10 Best Afternoon Teas in London

The Gallery at Sketch is a restaurant marked by comfortable, plush furnishings with upscale accents and fine artwork for a truly elegant afternoon tea experience. The menu here is quintessentially traditional, perhaps with just a minor spin for whimsy's sake. You'll enjoy cucumber and coronation chicken sandwiches on brioche buns, black truffle and cream cheese, strawberry Bottenberg and pineapple éclair. The artwork is by famed master artist Yinka Shonibare and the entire restaurant's décor features delicate copper accents and an overall striking look.

This is a place to come for an upscale, luxurious tea that will place you in the regal traditions of days gone by. It's only 7 minutes north of the city centre.

The Drawing Room at Brown's Hotel has reinvented the tradition of afternoon tea with modern takes on classic recipes served up in a classic, dedicated tea room. You'll enjoy a glass of fine Moet & Chandon Champagne while you relax in snug armchairs and have your snacks and small plates served up on delicate, floral china. The tea menu here is vast; the restaurant, in fact, calls it a library, but the staff are ready to provide tons of recommendations for snacks and the tea to pair with them.

Food offerings include everything from smoked salmon and pickled fennel to air-dried black Coombe ham to scones and macaroons. It's just 6 minutes north of the city centre.

Farmacy offers a sustainable and responsible, yet still elegant take on afternoon tea with organically prepared, locally and sustainably sourced offerings in a stunning surrounding. The menu at this spot is ever-changing with seasonal food served up in a light, airy setting with modern elegance. It's also completely vegetarian and vegan-friendly with an entirely plant-based menu that uses zero refined sugars or dairy and no chemicals or additives. Every ingredient is grown on their own farm or locally, sustainably sourced.

The menu here is broad and varied, and the selection of teas and cocktails is outstanding. The staff are friendly and knowledgeable and always willing to help with recommendations. It's only 20 minutes west of the city centre.

Oblix at the Shard offers afternoon tea 32 stories above the street with astonishing views of the London skyline with few gimmicks, just straightforward, good food. You won't find overly fancy décor, ceremony or bells and whistles here. It's all about paying homage to the great city that stretches out before you. You'll enjoy food like cranberry scones with clotted cream and jelly, plus honeycomb. You can try coronation chicken sandwiches with mango and cilantro, and ham and cheese with locally sourced cheese.

Everything here is truly decadent, including the tea options, which come from as far abroad as China, New Zealand and the Caribbean. The restaurant has a business casual dress code and is right in the city centre.

Lyaness at Sea Containers offers legendary cocktails with traditional, yet upscale food offerings all in an elegant surrounding with plush furnishings. The beverages here are whipped up by famed mixologist Ryan Chetiyawardana and are both strong and delicious and include options like a gin tipple with honey apple reduction, or rum fizz with rose and galangal. The scones are served traditionally with clotted cream and blueberry lemon thyme jelly. Other offerings include chocolate éclair and caremelised banana.

Everything here is served up with a pure sense of upscale luxury and elegance, but the prices are quite reasonable. It's a great spot to feel pampered without breaking the budget. It's only 15 minutes east of the city centre.

Afternoon tea at The Wolseley offers a superbly opulent snack break in the middle of the day with elegant décor and a classic atmosphere with lavish food and drink options. The place is decked out with classic black and cream tiles, arching pillars and immense chandeliers for the feel of being in an authentic 19th-century drawing room with a lavish, noble atmosphere. You'll pass through velvet curtains to see other folks dressed to the nines being served from silver pots by fully-suited waitstaff in a grand parlor.

You'll enjoy finger sandwiches with vegetarian options, scones and pastries like eclairs and cheesecake. This afternoon tea is unforgettable. Best of all, it's right in the city centre.

The Rubens at the Palace offers the chance to wine and dine like a king with bottomless champagne tea while overlooking the opulent elegance of Buckingham Palace. Not only will you have a picture-perfect cup of tea, but mouth-watering pastries inspired and influenced by the best the House of Windsor has to offer. Among the highlights is an Earl Gray infused Yuzu chocolate mousse, which is served up in honor of Her Majesty's love of both Earl Gray and chocolate.

Afternoon tea here is extremely popular and reservations are highly recommended. You'll also want to dress in your finest when you arrive. It's right in the heart of the London city centre.

The Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon at Fortnum & Mason offers a peaceful escape from the city's hustle and bustle right off the Piccadilly with the finest cake and tea. The décor is all decked out in eau-de-nil, even the plates, and an old-world approach. The current establishment was opened by the Queen in 2012, but in a location that has hosted afternoon teas for nearly 100 years. You'll be astonished by the wide range of teas here, with nearly 45 infusions available. You can also enjoy classic soft scones and clotted cream, with jellies of strawberry, blueberry and raspberry.

Better yet, you can buy some to take home at the downstairs shop. It's in the heart of the city centre.

The Harrods Tea Room has served up delicious afternoon tea for over 125 years inside of a glittering, famous department store with globally sourced menu options. Here you can enjoy all kinds of teas from traditional Earl Gray to Hawaiian black tea to Andhain Tai milk oolong from China and beyond. The tea here is also accompanied by an on-point selection of basic candies including lemon tarts with lime and mint gel to opulently sweet praline spheres. The offerings here may not be as fancy as some others, but they match the experience of exploring Harrods in the heart of the city.

The legacy here can't be matched. They've been doing this since 1896, so their traditions are legitimately historic.

Brigit's Bakery & Afternoon Tea Bus Tours gives you an entirely different approach to tea, combining it with a bus tour of the city of London. Here you'll board a classic, vintage London Routemaster double-decker bus and ride around to see all the landmarks of the city while learning all about its ancient history and culture. You'll see Big Ben, Parliament, Hyde Park, Westminster Abbey, The Royal Albert Hall, Downing Street, the Marble Arch, St. James's Park, Nelson's Column and so many others.

The tour lasts about 90 minutes and is delivered with a traditional afternoon tea menu. Offerings include pastrami & gherkin burger, finger sandwiches, homemade cookies and tarts and a wide selection of teas, among other treats.