London’s best afternoon teas

As Harrods is to shopping, so The Ritz is to hotels: a London icon and the perfect haven for out-of-towners who’ll revel in its bespoke traditions – right down to the formal dress code. The high-ceilinged Palm Court, where one takes tea, is all gilt edging and chandeliers, while live entertainment comes from the house pianist, a harpist or string quintet. Come if you’ve got a sweet tooth: showstoppers here are the wonderful pastries, with previous offerings including a delectable rhubarb and custard choux and a nicely sharp lemon posset macaron. It's seasonal too, with strawberries on the menu in summer and pears in the winter.

A self-proclaimed ‘café-restaurant in the grand European tradition’, the Wolseley combines London heritage and Viennese grandeur. Its daily afternoon tea is equally showy, with assorted finger sandwiches, fruit scones with homemade strawberry jam and clotted cream, as well as a selection of cakes. Tea veers from English breakfast through to assam, yunnan green tea, jasmine bud chocolate tea and lapsang souchong. You can add on champers, or, if you want a bargain afternoon; get a cream tea with fruit scones from under £20. You can get the same deal at The Wolseley City across town.

As part of Sketch’s luxe Mayfair pleasuredome, the velvet-clad dandy-esque Gallery is a lesson in more-is-more eclecticism, a restaurant and exhibition space. Afternoon tea in this beautiful boudoir is something else – a gorgeous line-up of pretty delights ranging from a truffle croque, finger sandwiches and still-warm scones to Victoria sponge from the trolley and assorted petits’ gateaux. Think: pear and pomegranate cheesecake, quince and vanilla Battenberg as well as red fruit Victoria sponge from the trolley. Don’t miss a trip to the cluster of egg-shaped toilets, where birdsong is piped into each pod.

Make your way to Walthamstow for a Caribbean take on afternoon tea with mango glazed jerk chicken wings, as well as handmade spiced scones served with a selection of tasty jams and clotted cream. Dainty bubbles aren't how its done here - instead you'll be treated to a potent Wray & Nephew rum punch or slushie. Look out for regular special events too, such as paint-along afternoon teas, clay sculpting along with your scones and Black women in business events with special guest speakers.

Boasting a lush atrium, where plants pile towards a soaring glass ceiling, the NoMad is the perfect setting for a bit of afternoon whimsy. Waiting staff seem formal but friendly, befitting the environment – the NoMad is classy, but still distinctly cool without the stuffiness of some other afternoon tea establishments. In fact, we are encouraged to order Negroni after Negroni (made with Honeybush tea, part of their delightful tea-inspired cocktail menu) which is the kind of enabling we like to see. The afternoon tea itself plays homage to the NoMad’s New York roots – mini lox bagels and pastrami sandwiches, as well as classics like egg mayonnaise, elevated with the always-welcome addition of truffle. A decent selection of teas were offered, all from the Rare Tea Company – but we preferred the ones steeped in booze.

As home of the high tea – which originated here in 1865 – this is a historic one to tick off your list. Dining in the glam Palm Court, this iconic afternoon tea is curated by executive pastry chef Andrew Gravett and celebrity chef Michel Roux Jr. We basked in the ultra elegant ambiance as a pianist played, enjoying dainty finger sandwiches with devilled quail egg, roast chicken, cucumber, and tangy Gentleman’s Relish. Scones are paired with clotted cream and homemade preserve, and there’s a melt-in-the-mouth seasonal trifle to finish. Our favourite though? The mulled cider and apple creme fraiche tart; a true taste of luxury.

Inspired by the treasures on display at the neighbouring Tower of London and served under the domed roof of the hotel’s plush, crimson-and-white-hued Rotunda Bar, Ten Trinity’s crown jewels-themed afternoon tea melds two of those most British of concepts – monarchy and finger sandwiches – into a pleasingly traditional affair. An immaculately-executed selection of classic finger sandwiches – among them minted cucumber, coronation chicken, and a particularly good truffled egg mayo on brioche – is followed by a plate of the most regal pastries you ever laid eyes on, at the centre of which sits a crown crafted from yuzu, Japanese sponge and mouth-puckering Yorkshire rhubarb. An afternoon tea most definitely fit for a king.

