Lyn

Can anyone suggest a good place for us to have a real English tea??? I know there are very fancy places in some of the hotels.... that I've read about... but are there any places that are a little more relaxed... where we won't have to dress up especially??

We'll be staying at the County Hall.

Thanks!

Also... never having been to London before OR having a "proper tea" -- can anyone tell me exactly what they serve & what is involved?? Sounds great! Thanks!

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Patrick

This has been answered in depth before and you can do search, by typing in tea in London under the search function. But I will repeat my favorite --Brown's Hotel. There will be some in suits and dressy attire, but many quite casual as well, I just wouldn't go in jeans and t-shirt or jogging suit (they probably wouldn't let you in dressed that casually anyway). You sit in very comfy overstuffed chairs and sofas around coffee tables and they bring you tea, sandwiches, pastries, etc. and keep bringing you more as long as you stay. I have never felt rushed or pushed there. It is simply great! I once did tea at the Ritz, and was first of all uncomfortable as they sat us at hard chairs and tiny tall tables and half an hour after they brought our stuff, they politely said, "will that be all, should we bring you your cheque?" I felt like I was on a bus tour there with all the tourists coming and going.

Lyn

Thanks so much Patrick. I will put Brown's on our list. I will do a search on this forum as well...

Lyn

Ben Haines

From the upper front room of the Charing Cross Thistle Hotel there's a good view of the Strand and Natiional Gallery. Tea is about ten pounds, and good, but the tea is made with tea bags.

Not highfaluting at all, but thoroughly plessant is tea in the Italian cafe just beside the entrance to Temple tube station, with a view of fruit and veg barrows, tea made with tea leaves (the last in London ?), and slices of mincemeat tart that are too big to eat: it's best to share one slice between two people. The staff are all family: the youngest lad is well into the business.

Not expensive, but very English, is summer Sunday tea at St Anne's Church Kew Green. The church is eighteenth century and beautifully kept, partly on income from the teas that the parishioners serve for a pound or two on Sundays from June to August, from 2.30 to about 5. There's a recital in church at 3.30 by one or several musicians of he parish. You take tea in the church hall if wet, but otherwise among the gravestones in the churchyard: that of Thomas Gainsborough the painter is just round the corner of the church. As you'll see from their houses when you get there, people in Kew Green are rich, and your tea is served you by pleasant and established Englishmen and women. The church is 15 minutes walk north of Kew Gardens station.

Please write if can help further. Welcome to LKondon.

Ben Haines

Gloria

Hi, Lyn,
I took a group of ladies to England for a week. They all love to shop and eat. I combined the two for a lovely afternoon at Harrod's. It was very nice, decorated well, had a string quartet.
The ladies enjoyed themselves very much.
All wore something a bit nicer that day.
I didn't see jeans or anything like that.
We were treated very well.
I had made reservations about 2 weeks prior as we were a larger number.
Have a wonderful time!
Gloria

Maribel

We loved Brown's, could have stayed there forever, the atmosphere of the parlor was so cozy and those overstuffed chairs and sofas so comfortable!

Beth

Lyn,
We liked Fortnum & Mason. We also tried Harrods. Harrods had a little better service, but F&M had been food.
We had a variety of foods, but for the most part it consisted of finger sandwiches, scones and clotted cream (to die for!!!) and small pastries. All the tea (or in my case hot chocolate) you can drink. Both places had great service as well. We were not in jeans, but did see a few people in them at F&M. I would suggest the always-recommended black pants.

I'm heading back to London end of March, so I'll be visiting F&M for tea a couple of times.

Have fun and enjoy all the clotted cream you can!!

Sheila

What is the usual teatime and do you need reservations in advance for Fortnum and Masons or Harrods? I am going in June.

Marsha

Fortnum & Mason. Excellent tea. Recommend that you make reservations.

Lyn

Thanks everyone for the great suggestions & info! I have another ignorant question though.... although I HAVE heard the term before, what exactly IS "clotted cream"??? Is it like whipped cream??? Or sour??

wendy

I love the Dorchester hotel for actually an affordable cup of tea in a great setting. Also, if you are in the theatre area, cthe Savoy hotel is great in the evening after dinner.

Raphael

I found a nice little cafe in Mayfair...actually, it's part of a small chain - there's one near Harrod's as well, though not as nice...it's called "Richoux"...they serve a very nice, well priced tea.

carolyn

Clotted cream is sort of like soft unsalted butter. Is is delicious. We had tea at Harrods and once at the Maids of Honour across from Kew Gardens. That one is quite old and very charming but a little out of the way.

Sapna

Fortnum & Mason is THE place. Try the cucumber sandwiches and scones with clotted cream. Delicious !!! We didn't need reservations. Don't need to dress formally - "dressy casual" should do.

Tina

Lyn:

I've not had tea in England (you know what I mean, as in the "tea experience") but have done so in the states. It was in one of those high falutin' ladies do tea type places --- actually an antique store that serves tea in the afternoon upstairs.

I LOVED the clotted cream --- the name does sound somewhat unappealing, but it's mighty tasty stuff. It has a smooth easily spreadable texture -- no, not like whipping cream; not sour either. I'm not sure how to describe it, but feel it's one of those items that most folks would enjoy once they've tried it.

jhm

Duke's Hotel, right behind Fortnum and Mason, has a wonderful tea which feels hidden away. The sandwiches are delicious.

For a "fancy," dress-up, not-inexpensive tea, Claridge's is lovely. The sandwiches are the best I've had in England, the tea is great and the setting is wonderful.

David White

Lyn,

Advice for enjoying tea, especially when it comes to scones with jam and clotted creme:

Be certain to ignore the calories and fat content. If that doesn't work, try rationalization. Here are some that work for me:

--You will WALK off the excess calories touring London
--The jam has fruit and fruit is good for you....
--The caffeine in the tea speeds up your metabolism and that helps burn off calories.

Enjoy,

David White

P.S. Brown's is good (I was there last summer). They sometimes require reservations. Fortnum and Mason is less formal, but nice. They have two restaurants that serve afternoon tea, reservations not needed.

Mike

Clotted cream is made by heating, cooling, then skimming pans of cream or milk, to give you a thick, smooth spreadable cream. It has a substantially higher fat content than any conventional cream, with the taste of cream and the spreading consistency of a soft butter. It is a speciality of the South West of England.

Another vote for Fortnum's. Don't worry too much about dressing up - smart casual would be perfect. It isn't snooty - too busy for that.

However, if you happen to head towards Oxford, Le Manoir Aux Quat'Saisons do a super tea, based more around French patisserie. Note that this is about as swish and expensive as hotels in England get. Again, smart casual would be fine. This place may APPEAR a bit stuck up from the outside, but, in my experience, if you aren't, neither are they.