The Fortnum’s Bar & Restaurant at Royal Exchange — Restaurant in London

Gift from friend for our Wedding Gift from this Virgin experience day 🎁 Walked in each to their own preference the claimed "most instagramable" I didn't think it was wow factor. There's 4 entrances and the seatings your placed kinda right in the middle, 360 surrounded by luxury jewelery shops with some Fortnum and Mason kinda bit exposed from my view, strangers walking past because anyone could walk in and not sure who prefers that (also the chairs were not comfortable at all and our table was unbalanced so it was wonky). In-addition, if you're like first time visit your kinda lost where to go cause there's not really a recognised reception point so you kinda just walk towards a member of staff to ask. Food selection was alright for my selection and happy to pay extra. But partner had this steak (Medium Rare request but more Medium Well) with Pepporncorn sauce tasted weird with a fishy trout taste, I'm unsure of this reason but she didn't want me to raise the issue for £15 additional expected something better but I guess it's Bank, location location! Service greeting was friendly at all times, but there were some like serving staff that was a bit like okay... example I ordered a big sparkling bottle of water to share, opened it poured it for us very nice but then took the lid cap away leaving the bottle of sparkling exposed throughout the dinner of Service. I expected better as imagine paying £85 already then topping up another £50 on top including the service charge (we ordered extra food) for 2 ppl but I guess this is standard for Bank again. Oh the cocktail 🍸 was not for me, the Pale ale was nice though 👌 Overall, experience didn't do it for me 😅 but you can't please everyone, try it for your own...

Usually I don’t go to such a touristic place to eat. But I know that F&M has a very good lunches and wanted to take my parents there for an afternoon tea. Our plans changed and I’ve rescheduled the table for earlier time just for lunch. As we arrived there we were not too hungry to have a full lunch but wanted some starters and drinks. The food was great. But. The service is so awful!! The guy first gave us only lunch menu. I then asked for drinks menu. Hi gave it to me after 5min waiting (and the place was not too busy). We wanted to have a look at deserts and I needed to ask for menu again. The guy was already not happy. But come on, we may order whatever we want! The guy was grumpy when we asked for second blanket (it was very chilly). My dad had tea (loose leaf in teapot). I asked waiter if we could add some hot water, he took the teapot and threw couple of words leaving the table “we don’t do this here”. He may just told us in a kindly way and explain. In 5 min he brought a new teapot and add it in bill. The atmosphere was already ruined. When we asked for a bill, I decided to check it. They added items worth £30 that we didn’t order! How come such a well known place couldn’t manage their stuff to be more...

The classic afternoon tea was proper. The service was perfect - discreet, agreeable, and attentive - and the place is stunning. Even though everything was quite good, the food was not extraordinary to be honest (you'd expect almost perfection from such a place).

For £35 as of February 2023 (very pricey, but with the past few years' inflation it is sadly currently one of the least expensive luxurious afternoon teas you can find), you get 5 sandwiches (e.g. smoked trout, cucumber, egg, ham, curry), 2 scones with clotted cream, lemon curd & strawberry jam, and 3 mini pastries, along with a tea to choose from a selection. Scones and jams were delicious, but the sandwiches could have had more fillings given the slices of bread - very good - were quite thick. Being French I found 1 of the 3 pasties was delicious while the others were just fine.

They don't tell you that there and the website doesn't say it either, but at £35 it's good to know that you can ask refills of whatever you want for no extra charge. The price also includes a tea tasting. It's best to not go too late before the end of the service to make sure you can actually get refills and taste...