Always up for a part-tea, and the first ones to move oolong if we see there’s no afternoon tea on offer, we’re more than chuffed to round-up some of London’s latest on the afternoon tea front.
Whether you’re a jam on top of cream contester, or a fruity tea fanatic- or even if a sushi spider roll makes all your afternoon tea dreams come true – there’s something for everyone on this whacky, wonderful list of tea’s to treasure.
We promise good quali-tea…and maybe a few more puns if you’re lucky. For now though, move oolong, there’s nothing to tea here.
The Ampersand Hotel
Science and Cocktails
The Ampersand have just launched a grown-up version of their famous science afternoon tea. How? By adding alcohol to it (of course) in the form of a cocktail flight. Drinks include Darwin’s Draught made from Lalani & Co Early Grey infused Chase vodka, Kamm & Sons, cucumber, apple and ginger and the Marie Cure-All made from Lalani & Co Premium Genmaicha infused rum with Aperol, Antica Formula & Amer Picon. To eat you ‘ll find mini dinosaur biscuit fossils hidden beneath chocolate soil; milk chocolate spacemen and caramel, passion fruit planets.
Where: The Ampersand Hotel, 10 Harrington Road, London, SW7 3ER, United Kingdom
Nearest station: South Kensington (0.1 miles)
Website: www.ampersandhotel.com
The Savoy
Keeping it Traditional
If you just want to keep things traditional, then you need to head to The Savoy. Already known as one of the places to go for afternoon tea, the latest incarnation is a classic afternoon tea. Served in the Thames Foyer, the tea includes the likes of: a Cornish strawberry tartlets, dark chocolate cake, peach macaroon and a choux pastry creation. They haven’t said what it is yet, but any creation made from pastry sounds like our sort of thing.
Where: The Savoy, Strand, London, United Kingdom
Nearest station: Holborn (0.3 miles)
Website: www.fairmont.com
InterContinental London Park Lane
High Coffee
We all love a first – first birthday, first love, first kiss, first car, first house. How about your first High Coffee though? InterContinental London Park Lane have introduced this unique taste sensation in addition to their lusted over afternoon tea.
Instead of wine pairings, this experience will see different blends of coffee – all high-grade, handcrafted, hand roasted, wood fired – hand selected to match each chapter of the tea. What’s more, you can get your caffeine fix amongst the serene settings of Wellington Lounge.
Where: One Hamilton Place, Park Lane, London, W1J 7QY, United Kingdom
Nearest station: Hyde Park Corner (0.2 miles)
Website: www.parklane.intercontinental.com
The Chesterfield Mayfair
The Original Sweet Shop
We’re assuming if you’re indulging in an afternoon tea that you already have a bit of a sweet tooth in the first place? How about then, an Original Sweet Shop Afternoon Tea at The Chesterfield, Mayfair?
In true stripy red and white sweet shop style, the afternoon tea will feature homemade sandwiches, freshly baked home-made chocolate chip and fruit scones, and (the icing on the cake) pastries and cupcakes in the form of coca-cola slices and liquorice allsorts lemon cheesecake. To wash down the sweet taste of, well, all things sweet, will be a brimming selection of loose teas, flowering teas, coffee or hot choc.
So, if you’re main-dessert, not starter-main type of person, this one is certainly for you.
Where: The Chesterfield, Charles Street, London, UK
Nearest station: Green Park (0.3 miles)
Website: www.chesterfieldmayfair.com
Four Seasons Hotel London at Ten Trinity Square
Heritage at the Helm
One for those who like to travel outside the lines a little when it comes to teas. Rotunda at Four Seasons Hotel welcomes guests to go back to their roots for a Heritage Afternoon Tea that embraces the building’s past and connections between east and west.
The afternoon tea will be brimming with brews from Darjeeling from Makaibari to Earl Greys from Satemwa Estate in the Highlands of Malawi. Or if you like your tea with a kick, champagne on offer will include Delamotte Brut, Charles Heidsieck and AR Lenoble Rosé.
The aim is to reflect the neoclassical through the tea, with handcrafted bone china.
Where: Four Seasons Hotel London at Ten Trinity Square, Trinity Square, London EC3N 4AJ, United Kingdom
Nearest station: Tower Hill (0.1 miles)
Website: www.fourseasons.com
Haymarket Hotel
Fancy Going on a Bear Hunt?
A grizzly afternoon tea with a touch of bear – this afternoon tea sure is defying the norm! In celebration of of the hit production We’re Going on a Bear Hunt at the Lyric Theatre, Haymarket Hotel are giving us the gift of paw print cookies, Bear Hunt vanilla cupcakes, ham and cheese ‘bear’ sandwiches, marshmallow lollipops, and more in their Bear Hunt Afternoon tea.
The show the tea centres around follows a family and their dog as their wade through swishy swashy grass on an adventure – but fear not, you don’t have to do this at the afternoon tea, but there will be catchy songs, interactive scenes and adventure (so a little bit of work to earn the treats)!
This tea is far from unBEARable…
Where: 1 Suffolk Place, London, SW1Y 4BP, United Kingdom
Nearest station: Piccadilly Circus (0.2 miles)
Website: www.firmdalehotels.com
Aqua Shard
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
If you don’t love Mary Poppins then you must never have seen the Julie Andrews classic, because it really is oh so supercalifragilisticexpialidocious (still not really sure what that word means, but we know it’s something good!). Aqua Shard’s Mary Poppins themed afternoon tea is something we’re terribly excited for, after all, a spoonful of medicine does help the medicine go down, the medicine go do-wn, the medicine go down – you get the gist.
The menu coincides with the re-release of the classic books from Harper Collins, and will feature British favourites including homemade scones, an array of sweet treats such as ‘Strike Me Pink Sponge’, raspberry flavoured, popping candy fairground candy floss and much, much more.
Where: Level 31, The Shard, 31 St Thomas Street, London, SE1 9RY, United Kingdom
Nearest station: London Bridge (0.1 miles)
Website: www.aquashard.co.uk
Bluebird Café White City
A Paw-fect Afternoon
It’s White City’s new hot-spot and, it seems, not only people are wanting to grab a bite to eat at Bluebird Café. That’s right, pooches listen up! A special afternoon tea is running every Sunday from 22nd of July, with the mantra that a ‘pup’ of tea is just what Londoners need at the helm.
Guests and their dogs are invited to the cafe’s collab with PetsPyjamas to enjoy a variety of dog (and human) treats. Vegan dog cookies will be on offer, made with banana and vegan peanut butter and Lily’s Kitchen will provide vegan treats that will be served in luxe dog bowls. As the sis of the renowned Bluebird, Chelsea, there’s no doubt human food will also be top notch. On offer? A three tiered selection of jam and cream fruit scones, chocolate Swiss roll, carrot and citrus cupcakes, cucumber and smoked salmon and cream cheese sandwiches.
The cutest part of all, that has made our cheeks hurt from smiling? Your furry pals will receive a complimentary goodie bag (or doggy bag in this case!). Even if you’re a cat person, the image of a pup with a goodie bag is sure to be a bit of a heart melter.
Where: 101 Wood Lane, London, UK
Nearest station: White City (0.1 miles)
Website: www.bluebirdcafe.co.uk
