The 17 Best Afternoon Tea Experiences in London

The 17 Best Afternoon Tea Experiences in London

best afternoon tea in London

Join us as we find the best Afternoon Tea in London

Even though we eat all things indiscriminately, a good afternoon tea has a special place in our hearts at Wrap Your Lips Around This. But what makes a really good afternoon tea? And is it possible to say which one is the best afternoon tea in London?

It’s true that we’ve munched happily through quite a lot of scones, finger sandwiches and miniature cakes in a relatively short period of time.

In our humble opinion, these are the 16 best hotels and restaurants for a luxurious afternoon tea in London:

1. Afternoon tea at Rosebery at The Mandarin Oriental

best afternoon tea in London mandarin oriental

mandarin oriental afternoon tea

We’ve had a lot of great afternoon teas, but this is one of our favourites. Located in the Rosebery restaurant at the stunning Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Knightsbridge, this is one uber-luxurious setting.

Expect a room with lots of natural light streaming in through picture windows. There are comfy spring-green sofas, and afternoon tea is leisurely and unrushed. Is this the best afternoon tea in London? It comes close.

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2. Afternoon tea at The Lobby Lounge at Corinthia

best afternoon tea in London corinthia hotel embankment

Afternoon tea is served in the circular Lobby Lounge of The Corinthia Hotel, under a glass-domed atrium. The domed roof is filled with an enormous chandelier,  and the glow of 1000 baccarat crystals.

The cakes here are delightful – teensy little things with so much detailing and complexity that they’re more like bits of art. This is where I would want to get married – it’s romantic and deliciously peaceful. And it’s a front-runner for best afternoon tea in London.

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3. Afternoon tea at Kettners

best afternoon tea in London

best afternoon tea in London kettners

Kettners has been in Soho so long that it’s practically royalty. Again, lots of open space, pretty design features and natural lighting, and a delectable array of cakes which include a sharply spiked lemon meringue pie, coconut parfait, honeycomb cheesecake, berry jelly and raspberry mini macaron.

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4. Afternoon tea at Lanes of London

best afternoon tea in London

At Lanes of London, expect outstanding cakes and savouries that change with the seasons. Once you’ve had your fill of these, you get to enjoy  buttermilk and raisin scones, hot and swaddled in linen. Tease these open and spread lavishly with clotted cream and strawberry conserve. And if that isn’t the recipe for the best afternoon tea in London, I don’t know what it ;)

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5. Afternoon tea at The Landmark London

landmark london afternoon tea

Afternoon tea is served in the stunning Winter Garden, and includes an endless array of sticky-sweet cakes which include, deep breath: white chocolate and pomegranate mousse, pistachio bakewell with homemade fig and lemon jam, hazelnut and orange macaroon, cappuccino bavarois, coconut and chocolate macaroon, blood orange and dark chocolate mousse and Pistachio Opera gateau. And release.

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6. Afternoon tea at Dalloway Terrace

best afternoon tea in London

The 1930’s style literary inspired Afternoon Tea at Dalloway Terrace starts with freshly cut sandwiches of smoked corn-fed chicken in brioche, free-range egg and mustard cress, and cucumber. My personal favourite though is the open sandwich of a creamy smoked salmon mousse on bread. But is it good enough to be best afternoon tea in London? Maybe just one more scone will help decide it!

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7. Afternoon tea at The Royal Albert Hall

Royal albert hall afternoon tea

Afternoon tea is held in Verdi, the first floor restaurant in the Royal Albert Hall that curves along the outer edge of the building. The room has picturesque views of the Royal College of Music to one side, and Hyde Park to the other.

The olive-green and cream interior is a calming place to enjoy the quintessentially British tradition of afternoon tea, with cups of East India Company tea. If tou paired it with a show at the Royal Albert Hall, then it could possibly be the best afternoon tea in London. It’d be the best day out in any case!

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8. Afternoon tea at The W Hotel

The W London are running an Arach-Tea, which is part of the Punk London event series happening throughout the city. The Anarch-Tea, created by W London’s pastry chef Rachel Newman, combines classic British recipes like the Battenburg with punk designs in the primary colours of the Union Jack. It’s rock and roll for sure, but is it the best afternoon tea in London? Possibly, although I’d have to try it again to say for sure.

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9. Afternoon tea at Conrad St James Hotel

afternoon tea conrad hotel london

In a nod to London Fashion Week, the Conrad St James have launched a fashion-forward afternoon tea. Cakes include a marshmallow tea cake, with cherry and pineapple crisp (which is apparently Vivienne Westwood in pastry form). My personal favourite is the white and dark chocolate mousse on caramel biscuit – which reminds some of Jean Paul Gautier. Suffice to say, I know nothing about fashun. If you do then you might find this the best afternoon tea in London.

