Best Afternoon Tea in Mayfair

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Afternoon tea is an essential part of English culture, and in London, there are always ideal spots to indulge in tea and pastries as the sun is about to set. Nothing is better than enjoying a properly brewed gunpowder tea with a croissant, lemon tart, or any other sweet treat that complements the particular flavours of black tea. Doing so in a well-designed and beautiful environment indeed completes the experience. In London, some of the best afternoon tea is in Mayfair. The luxurious neighbourhood is known for its excellent food and wouldn’t be much different for tea.

Gatsby’s Room at the Beaumont Hotel

Gatsby’s Room is a popular spot to get some of the best afternoon tea in Mayfair. Located in the luxurious Beaumont Hotel, the place is decorated to truly look like a Fitzgerald novel – the 1920s European decor takes over the paintings on the walls, the cushioned beige walls, and the many books displayed on shelves across the room. Entering the tea room is like being part of the famous literary work of The Great Gatsby. The place is open from early morning until late at night. Here you can enjoy the breakfast, lunch and dinner, and afternoon tea menus, all in a comfortable, cosy, and inviting environment.

On the tea menu, you can find a merge of classic British flavours and traditions with the novelty of American culture. There are vegan and gluten-free options for those with dietary restrictions as well. Find different offers of black tea, like the classics Earl grey and the Indian Darjeeling. Green, white, and oolong teas are also available. Herbal infusions and rare, seasonal teas add to the charm of the experience. Not up for tea? Order house cocktails like the Airmail, with rum, honey, lime, and champagne. Sandwiches, scones, and pastries complement the entire experience.

Kai

Kai is a Chinese restaurant in Mayfair paying homage to traditional Nanyang cooking. This means they explore the methods and cuisine from the southern seas of China. With a tropical climate, the area offers unique spices and flavours, which are all applied in the dishes served at Kai. Merging Chinese and English cultures, the place also offers its approach to afternoon tea. The Chinese Whispers Afternoon Tea is the place and moment where you can enjoy a cocktail, a nibble, and some chit-chatting with your favourite people. Kai Mayfair is also famous for its eclectic design and decor. The place brings you to a tea-house setting in southern China, with a classic feminine touch to the furniture and art.

The tea menu includes infusions of black, green, white, oolong, and herbal teas, each with its eccentric flavour and property. Order macaroons with clotted cream of bao sandwiches to complement the experience. There are sets of sweets like the “Jar of Whispers & Conversations,” a jar of tea, and vanilla Sablé Breton treats shaped as symbols of memories and conversation starters. And of course, glasses and bottles of champagne should never be left out of afternoon tea time.

Jean-Georges at the Connaught

The Michelin star restaurant Jean-Goerges at the Connaught hotel offers a classic British afternoon tea with a house twist. The twist is an add-on of luxury to the whole experience. Here, the restaurant takes you on a journey through the seasons. Every ingredient and infusion presented to the customer highlights the best of fresh and seasonal ingredients. Teas, sandwiches, and pastries all accompany the design of the dining room. Art from Louise Bourgeois hangs on the walls, and illustrations from Jean Jullian decorate the menu. Through the stained glass, watch the life of Mayfair go by.

Here you can dip your toes in Jean-George’s passion for East-Asian cuisine and flavours. On the afternoon tea menu, find a rich selection of teas, from classics like Earl Gret and Darjeeling Second Flush to more complex and intricate flavours like Raspberry and Rose or Jade Sword Organic. Finger sandwiches like cucumber with greek yoghurt and mint or smoked salmon with coriander complement the experience. Are you looking for something sweet? Go for the caramel, apricot tart, or the verbena and peach choux. Add a glass of Laurent-Perrier sparkling wine to the experience, and you will truly feel like part of royalty.

The Chesterfield

Some of the best afternoon tea in Mayfair and London happens to be held inside hotels. Luxury hospitality has its way of knowing how to please the elegant crowd. At Chesterfield hotel, it isn’t any different. Here, you will find a carnival-like setting for your afternoon tea experience. Whimsical and playful, as they describe it. Sweetshop-themed cakes, like the coca-cola flavoured one, keep you wondering what other theatrical features await you.

Liquorice and fruit salad candy tea are two of the featured choices on the menu. You can order black, green and herbal tea blends for the most traditional types. The Lanson champagne tea is also for those who want to take it up a notch. Nibble on finger sandwiches like the honey ham, tomato chutney and cheddar cheese. Pastries and cupcakes include Reece’s peanut butter cup, drumstick macarons, and blue raspberry with bubblegum.

The setting and decor of the tea room take you to a candy wonderland. Shelves are packed with candy jars, and plenty of natural light is coming in to shine over the loose leaf tea selections. Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free menus are available for those with dietary restrictions.

The Athenaeum

Continuing with our list of hotels that serve the best afternoon tea in Mayfair, we have the luxurious Athenaeum Hotel. Here you can enjoy a complete and creative menu for a fixed price. Indulge in sandwiches, cakes, pastries, and traditional scones. There are savoury and sweet options on the menu, pleasing all types of preferences regarding the food that follows the tea. Poacher Chaddar scones and pork and apple sausage rolls take over the savoury menu, while jam and cream are poured over the sweet options. As an upgrade, you can choose the bottomless afternoon tea and enjoy limitless prosecco for 90 minutes.

