Afternoon tea is the most civilised meal there is: sandwiches, scones, cakes and tea, taken slowly in beautiful rooms. The tradition is said to have been started in the 1840s by Anna, Duchess of Bedford, who grew hungry in the long gap between lunch and a late dinner and began asking for tea and cake in the afternoon. It soon became a fashionable social occasion.
Today afternoon tea is a treat for birthdays, anniversaries and celebrations, and the grand hotels of London compete to serve the finest. A traditional afternoon tea has three tiers: finger sandwiches at the bottom, scones with clotted cream and jam in the middle, and cakes and pastries at the top. These eight are among the most famous. Book well ahead and check the dress code.
1. The Ritz, London
Afternoon tea at the Ritz, on Piccadilly in London, is the most famous of all. It is served in the Palm Court, a glittering room of gilded mirrors, marble and chandeliers. A pianist, and at times a string ensemble, plays as you eat.
The Ritz opened in 1906, and afternoon tea has been served in the Palm Court for more than a century. The finger sandwiches, freshly baked scones and delicate pastries are served on silver stands, with a choice of teas. Waiters in tailcoats glide between the tables.
The Ritz is famous for its strict dress code: gentlemen are expected to wear a jacket and tie, and jeans and sportswear are not allowed. Check the current rules when you book. Many guests dress up for the occasion. It adds to the sense of glamour.
Afternoon tea is served at several sittings through the day, and it is so popular that tables must be booked weeks or even months in advance. It is a perfect treat for a special occasion. Green Park station is just outside.
2. Fortnum and Mason, London
Fortnum and Mason, on Piccadilly, has been selling tea, hampers and fine food since 1707. It is one of the most famous shops in the world, and it holds royal warrants. Its afternoon tea is served in the Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon, opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 2012.
The tea salon is a light, elegant room above the shop, decorated in the shop’s famous eau de nil green. Fortnum’s tea experts will help you choose from dozens of teas. The scones, sandwiches and cakes are made in its own kitchens.
Before or after tea, explore the shop, with its floors of tea, biscuits, chocolates, hampers and fine food. Outside, a clock on the front of the building has figures of Mr Fortnum and Mr Mason that appear on the hour. It is one of the most charming sights on Piccadilly.
Booking is recommended, especially at weekends. The shop is a short walk from the Ritz and the Royal Academy. A Fortnum’s hamper makes a lovely gift to take home.
3. The Savoy, London
The Savoy, on the Strand overlooking the River Thames, is one of the most famous hotels in the world. It opened in 1889, and it was one of the first hotels in Britain to have electric lighting throughout. Film stars, royalty and writers have stayed there.
Afternoon tea is served in the Thames Foyer, beneath a beautiful glass cupola, with a pianist playing in a gazebo in the middle of the room. The light pouring through the glass makes it bright and airy. It is one of the most beautiful settings for tea in London.
The Savoy’s afternoon tea includes finger sandwiches, scones and a selection of pastries, with a wide choice of teas. There are options for vegetarians and other diets. The service is impeccable.
The Savoy has a smart casual dress code. Book well ahead, especially for weekends. Covent Garden and the West End theatres are a short walk away, making it perfect before a matinée.
4. Claridge’s, London
Claridge’s, in Mayfair, is one of the grandest hotels in London, and it has been a favourite of royalty and celebrities for well over a century. It is famous for its Art Deco interiors. It feels like stepping back into the glamour of the 1920s and 1930s.
Afternoon tea is served in the Foyer, a light, elegant room at the heart of the hotel, beneath a striking glass sculpture. The finger sandwiches, scones and pastries are beautifully presented. There is a wide choice of teas.
Claridge’s is known for its attention to detail and its warm service. The scones are famous, served warm with clotted cream and jam. The pastries change with the seasons.
Claridge’s has a smart casual dress code. Tables are in high demand, so book ahead. Mayfair’s shops and galleries are on the doorstep.
