Disney bad guys afternoon tea launches at London Hilton on Park Lane with Once Upon a Villain menu

London Hilton on Park Lane is serving a Disney villains-themed afternoon tea called Once Upon a Villain at the hotel’s Park Corner Brasserie in Mayfair. The menu is the latest development of the brasserie’s Disney-inspired tea, the Royal Recipe Book. This edition turns the focus from the princesses to the iconic bad guys, with dishes referencing characters including Maleficent and Dr Facilier.

The selection was created by the hotel’s head pastry chef, Sam Leatherby, a former winner of Bake Off: The Professionals. It adds theatrical touches to the traditional tea format, with themes like poisoned apples, midnight carriages, deep-sea spells and shadowy schemes.

The experience opens with four sandwiches, each named after a Disney story. Referencing Gus, the mouse from Cinderella, Don’t Forget to Warn Him About the Cat! pairs cheese with sweet onion marmalade. Then there’s The Ma Chérie Sandwich that combines smoked salmon and cream cheese, and The Carriage Awaits, inspired by Cinderella’s pumpkin carriage, which features chicken with pumpkin butter. Finally, From the Bayou is a nod to Prince Naveen from The Princess and the Frog, containing roast beef, mayonnaise and lettuce.

The sweet course centres on chocolate and dark fruits. Enchanting Apple, which alludes to the poisoned apple in Snow White, layers apple crumble sponge with caramelised apple and custard mousse. Between Two Thorns places a blueberry compote beneath vanilla cheesecake and a chocolate buttery biscuit, and Deep Sea Swirl combines chocolate shortbread, salted caramel crémeux, blackberry gel and vanilla mousse. Similarly rich and chocolatey, The Fairest of Them All is named after the Evil Queen’s famous line and pairs a black carbon biscuit with single-origin chocolate ganache and cherry compote. Mystic Top Hat, a reference to Dr Facilier’s hat, is made from black velvet cake, banana ganache and toffee.

Guests are also served The Scones of Mischief, which include black cherry and blueberry scones alongside plain ones. The experience ends with If the Shoe Fits, a serving of chocolate truffles presented in a glass slipper.

The afternoon tea is served every day from 12.30pm to 7pm and costs £70 per adult and £45 per child. 

Food Desk

The Once Upon a Villain Afternoon Tea is available now at Park Corner Brasserie, London Hilton on Park Lane, 22 Park Lane, London W1K 1BE. For further information or to book a table, visit here.