Henry James may have been an American but he hit the nail on the head when he said, “There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea.” There’s something so utterly decadent about this completely unnecessary meal – especially when paired with a glass of mid-afternoon champagne. Finding its origins in the British capital, London remains home to some of the world’s very best and most inventive pastry chefs, creating mouth-wateringly pretty miniatures sandwiches, scones and pastries for your delectation. And, in time for Afternoon Tea Week from 12-18 August 2024, we’ve scoured the capital to find the best afternoon teas in London to book now.

The Rubens at the Palace, Belgravia

Situated directly opposite the Royal Mews of Buckingham Palace, and once part of the estate itself, it only seemed fitting for five-star hotel Rubens at the Palace to create a regent-themed afternoon tea. Inspired by the Royal Family’s commitment to sustainability, the menu has been crafted from local, seasonal produce that will take diners on a journey through quintessential British flavours. Start with dainty finger sandwiches filled with chicken, grain mustard mayonnaise and toasted almonds, and cheddar cheese and  plum tomato before tucking into delightful sweet morsels of raspberry sandwiches, pistachio choux, and the stand-out Crown comprised of vanilla cheese cake, mango, passionfruit curd, and coconut sponge. Round things off with warm scones, an array of tea or even a glass of sparkling and you have a feast fit for a king. 

From £70 per person, visit rubenshotel.com

The Milestone Hotel, Kensington 

One to take afternoon tea seriously is The Milestone, situated in the heart of Kensington. Crisp white tablecloths, silver tea pots and fine china plates pave the way for traditional smoked salmon, dill, and lemon crème fraiche, and Wiltshire cured ham and English mustard mayonnaise sandwiches. Move on to a selection of hand-crafted pastries, tartlets and cakes including the hotel’s president and founder Mrs Bea Tollman’s signature cheesecake, alongside freshly-baked cranberry and plain scones served with Cornish clotted cream and homemade strawberry jam. 

For the full London experience, book the PMD Tea Tour in collaboration with the London-based, Sri Lankan-sourced tea company PMD for a unique walking tour discovering the capital’s lost tea history. Travel through significant locations – think Leadenhall Market and Mincing Lane – to learn more about the city’s pivotal role in the global tea trade, before enjoying a black cab transfer to The Milestone followed by an afternoon tea featuring tea recommendations and pairings.

From £85 per person, visit milestonehotel.com

Ochre at The National Gallery, Trafalgar Square

Ochre, the modern British restaurant by Charlotte and Sam Miller in central London’s iconic National Gallery, will be serving the Bicentenary Afternoon Tea in celebration of The National Gallery’s 200th Anniversary this summer. Curated by head pastry chef Rebecca Morrison, the menu will include a variety of treats such as the 70 per cent Valrhona Guanaja mousse with raspberry filling, and the Bicentenary Birthday Cake alongside fresh finger sandwiches filled with Severn and Wye smoked salmon with dill crème fraîche and cucumber with Cornish butter and sea salt. Pair with Good and Proper loose-leaf tea or elevate your experience with a glass of Nyetimber Sparkling, Laurent Perrier champagne or the exclusive cocktail, Bicentenary Blush: Woodford Reserve Whiskey, Disaronno, lemon juice, sugar and angostura bitter.

From £55 per person, visit ochre.london

The Wolseley, The City and Mayfair

This August, The Wolseley is offering diners three iterations of the traditional afternoon tea, from the Classic with all the trimmings of fruit scones and finger sandwiches to the speedy Wolseley Cream Tea, which is ideal for those looking to dine on their lunch break and includes scones served with a choice of teas. Those looking to elevate the Classic celebration can opt for the Champagne Tea to toast the afternoon with a glass of Pommery Brut. Take your pick – and you're guaranteed a splendid afternoon.

