Nomadic Neen Are you planning a trip to London or maybe even doing some local exploring if you live in the area? You’re going to want to book yourself an afternoon tea or a high tea. When you start to do your research, I guarantee you will be overwhelmed with the amount of options you are presented! There are so many adorable places scattered all throughout London, so how do you choose?!
That’s where this post comes in! To help narrow down your search, I have collected a handful of the absolute BEST places to go to enjoy some tea and sandwiches from three amazing travel writers. Coming from the experts, you know these are only the BEST places!
AFTERNOON TEA CRUISE ON RIVER THAMES
TANYA TAYLOR; TRAVELS AND TREASURES
City Cruises; Tower Pier
Cost: $48 for Adults, $34 for Children
If you are visiting London and want to see wonderful landmarks on a fixed schedule, relax with a cuppa and enjoy the sights from a comfortable cruise ship!
City Cruises departs from the Tower Pier (Lower Thames Street) daily for afternoon tea. After seating, the ship leaves the dock and begins a smooth journey along the Thames River. During the sail, you can enjoy a fixed menu but it is flexible enough for vegetarians. Travelers may pinkie up with a pot of coffee or tea, both are unlimited. The cabin is filled with chatter and wonder as you consume delicious sandwiches (such as ham, cucumber, egg salad), a variety of cakes, and traditional scones served with cream and jam. You also have the option of ordering a glass of bubbling champagne. While dining, it’s a great opportunity to greet other travelers at adjacent tables, compare travel notes, and exchange a few trip tips.
While cruising, get your camera and get ready to snap! You’ll see iconic places including Shakespeare’s Globe, Tower Bridge, Tower of London, The Eye, the Houses of Parliament, and The Shard. The experience is like being on a narrated tour bus, except you are free to move about instead of staying in a seat. You also have large, panoramic windows in every direction which lessens obstructed views.
The dress code is casual and depends on personal taste. Jeans are acceptable, but khaki’s or a sundress may be better for photos. Signup with City Cruises for a 1.5-hour sail along London’s famous Thames River. It’s a great way to enjoy the tradition of afternoon tea while seeing the sights.
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MAD HATTERS TEA PARTY
JOANNA; THE WORLD IN MY POCKET
50 Berners St
London W1T 3NG
Cost: £48 ($65) for Adults, £35 ($48) for Children
One of the most beautiful high tea experiences in London is the Mad Hatters Tea Party at the Sanderson Hotel. Located in Fitzrovia, the Sanderson is a West End five stars boutique hotel that has been running this Alice in Wonderland themed afternoon tea for years.
The best place to have the Mad Hatters Tea Party is in the interior garden of the hotel, which is decorated with plenty of pink flamingos, and has a flowery hanging egg chair, very popular for Instagram shots.
The afternoon tea starts with a “Drink me” potion, which represents opening the rabbit hole and entering into Alice’s Wonderland. There are five different teas to choose from, all named after the characters in Lewis Carroll’s famous book.
The treats on the afternoon platter are all made to make you think of the Mad Hatter. There are heart shaped jammy dodgers, clock macaroons, red mushroom marshmallows, even a blue chocolate caterpillar. When it comes to the savoury treats, besides the classic stack of sandwiches, there are also crab brioche rolls and smoked salmon Scotch quail eggs.
If you order a bottle of the pink champagne, you will receive an extra platter of delicate pink flamingo cakes.
The price for the Mad Hatters Tea Party is £48 per person and £35 per child. The pink champagne afternoon tea costs £65. Please note that this is a five stars hotel, so a smart casual dress code is required.
I highly recommend this afternoon tea because it’s quirky and does indeed make you go down the rabbit hole and feel like Alice for a day.
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SAINT AYMES
DYMPHE; DYMABROAD
59 Connaught St, St. George’s Fields
Longdon W2 2BB
Cost: £15 – 30 (options vary)
One of the best places for high tea in London is definitely Saint Aymes. Saint Aymes is a wonderful place to go to for a high tea as the atmosphere is amazing and it looks very beautiful.
The cafe has many cute decorations. For example, there are always pink flowers on the outside of the cafe! That’s also why it’s one of the prettiest cafes in London. There’s a lovely little terrace on the outside too, making it possible to have a high tea in front of the cafe. This is a very unique experience as you’ll sit in front of many pretty flowers.
Besides that, the inside is gorgeous as well. There are decorations everywhere, even in the toilet! For example, you can find beautiful flower walls on the inside of Saint Aymes. For that reason, the cafe is also incredible for photography!
The staff are all very friendly which is very nice. You can find lots of delicious things on the menu of Saint Aymes. One of my favorite things is the unicorn waffles. That’s because it’s delicious, it looks beautiful and it totally fits this fabulous place! Furthermore, the tea at Saint Aymes is very good which is great if you’re going here for a high tea. Because of its beauty, its delicious food and tea, and its uniqueness, Saint Aymes is one of my favorite places for high tea in London.
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I love tea and will surely be putting this on my London bucket list… thanks for the informative info!!
This is amazing! I have been getting into more tea this past year and definitely will be adding these to the list when my husband and I take a trip to London! 🙂
I thought the best one is at the Ritz. It was expensive but the elegance of the hall and the top notch servings more than made up for it!
This looks so fun. High tea is the one thing that we missed during our trip to London, and I regret it. I think it would be so fun!
I absolutely love high tea and sometimes I do prepare a tea time myself. Yet, it’s not the same – you do need the British atmosphere with it. Mad Hatters Tea Party looks just amazing – I would forget all my manners and just stuff face 😉
Saint Aymes looks like it would be my favorite, but Mad Hatters Tea Party at the Sanderson Hotel just makes me think of Alice in wonderland and so I would definitely visit there too!
Wow an afternoon tea cruise on River Thames would be my pick! These seem like interesting places. Thanks for the information