The best afternoon tea venues in London

Is there ever an excuse needed to dress up for an afternoon indulging in finger sandwiches, sweet treats and prosecco? There isn't, so we have come up with the difficult task of searching for the very best afternoon tea venues across London, ranging from royal-inspired to a few quirky takes on tradition – gin and tea anyone?

Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane

Luxury fans, rejoice! Head Pastry Chef at Four Seasons Park Lane, David Oliver, has created five bespoke cakes inspired by Burlington Arcade's luxury heritage, architecture, British charm, and uniqueness. This is one afternoon tea we know you'll love. Expect to find a light blueberry cheesecake modelled as a Burlington Beadle (the arcade's very own private police force) and the Burlington Battenberg - reflecting the iconic marble floor of Burlington Arcade. Just wait until you taste this Victorian classic sliced chocolate and bergamot cake which is wrapped with a statement geometric pattern! Delicious. 

The afternoon tea will be available from now until the end of the year, and FYI, towards the end of the year, the tea will have a Christmas twist. How exciting! 

The Burlington Afternoon Tea is available at Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane until the 31 December 2019. Priced from £46 per person. 

To find out more, visit fourseasons.com or burlingtonarcade.com.

Thames Afternoon Tea for Two at Syklon, Southbank Centre

After a busy day sight-seeing in London, treat yourself to a relaxing afternoon tea overlooking the Thames. Conveniently located at the Southbank Centre, close to Waterloo station, Skylon serves up a delicious array of finger sandwiches, cakes and scones, in a chic and elegant setting. Cakes include a raspberry macaron and a chocolate and lavender cupcake, while sandwiches vary from classic cucumber to smoked salmon. What's more, Virgin are offering an afternoon tea for two package for just £78, which includes a personalised message and gift card and a glass of sparkling wine or cocktail.

To find out more, visit Virgin Experience Days

Taj 51 Buckingham Gate

Calling all Alice in Wonderland fans out there - this afternoon tea is for you! At Taj 51 Buckingham Gate - just a stone's throw away from Buckingham Palace - you can sit back and relax while tucking into an eclectic menu of themed cakes and pastries, from the Queen of Hearts mango tarts to a tasty 'Drink Me' strawberry potion. No afternoon tea is complete without scones - with chocolate, sultana and plain all on the menu. Sandwiches range from cucumber and cream cheese on beetroot bread to chicken and sultana on carrot bread - and there is also a complete vegetarian menu on request. For an extra-special treat, pay an extra £5 for a glass of prosecco to wash down your meal nicely. Cheers to that!

To find out more, visit Taj51buckinghamgate.co.uk.

The Dorchester

For a special afternoon tea, put on your glad rags and venture to The Dorchester's The Promenade. Enjoy tucking into finger sandwiches with fillings such as chicken with ginger, as well as warm scones and pastries including a Strawberry champagne tart, all washed down with a selection of teas and/or champagne.

To find out more, visit dorchestercollection.com.

The Delaunay, Covent Garden

You can never go wrong with a visit to The Delaunay, especially if you're after a classic afternoon tea. Served every day of the week, the restaurant offers a cream tea, a Viennese afternoon tea or the whole works, a champagne afternoon tea. The traditional Viennese tea starts with an assortment of sandwiches and poppy seed Gugelhupf (a gluten-free Bundt cake) with apricot jam and whipped cream; traditional fruit scones with strawberry jam and clotted cream are also available if you prefer. To finish, tuck into some delectable Viennese cakes and more tea or coffee. The champagne option comes with a glass of Pommery Brut Royal NV – cheers to that!

To find out more, visit thedelaunay.com.

Roast, Borough Market 

Watch the world go by with an incredible view of London's Borough Market and its surrounding sites, all while tucking into a delicious afternoon tea at Roast. The stylish interior is very photogenic, and that's before the food even comes out! The tasty menu features a range of dainty sandwiches - with fillings including sundried tomato and basil and smoked salmon and crème fraîche. To satisfy your sweet tooth, there are scones with strawberry jam and cream, along with a selection of classic cakes. Champagne or sparkling wine is also available for an extra-special touch to your experience. 

