The best afternoon teas in London
The history of afternoon tea
Anna Russell (née Stanhope, 1783-1857), the 7th Duchess of Bedford, and lifelong friend of Queen Victoria, whom she served as Lady of the Bedchamber, is generally credited with developing the idea of afternoon tea. The Duchess found that the British habit of eating a light, early lunch, then a more substantial dinner in the late evening didn't suit her, and complained of ‘having that sinking feeling’ as the day wore on. And then one day she had the bright idea of enjoying a refreshing pot of tea in the afternoon, accompanied by a light snack.
Tiring of taking this tea alone, she began to invite friends to join her for a cup of tea and afternoon snack at her country home, Woburn Abbey, Bedfordshire. Once the summer season was over and she returned to London, she’d grown so fond of her teatime ritual that she saw no reason to stop. The idea caught on with other society hostesses and before you could say ‘Polly, put the kettle on’, she’d started a trend.
Some claim that drinking tea in the afternoon was already an established custom, but allow that the Duchess set its place in polite society as a ritualised social event.
The arty: Yayoi Kusama-inspired afternoon tea at Rosewood London
Previous themes for exhibition-tie-in teas at the Holborn-based hotel have included Van Gogh and Antony Gormley. Now it’s time to go dotty for a feast inspired by the Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Mirror Rooms show at Tate Modern, served in the hotel’s very own Mirror Room. For the three-course tea of traditional sandwiches and classic pastries, followed by Kusama-inspired cakes, executive pastry chef Mark Perkins has fused traditional French patisserie and British savouries with authentic Japanese flavours. Finger sandwich fillings include crisp rice crackers, yuzu avocado and caviar; smoked salmon with wasabi cream and cucumber, cream cheese and shichimi (seven spice). The exquisite cake creations – almost too beautiful to eat – include Flowers That Bloom at Midnight, inspired by Kusama’s 2010 work of the same name, designed to evoke images of a midnight sci-fi garden, with tropical coconut mousse and strawberry yuzu jelly topping a sablé biscuit, along with matcha tea jelly and strawberry crisps. All My Love for Tulips (pictured) is inspired by Kusama’s white and red-spotted artwork With All my Love for the Tulips, I Pray Forever (2011) and features a citrusy yuzu mousse, raspberry yuzu jelly, pain de genes (almond cake), green tea sablé, raspberry crémeux and chocolate petals.
Photo: © Patricia Niven
When: Thursday to Sunday, 12pm-6pm
Where: Mirror Room, Rosewood London, 252 High Holborn, London WC1V 7EN
Price: £60
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The ‘little bit mad’: Cruella afternoon tea at The Lanesborough
The latest in The Lanesborough’s series of seasonal teas, served in the Michelin-starred Céleste, naturally illuminated by a glass domed roof, is inspired by Disney’s all-new live-action film, Cruella, set in a punky 1970s London, featuring the eponymous super-chic villain, described as ‘brilliant, bad, and a little bit mad’. Striking and sophisticated, the black, red and gold-hued tea features classic sandwiches, and then a stylish celebration of fashion and rebellion, that blends the traditional skills of the patissier with an unexpected, modern aesthetic.Anarchy Reigns millionaire’s shortbreadis presented on a mini easel and adorned with the anarchy symbol. The Modern Masterpiece (pictured) is a spherical gilded inside-out lemon cheesecake with blueberry compote and a blackcurrant and violet sauce injection, and Runaway Diva (pictured) is a treacle tart with a whipped dulce ganache embellished with Cruella’s iconic red lips and The Lanesborough’s crown emblem.
When: Monday to Thursday, 2:30pm to 4pm, Friday to Sunday, 12pm to 4pm. Until Wednesday 4 August
Where: The Lanesborough, Hyde Park Corner, London SW1X 7TA
Price: From £55
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The best for bunnies: The Official Peter Rabbit afternoon tea at The Dilly
It’s easy to imagine you’re inside the greenhouse in Mr McGregor’s garden, in Beatrix Potter’s Tale of Peter Rabbit, when you tuck in to the Official Peter Rabbit afternoon tea in the sunlit, glass-roofed Terrace of The Dilly. Peter himself appears in marzipan form, looking ready to nibble on the tiny veg in the mini-baguette, or the salmon and sundried tomato pinwheel. After scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam, try Every Bunny’s Favourite, a mini carrot cake topped with cream cheese and a chocolate carrot, the super-shiny mushroom filled with strawberry ganache with a crunchy meringue stem, and the extremely realistic chocolate flowerpot filled with chocolate mud, sponge, blackberries and camomile mousse. Vegetarian or vegan? No problem, just ask in advance.