Visit thewolseley.com

InterContinental London, Park Lane

Sip and savour a slice of royal history this summer as InterContinental London Park Lane, former childhood residence of Queen Elizabeth II, launches its new Elizabethan Royal Tea, inspired by the legacies of the late Queen Elizabeth I and II, whose shared love for decadent confections shaped the tradition of afternoon tea. Paired with a bespoke beverage menu from The East India Company, take a seat in the opulent surroundings of The Wellington Lounge and enjoy a symbolic spread featuring the salmon and caviar bliss, monarch’s Coronation chicken royale – inspired by Elizabeth II’s famous 1953 coronation dish – and the Elizabeth I Syllabub: a pastry royally adorned with a sable as a nod to the Queen’s love of these sweet treats. Pair with a glass of champagne from Royal Warrant holder Veuve Clicquot, or The Queen’s Cocktail. Chin chin!

From £74 per person, visit parklane.intercontinental.com

The Petersham, Covent Garden

In time for Afternoon Tea Week in August, The Petersham in the heart of Covent Garden is serving La Merenda: an afternoon tea inspired by the café culture of Turin. Drawing on the Boglione family’s Piedmontese heritage, the menu combines the quintessential British afternoon tea with the vibrant flavours and delicious produce of Italy. Settle into the grandeur of The Petersham’s dining room, filled with Murano glassware and contemporary art, before starting with tramezzini (little sandwiches) made with soft white milk bread, devised in Turin in the 1920s. Expect combinations of grilled zucchini and creamy stracciatella, and tuna with organic Sicilian avocado, basil and pine nuts. 

Elsewhere, don’t miss the puff pastry pizzettes – topped with asparagus, smoky scamorza cheese and wild garlic, as well as tomato, anchovies, capers and briny olives – before moving onto the dolci. Inspired by Turin’s reputation as one of Italy’s dessert and chocolate capitals, bigne al cioccolato (profiterole-like chocolate cream puffs) and pistachio tartlets with Petersham honey. Bellísimo!

From £55 per person, visit thepetershamcoventgarden.com

Corinthia, Embankment

To mark Afternoon Tea Week, Corinthia London has relaunched its classic tea menu for the month of August, served in the glamorous Crystal Moon Lounge and overseen by executive pastry chef Yago Doamo. Summery treats – from savoury to sweet – are complemented by an extensive range of traditional and exclusive tea blends, while stand-out sandwiches include secret smokehouse salmon with lemon and Sichuan cream cheese, and butter-roasted turkey breast with sun-dried tomato mayonnaise. The cakes and pastries are delight for the senses, featuring the strawberry and white chocolate frasier, blood peach and oolong tea tartlet, hazelnut and guanaja dark chocolate gâteau, all accompanied with scones alongside strawberry and elderflower jam and Cornish clotted cream.

From £55 per person, visit corinthia.com

The Cadogan, Chelsea

Created by acclaimed pastry chef Benoit Blin, the new afternoon tea at The Cadogan serves the best of the quintessential British concept – think plenty of fluffy scones and piping-hot tea – with a unique French twist. Having spent the past 25 years at Raymond Blanc's Michelin-starred Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons in Oxfordshire, Blin has replaced the traditional sandwiches with salmon gravlax on toasted croissant with quail egg and cream cheese, and Cornish crab brioche with pink grapefruit and trout roe. This is followed by coffee and cardamom religieuse pastries, and a Yorkshire rhubarb and timur pepper pebble, as well as freshly-baked scones with strawberry jam and clotted cream. Save room for the sweet trolley too, where thick and rich slices of pistachio rose and raspberry tea cake and hazelnut and chocolate marble cake are served tableside to create the ultimate foodie finale.

From £75 per person, visit belmond.com

Cellarium at Westminster Abbey, Westminster

Inspired by Westminster Abbey's 900-year-old garden (one of London's best kept secrets), its in-house restaurant the Cellarium – set within the Abbey’s stunning medieval cloisters – will serve a floral afternoon tea for summer. Expect selection of elegant sweet and savoury treats featuring truffle egg mayonnaise and pea and red onion tart alongside lemon drizzle cake, assorted macarons and pistachio and white chocolate pie.

