If there’s one custom I really like in London, it’s afternoon tea. The truffles, the scones, the sandwiches, and the surroundings are the stuff of British fairy tales. A few of them are even designed to resemble fairy tales. The UK capital has a spread of themed afternoon teas which can be price attempting, and in the present day I wish to let you know concerning the ones that stand out above the remaining. From whimsical teas to indulgent numbers, they’re stuffed with candy treats. Learn on for my prime picks. I’ve included a map, too.
Themed Afternoon Teas in London
Should you’re not acquainted with the historical past, the custom of afternoon tea dates again to the nineteenth century. Anna, seventh Duchess of Bedford, started gathering her buddies collectively for tea and cake. Her thought sparked a pattern that finally grew to become an establishment.
At the moment motels, eating places, cafes, and even buses vie for coveted awards for one of the best afternoon tea in London (sure, there’s a Taylor Swift-themed afternoon tea bus tour you’ll be able to go on). They go to nice lengths to tell apart their choices and stand out above the remaining.
A variety of effort goes into creating quintessential tea experiences. Much more work goes into growing non-traditional choices. These are those I wish to spotlight in the present day.
There are such a lot of afternoon teas in London that a spot actually has to tug off a feat to face out. Many obtain this by making a themed tea expertise that permits visitors to really feel like they’ve been transported into one other world.
Whether or not it’s an enchanted afternoon tea primarily based on a Shakespeare play, a chocolate afternoon tea, or an providing primarily based on a well-known kids’s guide character like Paddington Bear, they make their mark by doing one thing out of the odd.
Some themed afternoon teas in London are everlasting fixtures, whereas others are seasonal or out there for a restricted time. Whether or not you’re after a tea that’s good for teenagers, one which’s superb for channeling your internal baby, or one which’s enjoyable for folks of all ages, there are loads to select from at any given second.
1. The Sanderson
Within the coronary heart of Fitzrovia, one in every of London’s most beloved themed teas is the Mad Hatter’s Afternoon Tea on the Sanderson resort. It’s been going robust for years, and it’s a neighborhood establishment.
The Courtyard Backyard setting right here is straight out of Alice in Wonderland. Menus are tucked away in classic books, teapots and plates are Mad Hatter-themed, and the expertise is so properly thought by that you could possibly really imagine you’ve fallen down the rabbit gap.
After I got here right here for tea I beloved the holistic nature of the providing. Each element was rigorously deliberate, and the meals and repair have been each glorious. Should you’re on the lookout for a basic themed tea expertise in London, this can be a good one.
2. Kona
In Westminster, Kona on the Taj 51 Buckingham Gate resort affords the magical A Midsummer Evening’s Dream Afternoon Tea. This much-accoladed service whisks visitors off on a journey for the senses. From cocktails to inventive delicacies and crockery to match, it’s a particular one.
Upon arrival, visitors step into an otherworldly expertise at Kona. Impressed by Shakespeare’s well-known comedy, the five-act afternoon tea affords a whimsical journey by taste, romance, and fantasy.
Suppose poetic savories, magical sweets, and a signature tea mix brewed with fairy mud, and also you’ll get the thought.
I had an additional particular expertise once I indulged in afternoon tea right here. I bought to take pleasure in A Midsummer Evening’s Dream Afternoon Tea at Christmas. The service had a festive twist, making it much more magical than normal.
3. Afternoon Tea at Raffles
One other of my favourite themed afternoon teas is the one at Raffles London at The OWO. Centrally situated in Whitehall, this elegant resort serves a spy-themed tea in The Drawing Room.
Afternoon tea at Raffles is all about custom, however it additionally provides a nod to the resort’s former identification because the office of British spies. The menu is stamped “categorised”, and the pastries are named after feminine spies who as soon as labored within the constructing.
From candy and savory delicacies to loose-leaf tea from everywhere in the world, the Secrets and techniques & Spies Afternoon Tea providing covers all of the classics with a twist.
Should you’re on the lookout for a themed tea that sticks nearer to the standard format than among the others, this one is simply the ticket.
4. One Aldwych
Proper in Covent Backyard, the Charlie & the Chocolate Manufacturing unit Afternoon Tea at One Aldwych is a long-standing favourite. This resort within the West Finish is a well-liked place for afternoon tea in London with kids.
The Charlie & the Chocolate Manufacturing unit tea service delights youngsters of all ages with its enjoyable, whimsical menu. It consists of gadgets like chocolate “swudge” milkshakes, fizzy lifting drinks, “snozzberry” jam, and different treats that tantalize the style buds.
Should you love Roald Dahl and also you wish to indulge your internal Willy Wonka, that is simply the (golden) ticket. Youngsters of all ages will adore it.
5. Haymarket Lodge
Should you love London as a lot as I do, beat a path to afternoon tea on the Haymarket Lodge. Situated close to Trafalgar Sq., Leicester Sq., and Piccadilly Circus, this place has a landmark-themed tea service known as London Calling.
The providing highlights points of interest inside a 30-minute stroll of the resort’s entrance door. It’s an amazing nod to each the property’s central location and London’s abundance of eye-catching landmarks.
Visitors can benefit from the tea providing within the resort’s restaurant, Brumus. It’s embellished in vivid colours and daring patterns, and it’s an amazing place to take pleasure in a London-themed afternoon tea.
Every pastry is hand made to resemble one of many metropolis’s well-known icons, from a chocolate Massive Ben to a cinnamon London Eye and an lovely macaron dressed up like a Buckingham Palace guard.
The London Calling Afternoon Tea is ideal for those who’re passionate concerning the UK capital and also you wish to take pleasure in an expertise proper in the midst of most of the metropolis’s most well-known squares.
As a bonus, after tea you’ll be able to go on a self-guided strolling tour of the native space designed in collaboration with a Blue Badge Information. You’ll have the ability to observe a digital map and see the points of interest you simply tasted.
Map of Afternoon Teas in London
Talking of maps, I’ve created an interactive Google map of all of the locations I wrote about on this weblog publish. You possibly can see it right here. It provides you with an thought of the place they’re in relation to at least one one other so you’ll be able to select the fitting one for you.
Greatest Themed Afternoon Tea in London
I hope you’ve loved my checklist of one of the best themed afternoon teas in London, and that it’s impressed you to attempt a number of of them. There are many others on the market, from Harry Potter-themed afternoon teas to ones modeled after widespread TV reveals and flicks like Bridgerton and Depraved.
If you need extra concepts, you’ll be able to try my tea itinerary and my free self-guided London meals tour, which incorporates afternoon tea. I’ve additionally written a information to one of the best gluten-free afternoon teas in London.
If you wish to dig deeper, you’ll be able to check out my weblog posts about conventional English dishes, basic English desserts, and well-known English drinks.
And if you wish to do all of it the correct manner, my information to afternoon tea etiquette and my publish concerning the British tea tradition are must-reads.
Discover this publish useful? Purchase me a espresso!
New right here? Be a part of hundreds of others and subscribe to the A Woman in London weblog by way of electronic mail.
Among the hyperlinks on this weblog publish are affiliate hyperlinks. Without charge to you, I earn a small fee if you click on on them and make a purchase order. It doesn’t have an effect on the way in which you store, and it’s an effective way to assist the A Woman in London weblog.
Pin it!