Where to find the best afternoon tea in London

 

• The British tradition of afternoon tea, with its delicate sandwiches, cakes and scones, pretty tea services and patterned china, is a justly treasured one. It takes us back to a more genteel time, when the leisured sections of society could sit down to a light four-o-clock meal to tide them over the long expanse between lunch and dinner. Today not many of us have the time to make it a daily routine, so it's become the preserve of special occasions - birthdays, Mother's Day, or just a relaxed Saturday afternoon. You can find afternoon tea in many guises all over the UK, and indeed in many places around the world, but London has a particularly high concentration of beautiful venues - from elegant hotels, to hipster cafés and glamorous restaurants. The House & Garden team has selflessly ventured out to try them and bring you the best afternoon tea in London, so scroll down for our picks.

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  The Orchid Lounge at Pan Pacific

  London via Singapore might sound like an unlikely route to follow for a brilliant afternoon tea, but something about the shared, elegant formality of British and Singaporean culture means that The Orchid Lounge’s southeast Asian take on the famous ritual works perfectly. Elegantly laid out on the ground floor of Liverpool Street’s Pan Pacific hotel, the Orchid Lounge draws on Singapore’s longstanding kopi tiam coffee-shop tradition – albeit with tea sommeliers on hand to give this afternoon tea a distinct Crazy Rich Asians feel. This is hardly one for those who suffer decision fatigue: head pastry chef Cherish Finden has concocted a menu that spans the globe, tea-wise, and which will take you at least two hours to wander through. We tried oolongs from New Zealand and China, tea matured in port barrels in Belgium, sweet white tea from Malawi, a Kashmiri saffron blend and the Orchid Lounge’s own proprietary blend – as well as a range of sweet and savoury accompaniments that change seasonally. A truly glamorous experience with surprises galore.

  Price: From £72 per person
  When: Thursday to Monday, 12pm to 4:30pm 
  Website: panpacific.com
  Address: 80 Houndsditch, London, EC3A 7AB

  

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  Petersham Nurseries's The Teahouse

  Cake, sandwiches, tea and champagne may all be requirements of a good afternoon tea, but the setting is as important and none come prettier than Petersham Nurseries. Surrounded by green plants and pretty flowers in the utterly lovely gardens, it feels like being in another world entirely. Plus, what could be better than a wander around the garden centre afterwards? The display is a showstopper too, with a handblown glass cake stand from Florence, the top half of which is a vase for a floral display. For a more central experience try The Petersham's afternoon tea which runs from Thursdays to Saturdays, 3pm to 5pm. 

  Price: £45 served with loose-leaf tea, £55 with rose petal Prosecco and £60 with Champagne
  When: Saturday and Sunday from 12.30pm 
  Website: Petershamnurseries.com
  Address: Church Lane, Off Petersham Rd, Richmond TW10 7AB

  

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  The Stage at The Londoner

  Every element of The Londoner's afternoon tea stopped us in our tracks. This west-end tea is all about show-stopping elements and starts with an untraditional Amuse-Bouche Du Jour. Ours was a lemon sorbet with cucumber coulis with flash frozen crumble. Next were the sandwiches, which are generous in quantity, taking up all three tiers of the cake stand, and come with a twist on the traditional fillings, think smoked salmon and Devon crab with yuzu kosho crème fraîche, tea-smoked cured beef on brioche and duck egg with spiced Peppadew mayonnaise on sourdough. Scones are freshly baked on site and the patisseries from the trolley are the artisanal grand finale. You're in good hands when it comes to libations too, the tea cellar menu has been crafted by The East India Company and champagne pairings range from stalwarts like Veuve Clicquot and Dom Pérignon to smaller English vineyards. 

  Price: From £55 per person
  When: Saturdays & Sundays, 12pm to 4.30pm
  Website: Thelondoner.com
  Address: 38 Leicester Square 7DX, London 

  
  

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