From £36.50 per person, visit benugo.com

Café Lapérouse, Whitehall

Café Lapérouse, the Parisian eatery nestled within The OWO, has recently unveiled its afternoon tea menu, blending a cherished English tradition with French sophistication. Served in an opulent indoor pavilion and offered from 2-5pm daily, menu highlights include the devilled truffle egg finger sandwich with mustard cress on charcoal bread, alongside the classic Coronation chicken with golden raisins and crispy shallots on turmeric bread. Complementing these savoury delights is a selection of French pastries, each paying homage to renowned French artisans, including the banoffee and caramel mousse pastry, named after Honoré de Balzac, or a luscious black forest cake named after the writer and activist, Marquis de Sade.

From £68 per person, visit theowo.london

The Ivy Asia, across London

The famed Asian restaurant in Mayfair, Chelsea and St Paul’s, which is part of The Ivy Collection, launched its afternoon tea last year to put an eastern twist on the classic offering. Coupled with a glass of Perrier Jouet champagne, sample some of the brand’s delectable small dishes and popular sweet bites – think aromatic duck spring rolls, vegetable dumplings and spicy avocado maki roll, and finish off with our warm passionfruit and coconut doughnuts – while taking in the signature green marble flooring and oriental furnishings. 

From £29.95 per person, visit theivyasia.com

The Kensington, South Kensington

The Kensington has elevated afternoon tea into a true art form with a new expressionist experience like no other. Inspired by some of the most renowned artists in the world, The Art of Afternoon Tea will indulge your inner aesthete with a collection of carefully curated cultural confections and innovative libations such as the Girl with the Balloon cocktail, inspired by the evocative work of Banksy.

A mix of the contemporary and the abstract, The Kensington’s culinary creatives have sculpted a gallery of sensational sweets paying homage to influential artists Jackson Pollock, Yayoi Kusama and Alicja Kwade. Marvel at the abstract expressionism of Pollock’s famed ‘drip technique’ adorning the dark chocolate mousse tart with passion fruit parfait, and delight in Japanese artist Kusama’s playful polka-dot pumpkin made up of mango mousse surrounding coconut yoghurt cream. Elsewhere, tuck into delicate finger sandwiches filled with smoked salmon with lemon cream cheese, cucumber with mint cream, and pastrami with gherkin and horseradish. Warm, fresh plain and fruit scones are ready to be generously slathered with Scottish strawberry jam and Cornish clotted cream, perfectly accompanied with a selection of teas from The Rare Tea Company. 

From £58 per person, visit doylecollection.com

The Stafford, St James’

The Stafford London, renowned for its timeless elegance and exceptional hospitality, has just relaunched its new sophisticated afternoon tea offered daily from 12-5.30pm. Served from a bespoke cake trolley for an added sense of theatre and occasion, and to allow guests to choose their preferred cakes and pastries, the new recipes have been created collaboratively by Magdalena Velczenbach, The Stafford’s head pastry chef, and executive chef Lisa Goodwin-Allen. To accompany the sweets and savouries – expect finger sandwiches such as honey-roasted ham with mustard mayonnaise and truffled egg brioche bun with Earl Grey alongside honey layer cake and coffee choux bun – choose from an array of infusions by Camellia’s Tea House. For those wishing to celebrate in style, enjoy a chilled glass of champagnes from the extensive wine list.

From £70 per person, visit thestaffordlondon.com

The Athenaeum, Green Park

Indulge your sweet tooth with this quintessential afternoon tea, served alongside an extensive range of artisan teas and infusions. We recommend the house-blend infusions, especially the antioxidant Blue-tea-ful and naturally immune-boosting Rosy Glow, which combines rose, marigold and hibiscus to create a sweet hot beverage. Food-wise, choose from a selection of traditional sandwiches, such as cucumber and cream cheese and Coronation chicken, before enjoying innovative sweet treats including mint and dark chocolate brownie, rose and lychee mousse, and cherry blossom macarons alongside plain and raisin scones.

