Dior Maison and The Lowell Hotel on NYC’s Upper East Side’s Lily of the Valley Afternoon Tea collaboration exudes chic in every capacity.
As someone who lived in Paris, I can confidentially tell you The Lowell Hotel restaurant Majorelle poses semblances to the fine-dining restaurants tucked away in the French capital’s five-star stays. I’m thinking Hôtel Plaza Athénée or Hotel Costes.
Regarded as Christian Dior’s favorite bloom, the Lily of the Valley Tea pulls inspiration from the flower engrained in its name—many deem it as a meant-to-be-shared token of good luck. Majorelle’s illustrious flower assemblages delicately dress tables. It feels like a direct portal to the 8th arrondissement—and as the French manager Antoine ushers you to your seat, you’ll feel like you’ve been transported to Paris.
Our favorite spot at Majorelle is the back patio, where four tables sit sheltered under a transparent roof; it’s especially beautiful on rainy days when the thin layer of glass catches gentle droplets falling from the sky.
The tables are exquisite. White Limoges porcelain tableware displays the green Lily of the Valley motif, designed by Dior Maison’s Artistic Director, Cordelia de Castellane. The pattern fetes art de vivre, good fortune, and nature’s wonders.
Scones with Devonshire Cream plus homespun mixed berry and clementine marmalades imprint the menu, alongside ethereal English tea sandwiches, including a delicious bite-size lobster roll and chicken curry fixture.
Sweet-toothed guests can quench their sugar cravings with artisanal pastries: a cloud-soft puffed pistachio choux and lemon-infused trifle do the job. Then there’s The Happiness Pink Cake, which looks like an art piece; a salute to Monsieur Dior’s favorite color, it’s packed with vanilla sponge, lemon curd filling, and buttercream icing. If cookies could be haute couture, the ones here, which resemble Dior’s iconic Bar Jacket, would win first prize.
After all, it’s afternoon tea (not a boulangerie), so it would be amiss if we didn’t mention the Majorelle tea sommelier’s favorite pick, The Jardin Bleu—a velvety blend of black teas and garden fruit flavors, encompassing rhubarb, wild strawberry, and cornflower petals.
Those seeking something more spiked can opt for the bespoke Lily of the Valley Cocktail.
The Lily of The Valley Afternoon Tea is available at Majorelle Wednesday-Sunday from 12:30pm to 4:30pm. Reservations can be made directly on OpenTable or by calling Majorelle at (212) 935-2888.
