Afternoon tea is a quintessentially British tradition, but it can cost a pretty penny in London. But have no fear, we’ve searched high and low to find some very impressive, affordable afternoon teas in London.
Our shortlist below is ordered by price (cheapest to most expensive), and we’ve tried to select locations that are as central as possible. Plus, we’ll only ever recommend an afternoon tea in London that hits the spot – no less-than-satisfactory scones here, thank you.
So without further ado, here are our best cheap afternoon teas in London!
- Top seven affordable afternoon teas in London
- What is cheapest afternoon tea in London Zone 1?
- Affordable afternoon teas in London reviewed
Top seven affordable afternoon teas in London at a glance
| ⭐ DoubleTree by Hilton London – Ealing | from £14.50 per person |
| ⭐ Cafe Rouge (multiple locations) | from £17.99 per person |
| ⭐ Slug & Lettuce, Aldgate | from £18 per person (Sunday-Friday) |
| ⭐ Huffkins | from £19.95 per person |
| ⭐ EL&N (multiple locations) | from £22.49 per person |
| ⭐ Inamo, Covent Garden | from £24.95 per person |
| ⭐ Copthorne Tara Hotel, Kensington | from £32 per person |
Prices last checked:
If you’re in a rush, above are our top six best cheap afternoon teas in London. We’ve linked their sites below if you want to have a look. They all offer an affordable afternoon tea in London that doesn’t scrimp on the quality – and we mean that!
Note: All prices above were correct at the time of writing, but please double-check before you make your booking just in case anything has changed!
What is cheapest afternoon tea in London Zone 1?
If you’re looking for a great-value afternoon tea in central London, we genuinely recommend Huffkins. Tucked inside John Lewis on Oxford Street, this family-run bakery (around since 1999) has a charming little tea room with blush pink touches and a lovely view over Cavendish Square Gardens. The afternoon tea is traditional in the best way. We had a mix of finger sandwiches, fresh scones served warm, and a generous selection of cakes. It’s not flashy, but everything was spot on. Right now, you can get afternoon tea for two for £31.96 on Groupon, and you can choose from 19 locations including Oxford Street!
Get 34% off Huffkins afternoon tea for two
Right now on Groupon you can get 34% off afternoon tea for two at Huffkins. With that saving, the price goes down from £60 to just £31.96 – which is pretty nifty for Zone 1! And for total transparency, we may earn a small commission if you purchase through the link below. Happy afternoon tea-ing!
Claim Groupon Deal- User review: “Arrived a little early for our afternoon tea but was seated promptly to our reserved table by the window. Lovely selection of cakes and the scones were served warm. Nice selection of well filled sandwiches and choice of hot drinks. We used a groupon voucher which made it extremely good value for money. Highly recommend.” – Maz F, Tripadvisor
- Price: £31.96 for two
- Location: Choice of 19
What is overall cheapest afternoon tea in London for 2025?
For 2025, the cheapest afternoon tea in London is at the DoubleTree by Hilton London in Ealing. For £14.50 per person, you can tuck into finger sandwiches like ham and cheese or classic cucumber, followed by scones and sweet treats galore. Afternoon tea is served in their modern W5 Bar and Kitchen, which also has an outdoor terrace – so great for the summer!
I’ll admit, the location is a little out the way – it’s a few minutes form Ealing Common station. If you’re looking for an outing in central London, this won’t be for you. But if you’re already in the west, then it’s a great affordable treat!
- Price: £14.50 per person
- Location: Near Ealing Common station
Best affordable afternoon teas in London reviewed
We’ve covered the cheapest afternoon tea in London – now for the other contenders. The selections below are some of the lowest-priced and highest-value afternoon teas in London. Rest assured, every one of these cheap afternoon teas in London is below £25 per person.
Want to find more deals? Head to our full guide to the best London afternoon tea offers.
