The Best Afternoon Tea in London
Afternoon tea in London is both a ritual and a delight. It’s possibly the most English activity there is (apart from playing cricket and being optimistic about the weather). And while no trip to London is complete without afternoon tea, there are just so many to choose from. We’ve chosen the best afternoon tea locations in town.
Let Totally Tailored guide you to the butteriest scones, the most fragrant tea, and the sweetest cake stands in London’s Afternoon Tea scene.
The Classic Choice:
The Goring Hotel
Where: 15 Beeston Place, Westminster, London SW1 W0J
When: 12pm – 6pm, Monday to Sunday, In The Veranda
Price: from £70 per person
This London hotel is fit for royalty – literally. This is where Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, stayed with her family the night before her wedding to Prince William in 2011. The Goring is a jewel-box of a hotel, a well-kept secret among more opulent choices like the Ritz. Their afternoon tea is an award-winning affair, and in summer you get the full Downton Abbey experience since the lounge has a terrace and a lovely view of the garden. The Goring is an oasis of calm in a great central London location.
It’s clear this is Duchess’s best afternoon tea pick so who are we to disagree?
Tour Guide Tip: In the summer you can see games of croquet being played on the lawn over the rim of your tea cup.
The Instagram Choice:
Sketch London
Where: 9 Conduit Street, London W1S 2XG
When: times vary, check website for booking times
Price: from £95 per person
Mayfair is full of traditional establishments, but Sketch is an altogether more playful affair. In fact, every room of Sketch is playful, but it’s tea in the Gallery which we think is the big draw. Their delicious pastel afternoon tea offering perfectly matches the surroundings, which are feminine but modern.
Surrounded by original artwork in plush pink surroundings, and often accompanied by live music, tea at Sketch is designed to delight all your senses. Their current Sketch in Bloom theme commemorates the National Gallery’s bicentenary with an immersive floral exhibition.
Tour Guide Tip: Sketch is next door to the best high-end boutiques in London, like Stella McCartney and Matthew Williamson, making this the best afternoon tea for high fashion shoppers.
The Unbeatable Choice (Totally Tailored’s Favourite):
Fortnum and Mason
Where: 181 Piccadilly, London W1A 1ER
When: 11.30 am to 7 pm, Monday- Saturday and 12pm to 6pm on Sunday
Price: from £80 per person
When you want a classic experience of afternoon tea in London, Fortnum and Mason is the obvious choice. This grande dame of Piccadilly also gives a warm welcome to anyone with dietary requirements, with a good range of options for gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian and vegan guests. It’s all divinely elegant, and all themed around their signature celadon blue, from china to furnishings.
The Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon is one of the prettiest venues in London. We guarantee, it will make all your dreams of taking afternoon tea like royalty come true.
Tour Guide Tip: Fortnum’s offering is lavish, and it keeps coming! So eat as much as you like, then let them box up the rest for you – that spare scone can become a happy memory when enjoyed later, with some tea from the legendary food hall.
The Michelin Choice:
The Ritz
Where: 50 Piccadilly, St. James’s, London W1J 9BR
When: 11.30am, 1.30pm, 3.30pm, 5.30pm and 7.30pm, Daily
Price: from £75 per person
If you’re interested in the culinary scene and appreciate a Michelin starred location, The Ritz is your choice. It has been Michelin starred since 2016 and it is for good reason.
From the flavored bread they use for their sandwiches to their classic British pastries, this afternoon tea will have you appreciating the finer things in life. Its atmosphere also stuns with chandeliers, marble pillars, and fresh cut flowers as a simple touch in The Palm Court.
They boast over 20 types of loose leaf tea that are sure to cater to your personal palette. Along with generous slices of cakes straight off the trolly created by their talented pastry chefs.
At Totally Tailored we are always looking for the best spots in London in order to tailor our tours to our guests. Interested in a guided tour of London? Click here to see the tours we offer or click here to contact us if there’s a tour you don’t see but are interested in.
