A luxurious afternoon tea in London is something everyone should get to indulge in. From Fortnum & Mason to The Ritz, the capital has dozens of opulent tea rooms that are as elegant as they are iconic. To help you find the creme de la creme, below we’ve shortlisted the best spots for a luxury high tea in London.
As always, our recommendations are based on first-hand experience and are 100% impartial. You also won’t find any paid advertisements or links on this page. We’re simply dedicated to helping you find the best venues for a 5-star afternoon tea in London.
What do we mean by luxury?
For a London afternoon tea to count as ‘luxury’, we need it to be one of two things. The venue has to be a 5-star hotel or the menu has to be gourmet and created by a professional pastry chef. And it goes without saying, the entire experience has to feel timeless, elegant and just that little bit magical.
Our top five luxury afternoon teas in London
1. Afternoon tea at The Rubens at the Palace ⭐
Panoramic views of the Royal Mews of Buckingham Palace – need I say more? The afternoon tea at The Rubens at the Palace offers ‘white glove service’ and offers a 100% luxury afternoon tea menu.
What you need to know:
- A five-star hotel located right opposite the Royal Mews of Buckingham Palace
- Created by pastry chef Sarah Houghting from Channel 4’s Bake Off: The Professionals
- Crafted using only the finest in local, seasonal produce
- The ‘Royal Afternoon Tea’ starts at £70 per person, which is an average price for a higher-end afternoon tea
Afternoon tea review
For the savoury options, you can tuck into dainty sandwiches with decadent fillings like smoked salmon and caviar or roast beef sirloin and caramelised onion. The sweet treats are all inspired by the royal neighbours over the road. My personal favourite was ‘The Crown’ – a vanilla sponge with sticky blackberry confit and a white mousse. You’ll also have a choice of over 21 teas to choose from – which is over double the average for a standard afternoon tea in London.
The menu was put together by Sarah Houghting, a gourmet pastry chef who you may know from Channel 4’s Bake Off: The Professionals. In a recent interview with Buyagift about her foodie inspiration, she said “It’s just that look on people’s faces when food would come to the table and the conversation would just stop.” I can vouch that this is very much the experience you get when dining at The Rubens at the Palace.
💬 User review: “There were traditional sandwiches, scones, eclairs and pastries. It was a wide selection and the presentation was stunning. The kids felt so special, it was white glove service and it was a fixed price. The service was excellent. I recommend this tea as a must-do.” Kingston, Jamaica from TripAdvisor
What’s the dress code?
The dress code is smart casual. This just means you can’t wear sportswear or flip-flops, but otherwise, you should be ok.
2. Afternoon tea at The Milestone Hotel ⭐
Located opposite Kensington Palace, The Milestone Hotel has an award-winning afternoon tea with an impressive 4.5/5 rating on TripAdvisor.
What you need to know:
- A five-star boutique hotel, right in the heart of Kensington and over the road from Hyde Park
- Given an ‘Award of Excellence’ at the 2023 and 2024 Afternoon Tea Awards
- Includes a vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, halal and childrens menu
- From £85 per person and one of the most expensive afternoon teas on our list
Afternoon tea review
Served in the cosy and comfy Park Lounge, the classic afternoon tea is three tiers of absolute heaven. You get a choice of 18 teas (three fewer than The Rubens at the Palace), before tucking into classic finger sandwiches like cucumber and cream cheese, chicken mayonnaise, and smoked salmon. The sweet treats on offer are just as timeless and include a divine pistachio and raspberry choux bun, vanilla cheesecake slices, macaroons and more!
Beyond the classic afternoon tea, there are several other pricier options. Like most, you can upgrade to a Lanson Champagne afternoon tea for £98 per person. Or the most expensive option is the Cattier Blanc De Blancs afternoon tea at a whopping £300 per person. If you’re into your Champagnes and want something one of a kind, The Milestone Hotel can really deliver.
💬 User review: “First time here for me and friends birthday, was not disappointed. Great service and the sandwiches and cake options were excellent. Great setting with lovely surroundings. I’ve been to a few afternoon teas but this place tops them all. Thoroughly enjoyed everything and will return.” katherine79_10, TripAdvisor
What’s the dress code?
The Milestone Hotel has a smart casual dress code. This isn’t too strict and online they say this excludes sportswear, flip flops, and ‘non tailored shorts’.
3. Afternoon tea at Ochre Restaurant, The National Gallery ⭐
Once known as the ‘National Cafe’, Ochre is the place to go if you’re after fine food paired with an iconic destination.
What you need to know:
- Plush restaurant located in The National Gallery, on London’s iconic Trafalgar Square
- A Noble & Miller restaurant that prides itself on customer service
- The menu is crafted by Head Pastry Chef Rebecca Morrison and inspired by the National Gallery’s 200th birthday
- From £55 per person and one of the cheapest luxury afternoon teas in London
Afternoon tea review
The afternoon tea menu is tempting and delicious. Put together by Head Pastry Chef Rebecca Morrison, you can tuck into gorgeous treats like 70% Valrhona Guanaja dark chocolate mousse or the ‘Bicentenary Birthday Cake’ complete with a birthday candle. For me, the highlight were the sandwiches – think dainty creations with fresh fillings like Severn and Wye smoked salmon with dill crème fraîche or cucumber with Cornish butter and sea salt.
