One of my favourite things to do in London is to go for afternoon tea, a delicious meal consisting of sandwiches, scones and pastries. It is often considered to be one of the quintessential British experiences. Many cafes and tea shops offer this traditional service but for the ultimate treat I would recommend enjoying it in the glamour and sumptuous surroundings of one of London's leading hotels.

History 

It is believed that the tradition of afternoon tea was started in the early 1840s by Anna, the seventh Duchess of Bedford. At that time it was fashionable for people to eat their dinner late in the evening. The Duchess, who complained of having a “sinking feeling” in the late afternoon, would often have light snack consisting of tea, bread and butter to ward off the hunger pangs. She started to invite friends to join her and before long this custom was adopted by middle and upper class households. Today the tradition continues usually as a treat to celebrate a special occasion and is enjoyed in the company of friends. 

 What's on the Menu?

Afternoon tea is usually served on a tiered cake stand and consists of:

Daintily cut finger sandwiches. The selection has traditionally included cucumber, egg and cress, ham and/or smoked salmon but contemporary menus offer a much wider choice of sandwich fillings often served on artisan bread

Scones are often served warm with clotted cream and preserves usually homemade jam, however at the Savoy they also served lemon curd

Selection of homemade cakes and pastries 

Selection of a range of teas, from popular to obscure flavours, usually poured from a silver teapot and served in fine bone china

There is the option to add a glass of champagne at an additional charge 

Practical Tips

Over the last couple of years a small group of us have started the challenge of visiting all the top class hotels to partake in their afternoon tea. To date we have been to the Connaught, Brown’s, the Ritz, the Langham Hotel and the Savoy. I can say without hesitation that we have been delighted with each one. Here's a few practical tips that I hope you may find useful.

Afternoon tea is extremely popular so one needs to book ahead to ensure availability. Weekends are particularly popular and may requiring booking weeks or even a couple of months in advance to ensure your preferred day.

Most hotels offer an online reservation service which is the easiest way to book. To ensure any special or dietary requirements are catered for a request can be made at time of booking.

May hotels offer a number of sittings per day, for example the Ritz has five. Consider booking the final slot of the day so one can sample the change in ambiance as the restaurant shifts its focus to preparing for the evening diners. For example at the Langham Hotel Champagne Charlie appears offering a glass of champagne at 7pm to mark the changeover of the day into evening.

All hotels have a dress code with gentlemen required to wear a tie and jacket.

Afternoon Tea is a meal in itself and can be very filling. Attentive hotel staff will often offer to replenish both food and drink without one having to request it so there is usually much more food available than one can possibly eat. Some hotels will offer a take away service were they will pack up any remaining food to take home.

Don’t forget to take time to enjoy the communal areas, including the toilets, which are beautifully decorated.

If you enjoyed reading this you might also like reading our other blogs to check out some of the places to have afternoon tea.

The author of this blog is a qualified City of London and City of Westminster Tour Guide who leads guided walks combining world famous landmarks with hidden treasures often missed by the crowds.

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