For the tea, choose from a wide selection of black teas, botanical infusions, house-blended wellness infusions, and classic green and white teas. Strawberry and champagne mousse, pistachio and strawberry tarts, orange cake, and peach and verbena cream are some options on the menu. There are plenty of vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options for those with dietary restrictions. The Audrey Hepburn-like design of the place highlights the luxury and class behind The Athenaeum philosophy. Velvet booths in bronze hues and dark wooden tables elevate the afternoon tea experience. It is a small and elegant environment, with delicious house creations from the pastry team.

10º Sky Bar

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to taste the smokiness of a mezcal cocktail while staring at the sunset over the London skyline? Well, 10º Sky Bar is the place to live that experience. Located on the 28th floor of the Hilton hotel in London, 10º Sky Bar offers a unique sensory experience. The place is named after the golden hour created by the sunset. The orange and pink rays of sunlight shine brightly from the bar’s viewpoint.

Aside from the view of the city, there’s the place’s interior design. Large windows that cover the floor-to-ceiling walls let plenty of natural light in. Over the black marble and terracotta tiled bar, greenery dangles from the ceiling. In the dining room, velvet booths and sofas with different colours and patterns illuminate the environment, dancing with the cream walls that turn red under the dim nighttime lighting. Many plants and cushions decorate the place, and you will feast your eyes on the golden lamps and details on the small side tables.

Enjoy the weekend afternoon tea and become part of one of London’s most authentic traditions. Order a scone or other sweet treat and savour classic teas or beverages spiked with gin or champagne.

The Biltmore Mayfair

The Biltmore is a small luxury hotel in Mayfair, offering elegant afternoon tea for guests and visitors. Executive chef Paul Walsh has crafted an intriguing menu, highlighting the best of English tea culture and bringing unique touches to it. With fresh and heritage products from around the UK, Walsh surprises everyone with sweet and savoury treats accompanying brewed tea and even a glass or two of Champagne.

The menu includes sandwiches like Hereford beef sirloin and horseradish over white bread or smoked salmon, lemon and chive cream over brown bread. Sweet options range from Champagne and passion fruit choux to Manjari 64% Valhrona chocolate and blood orange tarts. Plain scones come with fresh fruit jam or cream. A glass of Moet or Chandon can follow your fresh brewed tea.

Enjoy some high-quality tea at one of Mayfair’s top luxury hotels. At The Biltmore’s Tea Room, you can find light grey and purple hues of colour, both shining under the natural sunlight. Small round tables and surrounded by couches and comfortable chairs. This is the place to spend hours on end chatting with friends. And there is also the Royal Jubilee Afternoon Tea, where you can enjoy a royal-themed event.

Claridges

Claridges is a luxury hotel in Mayfair, highlighting every elegant aspect of the neighbourhood. With that philosophy, they could not possibly skip the traditional English afternoon tea. Since 1840, afternoon tea has been a vital feature of British culture, and the hotel honours its heritage with an extra house touch to the experience. At their elegant Foyer & Reading Room, Claridges serves one of the best afternoon tea in Mayfair.

Exploring seasonal ingredients, the treats here are prepared daily. A selection of savoury and sweet goodies decorate the menu, celebrating traditional British tea snacks. Find classic finger sandwiches like cucumber, mint and lemon cream cheese on white bread. Dorrington ham with apple butter and Lollo Rosso on onion bread is also a popular choice. As for the sweets, pick from a selection of hand-made pastries. Taste chocolate sablé and pistachio praline, or maybe a tart raspberry Eton mess.

Claridges also has a wide selection of freshly brewed teas. Try the house blend, which offers the complexity of black tea with a malty finish. There is plenty of black, green, oolong, and herbal infusions. Excellent coffee is also a part of the deal, as well as iced tea.

Flemings

Flemings is another luxurious Mayfair hotel offering a unique afternoon tea experience. Here you can try the G & TEA, where you’ll find two of the most emblematic English beverages in the same place. Enter a small, cosy room that looks like a collection of travel memories. The walls, if not covered with books and small ornaments, are painted with reflections of India. Camels and elephants pass by an exotic background. Emerald green velvet booths bring colour to the beige-toned room, standing above all else. It is a piece of Georgian design and history right in the heart of Mayfair.

This is the perfect place to sit for hours while enjoying some tea or a gin-based cocktail. Order sweet snacks to compliment the experience. The fix-price menu includes a choice of gin, scones, sweet treat selection, and east Indian tea selection. All sourced from the best products in the UK and around the world, the teas here are intriguing and complex. There are even gin-infused teas, mixing the best of both worlds. Macarons, éclairs, and pate de fruits constantly explore seasonal ingredients to deliver fresh and loud flavours. Find also some of the classic finger sandwiches to complement your entire experience.

The Dorchester Hotel

If you’re wondering how to make the most of your day at Mayfair, The Dorchester Hotel has the answer inside their Orchid Room. Surrounded by elegance and luxury while tasting homemade cakes and sipping on tea, you will find a unique afternoon tea experience here. The head pastry chef Michal Kwan brings his creative flair to your table. Taste his tea-infused ice cream, and you will understand.

The Orchid Room blends the traditions of English afternoon tea with a particular house touch to the experience. You can opt for the traditional afternoon tea or the champagne one, where you can indulge in glasses of Grand Cru sparkling wines from some of France’s most renowned regions and vineyards. Accompanying the tea, you’ll get finger sandwiches like egg and cheddar cheese with chive cream on brioche. The pastry selection includes elderflower and yuzu tarts, black cherry tea mousse, and an almond sponge cake with rose jam.

When it comes to the tea, find exclusive tea blends from the house. Classic and rare blends of herbal infusions are also on the menu, along with black and green teas and caffeine-free infusions. A vegan menu is also available for those with dietary restrictions.