The best afternoon teas in Los Angeles

Price: $125–135 per person

The most luxurious afternoon tea in town is none other than the champagne-laden offering at the Peninsula Beverly Hills, whose traditional tea offering includes strawberries and whipped cream, a selection of over 20 loose-leaf teas and a glass of Laurent-Perrier (add $10 for a Royal Tea, which makes it Brut Rosé). Over the years, we’ve returned time and time again to this 90210 hotel whenever we’re in the mood for a splurge-y afternoon tea service that includes sandwiches, sweets and scones buttered with plenty of seasonal jam and Devonshire cream; these days, you can also add bottomless champagne for $35 to $50 per person. The hotel offers three daily seatings (11am, 1:30pm, 4pm) against the backdrop of the Peninsula’s Living Room, complete with plush sofas, two fireplaces and the music of a classical harpist.

Price: $62–75 per person

When the Huntington’s famous tea room reopened last year, online reservations promptly booked out completely. These days, the Rose Garden Tea Room is still one of L.A.’s hottest reservations, though walk-in guests have found more luck as of late. My advice? Arrive when the teahouse opens around 10am and ask the host to find out what’s available later in the day. From 11am to 4pm on weekdays (except Tuesday, when the Huntington is closed) and 10:30am to 5pm on weekends, the Rose Garden Tea Room offers traditional tea service, plus a $75 premium option that includes sparkling wine, lobster salad and a housemade bonbon. Touches like marmalade and a signature rose tea blend made with citrus and flowers from the Huntington’s botanical garden, plus all-around delicious sweets and scones, make the Rose Garden Tea Room a destination-worthy afternoon tea. Even with the $28 admission to the Huntington, the beautiful setting and high-quality fare easily make this one of the best afternoon tea experiences in Los Angeles.

Price: $84 per person

This ultra-posh West Hollywood hotel knows how to do afternoon tea right—it works with Henrietta Lovell, founder of the London-based Rare Tea Company, to source and supply high-quality loose-leaf tea. Available on weekends from 12:30 to 3:30pm (last seating), each afternoon tea in the Sitting Room includes blackcurrant and plain scones served with preserves, lemon curd and clotted cream plus sandwiches and an array of treats like slices of Battenberg cake, housemade macarons and other seasonal delights. By our account, the pastries, sweets and savories are among the best in L.A. Children under 12 run for $42, and a live harpist plays for guests enjoying tea in the hotel restaurant’s bright, polished marble space on Sunday afternoons.

For a kitschy, distinctly English afternoon tea, this beloved Pasadena establishment offers two reservation-only seatings on weekend afternoons at 1 and 4pm. Each tea service includes a glass of sparkling elderflower cordial, a pot of house blend tea and a three-course set that includes Rose Tree’s famously delicious scones—and the entire service is overseen by a butler in full traditional uniform. Given the overall Britishness of the place, expect savory bites like beef Wellington, toad-in-the-hole and Welsh rarebit alongside sweets like sticky toffee pudding. Note that Rose Tree Cottage requires a proper dress code and only takes afternoon tea reservations a week in advance—and strictly over the phone.

Price: $55 per person (plus 18% service fee)

The wait can be considerable—I waited three months, in fact—but the chance to enjoy this museum afternoon tea offering is well worth the need for advance booking. Available Thursdays and Saturdays, 1 to 3pm, the intimate service comes with views of the (mock) Herculaneum villa and amphitheater from the Founder’s Room, located just above the museum café. Pick from an array of high-quality teas, including the Villa’s Art of Tea signature blend, which adds a touch of lavender to Chinese black tea. Compared to the Getty Center’s admittedly lackluster afternoon tea offering, the Villa’s selection of vegetarian-friendly scones, sweets and sandwiches is delicious, and far better than it needs to be. While the tea service technically requires reservations, the Founder’s Room does accept walk-ins whenever there are cancellations—so if you’re already visiting the reservation-only Villa on a Thursday or Saturday, you can always try asking the host stand upstairs.

