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-   -   High Tea in London? (https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/high-tea-in-london-1732248/)

MaineGG Aug 14th, 2025 10:20 AM

We had made reservations and were served at our table in the Morris Room. We saw the self-service items in the café near that room.

janisj Aug 14th, 2025 12:00 PM


Originally Posted by MaineGG (Post 17673271)
We had made reservations and were served at our table in the Morris Room. We saw the self-service items in the café near that room.

oh- that may have been in connection with one of the exhibitions. They do specials like that from to time

mikhail7068 Aug 15th, 2025 04:51 AM

I’ve really enjoyed reading through all the suggestions here. Afternoon tea at Claridge’s is still my personal favorite for a special occasion, but for something more relaxed, I had a lovely experience at the Orangerie at Kensington Palace — beautiful setting without feeling too formal.

ChgoGal Aug 15th, 2025 06:57 AM

I've only had Afternoon Tea at the Dorchester, which was a lovely room and service. I always prefer a more casual setting, though, as I'm a cheapskate, and I enjoy a plain cream tea and cake nearly anywhere. I'd enjoyed my cream teas at the Orangery at Kensington Palace before the renovation. It seemed more casual before. The OP mentioned casual clothes, but since we appear to be recommending nicer teas, I think a great one would be the tea at the Cafe Royal in the Oscar Wilde room.

khunwilko Aug 30th, 2025 05:27 AM

haven't been for years but Claridges is the ONLY place for afternoon tes, surely?

RoxAnn24 Aug 30th, 2025 03:59 PM

We had afternoon tea at Theater Royal Drury Lane in January. It was a “Hens Day Out” before my niece’s wedding. 20 of us took the train in from Cambridge. It was lovely and they were very attentive.

zebec Aug 30th, 2025 06:36 PM

Carolyn, you might want to check out the marvelously quirky Zetter Townhouse. It certainly exceeded our expectations.
Good luck!
I am done. the end

Tulips Aug 31st, 2025 12:03 AM

The Coral Room at the Bloomsbury Hotel has a Runway Afternoon Tea, theme is The Devil wears Prada. Haven't been but it's a lovely room.

CarolynAnn Aug 31st, 2025 04:43 AM

So many great suggestions. I need a long stay to try them all! Thanks, everyone.

janisj Aug 31st, 2025 05:52 AM


Originally Posted by CarolynAnn (Post 17676448)
So many great suggestions. I need a long stay to try them all! Thanks, everyone.


you’ll have to bite the bullet and pick one :) You’ll likely not have the ‘appetite’ for more than one full on afternoon tea in a few days stay. It will be a full meal and can be sort of cloying if you take full advantage of all the sweets and cakes (and champagne) so one time is plenty. Plus - they do eat up more time than just a nice lunch. Each of the posh hotels does a lovely tea so you can’t really go wrong with any of them.

starrs Aug 31st, 2025 09:09 AM


Originally Posted by CarolynAnn (Post 17676448)
So many great suggestions. I need a long stay to try them all! Thanks, everyone.

Definitely!

Enjoy your tea! It's one of my favorite things on trips!

CarolynAnn Sep 1st, 2025 04:32 AM

We're off today and so excited - so many things to look forward to starting with the Braemar Games. My husband and I went in 2012 and it remains a highlight of my travels. I think the girls have decided on Fortnum & Mason because it fit our itinerary but I will look forward to trying more of these great suggestions on future trips. Thanks again!!

starrs Sep 1st, 2025 05:13 AM

Safe travels! Have fun!

khunwilko Sep 2nd, 2025 01:30 AM


Originally Posted by catch23 (Post 17672449)
When American friends come to stay with us we often take them for afternoon tea and have tried a wide range of places around town. The Ritz is always a favourite, if a little stuffy. We like The Langham - overseen by the world renowned Michel Roux Jnr. it was the first ever London hotel to offer afternoon tea.

Incidentally, 'high tea' is something totally different; it is an antiquated term dating back to the last century referring to an early evening "working class' meal usually meaning tea plus heart savoury food like pies , cheeses, pickles ..

Yes, high tea and afternoon tea are not the same
High tea is a meal eaten in the late afternoon or early evening, typically consisting of a cooked dish, bread and butter, and tea.

PatrickLondon Sep 3rd, 2025 10:06 AM

"High tea" could be a variable pick and mix affair. In my family it might well include some seafood from a chap who came by with a trolleyful on a Saturday afternoon (cue song "If you don't want the whelks, don't muck 'em about"), or my dad's favourite tinned salmon.

The main thing was that it wasn't a dainty /elegant occasion for the leisured classes to have a polite chitchat to fill the gap between lunch and dinner in the evening, but a proper feed when father came home from a hard day's work.


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