There is a leather briefcase marked 'Classified' before me, sitting alongside a propeller, a mini submarine, and an old military-style telephone. But these are not artefacts—they are delicious cakes representing key elements of the top-secret World War II mission Operation Mincemeat, which has recently become an award-winning West End musical. This cunning plot, which helped turn the war in Britain's favour, was devised by spies in a basement room beneath the panelled drawing room in Churchill's Old War Office. Today, I am drooling over my plate in that very building.
To divert Hitler's 100,000 troops from Sicily so the Allies could invade, the British floated off the coast of Spain the dead body of a fake officer carrying papers revealing plans for a Sardinian incursion. It worked. Hitler moved his soldiers to the other island. One of the plotters—who helped save the war with their daring mission—was Bond author Ian Fleming. Together with his MI5 colleagues, he was based at the Old War Office in Whitehall, which has itself been transformed in an eight-year, £1.4 billion renovation into the sumptuous Raffles London at the OWO Hotel, hailed as one of the world's greatest places to stay by Time magazine.
An Afternoon Tea Inspired by History
This month, the hotel launched an afternoon tea inspired by those incredible events. Each bite transports me back in time: the chocolate briefcase—a copy of the one carried by the fictitious officer—is a delicious mix of coffee and barley malt, a nod to wartime staples. Another cake, called 'Unspoken Hero', is shaped like a propeller to represent a plane that crashed in Sicily, paying tribute to the island's flavours: lemon, olive oil, and basil.
But my favourite is the Intelligence Room—a cake shaped like an old rotary telephone, with dark chocolate and whisky that taste of masculinity and army messes. The Navy cake is shaped like a submarine in honour of HMS Seraph, which dropped the dead officer off the Spanish coast, and fittingly features Spanish flavours such as turron. It is evocative and delicious in equal measure.
A customer sitting next to me remarks that West End-themed teas usually fail to deliver. 'They're all style over substance,' he says. But this mission has succeeded, just like the original.
Sandwiches, Scones, and Inclusive Options
Sandwiches arrive first and are both fresh and generously loaded. The smoked salmon, in particular, is a treat. Scones follow with indulgent cream, while the cakes are the finale and worthy of a medal. A huge shout-out goes to the restaurant team, who have devised a magnificent, near-identical vegan version, as well as diabetes-friendly, nut-free, and gluten-free options. It is rare to find such an inclusive menu, and as a mother to a daughter who must avoid peanuts and therefore cannot attend most afternoon teas, I could not be more delighted.
The setting is perfect: panelled walls, formal pictures, comfortable chairs, and smart leather Chesterfield sofas give an air of an officer's mess, while a pianist who plays daily from 3pm adds to the atmosphere. The staff work with military-style precision and are so attentive that they even recall I am drinking sparkling water.
A Spectacular Destination
Raffles OWO is teeming with history and is, in and of itself, a spectacular destination. We walk along long, historic corridors where, in wartime, young messengers would ride bikes because of the distance between offices. There are two heritage Pashley bikes in reception that nod to this history. Generals, I am told, also rode the bikes—but with stabilisers, lest they become casualties of war.
Head here for a celebration, an experience, a date, or dare I suggest it—before you race off to see the five-star musical on which it is based. As the first line of the musical goes: Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to MI5! And what a delicious welcome this proves to be.
Raffles London Afternoon Tea: At a Glance
- Afternoon Tea is served daily in the Drawing Room from 12pm to 5.30pm. Book on the Raffles website.
- Classic Tea and Tours are held around four times a month, £155 per person. This includes a history of the hotel.
- Spies Tours begin at the Old War Office and take guests around Whitehall and the surrounding area. Held Mondays and Tuesdays, £157 per person.
Amanda Cable was a guest of Raffles London at the OWO Hotel, but our reviews are 100% independent.
