Afternoon tea is a signature dish of United Kingdom; we have verified places to eat it in London. Finger sandwiches, warm scones with clotted cream and jam, and a tiered stand of cakes, with a pot of loose-leaf tea. Start with where to eat Afternoon tea in London.
Afternoon tea · London
Finger sandwiches, warm scones with clotted cream and jam, and a tiered stand of cakes, with a pot of loose-leaf tea. A London hotel ritual since 1840.
Anna, the seventh Duchess of Bedford, is credited with inventing afternoon tea around 1840 to bridge the gap between lunch and a late dinner. The Ritz on Piccadilly began serving formal afternoon tea in 1906 in the Palm Court, and Brown's Hotel, Claridge's, The Savoy, Fortnum and Mason and The Lanesborough have served it continuously since the Edwardian era. The orthodox order: a pot of loose-leaf tea, three finger sandwiches (cucumber, smoked salmon, egg mayonnaise), warm scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam, a tiered stand of patisserie. Booking opens months ahead at the marquee rooms.
Where to eat in London:
- The Ritz
- Fortnum and Mason
- The Wolseley
Where to eat Afternoon tea in London: the editor picks