A super plush Belmond hotel, The Cadogan offers an unsurprisingly ritzy afternoon tea. Chef pâtissier Benoît Blin is the man behind the magic, with a French-ish take on the traditional treat in the Cadogan Lounge. Nibbles with a difference, you get to munch on the likes of salmon gravadlax on toasted croissant with quail egg and cream cheese, BBQ cornbread with cured wagyu beef and chilli sauce as well as coffee bean and cardamom religieuse and Yorkshire rhubarb & timur pepper pebble on the sweet side. Very lovely stuff.

The Theatre Royal Drury Lane is the grande dame of London theatres, with a site that has been in constant use as a playhouse since the 1600s. Enter the Grand Saloon and you'll find a tea fit for royalty, whipped up by celebrity baker Lily Vanilli aka the queen of east London's cake scene. Sit under spectacular chandeliers and scoff mini crumpets topped with Earl Grey-infused cream cheese and a savoury madeleine with whipped feta and pickled carrot. Fruit scones, vanilla cake filled with passionfruit and buttercream, topped by a handmade chocolate cupid, mini sticky toffee pudding and a strawberry ice cream sandwich provide the sweeter side of tea. Bliss. 

The Neverland-themed afternoon tea at Aqua Shard is not especially cheap, costing £70 for an adult or £55 for kids. It does however come with one almighty USP: it’s on the thirty-first floor of the Shard, and if you consider how much a visit to The View from the Shard will set you back then suddenly those prices aren’t looking so mad. There’s definitely a two-birds-with-one-stone element to it in terms of a family trip out. It’s also a very nice afternoon tea, with the cakes beautifully presented in a smoking pirate ship, and the kids’ version wisely offering much plainer sandwiches than the adult version.

Great Scotland Yard Hotel is a Grade II-listed building which dates back to the 1820s and was once the Ministry of Defence’s old library. Sitting at an address best known for also housing the original headquarters of the Metropolitan Police, its new autumn 2024 afternoon tea pays tribute to its storied history. Egg truffle mayo sarnies are stamped with the year the police moved into the building, a dark chocolate and orange battenburg ink pot and apple crumble choux magnifying glass in tribute to Sherlock Holmes and his creator Arthur Conan Doyle are also on offer, alongside lots more creative snackage.

The Grill Room is a sensational space, Grade II listed and gilded to the hilt. A favourite of Oscar Wilde and it's easy to see why. The afternoon tea is just as lavish, with live piano, champers and a high-end menu that kicks off with an amuse bouche of truffle gougère, truffle mousse, parmesan choux before rolling through roast beef and smoked salmon sarnies before a palate cleanser of blood orange sorbet with cocoa nibs crumble, then fresh scones and sweets such as buttermilk mousse with rhubarb confit and pistachio praline with cocoa sablé. There's a veggie and vegan option, too. 

Covent Garden Piazza is already a pretty swish destination, but why not up the ante and go the full Versailles with a visit to the Ladurée tea room. The French macaron-makers and posh pâtisserie people host an exceedingly elegant Champagne afternoon tea here, with chef Julian Alvarez getting stuck into an Anglo-French menu of finger sandwiches and fresh scones, alongside patisserie plaisir sucré and rose petal ispahan cake. Naturally, those infamous macaron are included as well, with a glass of Ladurée vintage champagne to make things sparkle even more.

Looking for a more wallet-friendly afternoon tea? Then The Tea House at Bishop’s Park in Fulham offers one of London's best value options. At £24.50 a head for a minimum of two people, you'll get a three tier tea, with finger sarnies, fresh baked scones and mini cakes a-plenty, as well as a selection of tea and coffee. Sandwiches include cheddar and rhubarb jam, egg mayo and pea shoots and smoked salmon and dill cream cheese. There’s also the added bonus of the setting; a super cute and historic cafe in one of the city’s cutest parks. They also shot scenes from The Omen here, but maybe don't tell the kids that. They offer the same afternoon tea at sister site the Garden Café at Strawberry Hill House in Twickenham, too.