1. Cafe Rouge – Best for a French twist
The afternoon tea at Cafe Rouge is very cute! The savoury bites are packed with French flair – I went earlier this year year and tucked into mini croque monsieurs (which were fabulous). You’ll also receive a classic fruit scone each plus fancy sweet treats from their ever-changing menu like carrot cake and billionaire torte. For the cheapest afternoon tea in London, it certainly packs a lot of charisma. The most central locations are Covent Garden or Victoria, or you can go slightly further out to their St Paul’s or Greenwich restaurants. All are lovely, though I would personally recommend the Greenwich branch.
- Price: £17.99 per person
- Location: Covent Garden, Victoria, St Paul’s, Greenwich and more
2. Slug & Lettuce, Aldgate – Best for good vibes
Located five minutes from Tower Bridge, Slug & Lettuce Aldgate is a pastel pink hideaway. The afternoon tea at Slug & Lettuce is just £18 per person – fabulously affordable. For 2024, they offer their ‘Sip & Share’ experience, which is an afternoon tea of small plates and sweet treats. Again, it’s not a life-changing experience, but it makes a lovely day out to have afternoon tea and then wander down to the Tower of London or hit up Curzon Aldgate (my favourite of the Curzons).
- Price: £18 per person
- Location: House, 30, St. Clare, 33 Minories, Aldgate, London EC3N 1DD
3. EL&N – Best for overall quality
If you’re after a gorgeous yet affordable afternoon tea in London, this one’s a gem. Served in true EL&N style, everything comes delicately decorated with edible flowers – almost too pretty to eat (almost).
You get a classic spread of petit finger sandwiches, freshly baked fruit scones with clotted cream and jam, and a line-up of mini cakes that look straight out of a Pinterest board. I particularly loved the mini pistachio cake – surprisingly rich and also gluten-free! There’s a choice of nine teas, but honestly, the house barista coffees are the real stars. Definitely worth swapping your teacup for a cappuccino here.
With multiple locations dotted around London, EL&N isn’t the cheapest but it’s the best quality with lots of thoughtful details.
- Price: from £22.49 per person
- Location: Knightsbridge, Park Lane and more
4. Inamo, Covent Garden – Best for creative food
Afternoon tea at Inamo is very unique. Instead of dainty sandwiches and Victoria sponge, think sushi rolls, bang bang cauliflower, and tempura bites, followed by sweet treats like pistachio macarons and coconut milk ice cream.
The vibe is just as playful as the menu – interactive tables let you play retro games, watch a live feed from the kitchen, or even doodle on the table while you eat. It felt more like a quirky experience than a formal high tea!
- Price: from £24.95 per person
- Location: Down the road from Covent Garden station
5. Copthorne Tara Hotel, Kensington – Best for a classic afternoon tea
The 4* Copthorne Tara Hotel in Kensington used to be our cheapest London afternoon tea in 2024! Sadly, the prices have gone up and they’re now bottom on our list. Their afternoon tea is just £32 per person and is a classic menu of warm scones and sweet treats, plus neat little sandwiches. I had a good experience here a few years ago, though judging by the Google reviews not everybody had had the same first impression. But hey, you get what you pay for! The hotel is a few minutes walk from High Street Kensington station and is great if you’re looking for an affordable afternoon tea or a day out on a budget.
- Price: £32 per person
- Location: Scarsdale Pl, London W8 5SY
Affordable afternoon teas that no longer exist
Some sites advertise the venues below as the most affordable afternoon teas in London. Sadly, they have all closed down! We’re particularly sad about the 5th View at Waterstones Piccadilly – this was a hidden gem for a budget afternoon tea in the city centre.
- Lilly’s Cafe, Covent Garden – Permanently closed
- Marco Pierre White, London Bridge – Permanently closed
- Waterstones Piccadilly, 5th View – Permanently closed
More London afternoon tea guides
- Best afternoon tea in London with a view
- Best rooftop afternoon tea in London
- Best quirky afternoon tea in London
- Best afternoon teas in London
FAQs
How much does an afternoon tea cost in London?
It depends on the venue. A cheap afternoon tea can be as low as £14.50 per person, while the most expensive can be upwards of £500!
Is afternoon tea priced per person?
Yes, usually afternoon tea is priced per person.