Sugar not your thing? The Athenaeum has recently launched a savoury afternoon tea. Enjoy an array of homemade sandwiches and Lincolnshire Poacher Cheddar scones before tucking into a selection of savoury pastries and cakes including quail ndjua scotch egg, smoked chicken and tarragon eclair and salmon and pickled cucumber croustade.

From £45 per person, visit athenaeumhotel.com

The Lane, Covent Garden

Having emerged from a thorough refurbishment just a couple of years ago, Theatre Royal Drury Lane – the oldest continuously-used theatre site in the world – restyled itself as The Lane, with a host of new eating, drinking and entertainment options available alongside the famed theatre. As well as Cecil Beaton bar and Rotunda champagne bar, the venue has pressed its Grand Saloon into service to offer an exquisite afternoon tea: the only one served in a West End theatre. 

Inspired by the stunning surrounds of the saloon, the Regency afternoon tea menu has been created in collaboration with A-list London baker Lily Vanilli and features savoury treats, including a bitesize English crumpet topped with Earl Grey infused cream cheese and smoked salmon; a savoury madeleine with whipped English feta and pickled heritage carrot; and seasonal mini pies in traditional British flavours. The mini pies will change seasonally throughout the year, and the current flavour is Coronation chicken with caramelised onion chutney. Warm scones are paired with salted whipped butter, homemade jam and cream, alongside a decadent sweet selection, which includes Lily Vanilli’s fluffy vanilla cake filled with passionfruit and buttercream, topped by a handmade chocolate cupid; a mini sticky toffee pudding filled with a custard centre and a delicious chocolate chip ice cream sandwich.

From £59 per person, visit thelane.co.uk

Aqua Shard, London Bridge

Served high above the city skyline in the venue’s triple-height atrium, Aqua Shard invites you to whisk the kids off to Neverland with its Peter Pan afternoon tea, in aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital. Inspired by the magical characters of J.M Barrie’s beloved story, with confections including Tinker Bell cookies, Tick-Tock the Crocodile desserts and Peter Pan’s Secret Never Tree Entrance, this nostalgic offering is served on tea stands inspired by Captain Hook’s ship, the Jolly Roger, floating atop a mystical sea of dry ice.

Drinks are just as spectacular, with a special Fairy Dust cocktail on offer (mint and cucumber Ketel One botanical, apple liqueur, ginger switchel, Kaffir lime, absinthe and gold dust), and, for the kids, a non-alcoholic Never Grow Up punch with pineapple and pear puree, elderflower tonic and grenadine. Those who like their afternoon tea a little more traditional can enjoy two specials created for the occasion: the Darling Tea and the Adventure Tea. So, that’s the second star to the right, then straight on ‘til morning. See you there.

From £70 per person, visit aquashard.co.uk

The Londoner, Leicester Square

Hosted in the Londoner hotel’s opulent champagne bar, The Stage, this decadent champagne afternoon tea offering comprises the best of British tea traditions, with fine loose-leaf tea from the East India Company and an impressive spread of treats. Guests of Afternoon Tea at The Stage are invited to indulge in a selection of delectable delights, with sandwiches including smoked salmon and Devon crab with yuzu kosho crème fraîche, and lemon-roasted Norfolk chicken with truffle mayonnaise. Elsewhere, freshly baked artisanal cakes and patisserie creations include coconut and lime mousse, honey and orange sponge with lavender and passion fruit frangipane. Enjoy washed down with tea, or one of The Stage’s 35 bottles of bubbles, as you are serenaded by live pianists, harpists and vocalists.