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10. Afternoon tea at Mews of Mayfair

best afternoon tea in London

Created by executive chef Michael Lecouteur, the afternoon tea at Mews of Mayfair includes seed-studded bagels with Lambton & Jackson smoked salmon, sandwiches of cream cheese with cucumber, and caramelized onion bread stuffed with chicken Caesar. Yummy. The food is good, but the location (down a Mayfair Mews) is even better.

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11. Afternoon tea at Hyatt Regency London

Hyatt Regency London – The Churchill is soon to showcase London’s first entirely chocolate afternoon tea in partnership with Green & Black’s chocolate. Cocoa dripped and layered pastries will include the lush sounding white chocolate macaron stack and gold leaf embellished butterscotch and chocolate cake. Yum. I reckon it might be a firm contender for best afternoon tea in London. I mean, who doesn’t love chocolate?

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12. Afternoon tea at Mad Hatter’s at Sanderson

The Sanderson Hotel are running an Alice in Wonderland themed afternoon tea. Little hints at the wonderland theme are peppered throughout, starting with rolled sandwiches which are made to resemble the hedgehogs from The Queen’s Croquet. If you’re into the theme then they do it really well at The Sanderson, and you won’t be disappointed.

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13. Afternoon tea at Pantry at 108

Plain and raisin scones, clotted cream, jam – Pantry at 108 Marylebone Afternoon Tea

If you love classic pastries and fat, homely scones, then the afternoon tea at Pantry at 108 is for you. Both the plain and raisin versions are brilliantly wafting and fluffy; their virtues extended with serious amounts of Devonshire clotted cream and strawberry jam. For the scones alone I’d call this the best afternoon tea in London.

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14. Afternoon tea at The Lanesborough Hotel

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Afternoon tea at The Lanesborough Hotel is held in a stunning room – just look at it. Endless white marble is detailed with golden filigree, framed silhouettes and plush linens. It’s a beaut, and the cakes, scones and finger sandwiches are a delight too. Just as well!

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15. Afternoon tea at InterContinental London Park Lane

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The Intercontinental hotel have a special Christmas afternoon tea every year, where they bring to life the most classic of festive flavours.

The part we love most has to be their desserts – this year they’re served like gifts in a red-bow box under mini-Christmas trees. The cakes includ plum pudding mousse, Christmas cake, Yule log, and spiced apple pie. Yum! A firm contender for best afternoon tea in London.

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16. Afternoon tea at Ham Yard Hotel

Served on a neon pink triple-tiered stand, the Ham Yard Hotel afternoon tea includes a hefty booty of treats. There are sliders full of sticky pulled oxtail, flatbreads with welsh rarebit, and butter-fried toast with sautéed mushroom and cheese. Scones are warm and swaddled in thick cotton, and desserts include macarons, a cheesecake and chocolate cupcakes!

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17. Afternoon tea at Brown’s Hotel

Best afternoon tea in London could also go to Brown’s Hotel, who offer both a traditional afternoon tea and a healthy Tea-Tox variety. Considering the fact that the healthier version has low-sugar, low-fat, and low-carb elements, it’s surprisingly luxurious and satisfying… yummy.

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Have you tried any of  these afternoon teas before? Which would would you say is the best afternoon tea in London? Drop us a line to let us know if we’ve missed any :)

7 Comments

  • andreaspassions5
    9 years ago

    I’ve only been to the Landmark of these – clearly need to get my butt over to the Mandarin Oriental as I too consider you quite the connoisseur when it comes to afternoon teas! Thanks for the post :) Lots of love, Andrea xxx

    Andrea’s Passions

    • Mehreen A
      9 years ago

      Aw thanks Andrea :) The Mandarin do a mean afternoon tea – well worth checking out!

  • […] Corinthia has long been one of my favourite venues for afternoon tea, and the input from Sarah Barber has only served to make this more so. The afternoon tea costs £60 […]

  • Shikha (whywasteannualleave)
    8 years ago

    Wow Mehreen, I always think of myself as being a bit of an afternoon tea expert as I’ve also been to quite a few but I haven’t been to any of these!! 😀 thanks for the tip about the mandarin oriental being your favourite – will have to check it out. Lots of people cite clarifies as their favourite – I’ve not been myself but have you tried that one?

    • Mehreen A
      8 years ago

      No worries and yup the Mandarin Oriental afternoon tea is incredible. I’ve not tried the tea at Claridges but it’s on my list :)

  • 7 years ago

    I really want to try the Dalloway Terrace one this summer, that place sounds amazing.

    • Mehreen A
      7 years ago

      Its a really gorgeous setting for an afternoon tea!

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