Best Afternoon Tea in London: 10 Places to Book Now
No visit to London is complete without an afternoon tea. It is one of those rituals that the city does better than anywhere else on earth — silver stands stacked with finger sandwiches, warm scones with clotted cream, and a pot of perfectly steeped Ceylon or Earl Grey poured by someone who has been doing this for decades.
The tradition stretches back to the 1840s, when Anna Maria Russell, the Duchess of Bedford, started taking tea and cakes in the afternoon to bridge the gap between an early lunch and a late dinner. London has been refining it ever since.
This guide covers the 10 best afternoon teas in London right now. Some are formal institutions. Others are modern takes on the classic. All of them are worth booking in advance.
1. The Ritz — Palm Court
The Ritz is the benchmark. Its Palm Court afternoon tea is the one all others are measured against — and most fall short. White-glove service, a live pianist, and views over Green Park set the scene. The menu is traditional and immaculate: cucumber and cream cheese on white, roast beef with horseradish on granary, and warm plain and fruit scones with strawberry preserve and Cornish clotted cream.
Book at least three weeks ahead. Dress code is enforced.
2. Claridge's
Claridge's afternoon tea feels like stepping into a different century. The ballroom has been serving tea since 1860, and the attention to detail is extraordinary. The pastry chefs create new seasonal additions every few months, but the classics — coronation chicken sandwiches, baked vanilla cheesecakes, and warm apple and cinnamon scones — never leave the menu.
The experience is theatrical without being self-conscious. Book at least two weeks ahead.
3. The Savoy — Thames Foyer
The Savoy's Thames Foyer is one of the most photographed rooms in London. A domed glass ceiling floods the space with light, and the jazz pianist sets exactly the right tone. The tea itself is excellent — the Savoy sources from Jill Brabazon, one of the few female tea sommeliers in the world — and the food is a careful balance of traditional and modern.
Their seasonal fruit cake has won multiple awards. Do not miss it.
4. The Dorchester
The Dorchester takes a more contemporary approach to afternoon tea. The spoons at The Promenade feel more relaxed than the grand ballrooms, but the quality is just as high. Their pastry chef has introduced a range of modern flavour combinations — yuzu curd, pistachio financier, rose and lychee — while keeping the classics intact.
Great choice if you want the full afternoon tea experience without the rigid formality of the older houses.
5. Sketch — The Gallery
Sketch is the most Instagrammed restaurant in London, and its afternoon tea reflects that. The Gallery room is a pink-and-mirrors fever dream designed by artist David Shrigley. The tea itself is playful: pastel-coloured cakes, unusual finger sandwiches (they do a molten cheese and pickle that sounds wrong and tastes extraordinary), and an egg timer on every table to ensure your scones arrive at the exact right moment.
It is expensive, it is self-aware, and it is enormous fun. Reserve at least two weeks ahead.
6. Fortnum & Mason — The Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon
Fortnum & Mason has been at the corner of Piccadilly and Bond Street since 1707. Its Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon opened in 2012 and immediately became one of the most sought-after tea experiences in London. The menu changes seasonally, and the quality of the scones — always warm, always fresh, always served with an exceptional strawberry preserve — has made them famous across the world.
Fortnums also sells its own preserves, teas, and biscuits online, making it a good option if you want to recreate the experience at home after your visit.
7. The Langham — The Palm Lounge
The Langham claims to have created the first afternoon tea in 1865, credited to the same Duchess of Bedford who popularised the ritual. Whether or not that is strictly true, the Palm Lounge remains one of the finest settings in London for an afternoon tea. The butter croissants are extraordinary, and the Molecular Chocolate Sphere — which melts dramatically when hot tea is poured over it — is a showstopper that has appeared on tables across the world.
A more affordable option than the grand hotels, without any sacrifice in quality.
8. Beauport Tea Rooms
Tucked away in a quiet corner of the South Bank, Beauport is the hidden gem on this list. There is no website, no social media presence worth mentioning, and the tea rooms only take bookings by phone. The food is unfussy, generous, and made on the premises. The setting is a converted Victorian pharmacy with original tiling and worn wooden floors.
If you want an afternoon tea that feels like a discovery rather than a destination, this is it.
9. The Savoy — Simpson's on the Strand
Simpson's on the Strand is a different experience from the main Thames Foyer — more masculine, darker, with a traditional English menu that includes a proper beef sandwich alongside the expected smoked salmon and cucumber. The on-site bakery produces fresh scones throughout the afternoon.
Best for visitors who want the full experience without the tourist crowds of the main dining rooms.
10. The Capital Hotel — TEACUP
The Capital Hotel's TEACUP is the most intimate option on this list — just 14 covers, no background music, no showpiece desserts. It is simply exceptional tea served in a quiet room by people who care deeply about what they are doing. The scones are the best in London. The clotted cream is from a single farm in Devon. The tea selection is curated by someone who has clearly spent time in Assam and Darjeeling.
Not the venue for a birthday celebration. Perfect for a quiet afternoon that you will remember for years.
Plan Your Afternoon Tea in London
Both of these posts — the afternoon tea guide and the June London travel guide — are available now on London Vacation Guide. Bookmark them before your trip.