The only downside is that the tea is only served from 3 pm to 4.45 pm (and bookings aren’t the easiest to come by). Regardless, whether you head to Ochre as part of a visit to the National Gallery or just go for the scones, I think you’ll have plenty to marvel at!
💬 User review: “Absolutely delicious afternoon tea. Fresh well filled sandwiches and lovely scones and cakes. Waitress was friendly and attentive – would definitely come back again.” chirssiehol2016, TripAdvisor
What’s the dress code?
Officially, Ochre has a ‘smart/casual’ dress code. Though in my experience you can just go wearing what you feel most comfortable in.
4. Afternoon Tea at Kinaara, InterContinental London ⭐
A lesser-known gem with breathtaking views of the River Thames, afternoon tea at Kinaara boasts an Indian-inspired menu crafted by two iconic chefs.
What you need to know:
- Located near The O2 with views of the River Thames and Canary Wharf
- Crafted by chefs Tanuj and Narayan, winners of Bake Off: The Professionals 2024
- A unique, Indian cuisine-inspired menu with great TripAdvisor reviews
- Priced at £55 per person and as affordable as Ochre Restaurant
What you need to know:
The high tea at Kinaara is truly an innovative and unique afternoon tea in London. The chefs are winners of Bake Off: The Professionals 2024 and have put together a menu inspired by the tastes and spices of different regions in India. What does this look like? Traditional coronation chicken sandwiches, paneer puffs, pakora, and dhai puri for the savoury. And for the sweet, divine pistachio and rose cake, sticky mango tarts, spiced chocolate cake and more.
I can’t stress this enough – the food is incredible. The menu really hits the spot, and the restaurant team are happy to make changes for any dietary needs or requirements. Plus, there are 17 varieties of Jing tea to choose from. This isn’t quite as many as The Rubens at the Palace, but it’s still a huge number for a slightly lesser-known afternoon tea venue to offer.
💬 User review: “What a lovely and delicious experience for afternoon tea. The restaurant is beautiful with a great London view. We were the only people there and the staff treated us like royalty.” Helana, TripAdvisor
What’s the dress code?
There’s no mandated dress code at Kinaara. You can wear whatever you like!
Afternoon tea at The Ritz
One of the most iconic venues in the world, afternoon tea at The Ritz is a slice of classic British tradition and the definition of opulence.
What you need to know:
- The iconic and utterly regal 5-star hotel located in the heart of Mayfair
- A traditional experience with cake slices served from a guéridon cake trolley!
- Rated 4/5 on TripAdvisor with over 4,200 reviews
- Prices start from £76 per person, which though expensive, isn’t the priciest luxury high tea tea on our list
Fun fact: The Ritz is the only hotel in the UK to have a certified Tea Master who travels around the world to various tea plantations to source their teas! They even have their own unique Ritz Royal Blend Tea which is exclusive to the hotel.
Afternoon tea review
Where do we even begin? 20 uniquely sourced loose-leaf teas to choose from, cakes crafted by trained pastry chefs, and table-side service – afternoon tea at The Ritz is the full shebang.
The only reason The Ritz is lower down on my list is due to the stricter dress code and the fact that the tea room is quite warm. Gentlemen are required to wear jackets, and as we went during the Summer, the men in our group were a little uncomfortable. However, if you want the epitome of British afternoon tea, The Ritz is the one and only. It is well worth your time and money!
💬 User review: “Afternoon tea at the Ritz was simply different level. The whole experience was just brilliant. The palm room is exquisite and the service is simply outstanding. Cannot recommend this enough. Easy to get to and a real treat, Would highly recommend as a birthday treat or present as it really is a treat.” Giselle, TripAdvisor
What’s the dress code?
The dress code is strict at The Ritz. Men are required to wear a jacket and tie, and jeans and sportswear are not permitted. For women, smart casual is fine, though the tea room at The Ritz is not a place to dress down!
Compare luxury afternoon tea prices
| Afternoon tea at The Rubens at the Palace 🍰 | From £70pp |
| Afternoon tea at The Milestone Hotel 🍰 | From £85pp |
| Afternoon tea at Ochre 🍰 | From £55pp |
| Afternoon tea at InterContinental London 🍰 | From £55pp |
| Afternoon tea at The Ritz 🍰 | From £76pp |
| Afternoon tea at The Beaumont 🍰 | From £80pp |
| Afternoon Tea at The Park Room 🍰 | From £70pp |
| Afternoon Tea at The Savoy 🍰 | Temporarily closed |
FAQs
How much is afternoon tea at the Savoy?
The Savoy Lounge is temporarily closed, but in the past, afternoon tea has been around £80 per person.
What is the most expensive afternoon tea in the UK?
One of the most expensive afternoon teas is at The Milestone Hotel in Kensington. The Cattier Blanc De Blancs afternoon tea is a whopping £300 per person.
Which 5-star hotels in London offer afternoon tea?
There are over 80+ 5-star hotels in London, though not all of them offer afternoon tea. Here’s a snapshot of which ones do for 2024:
- 11 Cadogan Gardens
- Hotel 41
- Andaz London Liverpool Street
- The Athenaeum Hotel
- Baglioni Hotel
- Beaumont Hotel
- The Bentley London
- The Berkeley
- Brown’s Hotel
- Café Royal
- Capital Hotel
- Carlton Tower Hotel
- Charlotte Street Hotel
- Churchill Hotel
- Claridge’s
- The Connaught