5 Themed Afternoon Teas in London

If there’s one custom I really like in London, it’s afternoon tea. The muffins, the scones, the sandwiches, and the surroundings are the stuff of British fairy tales. A few of them are even designed to resemble fairy tales. The UK capital has a variety of themed afternoon teas which can be value making an attempt, and at this time I wish to inform you concerning the ones that stand out above the remaining. From whimsical teas to indulgent numbers, they’re stuffed with candy treats. Learn on for my prime picks. I’ve included a map, too.

Themed Afternoon Teas in London

If you happen to’re not accustomed to the historical past, the custom of afternoon tea dates again to the nineteenth century. Anna, seventh Duchess of Bedford, started gathering her mates collectively for tea and cake. Her thought sparked a pattern that ultimately turned an establishment.

Right this moment inns, eating places, cafes, and even buses vie for coveted awards for one of the best afternoon tea in London (sure, there’s a Taylor Swift-themed afternoon tea bus tour you’ll be able to go on). They go to nice lengths to tell apart their choices and stand out above the remaining.

Quite a lot of effort goes into creating quintessential tea experiences. Much more work goes into creating non-traditional choices. These are those I wish to spotlight at this time.

There are such a lot of afternoon teas in London that a spot actually has to drag off a feat to face out. Many obtain this by making a themed tea expertise that enables visitors to really feel like they’ve been transported into one other world.

Whether or not it’s an enchanted afternoon tea based mostly on a Shakespeare play, a chocolate afternoon tea, or an providing based mostly on a well-known youngsters’s e book character like Paddington Bear, they make their mark by doing one thing out of the atypical.

Some themed afternoon teas in London are everlasting fixtures, whereas others are seasonal or accessible for a restricted time. Whether or not you’re after a tea that’s good for teenagers, one which’s ideally suited for channeling your interior little one, or one which’s enjoyable for folks of all ages, there are a lot to select from at any given second.

1. The Sanderson

Within the coronary heart of Fitzrovia, one among London’s most beloved themed teas is the Mad Hatter’s Afternoon Tea on the Sanderson resort. It’s been going robust for years, and it’s an area establishment.

The Courtyard Backyard setting right here is straight out of Alice in Wonderland. Menus are tucked away in classic books, teapots and plates are Mad Hatter-themed, and the expertise is so effectively thought via that you could possibly really consider you’ve fallen down the rabbit gap.

After I got here right here for tea I liked the holistic nature of the providing. Each element was fastidiously deliberate, and the meals and repair have been each wonderful. If you happen to’re on the lookout for a traditional themed tea expertise in London, this can be a good one.

2. Kona

In Westminster, Kona on the Taj 51 Buckingham Gate resort presents the magical A Midsummer Evening’s Dream Afternoon Tea. This much-accoladed service whisks visitors off on a journey for the senses. From cocktails to inventive delicacies and crockery to match, it’s a particular one.

Upon arrival, visitors step into an otherworldly expertise at Kona. Impressed by Shakespeare’s well-known comedy, the five-act afternoon tea presents a whimsical journey via taste, romance, and fantasy.

Assume poetic savories, magical sweets, and a signature tea mix brewed with fairy mud, and also you’ll get the thought.

I had an additional particular expertise once I indulged in afternoon tea right here. I received to get pleasure from A Midsummer Evening’s Dream Afternoon Tea at Christmas. The service had a festive twist, making it much more magical than ordinary.

3. Afternoon Tea at Raffles

One other of my favourite themed afternoon teas is the one at Raffles London at The OWO. Centrally situated in Whitehall, this elegant resort serves a spy-themed tea in The Drawing Room.

Afternoon tea at Raffles is all about custom, nevertheless it additionally provides a nod to the resort’s former id because the office of British spies. The menu is stamped “categorised”, and the pastries are named after feminine spies who as soon as labored within the constructing.

From candy and savory delicacies to loose-leaf tea from all around the world, the Secrets and techniques & Spies Afternoon Tea providing covers all of the classics with a twist.

If you happen to’re on the lookout for a themed tea that sticks nearer to the standard format than a number of the others, this one is simply the ticket.

4. One Aldwych

Proper in Covent Backyard, the Charlie & the Chocolate Manufacturing unit Afternoon Tea at One Aldwych is a long-standing favourite. This resort within the West Finish is a well-liked place for afternoon tea in London with youngsters.

The Charlie & the Chocolate Manufacturing unit tea service delights children of all ages with its enjoyable, whimsical menu. It contains gadgets like chocolate “swudge” milkshakes, fizzy lifting drinks, “snozzberry” jam, and different treats that tantalize the style buds.

If you happen to love Roald Dahl and also you wish to indulge your interior Willy Wonka, that is simply the (golden) ticket. Kids of all ages will like it.

5. Haymarket Resort

If you happen to love London as a lot as I do, beat a path to afternoon tea on the Haymarket Resort. Situated close to Trafalgar Sq., Leicester Sq., and Piccadilly Circus, this place has a landmark-themed tea service known as London Calling.

The providing highlights sights inside a 30-minute stroll of the resort’s entrance door. It’s an incredible nod to each the property’s central location and London’s abundance of eye-catching landmarks.

Company can benefit from the tea providing within the resort’s restaurant, Brumus. It’s embellished in brilliant colours and daring patterns, and it’s an incredible place to get pleasure from a London-themed afternoon tea.

Every pastry is hand made to resemble one of many metropolis’s well-known icons, from a chocolate Huge Ben to a cinnamon London Eye and an lovable macaron dressed up like a Buckingham Palace guard.

The London Calling Afternoon Tea is ideal in the event you’re passionate concerning the UK capital and also you wish to get pleasure from an expertise proper in the midst of lots of the metropolis’s most well-known squares.

As a bonus, after tea you’ll be able to go on a self-guided strolling tour of the native space designed in collaboration with a Blue Badge Information. You’ll be capable to comply with a digital map and see the sights you simply tasted.

Map of Afternoon Teas in London

Greatest Themed Afternoon Tea in London

I hope you’ve loved my record of one of the best themed afternoon teas in London, and that it’s impressed you to strive a number of of them. There are many others on the market, from Harry Potter-themed afternoon teas to ones modeled after fashionable TV reveals and films like Bridgerton and Depraved.

If you would like extra concepts, you’ll be able to take a look at my tea itinerary and my free self-guided London meals tour, which incorporates afternoon tea. I’ve additionally written a information to one of the best gluten-free afternoon teas in London.

If you wish to dig deeper, you’ll be able to check out my weblog posts about conventional English dishes, traditional English desserts, and well-known English drinks.

And if you wish to do all of it the correct manner, my information to afternoon tea etiquette and my submit concerning the British tea tradition are must-reads.

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