When: Daily, 12:30pm to 4:30pm
Where: The Dilly, 21 Piccadilly, London W1J 0BH
Price: Adults, £39; children, £29
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The curiouser and curiouser: Alice's Queen of Hearts afternoon tea at Taj 51 Buckingham Suites and Residencies
Tempting enough to soothe the foul-tempered Queen of Hearts in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, none of the beautifully designed pastries and scrumptious savoury treats would be out of place at the mad hatter’s tea party. Indeed, the Tea Party at 6 cake is a dark chocolate hat. And among the other references are the No White Roses red velvet cupcake with ‘half-painted’ roses and chocolate ganache topping, a nod to the Wonderland gardeners painting a white rose red to avoid the wrath of the queen; Running Late strawberry macarons are finished with a pocket watch design piped in milk chocolate. On each table there’s a Queen of Hearts playing card, alongside a hand-made top hat centrepiece. To add further interest, the crockery features Sir John Tenniel’s original book illustrations from the Victoria and Albert Museum’s collection. Vegetarian and vegan teas are available with 48 hours’ notice. For an even more memorable day, why not visit the V&A’s Curiouser and Curiouser exhibition, which charts Alice in Wonderland’s enduring appeal?
When: Thursday & Friday, 12pm and 2pm; Saturday & Sunday: 12pm, 2pm and 4pm
Where: Taj 51 Buckingham Suites and Residencies, 51 Buckingham Gate, London SW1E 6AF
Price: £45
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The totally tea-infused tea: Parisian or Covent Garden afternoon tea at Mariage Frères
Synonymous with sophisticated teas in Paris, Mariage Frères Covent Garden transcends its Parisian haute couture reputation at its first London home. A five-storey Georgian building in the heart of Covent Garden, it is exquisitely decorated with art and the most desirable antique and contemporary tea canisters and teapots. Mariage Frères sells over 1,000 loose-leaf teas from 36 countries and the company is acknowledged as among the world’s seminal tea connoisseurs. Here in London, there is the world’s longest tea wall and a tea museum, and a restaurant.
And there’s a choice of tea: Parisian or Covent Garden. On the savoury side, the Parisian has a smoked salmon frittata and courgette and chorizo muffin, with chicken breast and pancetta in brioche and smoked salmon wrap with matcha cream for the WC2 version. Both include impressive scones served with butter and a tea jelly, and four tea-infused pastries, which could include a decadent Carré D’Or, intense dark chocolate sponge covered in shiny chocolate embellished with Black Magic tea and 24-carat gold leaf, an exotic fruit jelly and a ravishing chocolate and matcha fancy, also adorned with gold leaf.
Where: Mariage Frères, 38 King Street, Covent Garden, London WC2E 8JS
When: Daily, 9am-9pm
Price: Parisian tea, from £29; Covent Garden tea, from £35
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The wildlife charity tea: Elephant Family afternoon tea at The Petersham
The menu, too, is an Anglo-Indian collaboration, with savoury snacks such as pea and potato samosas, coronation chicken flatbreads and rice and lentil cakes, aka idli, topped with wild mushrooms. Crisp, hollow pani puri are filled with Portland crab, and the Scotch egg staple is made with kedgeree. Plain and fruit scones with jam and clotted cream are followed by options like banana and turmeric macarons and coconut eclairs. All this is arranged on an exquisite hand-blown Florentine glass cakestand topped with a floral arrangement.
Where: The Petersham, Floral Court, King Street, Covent Garden, London WC2E 9FB
When: Thursday-Sunday, 3pm
Price: £55 with a hibiscus Bellini or alcohol-free hibiscus cocktail
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The fashion is fun tea: Prêt-à-Portea afternoon tea at The Berkeley
Where: The Berkeley, Wilton Place, Knightsbridge, London SW1X 7RL
When: Daily, 1pm-5:30pm – book well in advance
Price: From £60 per person
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The traditional trendsetter tea: afternoon tea at Fortnum & Mason
As a purveyor of teas for over 300 years, Fortnum & Mason, the elegant Piccadilly department store, is an entirely appropriate place to take afternoon tea. The Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon was opened by The Queen herself in 2012. From the Afternoon Tea menu (vegan and gluten-free versions also available), enjoy an array of delicate, and delicious savoury and sweet treats, rooted in tradition but with a contemporary edge, such as a summery opera cake flavoured with yuzu and matcha. Read more about Fortnum & Mason’s ‘honed to perfection’ afternoon tea.
Where: Fortnum & Mason, 181 Piccadilly, London W1J 9EH
When: Monday-Thursday, 12pm-6:30pm; Friday, 11:30am-7pm; Saturday, 11:30am-7:30pm; Sunday, 11:30am-6pm
Price: £62.50
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The oriental tea: dim sum afternoon tea at China Tang
It's a clever idea for China Tang to offer a dim sum afternoon tea, making the idea of dim sum more approachable to those unfamiliar with the steamed dumplings designed to touch your heart and providing an excuse to visit the bar of this rather louche and decadent restaurant with its beautiful art nouveau features (don't miss the glorious bathrooms) without needing to take out a bank loan. Although the savoury dim sum (the selection changes daily) are by no means outstanding, the sweet dim sum are a revelation, especially the sweet potato and cashew dumpling and rhubarb and candied ginger choux.
