Founded in 1903, Angelina Paris (安吉麗娜) is a legendary tearoom and cake shop, celebrated for its signature Mont Blanc and rich hot chocolate. The iconic Mont Blanc features a base of crisp meringue topped with light whipped cream and a vermicelli-style layer of sweet chestnut cream (more like a purée). This beloved recipe has remained unchanged for over a decade, delighting patrons around the world.
We’ve had the pleasure of visiting their iconic tearoom in Paris on several occasions, as well as in Shanghai but have heard that many of their locations in Mainland China have closed in recent years. The good news is that the location at The MixC (羅湖萬象城) in Shenzhen is still open. Since we were in the neighborhood this afternoon, I decided to treat the gang to a traditional French afternoon tea for a change.
Situated on the second floor of a luxury shopping mall, the Angelina Paris boutique boasts a décor reminiscent of its Parisian flagship, exuding Belle Époque elegance.
Unfortunately, that same charm doesn’t quite extend to the tea salon. While the furnishings resemble those in Paris, the open layout within the mall compromises the intimacy of the dining experience.
No afternoon tea session would be complete without Angelina’s rich, thick l'Africain hot chocolate.
While some of my friends found it too intense and bittersweet, I felt it struck the perfect balance.
As for the Mont Blanc, it has never been my favorite dessert, but I can never resist anything sweet. Hailed for its unique blend of textures, this came with a crunchy, airy core of meringue enveloped in light, unsweetened whipped cream, and topped with a thick layer of sweetened chestnut paste vermicelli.
My mom is a sucker for Mont Blanc and she wanted to check out the pistachio version (Oh yes, these come in various flavors).
While we were still discussing where to start with our Mont Blancs, our server decided to show us how it was done. The proper way.
It turned out that they had a cheat sheet with detailed instructions, although I suspect few bothered to read it closely. In her live demonstration, she showed us how to turn the Mont Blanc upside down, remove the paper cup underneath it, and slice it into two halves, all in one smooth motion.
Food Rating: 6.5/10
Price: ¥¥¥¥
Address: Shop L209, Level 2, The MixC, Shucheng Road, Shenzhen, China
深圳市书城路万象城一期二楼L209号铺
Closest Metro Station: Grand Theater (大剧院)
Tel: +86 18124061099
Opening Hours: 10:00am - 10:30pm daily
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