We may have been out of lockdown for a while now but, having discovered the decadence of fine dining at home, many are keen to keep the trend alive. And, when it comes to fine dining deliveries, there’s nothing more indulgent than afternoon tea. From scones to finger sandwiches (and an always welcome glass of champagne), here are the best restaurants, bakeries and hotels offering afternoon tea deliveries in London.

Cutter & Squidge

Founded by two sisters in a kitchen in North West London, the Cutter & Squidge bakery has become a cult hit among the capital’s cake fans. When the pandemic forced its locations in Soho and the Royal Exchange to close their doors, the family-run business pivoted to home delivery – including, of course, its stellar afternoon tea. Portioned for two, each Afternoon Tea at Home box contains two brownies, two mini lemon drizzle cakes, four plain scones, two pots of Rodda’s clotted cream, one pot of jam and one pouch of fine loose leaf tea, while wheat-free and picnic-style options including veggie sausage rolls, chutney and prosecco are also available. All you need do is provide some suitably chintzy crockery.

Afternoon Tea at Home, from £29.90, cutterandsquidge.com

The Chesterfield Mayfair

Got a bit of a sweet tooth? The Sweet Shop afternoon tea from Mayfair’s Chesterfield hotel may just be your idea of heaven. Inspired by Hardy’s Original Sweetshop, every element of this lavish afternoon tea evokes a classic confection: there’s Coca-Cola slices, Drumstick macaroons, blue raspberry Battenberg and raspberry cheesecake Liquorice Allsorts. Accompanied by a selection of finger sandwiches, scones, jam and cream, plus your choice of six different tea blends, we recommend you add a bottle of Lanson champagne to make things really memorable.

Sweet Shop Afternoon Tea, from £55 per person, chesterfieldmayfair.com

sketch

Grab a sunshine-yellow armchair and a wall of Yinka Shonibare art and you will (almost) be able to recreate sketch’s award-winning Gallery restaurant, complete with its famed afternoon tea delivered to your door. Packaged in a suitably powder pink box, the MMmm… Afternoon Tea includes a selection of finger sandwiches, petits gateaux, a choice of sultana or plain scones with jam, and wedges of Victoria sponge cake. Vegetarian and pescatarian variations are available, along with the option to add cocktails or a bottle of bubbles to your order.

Mmmm… Afternoon Tea, from £55, sketch.london

The Proof

The brainchild of self-taught baker Francesca Strange, and drawing on the signature treats of her Italian grandmother, east London-based The Proof delivers additive and live preservative-free desserts, cakes and other sweet treats seven days a week – with 50p from every order donated to Hackney Quest to help support its work with young people and families in the local community. As well as an extensive range of puddings, profiteroles, biscuits and brownies, The Proof also offers a series of boxes for special occasions. Promising lemon drizzle cake, chocolate and caramel blondies, chocolate souffle cake and coconut macaroons for two, the Tea-Time Box is the perfect option for birthdays, baby showers and much more.

Tea-Time Box, £22.50, the-proof.com

Paul

You know Paul – the mononymic purveyor of that excellent sourdough and those elegant sandwiches you treat yourself to when you’ve had a particularly good (or bad) day at work. Well, with its usual contingent of city lunchers still spending half the week at home, Paul has made almost all of its extensive menu available for delivery and, if you’re feeling particularly fancy, its afternoon tea for two is the obvious choice. As well as the obligatory scones, jam and clotted cream, there’s also organic English breakfast tea, 12 mini macarons, a craquant flower, a fraisier flower and six mini tartlets.

Afternoon Tea for two, £34.95, paul-uk.com

Read more: The best vegan restaurants in London