5. Sketch, London
Sketch, in a grand eighteenth century townhouse in Mayfair, is one of the most unusual places for afternoon tea in London. It is a restaurant, bar and gallery, with a series of rooms, each with its own playful and theatrical design. It is a place to go for fun rather than formality.
Its most famous dining room, the Gallery, became world famous for its pink design and walls hung with artworks, and it has since been reimagined with new colours and art. It is one of the most photographed dining rooms in London. Whatever its current look, it is striking.
The afternoon tea is inventive, with creative sandwiches, cakes and pastries, as well as traditional scones. It is very photogenic. The building also has futuristic egg shaped toilet pods, which visitors love.
Sketch is popular with visitors from around the world, so book ahead. It is a short walk from Oxford Circus. It is a fun alternative to the grand hotels.
6. Bettys, Harrogate and York
Bettys is a Yorkshire institution. It was founded in Harrogate in 1919 by Frederick Belmont, a Swiss confectioner, and it combines Swiss and Yorkshire traditions. It has tea rooms in Harrogate, York and a few other Yorkshire towns.
The York tea room, in St Helen’s Square, has an Art Deco interior inspired by the grand ocean liner the Queen Mary. The Harrogate tea room looks out over the green spaces at the heart of the town. Both are elegant and charming.
Bettys is famous for its cakes and pastries, including the Fat Rascal, a large fruity scone decorated with cherries and almonds. Its afternoon tea is served on tiered stands, with teas from around the world. The service is by waiting staff in traditional uniforms.
There is often a queue outside Bettys, but it moves quickly and the wait is worth it. Some tea rooms take bookings for afternoon tea. See our York guide.
7. The Balmoral, Edinburgh
The Balmoral, at the east end of Princes Street in Edinburgh, is one of the grandest hotels in Scotland. It opened in the early twentieth century as a railway hotel beside Waverley station. Its tall clock tower is a landmark.
The clock on the tower is traditionally set a few minutes fast, to help people catching trains at Waverley station, except on Hogmanay, when it tells the right time for the New Year. It is one of Edinburgh’s charming quirks. The hotel is full of stories.
Afternoon tea is served in the Palm Court, a beautiful room with a glass dome and a harpist playing. The sandwiches, scones and pastries are delicious, and there is a fine selection of teas. The author J.K. Rowling finished writing the last Harry Potter book in a suite at the hotel.
The Balmoral has a smart casual dress code. Book ahead, especially in August and at Christmas. See our Edinburgh guide.
8. The Pump Room, Bath
The Pump Room, above the Roman Baths in Bath, is one of the most historic places to take afternoon tea in Britain. It was built in the late eighteenth century as a place for fashionable society to drink the spa water and be seen. Jane Austen wrote about it in her novels.
The room is elegant and light, with tall windows, a chandelier and a fountain where the spa water flows. You can taste the warm, mineral water, which Georgian visitors believed could cure all sorts of ailments. It has a distinctive taste.
Afternoon tea is served to the sound of a small trio of musicians, who have played in the Pump Room for generations. The sandwiches, scones and cakes are served on tiered stands. It is a lovely way to spend an afternoon in Bath.
The Pump Room is very popular, so book ahead or arrive early. Combine it with a visit to the Roman Baths below. See our Bath guide.
Tips for afternoon tea
Book well ahead, especially for weekends and special occasions, and check the dress code. Most places offer vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options if you ask when booking. Many also offer a champagne afternoon tea for a celebration.
A cream tea, of scones with clotted cream and jam, is a simpler treat. In Devon, the cream goes on first and the jam on top, and in Cornwall it is the other way round, a subject of fierce but friendly debate.
Arriving at the Ritz in a car booked for the occasion is part of the fun.
Ride with ZeroLanes. A car booked ahead, at a price fixed before you confirm, with the driver and the car on your journey page before pickup. Get a fixed price for the journey.