I remember watching Breakfast at Tiffany’s at such a young age, Audrey Hepburn standing there all elegant and glamorous eating a croissant and holding a cup of coffee and I always thought dining in Tiffany’s, that would be something… well now you can.
Years of people turning up hoping to find a cafe among the jewels and sparkle that is Tiffany’s and being slightly disappointed have now changed. In the middle of November, Tiffany’s announced the opening of its café – The Blue Box Cafe. Located on the 4th floor of their Manhattan store, Breakfast, lunch, sweets and a selection of refreshing drinks and different teas are all available for those who are lucky to reserve a table.
Lucky for me, it coincided with a trip to New York and I was one of the lucky few who managed to get a reservation at the newly opened cafe. Unfortunately the only time left was late afternoon so instead of Breakfast at Tiffany’s, I was treated to the Tiffany Tea (Afternoon Tea) and was it worth it…
YES.
On the run up to Christmas, the city of New York comes to life. Music, lights, glitz and holiday spirit are all in abundance and as you enter the flagship store of Tiffany’s 5th Avenue, the effort they put into their window displays and Christmas décor is like no other. So much sparkle and fun it simply takes your breath away. It’s what makes Tiffany & Co. so special as well as their welcoming and helpful staff.
As I ascended the lift to the 4th floor, the excitement of dining in Tiffany’s took over. I was like that small child watching Breakfast at Tiffany’s again. I was so nervous checking in with the maître d for my reservation, part of me thought, it’s a joke, my reservation isn’t real and then the young gentleman waiter beside her said ‘Come this way’ and the sense of relief and excitement took over again.
When you first walk in you are surrounded by the Tiffany & Co. colour schemes. That iconic turquoise and white filling the walls, the tables and to my surprise the dining set. Stunning didn’t cover it. They even included a light box displays continuing on from the Christmas window displays at the front and side of their store.
Looking over the menu, there is definitely something for everyone. From meat-eaters to Vegan, Tiffany’s have their guests covered. Rather than have a spot of lunch, I opted for the Tiffany Tea and what a great choice that was. You sample the very best of what Tiffany has to offer and the way the food is displayed is magnificent.
Starting from the bottom you have a selection of sweet and savoury scones with three preserves – winter fruit preserve, glittery clotted cream and honey butter. The honey butter is sourced right there in the city atop one of the rooftops and was absolutely delicious. The care and thought taken to pair the right preserves to the scones on offer was just sensational.
In the middle you have a selection of finger sandwiches – herbed chicken salad, smoked salmon cream cheese, cucumber goat cheese and hummus & olive tapenade. If you are vegan or vegetarian, the staff is more than willing to swap out the sandwiches for another kind. The presentation again was just mouth-watering.
Lastly, the piece de resistance is the top tower – the Tiffany sweets. The moment I saw them, I knew this was an afternoon tea like no other. You are treated to a Tiffany’s Bird’s Nest – this is caramel made into a nest with 3 little turquoise eggs filled with delicious chocolate, Coconut Brownie, Lemon Meringue Tart, a Chocolate Ingot (designed to look like the iconic Tiffany’s silver bar), Lemon Jelly Square and the best – the Blue Box Petit Four.
All of this delectable food is paired with a tea of your choice. If you love Tiffany’s then the Tiffany Blend won’t disappoint. Created to celebrate and embrace life, dreams and love, the tea consists of a floral infusion of Chinese and Ceylon black teas combined with gentle notes of lychee, rose buds, vanilla and lavender.
It’s simply wonderful and an experience like no other. The menu has been tailored to each season and with Spring not that far off, it makes me want to go back to see what they will introduce to the menu going forward.
There’s so much I could say about my visit but I think Holly Golightly sums up this experience for me -‘I’m just crazy about Tiffany’s!’
New York Holidays
With Tiffany’s now serving breakfast and lunch, a trip to New York should be on the cards for many looking to follow in Audrey Hepburn’s footsteps of Breakfast at Tiffany’s.
