Indulge in Afternoon High Tea at The Ritz-Carlton, Pentagon City

Located on the ground floor of The Ritz-Carlton, Pentagon City is FYVE Restaurant and Lounge, a comfortable space just steps away from the mall. It’s a great place to spend time having long chats while enjoying a lovely afternoon high tea. 

The restaurant’s afternoon tea includes a selection of sandwiches, scones and pastries along with a pot of tea for $42. An added $8 gets you a glass of sparkling wine, a mimosa or a bellini. The selection changes seasonally, but the finger sandwiches were tasty and included standard fillings such as cucumber, egg salad and salmon.

My favorite was a mini ratatouille tart with crisp vegetables and a pastry. Served warm, the scones were especially good with a crunchy exterior and soft interior, and went swimmingly well with the clotted cream and fruit preserves. 

The tea selections are fairly limited, with a somewhat basic selection of choices such as jasmine, green and a couple of others, but they serve their purpose. As for the sweet stuff (my favorite part of afternoon tea), there was an assortment of chocolate-based treats, lemon madeleines, truffles and a gingerbread choux pastry. The flavor combinations were a delight to eat, and I especially enjoyed the varied selections. 

While the specific offerings may change as the team brings out seasonal flavors, rest assured the creations will be colorful, inventive and thoroughly enjoyable. Everything I tried also showed solid technique and was inviting in appearance, as an afternoon tea should be. The food is pretty plentiful (I was stuffed) and at this reasonable price, The Ritz-Carlton in Pentagon City shows that it does afternoon tea very well. 

In addition, the service was thoughtful and fabulous, and the relaxed energy of the lounge (ask for the table near the fireplace!) is ideal. A special Teddy Bear Tea is also available for the little ones, which includes sandwiches and sweets, hot chocolate or tea, and a choice of stuffed animal to take home.

The tea is indoors but the hotel is following all Covid-19 safety procedures, including enforcing mask wearing and providing extra disinfecting and cleaning between guests at the lounge. Personally, I felt very safe although indoors. 

Afternoon tea is currently offered Thursday to Sunday from 12-3 p.m. Call to make a reservation or book via OpenTable here. To learn more about The Ritz-Carlton, Pentagon City and the FYVE Restaurant and Lounge, click here. Follow on Instagram @ritzcarltonpentagoncity for the latest. 

FYVE Restaurant and Lounge at The Ritz-Carlton, Pentagon City: 1250 S Hayes St. Arlington, VA; 703-415-5000; www.ritzcarlton.com

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