The best afternoon teas in London
Civilised, ceremonial and the perfect event to choose for a celebration, afternoon tea has seen something of a renaissance in recent years. It is neither lunch nor dinner but rather sits proud as its own event; far too frivolous to do as a regular thing, therefore an indulgent special occasion for most. Afterall, we can’t all be the Duchess of Bedford – said to have invented the tea-and-cakes feast as a hunger-staving ritual for her aristocratic cohort back in 1840.
Now, it generally encompasses a savoury course of finger sandwiches sometimes joined by additional savoury fancies, followed by scones and cakes and/or pastries. Plus the tea itself and the option to begin proceedings with a glass of something fizzy. The modern afternoon tea has become a way of celebrating London, too, whether to spotlight fashion, art and theatre or for the contemplation of an outstanding view. The final plus? It’s the ultimate multi-generational meal choice – a real crowd pleaser. From hotel icons to playful re-imaginings, discover our pick of London's best afternoon teas.
How we review
Every hotel in this curated list has been visited by one of our expert reviewers, who are usually hosted on a complimentary basis. They stay for a minimum of one night, test at least one meal and trial other experiences that the hotel might have to offer.
At a glance, the best afternoon teas in London
The best value afternoon tea in London – The Wolseley
The best themed afternoon tea in London – Rosewood London
The best five-star traditional afternoon tea in London – Claridge's
The best afternoon tea in London with a view – Shangri-La at The Shard
A British and French fusion at The Berkeley
As well as its fashionable Prêt-à-Portea, seasonally serving a patisserie edit of catwalk designs, The Berkeley has people talking with its showcase of patisserie elegance, Goûtea, celebrating both the traditional British afternoon tea and French tradition of sweet snacking. This indulgent culinary experience is offered in Cedric Grolet at The Berkeley, by the renowned pastry chef it takes its name from who's become known for his artfully crafted creations, or alternatively in the Berkeley Café.
Fusing the best of both traditions, the unique offering includes savoury classics, such as a chicken mayonnaise croissant, burrata and tomatoes, and a cucumber and tzatziki tart, along with a selection of the season's sweet treats. Expect miniature creations of the strawberry choux fraisier and candy-pink raspberry framboisier, with cloud-like cherry clafoutis hiding a secret croissant base. A highlight is surely the meticulously made sculpted fruit and flowers, which the pastry chef is perhaps most celebrated for.
Goûtea is served every day from 1pm - 5.30pm; from £85 per person; the-berkeley.co.uk
Tea that’s steeped in glamour at Claridge's
It doesn’t get much more London-iconic than afternoon tea at Claridge's. Head through the revolving doors to this Mayfair institution and be immersed in the movie-like glamour of the art deco foyer with its high-shine checkboard floor and Dale Chihuly light sculpture, suspended from the ceiling like a chandelier. This is where tea is served by the exceptional white-jacketed team who will tell you everything you need to know about the extensive menu and who cleverly make every guest feel like a VIP.
The pianist and cellist playing 1920s jazz music add to the upscale ambiance. With the food it’s all about attention to detail. Claridge’s is fastidious about its bread to filling ratio and lateral slicing, making for perfectly executed sandwiches with fillings such as roasted Dorrington ham with caramelised onion and rocket on onion bread, and Severn & Wye smoked salmon with lemon and dill cream cheese. Then it’s all about the freshly baked warm scones served with Cornish clotted cream and house jam. Delicate patisseries complete the experience.
Afternoon tea is served every day between 2.45pm and 5.30pm; from £90 per person; claridges.co.uk
An historic ritual at The Ritz
It’s tea at the Ritz - and it doesn’t disappoint. The Ritz has been serving afternoon tea in the gilded and grandiose Palm Court since it opened in 1906 and the room will make you gasp. It’s almost comical in its opulence but you soon settle in to absorb the formal ritual of it all – the marble and chandeliers, waiters wearing tails and harpist providing the soundtrack. The fact there’s a dress code (but of course!) adds to the upscale ambience (men must wear a jacket, plus jeans, trainers and sportswear are definite no nos).
The sandwiches are crustless perfection with subtle tweaks to classic combinations that takes them next level. Think smoked salmon with lemon butter on sourdough and an egg mayonnaise roll with chopped shallots and watercress. The top of your tiered stand is reserved for pastries, artful cakes and fruit tarts and if that wasn’t enough sweet stuff there’s also a cake trolley. There are 20 types of tea to choose from and the staff are well versed in the menu should you wish to learn more, plus your brew will be refreshed several times. You may prefer a Barons de Rothschild Rosé Champagne, though, to toast this special event.
