On the hunt for the capital’s best high tea deals and discounts? We’ve rounded up a tempting selection of resplendent hotels and boutique bakeries where you can enjoy this beloved British pastime in style.
From teeny-tiny sandwiches and picture-perfect cakes to melt-in-the-mouth scones with jam and clotted cream (or is that clotted cream and jam?), us Brits love afternoon tea. In fact, we love it so much, we’ve dedicated an entire week of the year to celebrating it. Running from 8-14 August, Afternoon Tea Week is a chance to visit London’s swankiest hotels, cafes and restaurants to pick daintily at delicious treats for an hour or two. What’s more, many of the city’s best afternoon tea experiences are marking the celebration with an array of exclusive offers and discounts. Here’s our pick of the best across the capital.
Enjoy a royal spread at St Martin’s Lane London
Located in the heart of the West End, this ultra-stylish, Philippe Starck-designed hotel is giving diners 25% off its afternoon tea experience from Monday to Sunday (8-14 August). Expect a tempting selection of sweet and savoury treats, including grenadine trifle with strawberries and pavlova, as well as its Queen’s Crown Bakewell tart. These are served alongside the hotel’s Platinum Jubilee Blend, a black tea infused with sweet violets, vanilla and chocolate that was made specially for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. £33.75 per person
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Enjoy afternoon tea in the garden at Roseate House
With a mouth-watering line-up of chicken caesar sandwiches, passion fruit tartelettes and praline macarons (not to mention the freshly baked scones with homemade lemon curd), afternoon tea at the five-star Roseate House hotel near Hyde Park is as indulgent as they come. And with an exclusive buy-one-get-one-half-price offer that runs to 30 November 2022, you can fill your boots right up until winter. Treat a friend or a loved one for just £52.50 in the hotel’s fine dining restaurant, The Hyde, or enjoy your tea in the garden, the summer foliage providing an elegant backdrop to a treat-laden afternoon. £52.50 for two
Sip limited-edition G&Ts at Biscuiteers
These guys know a thing or two about sweet treats. Since opening in November last year, the Notting Hill and Belgravia-based bakery’s biscuit-decorating workshops have been a hit among the capital’s sweet tooths, where guests can master the art of piping and lacing over a glass of prosecco. It wasn’t long before it dipped its icing brush into the afternoon tea game, and the bakery is setting its stall out this week with a special partnership with Sipsmith gin. Lasting from 8-21 August, Biscuiteers’ Afternoon G&Tea experience is offering guests a complimentary glass of Sipsmith Strawberry Smash G&T, made from Wimbledon strawberries and English mint, alongside a combo of finger sandwiches, a tasty selection of patisserie and the bakery’s signature hand-iced biscuits. This is served alongside a bespoke blend of Tregothnan tea or a glass of fizz for an extra £6. £45 per person; £51 per person with a glass of prosecco
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Go east at The Rosebery, Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park
Putting an Asian twist on this quintessentially British tradition, The Rosebery’s Afternoon Tea menu celebrates the hotel’s heritage with its delicious platter of tropical treats from 8-14 August. Celebrating summer in style, the hotel’s Executive (and multi-award-winning) Pastry Chef, Emmanuel Bonneau, and his team have whipped up a selection of specially curated pastries such as the Pink Daisy, Tropical Tart and Exotic Popsicle. Pair these sweet treats with a complimentary glass of Saicho sparkling jasmine tea — or choose from 29 different types of loose-leaf tea, champagne, sake or Alsatian wines. But don’t worry, Bonneau has ensured that British afternoon tea favourites stay on the menu, too, so you won’t be missing out on delicate finger sandwiches and freshly baked scones with Devonshire clotted cream, rose petal jelly and lemon curd. £63 per person
Settle in for the Mad Hatters Tea at Sanderson London
Immerse yourself in wonderland as you attend Sanderson’s Mad Hatters Tea Party, running throughout August. Experience the magic of Lewis Carroll’s famed classic, Alice in Wonderland, in foodie form as you indulge in whimsical sweets and savouries inspired by the characters from the beloved story. Try the White Queen Minion’s Macaroons and take a bite of the Tweedle Brothers Choux Pastry, accompanied by a range of bespoke tea flavours, including The Mad Hatter — green tea infused with passion fruit, guava and mango — or Cheshire Cat’s marmalade orange oolong tea infused with chocolate and orange. Book on a Monday-Friday until 31 August to receive a complimentary glass of champagne. £48 per person
