Few cities do afternoon tea quite like London, and some of the capital's best-known hotels have been serving it for generations.
The ritual of afternoon tea has been part of British life for nearly two centuries. The tradition is most often linked to Anna Russell, who is said to have begun requesting tea, sandwiches, and cakes to bridge the long gap between lunch and the fashionably late Victorian dinner hour. Whether she truly invented afternoon tea remains up for debate, but the custom quickly gained popularity and has remained a fixture of British culture ever since.
Whether you're after a classic service steeped in history or something slightly more contemporary, these are the best afternoon teas in London right now.
See more: The Best Hotel Suites In London: From Claridge's to The Emory
London’s best afternoon teas
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The Ritz London
If there's one afternoon tea that has become synonymous with London, it's the one served at The Ritz. Guests can enjoy a choice of around 20 loose-leaf teas, including the hotel's own Ritz Royal Blend, overseen by Tea Master Giandomenico Scanu – the only certified Tea Master working in a UK hotel. Scanu regularly travels to tea plantations around the world to source and develop the hotel's tea selection.
If tea alone isn't enough, a glass of champagne can be added, while cakes are served from a guéridon trolley and change with the seasons. One thing that hasn't changed is the dress code: jackets and ties aren't required, but sportswear and trainers won't get you through the door.
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Claridge’s
Afternoon tea has been served at Claridge’s for more than 120 years, and while plenty has changed in London since then, the hotel has remained committed to getting the basics right. The ritual begins, as it always has, at 2.45pm, with tea served in the hotel’s distinctive jade teacups — whether a rich oolong or Claridge’s own blend.
A pianist and cellist provide the soundtrack in the Foyer & Reading Room, where the service follows a traditional sequence of finger sandwiches, fruit and plain scones with the hotel’s secret-recipe jam, followed by pastries from Thibault Hauchard and his team.
The sandwiches are taken seriously. Claridge’s estimates it slices almost 58,000 loaves of bread a year for afternoon tea alone, and Culinary Director Simon Attridge has described the ideal as “a delicately balanced two-thirds bread and one-third filling.” That attention to detail runs through the menu, from Severn & Wye smoked salmon to Cacklebean eggs sourced from the Cotswolds, while pastries change with the seasons under Hauchard’s direction.
If you want something stronger than tea, the experience can be paired with champagne – including Billecart-Salmon Le Réserve or Le Rosé – or Wild Idol for a non-alcoholic option.
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The Dorchester
At The Dorchester, afternoon tea is served on The Promenade, the same space that hosts breakfast and lunch before it switches over later in the afternoon.
The format is fairly classic in structure, with tiered stands of finger sandwiches, scones, and pastries, spanning tropical chiffon cake with passionfruit crèmeux, strawberry and elderflower pavlova, yuzu and vanilla cheesecake, or a chocolate and raspberry mousse made with dark chocolate.
If you want to make it more of an occasion, there’s champagne by the glass or bottle, from Veuve Clicquot, Ruinart, and Dom Pérignon, as well as English sparkling wine and a non-alcoholic option. A selection of caviar is also available.
See more: What It’s Like Inside The Dorchester’s $40,000-a-Night Royal Suite
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The Peninsula
In Belgravia, The Peninsula London serves afternoon tea in The Lobby, its ground-floor dining room defined by triple-height ceilings, hand-blown crystal chandeliers and de Gournay murals inspired by the Royal Parks.
The service runs daily from 1–6.30pm, with a menu that stays close to tradition. Expect finger sandwiches such as beef bresaola, egg and truffle, and roast chicken, followed by freshly baked scones with clotted cream, lemon curd, and strawberry mint jam. Pastries are made in-house by the hotel’s pastry team and change with the seasons.
To drink, there’s a choice of fine teas or, for something more celebratory, a glass of Coates & Seely English sparkling Brut or Rosé.
The hotel also runs seasonal afternoon teas throughout the year. In summer, this includes a strawberry-focused edition featuring creations such as strawberry and Timur pepper mousse, strawberry choux with compote, and a strawberry and jasmine tart with white chocolate, served in The Lobby and at Soleil by Claude on the eighth floor, overlooking Hyde Park.
See more: The Peninsula Suite is London’s Biggest – But Does Size Matter?
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The Connaught
The Connaught in Mayfair serves afternoon tea at Jean-Georges, surrounded by impressive pieces, including artworks from Brian Clarke and Sean Scully, to the quiet tune of a live harpist.
The experience begins with a seasonal amuse-bouche and a glass of champagne, before moving into finger sandwiches, with combinations such as cucumber with orange blossom, turkey with piperade, smoked salmon with miso, and devilled eggs, all made in-house.
Before the scones arrive, chouquettes are brought to the table to share — a small detail that breaks from the usual structure and nods to executive pastry chef Loic Carbonnet’s French background. Scones follow, plain or with raisins, served with clotted cream and strawberry jam or seasonal compotes.
The final course offers pastries, which change throughout the year. These might include rhubarb and vanilla mousse, chocolate sponge with coffee crèmeux, or a strawberry tart with frangipane. Alongside this sits the Connaughty Treat – a reworked British biscuit that changes seasonally.
Tea runs throughout, with fourteen blends on the menu, alongside The Connaught’s Signature Blend – an Assam grown on the Tregothnan Estate in Cornwall.
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Raffles at The OWO
While served in one of London’s heritage buildings, afternoon tea at Raffles London at The OWO strays from the classic hotel offerings found elsewhere in the city. The experience is created in collaboration with the musical Operation Mincemeat and leans into the building’s espionage history, served in The Drawing Room, inside the former Old War Office, where Britain’s Ministry of Defence once operated.
Rather than a traditional tiered selection, the tea is structured around a series of themed pâtisserie pieces inspired by the 1943 deception operation. The tea begins familiarly, with savoury tartlets, snacks and finger sandwiches, followed by scones with jam and clotted cream.
But the main event is the cakes, each telling part of the story. There’s The Briefcase, shaped like a leather case with notes of coffee, barley malt, and roasted grains; The Unspoken Hero, a propeller-shaped cake with basil, lemon and olive oil; The Intelligence Room, a chocolate and whisky creation inspired by wartime planning rooms; The Navy, a submarine-shaped dessert with Spanish turrón; and The Love Letter, a charlotte-style cake with raspberry and shortbread.
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The Langham
The Langham, London opened its doors in 1865 as one of Europe’s first Grand Hotels and was one of the institutions to help bring the tradition of afternoon tea beyond aristocratic drawing rooms and into the public for the first time. And the ritual is still served in the hotel’s Palm Court restaurant today.
Afternoon tea at The Langham is now under the guidance of executive pastry chef Andrew Gravett. JING teas are accompanied by live music, which typically consists of a solo pianist playing a mix of classical, jazz, and contemporary pop music. In addition to its traditional tea menu, which changes through the seasons, the property also provides dedicated gluten-free, vegan, and vegetarian tea menus, each crafted with the same creativity as the traditional offerings, from gluten-free scones and vegan pastries like Raisin Scones and Truffled Artichoke Tartlet.
How we chose the best afternoon teas in London
Every afternoon tea featured is independently selected by Elite Traveler’s editors and contributors, informed by first-hand reviews where possible and in-depth research where not. Our curation spans the world’s most luxurious addresses, chosen for their uncompromising quality and exceptional service.