Afternoon tea is served Monday to Sunday: 11.30am, 1.30pm, 3.30pm, 5.30pm and 7.30pm; from £76 (£79 from January 2025) + £23 for a glass of Champagne, or £55 for children (£57 from January 2025); theritzlondon.com
Tea with royal connections at Fortnum & Mason
There’s a unique atmosphere for afternoon tea at Piccadilly’s legendary Fortnum & Mason department store, because despite being the official royal grocer and part of high society since 1707, the experience feels pleasingly jolly and laidback, not at all formal or stuffy. The hum of celebration rings around the Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon (all panelled walls and white table cloths) officially opened in 2012 by her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth.
There are several tea menus to choose from, including an all-savoury option and high tea, both perfect for those without the requisite sweet tooth. Finger sandwiches include Kames Bay smoked trout with paprika cream cheese and cucumber with minted pea. Plain and fruit scones are followed by patisserie delights such as the rose éclair and apricot delice. As for the teas, there are 150 varieties with special royal blends that mark important occasions such as the Coronation. Plus, you can get as many refills of anything you’re served, too.
Afternoon tea is served Monday to Saturday from 11am to 8pm and on Sunday from 11:30 am to 6pm; from £80 per person; fortnumandmason.com
A British experience steeped in nostalgia at The Savoy
The Savoy is a British institution and there’s something about that short walk off The Strand, up Savoy Court and looking at the flags and the iconic art deco sign, that gives you goosebumps. Afternoon tea is a quintessential Savoy experience served in the garden-esque Thames Foyer. Historically, this space was indeed an outdoor terrace, so the glass-domed atrium that floods natural light into the space, and the ornate gazebo, where the pianist resides, give the feel of a genteel garden party, albeit one with a jazzy carpet.
The savouries here are extra special. Sandwiches come crafted from a range of breads from white (for the pickled cucumber) to spinach (smoked salmon) and granary (coronation chicken) creating a decorative rainbow on your plate. There are also savoury bites, such as parsnip and parmesan savoury cake. Signature sweet things nod to British traditions including the strawberries and cream taco and dreamy rhubarb and orange cake. There’s an extensive range of 30 teas, with exclusive Darjeeling blends created with Jing. Overall, the experience feels extremely nostalgic in the most genteel way.
Afternoon Tea is served Monday to Sunday from 12:30pm - 7pm; from £80 per person + £20 for a glass of Laurent-Perrier champagne; thesavoylondon
Tea with an Asian twist at Pan Pacific London
The hotel's vibrant flagship restaurant, Straits Kitchen, is the ideal setting for indulging in a seasonal afternoon tea that stands out for the South East Asian inspiration that's threaded through each sweet and savoury creation. Follow an amuse bouche with the kopi tiam course (drawing on the coffee shops found across South East Asia) of savoury bites like egg brioche, sushi and tofu bao. Plain and golden raisin scones follow with Cornish clotted cream and homemade preserves and sweet delicacies in flavours like mango, coconut and pink peppercorn bring it all to a close.
There's also a "free from" afternoon tea option and an exclusive Bonpoint afternoon tea that's designed especially for children. On the children's menu, sweet treats like chocolate almond macarons, cherry lollipops and orange blossom madeleines come with sandwiches, scones and fruit iced tea. New for October 2024 is the option for children to also unleash their creativity by decorating their own cupcakes and biscuits.
Afternoon tea is served Thursday to Monday from 1pm to 4pm; from £58 per person, £29 for the children's menu; panpacific.com
Tea with a New York state of mind at NoMad London
Be among the first to experience Nomad’s afternoon tea, honouring the timeless British tradition but with a whimsical NoMad twist. The twist being that Nomad hails from Manhattan so, yes, you’ll get your smoked salmon sandwich on an everything bagel, and a pastrami, daikon and mustard sandwich, which is not often found in the afternoon tea mix. You’ll also get six tea-inspired cocktails (try the Sakura Maru, featuring Bols Genever Gin, pisco, lemon, Genmaicha Tea and greek yoghurt), and the chance to add an extra layer of luxury with an Imperial Osciеtra Caviar course. This is Nomad – confident, luxurious and brilliant at conjuring a sense of occasion but without pretention.
