Afternoon Tea In Los Angeles; The Historic Millennium Biltmore Hotel

Having afternoon tea in Los Angeles at the Biltmore Hotel is like a taste of England meeting old Hollywood. Afternoon Tea is in the sumptuous Rendezvous Court, with its beautiful marble floors, sweeping grand staircase, and baby grand piano, it’s everything an afternoon tea experience should be; quiet elegance and delicious food.

I’ve been going to the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles for over 20 years for various events and every time I enter the lobby, I’m struck by how beautiful it is. Christina from Christina’s Cucina   and I have met at the Biltmore for afternoon tea in Los Angeles a couple of times before, and we tried it again to taste the updated menu.

Disclosure: The Millennium Biltmore hotel in downtown Los Angeles hosted me for afternoon tea. As always, all my opinions are my own. This post was updated April 8th, 2025

Afternoon tea in the Rendezvous Court

Tea in the Rendezvous Court is the perfect way to spend a Saturday or Sunday afternoon with friends, or as part of a romantic day with your sweetie on Valentine’s Day, or for a fun girl’s outing. 

The Biltmore’s gorgeous building is designed in an “E” shape, to give as many guests as possible, views of Pershing Square Park. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences founded its annual awards banquet, which we now refer to as the Oscars, in the Crystal Ballroom.

Before or after tea, stroll through the lobby and look at the beautiful architecture and elegant decor. Down one corridor, you’ll find a fantastic black and white photograph taken during one of the Oscar shows, where you can test your knowledge of old Hollywood movie stars and try to guess “who’s who”. There’s a key with the names next to it if you need it!

Tea at the Biltmore is like stepping back into the Golden Age of elegance. The service is impeccable with attention to even the smallest details. Our waiter refreshed our tea cups before we even realized they were empty.

Tea is not meant to be eaten when one is hungry, the delicate sandwiches and sweets are meant to be eaten slowly. Indeed, we never felt rushed, even though we sat and sipped tea and chatted for two hours. 

Afternoon tea menu at the Biltmore

The savory bites

We started with a glass of champagne followed by a delicious selection of savory bites and sandwiches. We started with the classic cucumber, with boursin cheese, followed by coronation chicken salad tartlet. There was also egg salad, smoked salmon on pumpernickel, and a ham and cheese gougère nibbles. With five savory bites we were ready for the sweet tier!

Sweet bites

For the sweet bites we had a beautiful blush macaron and passion fruit tart with meringue. There was also a lovely pistachio cake and chocolate cake.

Tea selections

Of course what’s afternoon tea without tea! The Biltmore offers a selection of three teas in addition to traditional black tea. The Angelus, a black tea with smoke and chocolate undertones and a hint of rose hips and orange. Their version of Earl Grey has a touch of lavender. There’s also a decaf citrus and hibiscus herbal tea. I would like to see a greater variety of teas especially a Darjeeling!

Want to have an Afternoon Tea Party at home?

Here are some menu suggestions that are easy to replicate at home.

Kir Royal

How to Make the Perfect Cup of Tea from Christina’s Cucina.

Homemade Clotted Cream

Smoked Salmon Tea Sandwiches

Egg Salad Sandwiches

Assorted Tea Sandwiches including cucumber, chicken salad with apricot and ham and cheese.

Lemon Posset

Lime Posset

Jam Tarts

Traditional Shortbread makes a nice addition to any tea tray. I have a variety of shortbread recipes from Rose, Lavender and Orange Pistachio to Brown Sugar Walnut. If you’d like a savory shortbread, try Cheddar and Rosemary!