Visit roast-restaurant.com for more information.  

The Gore Hotel, South Kensington

Afternoon tea is one of our favourite activities, but if you're after a more funky treat, you have to head down to The Gore hotel in South Kensington. The boutique hotel has teamed up with luxury event planners La Fête to create an epic rock 'n' roll tea, in homage to musicians including The Rolling Stones, who picked the hotel for the launch party of their Beggars Banquet album. The tea is a real feast for the eyes and the smallest of details have been thought of; the food is served on a record disc, there are chocolate guitars aplenty and a mini drum kit completes the fantastic display. Expect a chipolata hot dog, 'Popping Stones' paprika popcorn, sultana and plain scones, and desserts including 'Whisky A Go Go,' a mini madeleine with a whiskey ganache and chocolate heart, and 'Sweet Choux' O' Mine', a choux pastry filled with a dulcey raspberry cream and topped with a chocolate guitarist.

To find out more, visit starhotelscollezione.com. 

The Grosvenor Hotel 

Head down to The Grosvenor Hotel for a luxury afternoon tea with a twist. All aboard the Grosvenor Express and take your taste buds on a journey through the UK. With everything from Brighton pier doughnuts to the white cliffs of Dover pistachio meringues, there will be a sweet treat from across the country for you to enjoy. For those that prefer savoury, then the goat's cheese and beetroot scone will leave you wanting seconds, while the traditional scones are also served up with a generous helping of strawberry and lemongrass jam. Bring along a glass of English sparkling wine or champagne to your journey, or simply try out the selections of tea, with prices starting from just £26.50.

To find out more, visit guoman.com.

The Biscuiteers Icing Cafe

The Biscuiteers Confectionery Afternoon Tea is a must for baking enthusiasts, artists and keen biscuit eaters – okay everybody then. The popular London-based bakery offers an afternoon tea featuring some of its most popular biscuits, along with other sweet treats such as salted caramel brownies, macaroons and Cherry Bakewells. Of course, tea is also firmly on the menu, and for just £10, guests can even try their hands at icing their own biscuits to take away.

Priced at £28.50 per person, or £38.50 for DIY icing experience.

To find out more, visit biscuiteers.com.

45 Park Lane

If you are looking for the ultimate Instagramable eating experience, look no further than 45 Park Lane's American afternoon tea - CUTcakes & Tea. Instead of your traditional afternoon tea, this features everything from cake pops to s'mores, as well as black truffle grilled cheese and of course, American craft beer. Priced at £55 per person.

To find out more, visit dorchestercollection.com.

Dukes Hotel

Dukes hotel in London has a special MarTEAni Afternoon Tea in partnership with The East India Company. Guests can sit down to three beautifully crafted mini martinis, which are all to be enjoyed with different parts of the menu. The Lemon Martini is paired with the sandwiches, the Orange Marmalade Martini sits perfectly with the scones, while the First Romance Tea Martini goes wonderfully with the pastries and sweets. Only a five minute walk from Buckingham Palace and a stone's throw from St. James' Palace, DUKES offers a truly regal setting for tea! Priced at £42.50 per person.

To find out more, visit dukeshotel.com.

Sheraton Grand London Park Lane, London

Calling all tea lovers – this one's for you! Enjoy a visit to the Sheraton Grand London Park Lane hotel to enjoy their famous Lock & Co Hatter's Afternoon Tea combined with Twinings Tea. While there, an expert tea sommelier will pair selected teas with a range of the hotel's hat-shaped pastries, as well as freshly baked scones and finger sandwiches. Priced at £39 per person.

To find out more, visit palmcourtlondon.com.

B Bakery Gin Lovers Bus Tour

This is a rather quirky one (and perfect for tourists in the city). See the sights of the city on a traditional London bus while nibbling on very British treats with the B Bakery Afternoon Tea Bus Tour. Plus, they've recently partnered up with Harrogate-based gin brand Slingsby to infuse their cakes with gin, served alongside cocktails. Gin, tea, double-decker buses, and London sights - Can you think of anything more quintessentially English?! 

For more information, visit b-bakery.com/.