The other huge pull for its afternoon tea experience is the setting. The courtyard restaurant resides in a three-story glass atrium dressed with hanging plants and daylight flooding the marble-adorned space. The dessert offerings are like colourful works of art and super zingy and fresh – think tropical cheesecake and indulgent scones with rich rum currant and orange zest. The tea part comes in collaboration with the Rare Tea Company, and you can try rare-and-exotic blends like Jasmine Silver Tip. All in all, a very sexy experience.
Afternoon tea is served Thursday to Sunday from 2pm to 4pm; from £65, cocktails are around £18 each and caviar is £23 per piece; hilton.com
Tea with a view at Shangri-La The Shard
For true pinch-yourself wow factor, try being served a miniature Shard cake with dry ice whilst staring down at all the key London landmarks from the 35th floor of the very same building. This tea, which changes with the seasons, really feels like a love letter to the city, served in the Shangri-La Hotel’s also seasonally decorated TĪNG Lounge, accompanied by a live singer at the weekends.
Delivered on a pretty cake stand decorated with flowers, delicately flavoured finger sandwiches are complemented with dainty savouries. In the Pink Afternoon Tea, created each October in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, these include smoked salmon and cucumber sandwiches with dill crème fraîche and a hummus dog with beetroot hummus, vegan feta and mixed seeds. Plain and cranberry scones are served warm and the vibrant patisseries, including a jasmine tea and bergamot infused shard delicacy to share, come in pink hues.
Afternoon tea is served from 12:30pm – 3.30pm Monday-Thursday, 12:30pm – 4pm Friday-Sunday; From £78 per person; shangri-la.com
An art inspired tea at Rosewood London
Art aficionados will love the Art Afternoon Tea at Holborn’s Rosewood London. This season’s artist in residence is the multidisciplinary London-based artist John Booth known for his work for fashion brands like Paul Smith and Fendi. Executive pastry chef Mark Perkins’ culinary creations are inspired by the bold prints and bright colours of Booth's artworks. To say the cakes are works of art seems obvious, but the saturated colours and sculptural lines with playful details really elevate this tea experience to something altogether immersive.
Sweet highlights include the 'Painter’s Palette’ in which vanilla cheesecake, pink sponge and raspberry jelly representing the bright brush strokes of a paintbrush are set atop a base of crispy biscuit, indicative of an artist's palette. On the savoury menu, sandwiches like smoked salmon, crème fraîche and avocado purée on charcoal bread feel modern. Quintessential scones complete this unique afternoon tea experience.
Afternoon tea is served every day from 12pm to 5.45pm; from £75 per person; rosewoodhotels.com
The classic Londoner’s tea at The Wolseley
Opened in 2003 in a grandiose Italianate building on Piccadilly – a converted car showroom for The Wolseley car company – The Wolseley is a bona fide London institution that attracts a non-touristy, discerning clientele looking for quality and consistency rather than showmanship. Favoured by art and media types, the late artist Lucian Freud dined there most nights. For a venue of this stature, afternoon tea is really rather reasonable and you can choose from just a cream tea (if the scones are enough) as well as the classic or champagne options.
Classic is the word though, the bespoke blend teas come in one-of-a-kind teapots with monogrammed silver strainers, and the finger sandwiches stick to the quintessential fillings (smoked salmon, cucumber and cream cheese, roast beef, coronation chicken and cheddar cheese and pickle) joined on the three-tiered stand by six pastries made fresh every morning by the restaurant’s pastry chefs. Want to be spontaneous? The restaurant always holds tables for walk-ins on the day.
Afternoon tea is served from 3pm-6.30pm Monday-Friday and 3.30pm-6.30pm Saturday-Sunday; from £44.50 per person; thewolseley.com
A Shakespearean tea at the Globe Theatre
Served in the Swan restaurant at Bankside’s Globe Theatre, this theatrical afternoon tea has a lot going for it. First up, you’re at the Globe, a playhouse institution since Elizabethan times – a detail that is celebrated with the Shakespearean-themed teas that are staged here. Then there’s the location, bang on the River Thames with a stupendous view of St Paul’s in the buzzy Bankside area. We also like the variety of teas on offer here – and the price.
Yes, you can get the traditional tea, served with creatively themed cocktails as well as the usual tea or champagne, but the so-called Gentleman’s Tea will go down a storm for those participants wanting a heavier meal. They can feast on such filling delights as beer battered Scottish haddock and chips (yes, really) and pulled beef and pickle navette. Much Ado About Nothing provides the current theme for this afternoon tea experience.
Afternoon tea is served from 12pm-5pm, Monday - Sunday; from £39.50 per person; swanlondon.co.uk
