a friend and i will be in london for only a few days, first week of october. we plan to see a couple of shows and have afternoon tea somewhere in the city. any recommendations out there? thanks in advance.

I live in england & although I have never been there, my friend loves Fortnum & Masons first & the Ritz second for afternoon tes. I don't think you would need to eat dinner afterwards. Why don't you go to the leicester square ticket booth for theatre tickets, as they have nearly all the top shows at half price, if you get there before 1.00pm on the day. hope this helps.

Here is a link to a London "superthread".
http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...p;tid=34548473

Within it there are 3 threads on afternoon tea

afternoon tea
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34541593

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34498221

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34456840

and further down the superthread lots of website options on theater.

www.whatsonstage.com will tell you exactly that.

There are a number of options for finding discount tickets if you don't want to wait until you get there to use the TKTS booth. I think londontown.com is a good place to look.

I think the best place to have afternoon tea in London is at the Dorchester Hotel. I was there two years ago and the service was unbelievable. They have the tea in their palour. You sit on big comfy couches and chairs with a pianist playing in the background. It's not crowded and service is truly exceptional. It's a bit pricey, but worth it.

I and three girlfriends went. We wanted their late champagne tea, at about 5pm. That tea was served with a salads and sandwiches. Although they were not serving scones at that time, when we asked, they brought some out for us. It was one of the highlights of my trip! If you are interested, they will fax their menu to you.

I agree the Dorchester is great and not the typical recommendation.

Forgot broadwaybox.com does London discounts too.

The Wolsey Restaurant near Picadilly is great for afternoon tea. It is also a great place for spotting celebrities.

Fortnum & Mason is a good place for tea. My top theatre picks are Phantom and Les Miserables (which I don't believe is still playing here in the US). I've seen both twice and can't wait to go back to see them again!

as a londoner, who regularly relies on people's opinions on this site, it is an honour to finally be able to advise. i am a londoner who lives and works in glitzy mayfair. it is a tourist trap..but having said that..it is pure english.

albeit snooty and old school, you cannot beat the Ritz for afternoon tea. dorchester is another but it caters mainly for tourists. the ritz, on the other hand, has brits from all over the country who want to experience "london".

how about timing it to see the changing of the guards too, which, even as a londoner, is awesome. after that, head down to the ritz..walking distance, slap on a bit of lipgloss and just hold your head up high and enjoy the layered pastry trays accompanying your afternoon tea.

it gives me great pleasure to tell you all the secrets of this great place.
so much to do, so much to see...and that's as a londoner!

let me know what else you want to know..or other useful numbers. i'd be delighted to assist.

I always enjoy myself at the Wolseley, but it's *loud* due both to the building's accoustics and the buzz of the clientele at this always busy spot. If you are looking for someplace quiet and serene, the Wolseley isn't it. Otherwise, it's lots of fun and not overpriced. Try and get a table in the inner "horseshoe" part of the restaurant.

Where is the Wolsey located, please?

Brown's Hotel does a very posh tea, Fortnum and Mason is nice but for a quiet out of the way tea try Basil Street Hotel. We have done all three and really enjoyed the Basil Street last May. It was a lovely stroll to the hotel (not too far from Harrod's). The windows were open and the breeze was lovely. The service was nice but not too fussy, the down filled chair VERY soft, the local "characters" were interesting. Oh yes, the food was good. Especially the little cake tray at the end. The chocolate orange cake to die for.

I was in London a few weeks ago and had a wonderful afternoon tea at the Park Lane Hotel in Piccadilly. I didn't know what to expect because my friend was staying there and decided to book it for us. It was wonderful! I haven't had a formal tea anywhere else, but it sounds comparable to the above posts about the Dorchester and the Ritz. Same atmosphere--comfy chairs and sofas--plus a harpist playing.

Along with the tea of your choice, each person received 5 different and delicious finger sandwiches (roast beef, salmon, watercress, etc), then scones accompanied by clotted cream, jam, and lemon curd, and finishing off with a desert tray (choice of cake, pastry or pudding). Needless to say, we were all stuffed and didn't require supper that evening. The cost for this standard tea was approximately $20 per person. There was also a more expensive lavendar tea and a champagne tea.

(typo--meant "dessert" tray above)
Also forgot to mention the Park Lane hotel is right across the street from Green Park, which makes for a gorgeous stroll afterward.

'snooty and old school'=the Ritz
The Dorchester caters mainly to tourists?
As opposed to the Ritz?
'Glitzy' Mayfair is a tourist trap but 'pure English'?

My response is, Huh?

topping for the gratuitously rude tmk649