Where: China Tang at the Dorchester, 53 Park Lane, London W1K 1QA
When: Daily, 3pm-6pm
Price: £46
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The grand gesture tea: afternoon tea at The Corinthia
The dazzling Baccarat chandelier sets the scene in the Crystal Moon Lounge of the Corinthia where the afternoon tea is accompanied by soothing melodies played on a Steinway Piano. Tea is served on a range of bespoke, hand-painted bone china by Richard Brendon and wheeled in on an antique trolley.
These are the most indulgent finger sandwiches in town: from truffle egg mayonnaise to crab and lobster with saffron, and goat's curd, pickled cucumber and mint. What's more, each sandwich is matched with a different bread. Scones are plain and sultana, ready to top with jams and clotted cream. The cakes change seasonally and may include exotic fruit choux and chocolate and caramel hazelnut cake, strawberry, lime and basil mousse and meringuettes.
What makes this afternoon tea even more special, is the 'encore' course of strawberry and elderflower and orange blossom marshmallows. Teas are carefully curated with an in-house tea sommelier encouraging guests to experiment in sipping special and different teas.
Where: Corinthia Hotel, Whitehall Place, Westminster, London SW1A 2BD
When: Daily
Price: £60, £70 with champagne
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The botanical tea: Tipsy Afternoon Tea at Mr Fogg’s House of Botanicals
Sip your choice of teapot cocktail from quaint floral teacups at Mr Fogg’s House of Botanicals, with interiors inspired by exotic plants and botanicals collected on explorer Phileas Fogg’s travels. Fortify yourself with prettily presented finger sandwiches, scones, dainty cakes and Eton Mess delivered on a birdcage-style cakestand.
Where: Mr Fogg’s House of Botanicals, 48 Newman Street, London W1T 1QQ
When: Saturday, from 1pm
Price: From £44 or £64 for a ‘bottomless teapot’
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The Sunday Swing Tea: Squiffy Picnic afternoon tea at Cahoots
For vintage lovers, Cahoots, the post-war era and Tube-themed cocktail bar set underground in Kingly Court offers an out-of-the-ordinary ‘tipsy tea’ experience. Complete with live entertainment sure to transport visitors back to the swinging 1940s, this cocktail bar’s take on afternoon tea, served every Saturday, is a delight.
Every Saturday, guests can order a Squiffy Picnic, featuring a pint-sized picnic table stacked with classic sarnies and picnic treats such as finger sandwiches, scones and cakes, as well as a flask filled to the brim with a delicious cocktail to share.
Where: Cahoots, 13 Kingly Court, London W1B 5PW
When: Saturday, 1pm - 4pm
Price: From £46
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The cross-Channel tea: afternoon tea at Sketch
Within this elegant 18th-century townhouse, in the blush-pink Gallery with works by quirky artist David Shrigley, the scene is set for afternoon tea with a classical string trio playing live. Dreamt up by the French duo of executive head chef Frederic Don and executive pastry chef Christophe Gasper, the menu features British teatime favourites with a hint of a French accent here and there. So egg mayonnaise and watercress comes in a gougère, and truffled cream cheese adorns a brioche bun. The cakes, or ‘petits gateaux’ as the menu has it, are listed in English –chocolate and buckwheat cake, bergamot macaron, zesty orange cheesecake, cherry and pistachio Battenberg – but their presentation is straight out of a patissier’s window.
Scones are square, for less waste, and, of course come with clotted cream and organic strawberry and poppy jam (although you can ask for fig or blueberry and orange-blossom jam instead). Do sip plenty of tea, so you don’t miss out on the chance to visit the ‘egg-loos’, which look like a sci-fi filmset: a room full of white ovoid pods, each enclosing a self-contained loo.
Where: Sketch, 9 Conduit Street, Mayfair, London W1S 2XG
When: Daily, 11:30am-4:30pm
Price: From £60
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The Indian-Inspired tea: High Chai afternoon tea at The Lalit London
The High Chai is a delightfully different take on afternoon tea, balancing traditional English favourites with an Indian twist. Khaman dhokla, a traditional leavened steamed chickpea cake, is served with tomato jam, and Punjabi samosas come with tamarind chutney. For the sweet-toothed, there are spiced cakes and Indian sweets and a refreshing mango lassi. It is served in The Gallery mezzanine, overlooking The Lalit London's spectacular Baluchi dining room.
Where: Lalit London Hotel, 181 Tooley Street, London SE1 2JR
When: Daily, 12.30-5pm
Price: £47
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The scientific tea: Science Geek tea at the Ampersand Hotel
Inspired by the neighbouring Science Musuem, this award-winning afternoon tea mixes the usual essentials including sandwiches and scones (served with a tube of lemon curd and freeze-dried raspberry, pineapple and crunchy caramel), with pastries that directly reference culinary experimentation. Expect a strawberry and elderflower jelly Petri dish, dark chocolate and raspberry planet mousse, mini dinosaur biscuits, and a milk chocolate fossil hidden within chocolate 'soil' to enjoy with a Science Teapot Tails cocktail. There are vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and children's tea menus too.
Where: Ampersand Hotel, 10 Harrington Road, Kensington, London SW7 3ER
When: Daily
Price: £44.50 or £54.50 with a glass of champagne
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