When it comes to finding the best afternoon tea in London, the challenge can seem daunting. This tea capital has so many options and it can be hard to know where to start. But have no fear, the Americans are here.
I say that in jest because despite my struggle with American exceptionalism, it’s taken me the better part of a decade to study, understand, and find the best afternoon tea in London. We tried our first afternoon tea in 2015 when my wife lived in London for a secondment.
From then on we became tea addicts. Our addiction started at the Rosewood Hotel and carried us to Mad Hatter, Browns, and the Langham, to name a few.
On our most recent London trip in 2023, we wanted to try something classical and traditional (similar to Browns, which was outstanding). We also wanted to explore more thematic and esoteric teas. That’s the beauty of the best afternoon tea in London: they don’t have to be traditional to be good.
What is the best afternoon tea in London for you?
When deciding where to go for afternoon tea in London, you should first ask yourself: what is the best afternoon tea in London for you? Consider these categories:
- Traditional – afternoon teas in this category come with a standard tea menu, sandwiches, and pastries/sweets. For the sandwiches, expect cucumber with mint cream cheese, smoked salmon with lemon butter, egg salad with cress, and potentially ham or chicken versions as well. You should also expect scones with butter and jams. The traditional experience typically concludes with sweets like elaborate cookies and cakes.
- Thematic – these options relate to a central theme such as art (Rosewood), fashion (Prêt-à -Portea at The Berkeley), or even more specific topics like Alice in Wonderland (Mad Hatter). Read on to find out more about our experiences at Rosewood and The Berkeley below.
- Esoteric – there are quirky options too! Londonist put together a great list if you want teas with even quirkier themes, unusual locations, and/or global flavors. With that said, some of our “normal” thematic options appeared as their “quirky” examples, so it’s clearly in the eye of the beholder.
Afternoon tea or high tea – what’s the difference?
One comment I received repeatedly on the video we did about our three tea experiences was that afternoon tea is NOT high tea. I may have accidentally conflated the two in the video, though I couldn’t find the exact part where.
Regardless, afternoon tea is traditionally what I’ve already described: tea and lighter fare, including sandwiches, scones, and cakes. It’s usually served in the mid to late afternoon.
High tea by contrast is more substantive. It’s typically offered in the early evening and includes meat, fish, bread, and dessert. Basically, dinner with tea.
TeaTime magazine has a good summary of the difference if you want to learn more.
Our quest for the best afternoon tea in London led us to these 3 places
First, we went to The Connaught. Located in the beautiful London neighborhood of Mayfair, this setting screamed old money luxury, just like this magnificent hotel in Geneva. Then we traveled to Knightsbridge for fashion tea at The Berkeley. Another astoundingly rich and luxurious setting. Finally, we ended our experience at an old favorite: art tea at Rosewood, which is located near St. Paul’s and “The City” of London. It’s probably the most contemporary tea on the list.
Let’s break down each one. To do so we assessed the following:
- Overall value – is it worth the price?
- Return value – would I go back, or is it a special occasion or even a one-time experience?
- Is it good for kids? We traveled with a toddler so this was important for us!
Read to the end to also find an honorable mention tea, or watch it here. Let’s discover the best afternoon tea in London!
Tea #1: The Connaught in Mayfair
Mayfair is one of my favorite neighborhoods in London. If you’re a fan of luxury, this place is for you. The Connaught’s afternoon tea experience sits within the renowned Jean-Georges restaurant.
For an older hotel, the interior is stylish and relatively contemporary. Although the older design became apparent when we tried to fit our large Uppababy stroller through the hotel’s front doors. It wouldn’t fit. I had to take the wheels off to get it through the narrow passageway.
Unfortunately, that wasn’t the only thing that was narrow. Of the three teas we tried on our most recent trip, this space was by far the most cramped and expensive. It felt like we were on top of the people sitting around us.
Base price: £75.00*Â
*This does not include add-ons like champagne and it was £90.00 when we went because it was Valentine’s Day.
The worst part about the experience, however, was the service. The place was packed and they were either short-staffed, disorganized, or both. For example, we received our sandwiches before we were even served tea, something that didn’t happen anywhere else we went. Also, when they served the cakes and cookies, they didn’t explain anything, which didn’t happen elsewhere either.
As the most expensive of the three teas we tried on this trip, it surprisingly performed the worst. Â The food was fine, but the bread on the sandwiches was noticeably airy. They did have separate children’s options at a reduced price, and our son seemed to like some of the options (especially the Nutella sandwich). But overall, it was a disappointing experience that I wouldn’t try again.
