A trip to Ireland doesn’t quite scream vegan-friendly, but the 5-star Merrion Hotel in Dublin shattered that notion with the new Vegan Afternoon Tea experience. Now offered in addition to the hotel’s famous Art Afternoon Tea, traditionally served in beautiful Drawing Rooms, travelers can have their quintessential Irish tea experience, no matter their diet.

Created by The Merrion’s executive chef Ed Cooney alongside Dublin-based vegan food blogger and cookbook author Holly White, the innovative plant-based menu is a first for the hotel.

Dublin city center at the Merrion Hotel. Photo: Faithiecannoise | Dreamstime.com

“Being current and in tune with our guests’ constantly evolving food expectations is a great challenge for myself and the kitchen team here at The Merrion,” said Cooney. “Working with Holly White to introduce a vegan element to all of our menus has been an inspirational, creative and educational journey for us, and we are proud to offer our new Vegan Afternoon Tea next to our bespoke Art Afternoon Tea.”

The highly anticipated vegan tea menu features a selection of finger sandwiches, including beetroot hummus with carrot and basil cress; grilled asparagus and lemon zest on multigrain bread; and tomato and plant-based mozzarella with pesto. Also included, a beetroot bridge roll with “egg” mayonnaise, made of a combination of organic tofu, coconut yogurt, turmeric and herbs.

It’s not a real tea time without sweets, and this menu includes a slew of vegan options. Indulge in a variety of scones served with vegan clotted cream, raspberry jam and lemon curd; passion fruit and mango eton mess; raspberry pistachio cheesecake; and cakes, including carrot cake, lemon drizzle cake, blueberry orange and pecan cake and banana, chocolate chip and walnut cake.

The Merrion’s Vegan Afternoon Tea experience is available for booking now, beginning at €55 ($60) per person.