Burberry restaurant feeds London's hungry fashionistas

"It has a floral opening, with light spice notes of anise and fennel," says our sommelier. She is not the keeper of wine but the keeper of tea, and right now we're inhaling the aroma of a vintage tea picked from ancient tea trees in Yunnan province. This is no exotic tearoom in southern China, however - we've having a late afternoon meal at Thomas's, the chic restaurant at London's flagship Burberry store. Perched atop the tea tray - above the crustless triangles stuffed with cucumber, egg salad and smoked salmon - little fantasies of red and gold marzipan shine amid a row of sweets, a bow to the just-passed Chinese New Year.

The 2010 Ancient White Buds is just one of three teas chosen from the single-batch varieties that are a specialty of London tea boutique Lalani & Co. We also sample the 2015 Himalayan Jade Oolong from Nepal ("white fruit palate, gentle floral tones") and 2015 A'A Black Tea Spring from Hawaii ("heady rose and orchid florals, raisin and dried-fruit notes").

Most visitors at the multi-story Burberry store are perusing signature trenchcoats, silk and woolen scarves, and other stylish ready-to-wear, including Lunar New Year gift assortments in special blues and pinks, as well as Burberry's classic Parade Red and flashes of gold. Scottish woven cashmere scarves can be personalized with up to three letters. We can order online, we're assured, if we can't make a decision right now.