’s the iced Sunshine at No. 32, which comes with coconut, orange juice, lemonade, and caramel cordial. 

For those not familiar with the number and its association with Paddington: The Brown family, who adopts Paddington after finding him stranded in Paddington Station live in a cosy home along 32 Windsor Gardens.

The tea is refreshing, cooling, and citrusy, just like the house, which signified the bright beginnings of the loveable bear.

Once you’ve wrapped up your afternoon surrounded by all things Paddington, if you are loath to leave it all behind, consider topping up S$10 for a take-home souvenir — a jar of orange marmalade, in memory of Paddington’s love for this spread.

What to expect at the Paddington Afternoon High Tea

The Paddington High Tea runs from October 6 until the end of the year, daily from 12.15pm to 5.30pm, with prices starting from S$78 per adult (or S$88, with the takeaway jar of marmalade) and S$39 per child aged six to 12 years old.

You can also add on a free-flow 1.5-hour beverage package, with Pommery champagne and house wine at S$138 or San Martino Prosecco and house wine at S$58.

Whether you’re a Paddington fan or not, if you’re looking for a place for some high tea, we’d say that this afternoon high tea is perfect for those who don’t have a huge sweet tooth, but still want to indulge and treat themselves to skyline views and a hearty tea set.

Each treat was delightful, and carried that essence of Paddington playfulness in each bite — we’re sure that even non-fans will fall in love with the little intricacies! 

This was a hosted tasting.

For more ideas on what to eat, check out Pout Rooftop Cafe at Clarke Quay or Basq and Bean over at Beach Road.