Price: $60–85 per person

Served within a stunning Spanish, Mexican and Moroccan-inspired space designed by Kelly Wearstler, the Downtown L.A. Proper’s cocktail lounge offers a modern, ultra-stylish version of afternoon tea (Fri–Sun, noon–4pm), and the best afternoon tea in the area ($60 per person), by far. Walk through Caldo Verde and you’ll find an intimate, terracotta-hued hideaway and a delicious, filling array of sweets crafted by pastry chef Irene Widjaya, plus savory bites by A.O.C.’s Suzanne Goin. On our visit, we loved the yuzu meringue tart and mint chocolate madeleine, plus the excellent artisanal tea brewed in individually sized tetsubin. If you’re in a drinking mood, upgrade with a seasonal non-alcoholic cocktail ($70), glass of Laurent-Perrier champagne ($75) or Laurent-Perrier rosé champagne ($85). For vegans, Dahlia also offers a completely plant-based menu—just make sure to make a note in your reservation.

Price: $85–105 per person

Santa Monica isn’t exactly known for its upscale afternoon tea offerings, but this design-forward hotel is changing that with a modern afternoon tea service (Fri–Sun, noon–4pm) inside Palma, the Proper’s lobby restaurant. Designed by Kelly Wearstler, the impossibly chic space features unique floral arrangements and plenty of seating arrangements to choose from. While the tables that border the elongated booth by the window catch the most light, larger parties can opt for the secluded alcoves or one of the lower-slung coffee tables. Each service includes a glass of Veuve Clicquot or a non-alcoholic sparkling wine, plus scones, sandwiches and a rotating array of sweets that put a California spin on classic flavors. (In particular, we found the aged goat cheese and chive scone to be outstanding.) For $20 more, guests can also indulge in bottomless champagne.

Price: $29.50–$34.50 per person

Less than a mile away from some of Altadena’s most scenic hiking trails, this casual teahouse serves an excellent afternoon tea (weekends 10am–4pm). Each set includes a plant-based array of delicious toasts, scones and pastries, including Asian-inspired sweets baked by South Pasadena’s Cookie Chaos. Our favorite afternoon tea set at Callisto, however, is the gong fu tea service for two ($69), which comes with the regular sweets and savories plus a traditional Chinese tea ceremony. Brewed tableside on a wooden tray, each gong fu service also comes with an adorable color-changing tea pet. (On our visit, it was a pair of metallic pink-gold carp.) Guests are meant to pour hot water over the small pottery figure while blooming their tea leaves, and the tiny figures are associated with good luck. Note: While you can drop into Callisto for a casual pastry and a cuppa any day it's open, advance reservations are highly recommended for the weekend tea offerings.

Price: $27–38 per person (plus 18% gratuity)

Classically trained pastry chef Kei Okumura bakes some of the best scones in Los Angeles, which naturally translates to a stellar afternoon tea service at her pint-sized Montrose café. While seating is scant and almost entirely outdoors, the quaintly decorated patio set-up and excellent baked goods make Sugarbird Sweets one of the best, most affordable ways to enjoy afternoon tea—at least on days with fair weather. Choose from an array of scone flavors including lemon blueberry, ube coconut and feta chive, plus four seasonal tea sandwiches and a selection of small sweets including pâtes de fruits, shortbread, meringues and brownie bites. Just know that this offering is generally only available by prepaid advance reservation on OpenTable—but the excellent baked goods and affordable pricing makes all that planning worth it.

Price: $32 per person

Tucked away in the foothills of Glendale is this longtime tea room with frilly, quaint interiors straight out of grandma’s house and a back patio perfect for baby showers, birthdays and other daytime special occasions. Offered daily from 10am to 3pm (phone reservations required), each modestly priced tea set includes sandwiches, scones, fruit and a few sweets and comes with your choice of tea. While they aren’t the best I’ve ever had, I can’t argue with the price, and the quality of the T Room’s sandwiches and sweets far surpasses those offered at many of L.A.’s more expensive afternoon tea options. I should also mention the Montrose teahouse offers a robust tea selection, including specialty blends like Russian Samovar, which combines black tea with mint and cloves. If you’re cutting down or skipping caffeine altogether, there’s lighter green and white blends and herbal options like peach rooibos and the tulsi-based “Holy T-Tox Detox.”

Price: $38 per person

For those closer to Hollywood, this beloved 40-plus year old neighborhood pub offers a no-frills afternoon tea (advance reservations required). Held on weekends from noon to 4pm, each filling set includes three tea sandwiches—minty cucumber and mascarpone, roast beef and curried egg salad—plus a sausage roll on the savory side, then orange-glazed scones with marmalade, plus seasonal berries, shortbread cookies and Victoria sponge cake to cap it all off. In terms of tea, choose from Britain’s very own PG Tips or earl grey, chamomile and peppermint.