The best afternoon tea NYC has to offer

The most ravishing afternoon tea service in New York can currently be found amid the sparkling crystal and plush furniture of the Grand Salon at the Baccarat Hotel. Elegant and elevated while still remaining eminently comfortable, the experience is best enjoyed over a leisurely few hours.

The tea services are all named for historical figures with a connection to the Baccarat brand. The Prince of Wales service ($140) provides a classic English tea complete with delectable savory bites (like lobster caviar and coronation chicken) alongside delightful sweet confections (warm homemade scones, crème brûlée tart). A children's tea called Le Petit Prince is available with hot chocolate for $85. Book here.

Time Out recommends: Continue the royal theme by ordering The Queen's Guard tea, a blend of organic ceylon tea with rose and lavender.

The iconic atrium at the Plaza offers a truly resplendent afternoon tea. Long a timelessly elegant spot for tea, The Palm Court features potted plants, ceiling-high palm trees, trellis detailing, custom furnishings and a soaring stained-glass dome.

The posh service includes leaves from across the globe such as Earl Grey, lavender oolong, icy mint, and sencha superior. Plus, dine on sandwiches, scones and sweets. Pricing ranges from $120-$145/person and you can add on champagne for an extra fee.

A tribute to the hotel’s literary heroine, the Eloise tea includes a collection of childhood-favorite sandwiches and savories like bite-size peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, cupcakes and candied apples. This children's tea costs $95/child aged 12 and under.

Reservations are available here.

Time Out tip: Reservations here fill up quickly, so if you're booking for a special occasion, be sure to plan ahead. 

Afternoon tea is now available year-round on the Mandarin Oriental's 35th floor with delectable treats and stunning views of Central Park.

Mandarin Oriental’s afternoon tea, served from 12-5pm daily, features a selection of tea sandwiches (don’t miss egg salad with caviar on brioche), scones served with lemon curd, and other sweet treats (like lemon tarts and madeleines). 

Each guest can pick their own tea, served in an individual kettle. Teas on the menu right now include organic wild strawberry, ginger yuzu, and Rudd Barrel cabernet tea. The tea list and experience will be updated seasonally, with new themed treats and displays all served on regal displays.  

Afternoon tea starts at $130/adult; there's a kid option for $85/children 12 and under. Here's how to book. 

Time Out tip: This tea boasts the best view of them all. Gaze out at Central Park and midtown's skyscrapers while you enjoy your afternoon tea.

If you moved to New York to follow in the footsteps of Holly Golightly, Carrie Bradshaw or Blair Waldorf, you’ll feel right at home in the teal Barbie DreamHouse; the windows face Central Park, the walls are painted the patented Tiffany blue, and the brand’s fine bone china sits prettily on every table. Newly renovated, Tiffany's Blue Box Cafe gleams even more brightly now. 

With Michelin-starred chef Daniel Boulud at the helm, expect to be wowed by this menu of tea sandwiches (like the quail egg toast), scones, cookies (canelé, madeleine, coconut rocher) and even more pastries (peach melba, pavlova, peanut rocher, and black forest). Book here for $98/person.

Try this: The array of tea sandwiches includes a smoked salmon "bagel."

This reborn socialite center has never looked—or tasted—better. Nostalgia buffs will be happy to hear that nothing’s happened to the gilded-bird friezes or the famously tacky crystal-bear aquarium.

Take your afternoon tea in the glitzy confines from 11:30am to 4:30pm daily, with brews ranging from classic English breakfast to rooibos chai, and accompaniments like assorted scones, cupcakes and sandwiches (sturgeon with dill and sour cream, curried chicken salad).

Tea costs $145/person, bookable here.

Time Out tip: This is one of the few spots offering dedicated menus with vegetarian and gluten-free options.

Wander into this magical cafe and you’ll be transported to a story land inspired by Lewis Carroll. First, pass through the quirky gift boutique/bakeshop, where you can browse Wonderland-themed knick-knacks along with dense, delicious scones and muffins. Proceed further and you’ll discover a sweet room serving big brunch plates (sandwiches, salads, eggs) and the full teatime monty. It’s a fairy tale indeed.

With three locations in Manhattan, there are now plenty of options for Alice's delightful decadence. Afternoon tea options range from $45 to $85 per person — some even come with unlimited scones and sandwiches! 

