The definitive guide to London's best afternoon teas

Afternoon tea was conceived, first and foremost, as a respite: taking pause of post-lunch activities to line one’s stomach again as dinner kept being pushed back. Urbanisation in the 19th century jettisoned the rules of rural life, lived in tune with sunrise and sunset, and London-bound aristos found they could eat dinner at 9pm unencumbered. (How Spanish.)

In recent years, it’s had a facelift, thanks, in part, to the introduction of National Afternoon Tea Week (which normally falls in August). High-end hotels appeared to heed the renaissance: last year, at The Rosewood, executive pastry chef Mark Perkins launched an Art Afternoon Tea, a spin on the classic offering with Japanese teas and cakes inspired by the artist Katsushika Hokusai.

Country Life, as ever, was ahead of the curve, having launched its very own tea column in January 2024. If afternoon tea is often dismissed as belonging to the ladies who lunch, consider this: Maison François, the famed St James’s restaurant headed by chef Matthew Ryle, has started serving one between 2.30pm and 5.30pm. Who needs a power lunch?

Seventy Five at Liberty

Afternoon tea at Liberty’s flagship restaurant, Seventy Five, is served: an interlude amid an afternoon of fabric-, clothes- and candle-shopping (the Cire Trudon aisle is the best of any department store).

The moment you slump into the (William Morris-upholstered) banquettes, tucked away somewhere on the second floor — I had to ask staff to redirect me there after missing it, twice — you enter a mindset of repose. You pop down your shopping bags, your glasses and that tired old head of yours as the throbbing baseline of people on the shop floor and in the world beyond (read: Soho) fades, almost miraculously, in a matter of seconds.

You are greeted and attended upon and all in all feel like a King. A Coronation chicken ‘sandwich’ is served with Earl Grey-flavoured raisins, on brioche bread (in the manner of a lobster roll) and the savoury course rounded off with a hot smoked Chalkstream trout encased in a delicate filo tart, and topped with trout roe.

The scones — plain and buttermilk — come fresh from the oven and served with a deliciously light clotted cream (jam always comes second).

Then comes the sweet course, which is a true explosion of taste: almost too much. Bring your kids, who have a higher tolerance for this sort of thing. Will Hosie

Afternoon tea at Seventy Five starts from £50 per person.

The Secrets & Spies Afternoon Tea at Raffles London at the OWO

Such is the elegance and the intricacies of the interiors of Raffles at the Old War Office (OWO) that it takes quite a lot to discourage you from getting lost in the ceiling. For the best part of 120 years, this building was the workplace for some of the most famous names in Britain, such as T. E. Lawrence (of Arabia), Ian Fleming, and Sir Winston Churchill. Imagine the secrets that have been whispered in these halls.

Spycraft is all about distraction and deceit, and while the afternoon tea at Raffles OWO is distracting (and surely it must be, considering the interiors), it is no lie to say it is as delicious as it is playful. Sandwiches are stuffed and served with precision, and the scones sag under the weight of jam and cream. The tea menu itself is a delight and a welcome break from the over-consumed muck that is English Breakfast. Presentation occurs with all the decorum you would expect from a ritual as traditional as this.

But every performance needs its showstopper. Here, it is the sweets, which lean heavily on the espionage associated with the OWO. The legacies of Odette Sansom, Christine Granville, Virginia Goillot and Vera Atkins — female spies of distinction — have been preserved in sugar, fruit, chocolate and sponge, while the Time to Spy cake, shaped like a pocket watch, can make time stand still.

Who knew that afternoon tea could be so much fun? Well, the secret is out now. James Fisher

The Secrets & Spies Afternoon Tea at Raffles London at the OWO starts at £85 per person, and is served daily, 12pm–5pm.

Tea at The Ritz

Afternoon tea at The Ritz epitomises the unhurried, relaxed ritual — yet most definitely refines it. Served in the Palm Court since 1906, the setting — all gilt, mirrors and crown mouldings — transports you back to another time. A strict dress code still applies: no trainers, no sportswear, and gentlemen in jackets and ties. The waiters, in tailcoats, dance through the space; cups are topped up before you notice they’re empty, plates whisked away unnoticed. My Mum summarised it best: ‘They really know what they’re doing’.

There are more than 20 teas to choose from and six types of sandwich, each filling perfectly paired with a different bread (the ham was my favourite). There’s also a cake trolley with two daily specials (the kitchen bakes 30 Victoria sponge cakes every day), alongside warm scones and patisserie: blueberry cheesecake; banoffee parcels of joy; raspberry mousse in white chocolate. It’s playful, delicate, and delicious and all served to the soundtrack of live piano music. Flo Allen

Tea at The Ritz starts from £81 for adults and £59 for children, and it’s served five times a day (11.30am, 1.30pm, 3.30pm, 5.30pm and 7.30pm). Booking is essential.

Petersham Nurseries

Afternoon tea at Petersham Nurseries is a very green affair — firstly, because last year the restaurant was awarded a Michelin Green star for the fifth year running, and secondly because it’s served in their Garden Room, a greenhouse festooned with hanging plants.