Rating: 6/10
Tea #2: The Berkeley – Prêt-à -Portea – Knightsbridge
Knightsbridge may be my favorite neighborhood in London. Few places embody its classiness and luxury like The Berkeley Hotel. The Prêt-à -Portea that they feature is an afternoon tea that celebrates fashion. Haute couture you can eat in an opulent setting – what’s not to like!?
Because the menu is focused on the specific season’s fashion, the menu changes regularly. But that also gives this place a strong return value. Your experience is likely to be different each time, even if you go once per season.
As expected, crafting cookies and cakes in that season’s fashion is not cheap. This tea will set you back some pounds but compared to The Connaught it’s money well spent for a truly unique and thematic tea experience.
Base price: £80.00*
*This does not include add-ons like champagne.
The setting is so rich and luxurious that even I was a little intimidated. And I’ve been to my fair share of five-star hotels and Michelin restaurants. Everything from the doormen and the hostess to the service and ambiance was top notch. Cloth towels in the bathroom are always a nice touch too.
One element I was very impressed by was the menu. It was like reading a fashion catalog. The level of detail and the breadth of options – even vegan selections! – was impressive. They didn’t have children’s options, but they let us order off the main restaurant lunch menu so our son could eat too.
To hear more, check out our video here.
Rating: 9/10
Tea #3: Rosewood – Holborn
My wife and I had previously come here childless in 2019. It was probably our favorite afternoon tea experience then – and that’s compared to Brown’s, Langham and other top-notch teas in the city.
This second time with a toddler did not disappoint. In fact, Rosewood went above and beyond.
Not only does Rosewood offer a separate kid’s menu, they gave our son a small dog when he arrived, which he quickly named “Rosy” in honor of the hotel.
Adults who love art will really appreciate this art afternoon tea experience. The specific theme is constantly changing, moving from one artist to another. When we were first at Rosewood in 2019, they were celebrating Van Gogh. This most recent time it was Salvador Dali.
Base price: £75.00*
*This does not include add-ons like champagne.
This was probably the most creative tea I’ve ever been to. And that’s saying something compared to The Berkeley’s fashion tea. In addition to the art-inspired pastries – that literally replicate some of the most famous works from the featured artist – Rosewood even incorporated NFTs into its experience.
You’ll have to watch the video to see what I’m talking about – I’m not sure it practically did much, but it was fun!
While Rosewood was probably the most modern setting and experience of the three teas we tried, the hotel itself is very traditional and elegant. So you get the best of all worlds here.
One criticism, however, was the fact they didn’t let us take any extra sandwiches to go. Our son decided he wasn’t hungry at that exact moment, so didn’t eat much. We were hoping to take his food to go so we could feed him later, but they said it was a health hazard.
Much has been made of this in the comments to this video, and while I can understand all perspectives, I really think it comes down to the fact they don’t want people taking advantage of their generosity with bringing extra sandwiches.
If you’re not already aware, you can always ask for extra food at afternoon tea and most places will bring them to you free of charge. Unfortunately, some people take advantage of this system, which is why I think they probably implement policies like this – I doubt it’s for health reasons, but I could be wrong!
This critique did not detract at all from the overall magical experience.
Rating: 10/10
Honorable mention for the best afternoon tea in London
I want to give some love to an afternoon tea experience in London that doesn’t get enough love: the Orchid Lounge at the Pan Pacific Hotel. It’s one of the few Asian-inspired afternoon teas in London. Instead of sandwiches – which you can still order if you MUST – their main menu offers dumplings and other Asian delights. Basically, dim sum with tea.
Their pastries did not disappoint and the setting evokes garden vibes within a 5 star hotel. We’ve stayed at this hotel two separate times and loved it. So if you’re looking for something a little different, consider tea at the Pan Pacific.
The verdict: did we find the best afternoon tea in London?
As mentioned previously, determining the best afternoon tea in London is subjective, but I think almost everyone would be happy at Rosewood. Not only is it the cheapest of the three teas we tried here, but it also delivers unique experiences each time you go. Their menu changes with the seasons, as does fashion tea at The Berkeley.
I don’t know about you, but the same traditional tea over and over gets dull quick. Plus, there are many affordable options for a cup of tea across London that won’t run you the same price of The Connaught (or similar options like The Savoy).
The best afternoon tea in London for you will be one that fits your preferences best. If you don’t have kids, you have a little more freedom to explore and experiment. If you do have kids, that restricts you to certain experiences.
Which is why I think Rosewood overall delivers the best afternoon tea in London. Its quality, accomodation, and experience is better than all of the teas I’ve tried in London to date.
But let me know what you think. Have you been to any of these places? How was your experience? Let us know in the comments.
We hope this review and summary have been helpful. Regardless of where you choose to go for afternoon tea, enjoy the experience and have fun. It’s a part of British culture I truly love and will be back for again soon.
Cheers!