A restaurant in a gallery is, of course, going to offer you a masterpiece of a meal. The tea at Ochre is inspired by the iconic Sunflowers by Van Gogh and is something of a culinary work of art itself. Finger sandwiches are egg mayo with watercress, ham and tomato with mustard mayo, smoked salmon with dill crème fraîche and cucumber with cornish butter and sea salt. The sweet section features a chocolate pot with citrus compote and edible seeds, a passion fruit compôte choux, yuzu and white chocolate sponge and a pistachio tart. A masterpiece!

Flattering lighting, the scent of fresh roses, classical musicians in the corner: The Foyer at Claridge’s is a class act. This elegant art deco space is where chic A-listers and people with damn fine taste come to take tea. The pastries are decent, the just-baked scones even better (look out for the sensational Marco Polo ‘tea jelly’), but at Claridge’s, it’s the savouries that are the stars. Not only are the finger sandwiches moist, full-flavoured and unlimited, but there’s an ever-changing ‘special’ – perhaps peppered goat’s cheese with pumpkin and sage jalousie. Gracious, discreet service is a bonus.

Or to give its full title 'Art Afternoon Tea: The John Booth Collection'. This whimsical tea is based on the work of multidisciplinary artist Booth, and reflects his playful, colourful approach. Executive pastry chef Mark Perkins has teamed up with Booth to create wacky, but not too wacky sandwiches, scones and teas in the Mirror Room of the Rosewood London hotel. Cakes are inspired by Booth's experience as a twin and upbringing in Cumbria. Weird? A little. Delicious? Certainly.

Inspired by luxe British jewelry company Boodles and their pink diamonds, this Mayfair afternoon tea is sheer decadence. Basically an array of edbile jewels, at the Biltmore hotel you can scoff down pink apple and vanilla pearls, nibble on flower choux, demolish a pear and white chocolate heart, and finish up with a chocolate explosion. Available until the end of 2024. 

When you walk into Bread Ahead Bakery on Pavilion Road, you’re met with the kind of chaotic buzz expected from a popular weekend bakery. But in the corner of this lively spot, behind the velvet rope and up the staircase, is a sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of Chelsea: The Tea House from Bread Ahead. Fortum & Mason teas are served alongside mini versions of Bread Ahead’s classic bridge roll sandwiches, and a silver tower of scones with clotted cream, jam and lemon curd, all made in-house. Finish off with some expertly baked pastries, including an Eton mess swiss roll, chocolate sponge and apricot, almond & lemon thyme tart.

Many London hotels offer kids’ variants on afternoon tea, but the Ampersand in South Kensington actively specialises in it, with its two restaurants each having a different tea theme: Science upstairs in The Drawing Room, Jurassic downstairs in Apero. It is, to be clear, not hard to sell an afternoon tea to a child – you had them at the word ‘cake’. But the Ampersand offers a relentlessly fun experience that should hold even the most raddled of attention spans: the Jurassic tea starts with a customisable hot chocolate, moves on to the waiter theatrically filling your artificial volcano with dry ice and ends with a little box of biscuit crumbs from which you can ’excavate’ chocolate dinosaurs. They are cute, thoughtful and fun, and obviously the real secret of the Amperand’s appeal is that it’s less than five minutes’ walk from the Natural History Museum and Science Museum.

This hotel stands on the site of what was 145 Piccadilly, the former childhood residence of Queen Elizabeth II. Pay tribute to the late Her Maj with the Elizabethan Royal Tea, which features cuppas from the classy East India Company in the fancy Wellington Lounge, as well as salmon & caviar, and coronation chicken sandwiches, before a syllabub pastry inspired by the first Queen Elizabeth. Find it every day, between 1–5pm. 

Shakespeare’s Globe’s attached restaurant The Swan is surprisingly light on the hey, nonny nonny stuff, offering friendly gastropub vibes with an up-close view of the Thames. Its biggest indulgence, however, is afternoon tea on the airy top floor. The relatively light, zingy menu and its contents rotate twice annually with the Globe’s seasons (the summer 2024 is called Much Ado About Tea). But the real jewel in the Swan’s crown is the Gentleman’s Tea – the gender politics of the name are a bit Elizabethan, but this hearty all savoury tea is a rare treat.