Time Out tip: This is one of the most affordable tea options in NYC—and the food offers some of the most generous portion sizes.

Inspired by Elsie de Wolfe, famed socialite and former neighbor of 56 Irving Place, the rooms of this brownstone (an inn since 1994) are decorated in parlor pinks, soft greens and florals, with antiques tucked into every corner.

The fancy five-course tea service includes a sampling of tea sandwiches that vary seasonally and scones to smear with fruit preserves and clotted cream—plus cookies, cakes and dainty petit fours. It’s all accompanied by a pot of tea, naturally, or you can opt for a demurely rebellious cocktail like the Pink Lady (gin, grapefruit, Cointreau). Book afternoon tea service for $89/person.

Time Out tip: You'll feel like you're living in 1800s high society at this spot, as it's located in a Gramercy Park brownstone. 

For weekends when afternoon tea is the perfect non-brunch, the $45 service at this two-story European manor-style restaurant is a crowd-pleaser — minus the crowds. Three dining rooms serve as few as 12 or as many as 32, so even a full house feels intimate.

Opt for the traditional set (tea sandwiches, warm scones, lemon curd squares, shortbread) or splurge or the champagne version. There are plenty of vegetarian options here, plus special menus for the holidays. Dine indoors at the manor, at the outdoor cafe or take your treats to-go. 

Time Out recommends: If you'd like to dine outside, take your tea to go and head a few blocks into Central Park.

Opened in 1930 as a residential hotel, the elegant Carlyle is best known for its classy cabaret room, Café Carlyle, and Bemelmans Bar, which features charming murals by Madeline creator Ludwig Bemelmans.

The Gallery dining room serves a daily afternoon tea with a selection of tea sandwiches, apple cinnamon scones, traditional scones, double cream, mixed berry preserves, and a selection of mini pastries for $90/person. Or add some bubbly for an extra $25.

Try this: If you're not hungry enough for the full tea experience, you can order a la carte, like just tea sandwiches or just scones.

This cozy but cramped restaurant (think Grandma’s living room—if she were British and had a fondness for tiny tables) serves U.K. comfort food that satiates locals and ex-pats. You’ll find the usual suspects: bangers and mash, Welsh rarebit, assorted pasties and shepherd’s pie. Be sure to visit the adjoining shop for British imports ranging from Cadbury chocolates to ornate teapots perfect for brewing a traditional “cuppa.”

The solid afternoon tea spread for $60/person includes finger sandwiches, cakes and scones to accompany your fresh pot. 

Time Out tip: Tea is served all day at this spot, so drop by anytime. 

You have to climb a flight of stairs and peek behind a curtain to find this tranquil teahouse, which offers a succession of deftly crafted plates accompanied by a thoughtful list of teas and sake. Each serving features two special “sets” that take you from an amuse-bouche like creamy soy-milk quiche or seven-grain rice porridge through a selection of tiny sweet and savory bites. It's a great escape from the East Village crowds.

Afternoon tea costs $68/person, bookable here. 

Time Out tip: The tearoom is open in the afternoon on Saturdays and Sundays only, so be sure to book early. 

Hungry East Side shoppers can enjoy sweeping park views and delicious treats in the posh turquoise-and-olive-hued café on the seventh floor of Bergdorf Goodman. Tea service is offered daily from 11:30am to 5pm inside the buttoned-up dining room, including sandwiches, scones, fruit preserves, a variety of petite sweets and views overlooking Central Park South.

Book tea here for $75/person.

Try this: Add on a glass of Henriot Champagne for $25/person.

With two locations in Brooklyn, both dreamy, you can choose your ambiance for tea: indoors, air-conditioned, garden, moody, eclectic or sophisticated. 

As for the menu, pick based on how much time you've got to stay and sip. If you're short on time, there's the 45-minute traditional cream tea service with scones and vegetarian sandwiches for $30. If you really want to indulge, plan for the 90-minute Grand Heights experience, including all-you-can-drink tea, plus soup, scones, sandwiches, desserts and a chocolate-covered-strawberry; that experience costs $70/person. Book here.

Time Out tip: The outdoor garden experience is truly enchanted. This secret garden offers a light-filled oasis that feels miles away from the bustling world outside.