Below is a ranked list of the afternoon teas I experienced in London, with my ratings for the setting, service, tea selection, savories, scones, sweets, and overall impression.
An ongoing list of afternoon teas I’ve visited in London, ordered from my least to most favorite among those I’ve tried.
RELATED: Afternoon Teas in NYC, Ranked (reference)
6: Shangri-La The Shard
Setting: ★★★★☆
Afternoon tea is served in TING on the 35th floor, offering dramatic panoramic views of the city. The vista is fantastic, though the atmosphere feels more like a restaurant than a cozy tea room, so I docked a star for ambience.
Service: ★★★★★
Service was attentive and polished from beginning to end.
Tea & Tea Selection: ★★★★★
Loose tea is served and staff offered extra hot water for refills. Guests start with a welcome drink, which is a pleasant gesture and enhances the experience.
Savories: ★★★★☆
The sandwiches were tasty, but they used pre-made bread rather than housemade loaves, so the texture wasn’t as soft and delicate as it could have been.
Scones: ★★★★☆
Scones arrived warm and were accompanied by good clotted cream.
Sweets: ★★★★☆
The desserts were larger and required utensils, which made them less elegant for a traditional tea. The dramatic dry-ice presentation was a fun touch, though.
Overall: ★★★★☆
Not my favorite tea, but worthwhile for the sweeping views.
Price: £65 per person at the time of my visit. Menus and prices may change.
5: Rosewood London
The Rosewood offers themed afternoon teas inspired by artists and cultural figures. When I visited, the menu was Hokusai-inspired, drawing on Japanese flavors and aesthetics.
Setting: ★★★★☆
Tea is served in the Mirror Room, a refined dining space adjacent to the main entrance. It feels like a cross between a lounge and a restaurant rather than a traditional tea room.
Service: ★★★★★
Staff were friendly, professional, and attentive throughout the service.
Tea & Tea Selection: ★★★★★
Teas were primarily Japanese varieties chosen to match the theme. I appreciated the option to change teas with each course.
Savories: ★★★★☆
Savories were flavorful but slightly messy, and the sandwich portions felt overly large.
Scones: ★★★★☆
Scones and clotted cream were very good.
Sweets: ★★★★☆
The desserts were beautiful and on-theme, but big portions meant we had to cut shared pieces, which made them awkward and messy to eat.
Overall: ★★★★☆
The concept and execution were enjoyable, though the sweets would benefit from smaller, individual portions.
Price: £80 per person at the time of my visit. Menus and prices may change.
4: Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park London
This Mandarin Oriental location at Hyde Park is the one that offers afternoon tea.
Setting: ★★★★★
Afternoon tea is served in The Rosebery, a bright, elegant lounge with comfortable seating and a relaxed yet polished atmosphere.
Service: ★★★★★
Service was consistently excellent and unobtrusive.
Tea & Tea Selection: ★★★★☆
A large menu of 29 teas can feel overwhelming but offers great variety. I enjoyed a flavored white tea called Sticky Rice with lovely toasty notes. A few teas carried a supplemental charge, which is why I deducted a star.
Savories: ★★★★★
Sandwiches were flavorful with pillowy soft bread.
Scones: ★★★★★
Scones were presented on a two-tiered, bird-cage-style stand with clotted cream, jam, and lemon curd—everything very well executed.
Sweets: ★★★★★
Desserts were charming, varied, and delicious.
Overall: ★★★★★
A delightful tea that I would recommend.
Price: £79 per person at the time of my visit. Menus and prices may change.
FULL REVIEW: Afternoon Tea at Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London (reference)
3: The Ritz London
Setting: ★★★★☆
The Ritz dedicates a beautiful, traditional dining room solely to afternoon tea with multiple daily seatings. The room is stunning, though table spacing is tight and some seating arrangements felt awkward.
Service: ★★★★★
Service is impeccable and precisely timed; each course arrived at the right moment.
Tea & Tea Selection: ★★★★★
Excellent tea selection and quality.
Savories: ★★★★★
Tea sandwiches were outstanding and consistently excellent.
Scones: ★★★★★
Generous scones with superb clotted cream.
Sweets: ★★★★★
Three sweets are served on the tiered tray followed by a dessert trolley with two more cakes—an elegant extra.
Overall: ★★★★★
A formal, iconic afternoon tea experience and well worth visiting.
Price: £81 per person at the time of my visit. Menus and prices may change.
FULL REVIEW: Afternoon Tea at The Ritz London (reference)
2: Sketch
Setting: ★★★★★
Sketch’s Gallery room is a charming, artful tea room with a string trio often playing live. It captures the classic tea room atmosphere beautifully.
Service: ★★★★☆
Service was generally excellent, though we were gently reminded to vacate our table as we approached the two-hour limit after already requesting the bill.
Tea & Tea Selection: ★★★★★
Loose tea is unlimited and the selection is excellent; I tried two different blends.
Savories: ★★★★★
Sandwiches were creative, deeply flavorful, and a highlight of the meal.
Scones: ★★★★☆
Scones were a touch dry and mild in flavor, though portions were generous.
Sweets: ★★★★★
Desserts were delightful, beautifully presented, and delicious.
Overall: ★★★★★
Despite a small service hiccup and slightly dry scones, the inventive sandwiches and desserts make Sketch a must-try.
Price: £85 per person at the time of my visit. Menus and prices may change.
FULL REVIEW: Afternoon Tea at Sketch in London (reference)
1: Fortnum & Mason
Setting: ★★★★★
Fortnum & Mason’s Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon occupies an entire floor above the Piccadilly store. White tablecloths and live piano music create a refined, classic atmosphere that feels timeless.
Service: ★★★★★
Service was warm and knowledgeable; the server offered excellent tea pairing suggestions and attentive care throughout.
Tea & Tea Selection: ★★★★★
Tea quality and selection were superb. I enjoyed the Queen Anne black blend, which was a standout.
Savories: ★★★★★
Traditional tea sandwiches shone because of the exceptional bread—so fresh and soft it felt like biting into a cloud.
Scones: ★★★★★
These were my favorite scones in London, and the clotted cream was extraordinary—rich, silky, and the best I tried.
Sweets: ★★★★★
Desserts were perfectly portioned, tasty, and balanced.
Overall: ★★★★★
Fortnum & Mason set the standard for afternoon tea in London. Exceptional in nearly every respect and a place I look forward to returning to.
Price: £84 per person at the time of my visit. Menus and prices may change.
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