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The best afternoon tea in London, from the Ritz to a Richmond nursery

Twenty afternoon teas: grand hotel lounges, a Piccadilly grocer, an art-filled Mayfair townhouse and tea among the greenhouses.

Updated · 4 min read

8 of the 20

  1. The Palm Court at The Ritz

    St James'sHotel afternoon tea££££

    Tea in the gilded Palm Court is the Ritz at its most Ritz: silver teapots, a pianist and a cake trolley wheeled to your table. Men need a jacket and tie, and no one gets in wearing jeans or trainers.

  2. The Foyer & Reading Room at Claridge's

    MayfairHotel afternoon tea££££

    A pianist and cellist play in Claridge's Art Deco foyer while sandwiches, scones and pastries come round. One of the most expensive teas in London, and one of the best.

  3. The Gallery at The Savoy

    StrandHotel afternoon tea££££

    Tea at The Savoy happens in the Gallery: pale pink walls, chandeliers and a stained-glass dome overhead, with sofas made for staying a while.

  4. Fortnum & Mason

    PiccadillyAfternoon tea & food hall£££

    The Piccadilly grocer, trading since 1707 and stacked with hampers and tea tins. Afternoon tea is served in its first-floor salon, named for the 2012 jubilee; the food hall below claims to have invented the Scotch egg.

  5. Palm Court at The Langham

    MaryleboneHotel afternoon tea££££

    The Langham says it served London's first hotel afternoon tea, in 1865. Today it's poured on Wedgwood china in the mirrored Palm Court, and the mood is relaxed enough to bring children.

  6. The Drawing Room at Brown's Hotel

    MayfairHotel afternoon tea££££

    Brown's, billed as London's oldest hotel, serves tea by the fire in a wood-panelled drawing room where Agatha Christie is said to have plotted her mysteries. The desserts are the highlight.

  7. Sketch

    MayfairArt-filled afternoon tea££££

    Mayfair's most photographed afternoon tea, served in the Gallery at Sketch, a townhouse of restaurants and bars. The egg-shaped toilet pods upstairs are part of the visit.

  8. Petersham Nurseries Teahouse

    RichmondGarden teahouse££

    Tea and cakes among the greenhouses and old vines of a Richmond plant nursery, a calm, leafy alternative to the hotel lounges. Pair it with a walk by the river or in Richmond Park.

The other 12

The 20 are spread across 11 neighbourhoods. Mayfair (5), Knightsbridge (3), Marylebone (2), Piccadilly (2) and St James's (2) have the most; Belgravia, Fitzrovia, Holborn, Piccadilly Circus, Richmond and Strand have one each.

London Afternoon Tea · 20 places

+12 more in the app

An Alice in Wonderland tea in a leafy courtyard, truffled egg sandwiches on a veranda round the corner from Buckingham Palace, patisserie built by a star pastry chef near Hyde Park, a gilded 1860s room where Oscar Wilde held court, and more.

Add all 20 to your Whosly map

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Or search “Whosly: Plans, Places & RSVPs” on the App Store

Add all 20 to your iPhonePoint your iPhone camera here — the London Afternoon Tea pack opens in Whosly, ready for your map.

For dinner after, see the best British food in London.

Common questions

Where is the best afternoon tea in London?
The Palm Court at The Ritz: silver teapots, a pianist and a cake trolley wheeled to your table; The Foyer & Reading Room at Claridge's, where a pianist and cellist play in the Art Deco foyer; and The Drawing Room at Brown's Hotel, billed as London's oldest hotel, with tea by the fire where Agatha Christie is said to have plotted her mysteries.
Is there a dress code for afternoon tea at the Ritz?
Yes. For tea in The Palm Court at The Ritz, men need a jacket and tie, and no one gets in wearing jeans or trainers.
Where can I have afternoon tea away from the grand hotels?
Fortnum & Mason on Piccadilly, trading since 1707, serves tea in its first-floor salon; Sketch is Mayfair's most photographed tea; and Petersham Nurseries Teahouse in Richmond serves tea and cakes among the greenhouses of a plant nursery.
Which London afternoon tea is good for children?
Palm Court at The Langham, which says it served London's first hotel afternoon tea in 1865, pours on Wedgwood china in a mirrored room relaxed enough to bring children.
Which London neighbourhood is best for afternoon teas?
On our list, Mayfair has the most, with 5 of the 20. The rest are spread across 10 other neighbourhoods, so there is a good one in most parts of the city.
What are the best afternoon teas in Central London?
On our list: The Foyer & Reading Room at Claridge's, The Drawing Room at Brown's Hotel and Sketch in Mayfair; The Palm Court at The Ritz in St James's; The Gallery at The Savoy on the Strand; Fortnum & Mason in Piccadilly; Palm Court at The Langham in Marylebone. 19 of our 20 are in Central London, and all of them are in the Whosly app.
Where can I see all 20?
Whosly's London Afternoon Tea pack has all 20, mapped, with our notes and booking links. Add it in the app and every one lands on your own map, ready to save, rate and plan around. The pack is included with Planner Pro.
City Packs in the Whosly app
City Packs in the app — add one and every place lands on your map.

All 20, on your own map

This page is 8 of them. The London Afternoon Tea pack in Whosly has all 20 — add it and every one drops onto your map, ready to save, rate and turn into a plan your friends RSVP to from a text, no app needed to answer. The pack is included with Planner Pro.

Get Whosly — free on iPhone

Or search “Whosly: Plans, Places & RSVPs” on the App Store

Get it on your iPhonePoint your iPhone camera here — or open the App Store and search “Whosly: Plans, Places & RSVPs”.
About Whosly. Whosly is an iPhone app for group plans, saved places and RSVPs. Anyone you invite can RSVP from a link on any phone, with no app and no account — that part is free for everyone, always. On the free tier you host three plans at a time and RSVP to as many as you like; multi-stop nights, Surprise mode and City Packs are Planner Pro. whosly.app

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