From £55 per person, visit thelondoner.com

Four Seasons Hotel at Ten Trinity Square, Tower Bridge

Inspired by its neighbouring national treasures at the Tower of London, the Four Seasons serves its Crown Jewels afternoon tea in its opulent Rotunda Lounge – the perfect treat for busy tourists and seasoned Londoners. Kick off your royal celebration by tucking into a range of delicate finger sandwiches, filled with Coronation chicken, roast beef with mustard mayo and smoked salmon with herb cream cheese. The real star of the show is the selection of dainty pastries, including The Crown, inspired by King Edward’s crown, featuring Yorkshire rhubarb compote and Madagascar vanilla crémeux and The Highgrove Garden – chocolate sponge with mint – washed down with a number of fine teas. 

From £65 per person, visit fourseasons.com

The Guardsman, Buckingham Gate

Inspired by the native flora of our Royal Parks, this brilliantly British afternoon tea from The Guardsman looks just as delightful as it tastes. Begin with a selection of sandwiches, from Burford brown egg mimosa and rocket mayonnaise to Golstein Scottish salmon, cream cheese and lemon butter, followed by irresistible pastries including a raspberry, pistachio and Chantilly cream tart, and the Toadstool – a light strawberry and cream sponge – alongside freshly baked scones with Dorset clotted cream and jams. Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free afternoon teas are all available, and the price includes a glass of champagne for good measure.

From £65 per person, visit guardsmanhotel.com

Searcys at the Gherkin, City of London

Boasting 360-degree panoramic views of London’s dramatic skyline, you’d be hard-pressed to find an afternoon tea offering with a better backdrop than that of Searcys at the Gherkin, and with 175 years of afternoon tea experience, you can rest assured Searcys knows what it’s doing. Paired with a glass of English sparkling wine, or Whispering Angel rosé, this delectable high tea offering includes a range of savouries and sweet treats, including Jersey fruit and plain scones, served with Cornish clotted cream and jams, followed by indulgent pastries of coffee éclair, strawberry cheesecake, and pistachio and raspberry financier.

From £55 per person, visit searcysatthegherkin.co.uk

The Savoy, The Strand

Served under the elegant glass-domed atrium of the Thames Foyer restaurant, guests have been coming to The Savoy for afternoon tea for more than a century. Led by Simona Spennati, The Savoy’s expert pastry team has devised a menu of signature cakes and pastries including Scottish smoked salmon and avocado sandwiches, cauliflower, basil and sundried tomato open bagel and a signature strawberry and elderflower tartlet. Vegan and vegetarian options are also available and don't forget to add a glass of Nyetimber English Sparkling Wine or Laurent-Perrier Champagne to make the event that much more special.

From £75 per person, visit thesavoylondon.com

Palm Court at The Langham, Fitzrovia

One of London’s true grande dame hotels, The Langham is the undisputed birthplace of afternoon tea. Still served in the glamorously serene Palm Court, where the very first afternoon tea was served in 1865, its modern offering draws on this extraordinary legacy and the generations of exceptional chefs who have helmed the kitchen. Now overseen by Michel Roux Jr and executive pastry chef Andrew Gravett, The Langham afternoon tea is a celebration of all things British. 

A vast list of Jing teas are served in delicate Wedgwood teacups (or Gusbourne sparkling wine in champagne flutes, if you wish) while pastries take their cues from classic British biscuits, with a particularly memorable take on a Party Ring biscuit with a almond sable, vanilla custard and poached rhubarb, as well as the Twix with crunchy shortbread, tainori cream and salted caramel. There are also seasonal finger sandwiches, including smoked chicken with apricot, and cucumber and cream cheese, a miniature Ploughman’s cheese scone and, of course, some of the best sweet scones you’ll find in the city.

From £80 per person, visit palm-court.co.uk

The Beaumont, Mayfair

Fresh from an extensive refurbishment, The Beaumont hotel's afternoon tea offering is quintessentially English – with just a hint of American modernity. Vegan, gluten-free and children's menus are all available, to be enjoyed among the richly panelled surrounds and world-class art collection of the hotel's Gatsby Room. The trans-Atlantic menu promises treats including cured lox, Coronation smoked chicken, and cherry Bakewell pie, accompanied by fine Jing teas, Gusbourne English Sparkling Wine or an innovative non-alcoholic sparkling tea.