Their seasonal Vegan Afternoon Tea is a triumph, with palpable attention to detail in every bite. Highlights include the tofu cream on sourdough, so flavoursome it’ll make you forget every boring tofu experience you’ve ever had, and the zucchini and feta tartlet — fresh and light with a beautifully browned pastry.

The standout, however, has to be the sweets: strawberry mousse cake, a warming apricot frangipane tartlet, a truly sensational meringue (made with chickpea water), and raspberry cheesecake with a coconut base. The scones are cloud-like and the tea list extensive. Try the Rosebud — the flowers are grown just metres away in the kitchen garden. Caitlin Barr

The vegan afternoon tea at Petersham Nurseries starts from £60 per person or £70 with Prosecco or a delightfully tart plum Bellini.

Fortnum & Mason

As someone with a gluten intolerance, the words ‘afternoon tea’ are usually a cause for sorrow: tiers of exquisitely crafted miniature cakes and painstakingly uniform sandwiches reminding me of the things I can no longer enjoy. But at Fortnum & Mason, not so. The eau de nil bastion of all things deliciously British provides for all.

Alongside their standard afternoon tea, they also provide an entirely savoury option — think wild mushroom profiteroles — a vegetarian offering, and one made without gluten. Served with a glass of bubbles and a tea of your choice from the extensive menu (I opted for black tea with fig) my meal was excellent.

Of the sandwiches, the smoked trout with cream cheese was a favourite (I had to have seconds). This was followed by a scone and a selection of delicious patisseries (the blackcurrant mousse was delicious) and macaroons to finish. Each bite was a delight and I’d definitely visit again. Lotte Brundle

The gluten-free afternoon tea at Fortnum & Mason starts from £84 per person.

The Adria

Afternoon teas at London hotels can sometimes make you feel like you’re in a highly-glorified canteen: a giant space with dozens of other people sitting at tables around you, all eating the same thing. Tea at The Adria is pretty much the complete opposite: it feels more like popping into a friend’s house. On our visit the dining room was set up with just three tables, and Domink Feller’s team were so relaxed and chatty that our party — two adults, two children — were instantly at home within minutes of getting here following our 90-second stroll from the Natural History Museum.

Better than home, actually, unless you also have ten varieties of Newby tea set out in containers to see, smell and touch before choosing which one you’d like to sample first, from the usual Earl Grey and Silver Needle to more exotic choices like Apple Strudel ‘and Strawberry & Mango (both delicious).

Finger- and open-sandwiches, similarly, offered a mix. There were regular options — smoked salmon with caviar — but also some more unusual options, including a sublime smoked chicken with sage mayonnaise, and a more, ahem, ‘challenging’ mushroom and chestnut on harissa bread. (The hotel is also justly renowned for its outstanding gluten-free afternoon tea, something far too few places take seriously.)

The younger ones (on our table and one of the others) were delighted by teddy bear-shaped jam sandwiches, accompanied by a real teddy to take home. And everybody was delighted by the scones which were, quite simply, the best I’ve ever had at an afternoon tea. Toby Keel

Afternoon tea at The Adria starts from £55 per person, £65 including a glass of Champagne, or £62 with a glass of sparkling Saicho tea.

The Kensington

The Kensington is the queen of themed afternoon teas, typically inspired by whatever blockbuster exhibition is on at the V&A Museum. At the moment, they’re serving up a lavishly decadent version, best suited to diners with a bold sweet tooth, in honour of Marie Antoinette Style.

Treats that subtly nod to the last French queen include strawberry génoise sponges with vanilla Chantilly, blackberry and lemon tartlets, pastel-perfect macarons oozing chocolate ganache, and a rather elegant Le Brise de la Dauphine lemon shortbread.

To help counter the sugar rush, there are sophisticated sandwiches such as pastrami with horseradish cream, French chicken tarragon, and a bright pink brioche roll filled with avocado purée, and sun-dried tomatoes and feta. Buttery plain and fruit scones are served, of course, alongside clotted cream and jam — reassuringly simple after the flamboyant flavours of the patisserie selection.

The tea menu is impressive — more exotic than traditional — and while the upgraded option of Charles Heidsieck Champagne is tempting, I recommend the surprisingly good Queen’s Coupe cocktail. The gin fizz-based concoction, served in a coupe, is finished with raspberry dust (a word or warning, don’t get it on your fingers because it’s a bit sticky).

This afternoon tea is as theatrical as its namesake’s passion for drama. Each morsel is jam-packed with flavour, but it’s the presentation and design that take centre stage. The lemon shortbread, for example, features a painstakingly intricate piped design of a ball gown. Stripy pink and white chocolate panels, edible flowers and billowing mousse make this afternoon tea a real feast for the eyes… and perhaps a visit to the dentist afterwards. Emma Earnshaw.

Afternoon tea at the Kensington starts from £59 per person, £73 with Champagne or The Queen’s Coupe.