Home : London Attractions : Afternoon Tea at the London Ritz

The Ritz Hotel in London was founded by Cesar Ritz in 1906. Over the last 100 years the Ritz has hosted the most famous of monarchs, politicians, writers, composers.
Indeed, the London Ritz is known as the world's greatest hotel.  Situated near London’s Green Park  at 150 Piccadilly, The Ritz’s reputation has been established with not a little help from  its world famous afternoon tea  tradition.

Early in the reign of the new Queen  Victoria, the London Ritz promoted the  new fashion of afternoon tea. When Victoria came to the throne in 1837, it was the custom for lunch to be served early in the day & dinner followed around nine o’clock in the evening.

The Duchess of Bedford in 1840 had established the fashion of afternoon tea  by providing tea & added fruit breads & pastries to fill the 8 hour gap between the early lunchtimes & late nine o’clock dinners. You could liken the concept of afternoon tea   with the Spanish tapas tradition.

Afternoon Tea at the London Ritz became so famous that it featured in Oscar Wilde’s prolific output of plays.

It became very fashionable to be seen taking Afternoon Tea at the Ritz.

Afternoon tea at the Ritz is so popular amongst tourists that advance bookings are essential. To cater for the demand the Hotel has 5 daily sessions of  Afternoon tea between the hours of 11.30 to 19.30! Tea Bookings can be made  on +44 20 7493 8181.

Stop by London’s Ritz for that extra special Afternoon Tea experience – a memory to be treasured forever!