Afternoon Tea is an iconic pastime in Mayfair, home to some of the best in Central London. This quintessentially British tradition, said to have been started by the Duchess of Bedford in 1840, celebrates the elegant ritual of tea served with bite-sized sandwiches, pretty patisseries, fruity preserves and clotted cream scones. We’ve cherry-picked the standout destinations - the only dilemma you’ll face is whether to spread cream or jam on your scone first.
Claridge’s Celebrated Afternoon Teas
The storied hotel will be celebrating Afternoon Tea Week in the best way it knows how, with a mouthwatering seasonal menu served on signature green and white stripe tableware and crisp linen tablecloths. Such has been the Claridge's way for over 120 years. Afternoon Tea is served daily against the backdrop of the elegant Foyer & Reading Room, with extended serving hours from 12.45 pm-5.30 pm. Expect British ingredients including Scottish salmon and Cacklebean eggs, while pastries such as the colourful peach and lemon verbena pavlova are quite simply summer on a plate. At the heart of the experience is the tea itself. Choose from a rich Oolong or the refreshingly malty Claridge's Blend, and everything in between. You could also go all out and raise a glass to the occasion with fizz.
Traditional Afternoon Tea is priced from £95 per person, Champagne Afternoon Tea is priced at £110 pp, and Rosé Champagne Afternoon Tea is priced at £125 pp, as is the Seasonal Afternoon Tea. Reserve your table at Claridge’s here.
The Biltmore's London Season Afternoon Tea
The Biltmore Mayfair’s Foliage Lounge provides the glamorous backdrop to a delicious selection of sweet and savoury treats. Inspired by the city’s most iconic spectacles, its London Season Afternoon Tea takes its cue from the capital's social whirl. Expect a parade of dainty sandwiches and delicious scones still warm from the oven, and an exquisite four-piece dessert collection. There’s the Millinery Choux, a nod to the glamour of Royal Ascot, the Centre Court Strawberry, an edible tribute to Wimbledon, The Podium, celebrating the thrill of Silverstone, and the Bee Garden, a delicate honeyed treat inspired by Buckfast Abbey’s resident bees.
Book your London Season Afternoon Tea at The Biltmore here.
Jean-Georges at The Connaught
Don't miss the limited edition afternoon tea collaboration at The Connaught. Each tea begins life in the gardens that grow in the Himalayan foothills of Darjeeling, the mountains of Fujian, and the highlands of Shizuoka, before being cold brewed in English spring water and finished with a light effervescence. The Jasmine green tea, for instance, with its delicate floral aroma and notes of apple sherbet, lychee and vanilla, can’t help but tickle the taste buds. Poured alongside chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten's playful Afternoon Tea menu - think Cucumber and White Sesame Cream Wasabi finger sandwiches and Blood Orange Cheesecake - this is a match made in heaven. The celestial background music comes courtesy of The Connaught's resident harpist, who performs from Friday to Sunday.
Afternoon Tea at The Connaught starts from £65 per person, Monday to Thursday, and from £85 per person, Friday to Sunday. Serving times are 14:30, 14:45, 16:30, and 16:45. Book your Connaught afternoon tea experience here.
The Afternoon Tea at Sketch
Fancy a change from the more traditional tea and cake offering? The Afternoon Tea at Sketch begins with assorted finger sandwiches including Coronation Chicken and Cucumber and Mint Egg and winds its way up the cake stand to more devilishly good delights. Petits gâteaux including light-as-a-feather Cherry Eclairs, leave room for scones topped with Cornish clotted cream and organic strawberry preserve. The extensive tea menu comes courtesy of The Rare Tea Company, highlighting exceptional leaves sourced from independent tea farmers and tea gardens from across the globe. And since this is Afternoon Tea Week, why not order a glass of English sparkling wine? British vineyards are currently enjoying a moment in the sun.
Sketch Afternoon Tea is served in the Gallery and is priced at £95 pp with tea, or from -£115-£125 pp, depending on your choice of fizz. Tea times: Monday-Thursday 12 pm-4 pm, Friday 11 am-4.30 pm, Saturday 11 am-5 pm, and Sunday 11 am-4.30 pm. Book your Sketch Summer Afternoon Tea here.
The Langham Afternoon Tea
Fun tea fact. The historic Langham's Hotel is said to be the birthplace of the traditional tea time ritual as we know it today. To mark Afternoon Tea Week, it has introduced a brand-new Afternoon Tea menu in its magnificent Palm Court, notable for its soft pastel interior and circular sharing seat. If you do manage to get a spot here, you'll have the perfect vantage point to see all the comings and goings. The refreshed menu, created by executive pastry chef Andrew Gravett and culinary legend, Michel Roux Jr. features a selection of tasty finger sandwiches, handcrafted praline and blackcurrant Madeleines, and freshly made classic and raisin scones.
The Langham Afternoon Tea is now available to enjoy in the Palm Court from £85 per person, including a glass of champagne, £100pp or Rosé Champagne £105pp. Tea times: Weekdays from 12.30 pm - 4 pm. Weekends, 12.30 pm - 5 pm. Book your Langham Afternoon Tea here.
Here’s to raising a cup, and a scone, to Afternoon Tea on Bond Street!