‘I Tried A Vegan Afternoon Afternoon Tea In London – Here’s What It Was Like’

Nicole Whittle, the content creator behind Vegan Beauty Girl, recently shared what she ate over the course of a week, with one highlight stealing the show: a visit to try a vegan afternoon tea at the Royal Albert Hall.

Throughout the video, Whittle showcases her usual mix of low-effort meals, simple prep methods, and nourishing plant-based food. The video includes everything from quick weekday breakfasts to a full-course tea service in one of London’s most iconic venues.

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Comforting homemade meals

Whittle kicks off her week with leftovers from a pear crumble she made the day before. “I chopped up pear and roasted it with cinnamon and sultanas,” she says. “I mixed up a little crumble to go on top, which was orange, oats, and coconut oil.” She reheats it in the microwave and tops it with thick vegan yogurt and syrup, calling it “so lovely, honestly one of my favorite recipes.”

Later, she cooks a mushroom risotto with added courgette from her veg box. “Grating a courgette is just such an easy way of getting a little bit more green into your food,” she explains. The dish includes sautéed onions, garlic purée, vegan feta, black truffle olive oil, and pine nuts. “Oh wow, the feta is actually melted. I didn’t think that would happen,” she says while plating it up. She finishes by saying, “It looks lovely,” before digging in.

Watch for Nicole Whittle’s meals and trips around London

Easy weeknight plates

Most of Whittle’s meals are made quickly from ingredients she already has on hand. One night, she prepares a couscous bowl using grated carrot, chopped walnuts, salad leaves, and leftover veggies from the night before. “I just love a nice, quick, easy dinner,” she says while mixing it all together.

Another evening features roasted aubergine with a garlic yogurt dressing. “We’re just putting a bit of yogurt and a bit of the garlic purée – nice little mixing pot,” she explains. “Most people would do mayo. I’m not the biggest mayo fan, I just prefer yogurt.” She tops it with kala namak and notes: “This is what makes it taste kind of like eggs.”

For a sweet and sour-inspired meal, she combines steamed cauliflower, tofu, sesame oil, sweet chili sauce, and tinned pineapple. “I don’t feel like I’ve been all there with this meal,” she admits, saying it would have been better with carrots and onion. Still, she’s happy with the result: “It hits the craving,” she says, “and I just want to make sure it’s got pineapple in it – it’s the only thing it needs.”

Vegan afternoon tea experience

The highlight of Whittle’s week comes mid-video, when she visits the Royal Albert Hall for vegan afternoon tea. She’s invited to try the menu and notes that it’s her first time at the venue, calling the experience “really lovely.” The setting is elegant, but it’s the food that stands out most.

The afternoon tea includes a selection of savory and sweet options. Whittle shares a rundown of what’s on offer: “We have vegan feta, tomato chutney, and black olive crumbs (on a pastry). Then there’s kale and golden beetroot, beetroot spinach and hummus sandwich, grilled aubergine and olive, pepper, baba ghanoush and pickled peppers.” For dessert, she receives an almond macaron, a raspberry and chocolate cake, and a passionfruit whipped cream.

Whittle is particularly impressed by the scones, saying: “I don’t think I’ve ever had scones this fresh.” While there was only one cake option for vegans in the trolley selection, she’s happy with it and points out that others at the table ended up choosing the same one regardless of diet.

After the meal, she reflects: “It didn’t really look like that much, but oh – I’m so full.” She says the food was “fancy” and that the whole experience felt like a treat. Comparing it to other London spots, she explains: “I did the Aqua Shard one last year… the views were amazing but it was considerably more expensive, so I would definitely opt for the Royal Albert Hall over that.”

Quick bites and leftovers

Whittle keeps breakfast casual with coffee and leftover fritters before heading to her hair appointment. “I’m not super hungry,” she says, “but I don’t want to be really hungry during my haircut or have to buy extra when I’ve got food at home.” She fills a pita with chickpeas, courgette, tofu, and hummus, calling it a practical, if rushed, choice.

She revisits that same veggie mix again in another quick lunch, combining it with couscous, grated carrot, walnuts, and a simple chopped salad. “Oh, looks really lovely,” she says while stirring the bowl together. As usual, she opts for minimal seasoning and dressing. “Just a little bit of olive oil on top,” she says.

Her sweet tooth is covered too. The next morning, she eats a slice of mango and passionfruit cake she brought home from a vegan event, reflecting it was, “Not something I would have picked myself… I like chocolate cake, I love coffee and walnut, but Victoria sponge is my favorite.”

You can find more plant-based food videos on Nicole Whittle’s YouTube Channel.

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