A trip to Ireland may not immediately conjure a vegan-friendly image, but Dublin’s five-star Merrion Hotel has changed that with its new Vegan Afternoon Tea experience. Offered alongside the hotel’s renowned Art Afternoon Tea in the elegant Drawing Rooms, this plant-based option ensures visitors can enjoy a classic Irish tea ritual regardless of diet.
Developed by The Merrion’s executive chef Ed Cooney in collaboration with Dublin-based vegan food writer and cookbook author Holly White, the vegan menu marks a first for the hotel and reflects its commitment to evolving guest preferences.
Dublin city center at the Merrion Hotel. Photo: Faithiecannoise | Dreamstime.com
“Staying current and responding to our guests’ evolving food expectations is an ongoing challenge for the kitchen team,” said Cooney. “Partnering with Holly White to create a vegan element across our menus has been inspiring, creative and educational. We are proud to present the new Vegan Afternoon Tea alongside our bespoke Art Afternoon Tea.”
The thoughtfully composed vegan tea includes savory finger sandwiches such as beetroot hummus with carrot and basil cress; grilled asparagus with lemon zest on multigrain bread; and tomato with plant-based mozzarella and pesto. A beetroot bridge roll is filled with a plant-based “egg” mayonnaise crafted from organic tofu, coconut yogurt, turmeric and herbs, offering a comforting, familiar flavor without animal products.
No afternoon tea is complete without an array of sweets, and The Merrion’s menu delivers a generous selection of vegan pastries and cakes. Guests can enjoy freshly baked scones served with vegan clotted cream, raspberry jam and lemon curd; a tropical passion fruit and mango Eton mess; raspberry and pistachio cheesecake; and a variety of cakes, including carrot cake, lemon drizzle cake, blueberry orange and pecan cake, and banana cake with chocolate chips and walnuts.
The Vegan Afternoon Tea at The Merrion is available for reservations and starts at €55 per person. It offers a refined, inclusive take on an Irish tradition, letting plant-based diners and their companions share the ritual and flavors of afternoon tea in a luxurious setting.