Afternoon Tea in London Top Hotels

Just three years into the reign of the new Queen Victoria, London was introduced to a new ritual – that of afternoon tea. When Victoria came to the throne in 1837, it was the London custom for lunch to be served early in the day & dinner followed around nine o’clock in the evening.

Afternoon tea was started by the Duchess of Bedford in 1840 to fill this void (excuse the pun). Before long she added fruit breads & pastries to her original fare of sandwiches. This caught on very rapidly & so the great London tradition of afternoon tea was born.

Afternoon tea at the London Ritz became the place to while away the hours & be seen by society. All the while sipping tea from porcelain cups with the little finger raised. To this day, such is the demand for afternoon tea at the London Ritz that there are 5 daily sittings stretching from 11.30 to 19.30! Book your Ritz tea & cakes on +44 20 7493 8181.
Many of the other famous London Hotels make a speciality of the afternoon tea tradition.

The Tea Guild, as you would expect, take a great interest in the afternoon tea ritual by sponsoring the “Top Afternoon Tea award” which was won in 2009 by Brown’s Hotel in London. This ‘Michelin’ star of the tea universe called Brown’s Hotel “a tea aficionado’s paradise”. They even had tea sommeliers offering advice on 17 teas. Tea-tutorials are also being held for the real enthusiasts !

The Mandeville Hotel offers afternoon teas in a very special feminine way with pink cakes & pink wines. In order for the Hotel to avoid the draconian equal rights laws of the 2009 Labour government, the Hotel also offers afternoon teas exclusively for men!

Afternoon tea enthusiasts should also try the Chesterfield Hotel in London’s exclusive Mayfair district where Afternoon tea is served in an English garden setting. Whilst in Mayfair, if you have the appetite, visit the very famous Claridges for their own special brand of traditional afternoon teas.

Lovers of Art Deco can take the afternoon teas in the spa at the very British Dorchester or whilst still on an Art Deco theme try the Art Deco Palm Court serving of that great London tradition , Afternoon Tea!

Alternatively if you are in the Knightsbridge area try the Berkeley Hotel’s afternoon tea with its exotic cakes & expensive champagne.
From London the idea rapidly spread, so it was no time before afternoon tea was a national British institution.

For all you tourists, starve before you come to London so you can indulge yourself with all these wonderful afternoon teas. Bon appétit !