London has taken the all-British tradition of the afternoon tea to the next level with new options ranging from the stylish to the quirky. From fairytales to cigars, here are the best afternoon teas in town.
Pink tea - sketch London
I challenge you to go to sketch and leave without a daft smile on your face. This pink tearoom made of fluffy armchairs and funny drawings on the wall serves up one of the best afternoon teas in London. From Comté cheese toasties to scones with fig jam and pistachio profiteroles, you will want to double up on everything you try at sketch. As if this wasn't enough, the tearoom has also created its own blend of Champagne and Earl Grey tea, the best treat to enjoy with an already outstanding selection of pastries and sandwiches... And it'll get you tipsy enough to go play in the egg-shaped toilets.
sketch
9 Conduit Streeet
London W1S 2XG
sketch Afternoon Tea, £45 per person
Champagne Afternoon Tea, £57 per person
Picture courtesy of: sketch
The touristy tea - BB Bakery's Afternoon Tea Bus Tour
Remember when you had to elbow hordes of tourists to enjoy some of the prettiest areas of London? You won't have to anymore. You can see the Royal Albert Hall, Kensington, Knightsbridge, the Big Ben and the London Eye while enjoying one of the most British traditions from the roof of a restored routemaster. The BB Bakery's tour offers a French take on the British afternoon tea with home baked tasty cakes and it will leave you with a personalised reusable take-away mug at the end.
BB Bakery Afternoon Tea Bus Tour
Tour Times Daily:
12:30pm - 3pm from Northumberland Avenue
12pm, 2:30pm, 5pm from Victoria Coach Station
£45 per person
Picture courtesy of: BB Bakery
The artsy tea - The Saatchi Gallery's Gallery Mess
The Saatchi Gallery allows you to relax in between exhibitions with a Champagne afternoon tea like no other. With a lovely view on the main gallery's gardens, Gallery Mess's tea features tasty lemon macaroons and flowery brownies. Got a kid with you? Fear not. Gallery Mess's Origami Tea comes with a babyccino and allows kids to decorate their own cakes with meringues, compote and sprinkles.
Gallery Mess
King's Road
London SW3 4RY
Afternoon tea for one £15.50
Origami tea £7.50
Pictures courtesy of: Gallery Mess
The beer tea - The Modern Pantry Finsbury Square
Who needs tea when you can pair up afternoon tea tapas with beer? The Modern Pantry in Finsbury Square has it covered, pairing up each dish with craft ales from all over the UK and the world. The menu's strongest dishes are without doubt its scones, either the plain scone with pulled pork or the lemon one with jam and clotted cream. And look out for the lovely stouts you'll be able to enjoy with the menu.
Modern Pantry - Finsbury Square
The Alphabeta Building
14 Finsbury Square
London EC2A 1AH
Afternoon tea with craft beer pairing £35
Pictures: The Modern Pantry
The man tea - Sanctum Soho Hotel
Not a fan of tea and scones? If you prefer burgers and whiskey, the rockstar Sanctum Soho hotel replaces the cake tray with bagels, sliders and with your choice of whiskey. You can even smoke a cigar at the end.
Sanctum Soho
20 Warwick Street
London W1B 5NF
Gents' Tea £50 per person
Picture courtesy of: Sanctum Soho
The Alice In Wonderland tea - Mad Hatter's Tea Party at the Sanderson Hotel
Go back to your childhood with this perfectly thought-through Alice In Wonderland style tea. From menus inside books and on deck of cards to blue caterpillar cakes and "Drink me" potions, everything at the Mad Hatter's Tea Party would make the Queen of Hearts happy.
Sanderson London
50 Berners Streeet
London W1T 3NG
Mad Hatter's Champagne Afternoon Tea £58
Picture courtesy of: Sanderson London
The hipster tea - Wringer + Mangle
East London's very own afternoon tea takes the tradition away from Mayfair and does so with home-baked cakes that taste better than the ones your mum makes. Set in an industrial warehouse in London Fields that looks like a co-working space, Wringer + Mangle has an impressive selection of teas served in cute teapots sourced from vintage stores like only an East London bar could do.
Wringer + Mangle
Sidworth Street
London E8 3SD
Afternoon tea £24
Picture courtesy of: Wringer + Mangle
The historical one - Hotel Café Royal
There's something about sipping tea and Champagne while sitting as the same table as Oscar Wilde. You can do so at Regent Street's Hotel Café Royal, in a room as gold as the Versailles palace with hot smoked Marmite tea, coronation chicken soft buns and oh-so-British treats with an edible Union Jack on top. Cheers!
Hotel Café Royal
68 Regent Street
London W1B 4DY
London Royal Tea with a glass of Veuve Clicquot Champagne: £55
Picture courtesy of: Hotel Café Royal