From £80 per person, visit thebeaumont.com

The Lanesborough, Hyde Park Corner

If you're after traditional pastries with an Instagrammable twist this is the afternoon tea for you. Settle down in five-star comfort in the hotel’s pretty powder-blue dining room, The Lanesborough Grill, before sampling the Bridgerton afternoon tea inspired by the latest season released earlier this summer. Expertly crafted by head pastry chef, Pierre Morvan-Benezet, the menu pays tribute to the key characters such as Colin's Travels dedicated to Colin Bridgerton and his passion for travel, The Book of Eloise – a tribute to Eloise Bridgerton's passion for literature – and the Lady Whistledown which is bitter and sweet in taste.

From £85 per person, visit oetkercollection.com

Rosewood London, Bloomsbury

Executive pastry chef Mark Perkins first launched the Rosewood London's Art Afternoon Tea in 2017 and it has since become a firm favourite on the capital's foodie scene. Having taken inspiration from from internationally renowned artists and their London exhibitions, the latest iteration instead celebrates the work of Scottihs-born designer John Booth. Creations include the Tropical Tulip, inspired by Booth’s iconic tulip motif with purple and pink cake and mango mousse, and the Painter's Palette: vanilla cheesecake, pink sponge and raspberry jelly to represent the bright brush strokes of a paintbrush.

From £75 per person, visit rosewoodhotels.com

The Rosebery at Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park London

The Rosebery, named after Lord Rosebery, was a stylish tea room in the 1920s and it reopened in 2014 as a contemporary tea salon, making the most of its Victorian features, high ceilings and the natural light that floods in. Here, it's easy to forget that bustling Knightsbridge traffic streams by outside. Also exceptional and worthy of note are the staff – without exception impeccably polite and informative, with a relaxed charm.

This summer, foodies are invited to embark on a Grand Tour of European cuisine, in collaboration with its Mandarin Oriental's sister hotels in Italy, Greece, France and Spain to celebrate the rich culinary traditions of each region. Executive pastry chef Emmanuel Bonneau have, therefore, curated a menu of delicate savouries and sweet pastries such as L’Eclair, chicken souvlaki and so much more, all served with a selection of champagne, sparkling wine, and cava, expertly chosen by the hotel’s director of wine, Michael Deschamp.

From £85 per person, visit mandarinoriental.com

The Dorchester, Hyde Park

Served in the hotel's magnificent Promenade Restaurant, afternoon tea at The Dorchester is about as traditional as they come and begins with a glass of Veuve Clicquot champagne, poured by an impeccably polite, tail-coated waiter. A bounty of crust-free sandwiches, warm scones with clotted cream and tiers of almost-too-pretty-to-eat French pastries by pastry chef Michael Kwan follow, featuring pistachio choux and blueberry and blackberry tart. Fanciful fare is complemented by an extensive menu of teas, including The Dorchester's unique house blend. The hotel also offers a children's afternoon tea priced at £50 per head, featuring bite-size sandwiches, cupcakes and milkshakes.

From £95 per person, visit dorchestercollection.com

Brown's Hotel, Mayfair

Brown’s claim to baking fame is that Queen Victoria loved to take tea there. Its afternoon tea offering remains as classic as anything Her Majesty would have expected, with roasted Iberico ham and pickled cucumber and goats cheese sandwiches followed by scones, strawberry jam and Cornish clotted cream. Pastries, too, err on the side of traditional with lemon madeleine and raspberry macarons. Pair with one of the hotel's vast selections of core and seasonal loose-leaf teas or treat yourself with a glass of Moet & Chandon Brut NV. Vegan and gluten-free options are also available.

From £75 per person, visit roccofortehotels.com

Read more: The best restaurants in Kensington & Chelsea