For me, England has always been synonymous with one thing. No, not royalty or sports or fish and chips; for me, it’s always been afternoon tea.
If I’ve learned anything over the years and my (many, many) visits to London, it’s that not all afternoon teas are the same. Sure, the usual trappings (the hot tea, the finger sandwiches, the scones, the sweet treats) are standard in any good afternoon tea. But London knows how to do a truly memorable afternoon tea, with several boasting really creative themes that only add to the overall experience.
I’ve made it my mission over the past several years to try out as many themed afternoon teas in London as possible in order to bring you a guide to the very best of them. (It’s a hard job, but someone has to do it!)
The best themed afternoon teas in London
I won’t lie to you: This list was VERY difficult to compile, not least of all because many of these themed teas change frequently (hence why this post is updated quite frequently!). Mostly, though, it’s just tough to pick a favorite because they’re all done so well!
Here, then, are my picks for the best themed afternoon teas (that are still offered) in London, in reverse order.
10. B Bakery Afternoon Tea Bus Tour
Central London
It’s debatable whether this one really fits into the category of “themed afternoon teas,” but I’m including it simply because it’s so unique. The original “afternoon tea bus” is put on in conjunction with B Bakery (AKA Brigit’s Bakery in Covent Garden), though there are other companies that now offer a similar tea bus tour.
All of these teas have you riding a converted double decker bus around central London as you sip your tea and eat your scones. You’ll ride in a big loop around the city, passing London icons like Big Ben, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Harrods, Oxford Street, and Hyde Park.
There’s a recording that accompanies your tour so you know what you’re looking at out the bus windows, and the pastries especially are really tasty.
The pros: It’s a fun way to see a bit of London, and you get to go home with a souvenir travel mug (since you’re on a moving bus, your tea isn’t served in normal tea cups!).
The cons: London traffic can be rough, so there might be lots of stopping/starting – so be careful when trying to spread the jam on your scones! The buses also have very weak air conditioning, so be prepared for it to be warm if you catch London during a heat wave like I did. I also found it difficult to hear the recorded guide because of course everyone on the bus was chatting over their tea!
Who this tea is best for: A couple on a day-date, or a group of girl friends looking for a fun day out. I also think it’s fun for solo travelers, since the bus tour portion is cool even if you’re on your own. (Note though that if you’re booking the B Bus direct, you’ll need to call to book a solo table.)
Price: The B Bus starts at £45 per adult, though I couldn’t find seats for less than £56. Seats on the top deck are more expensive, and seats at the “VIP” front tables start around £66 and can go up to £72 per adult. (Though I will say that sitting at the front table was really cool!)
Length: 1.5 hours, with multiple tour times daily
Good to know: They can cater to vegetarian, vegan, halal, and gluten-free diets, but cannot accommodate nut allergies. They also do a gin bus tour, which is their typical afternoon tea combined with gin cocktails. You definitely NEED to book ahead for this one, as they often sell out – you can book a seat here (Viator) or here (direct).
There’s also this afternoon tea bus tour, in case the original is sold out.
9. Shakespeare-themed tea
Swan at Shakespeare’s Globe, South Bank
If it’s a lightly-themed tea with a great view you’re looking for, you can’t really beat the afternoon tea at Swan, the restaurant attached to Shakespeare’s Globe theater. The tea here is loosely-based on Shakespeare’s work (when I went, it was A Midsummer Nights Dream themed, but currently has a Romeo and Juliet theme), with an illustrated menu and bespoke tableware*.
The food includes a selection of savory sandwiches, fruity scones, and a handful of sweet treats, and I also added on a themed cocktail. (You can also do this as a savory-focused “Gentlemen’s Tea” if you don’t love the sweets.)
I also ended up winning the seating lottery on this one – my table looked out over the Thames and had a view of the dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral!
The pros: The views are great, and this is the most affordable themed afternoon tea on this list.
The cons: The food is only lightly-themed, and I didn’t find most of it to be particularly memorable. In fact, I didn’t even finish all of my sandwiches.
Who this tea is best for: First-time visitors to London who want to go to an afternoon tea while exploring one of the most popular parts of the city (the South Bank) at the same time.
Price: £42.50 for standard tea, and you can add themed cocktails for an additional charge.
When: 2-hour seatings, offered daily between noon and 5 p.m.
Good to know: If you have dietary restrictions (vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, etc.), let them know at time of booking, as they may not be able to accommodate these requests on the day. Booking ahead is recommended, and the tea is served in the restaurant area of the Swan.
8. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory tea
Indigo at One Aldwych, Covent Garden
I went to a Charlie and the Chocolate Factory-themed tea last summer (described in the next section of this post), but the one at One Aldwych is definitely the must-do. Tea is served in the modern Indigo restaurant (you might even get seated on a balcony-like section), and has, in my opinion, some of the best-themed afternoon tea food in London.
The Charlie and the Chocolate Factory tea is served in two courses: the savories, followed by the sweets. In true Willy Wonka fashion, some of the bites are a little weird (in a good way!), like the tomato/beef marshmallow and the savory scones served with bacon jam I had on my menu. There’s even a chocolate milkshake that the menu says is “mixed by waterfall.”
The tea selection is inventive, too, including a chocolate tea made with coco nibs. You can also add a “Fizzy Lifting Drink” to your tea, which are cocktails that come in little glass teapots complete with dry ice for a smoking effect.
The pros: The food is not only really imaginative, but also really good! I liked all of the sandwiches, and especially loved the chocolate financiers on the sweets side. I also appreciated that everything from the tea selections to the cocktails were Wonka-themed. And they offered free refills on everything, too, including the food.
The cons: The sweets are all REALLY sweet (I mean, it comes with cotton candy, though, so this shouldn’t be a surprise). I also was a bit bummed that the sweets aren’t brought out until you finish the savories – I like to alternate sweet and savory at afternoon tea, and the photographer in me was sad I couldn’t take photos of everything together!
Who this tea is best for: Couples looking for a fun date, a good spot for a girls’ outing, and also suitable for families.
Price: £70, or £85 with champagne or a Fizzy Lifting Drink (cocktail)
When: Seatings are for 2 hours; bookable only Wednesday-Sunday.
Good to know: Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free menus are available, but they ask that you let them know about dietary requirements 48 hours ahead of time.
6. Wicked afternoon tea
The Clermont, Victoria
This Wicked-themed tea is offered at the beautiful Clermont hotel, which is connected to London’s Victoria Station just steps away from the Apollo Victoria Theatre, where you can see the Wicked musical on stage. The tea takes place in the hotel’s cozy Tea Lounge, which actually has pink and green chairs – it doesn’t get much more on-theme!
The tea itself features the usual tea trappings of sandwiches and scones, alongside Wicked-themed sweet treats and added liquid nitrogen for dramatic effect. You can also add on one of two themed cocktails (The Wicked and The Good) for just £10 – we ordered one of each, and they are both fantastic!
The tea food here is fairly average, though the themed drinks are unique and really good.
The pros: The theme is theme-ing, from the fizzy drinks to the Wicked-themed desserts. And the Tea Lounge is cozy, comfortable, and really beautiful. It’s also one of the more affordable tea options on this list, and the fizzy drinks are a stand-out.
The cons: The food at this tea is nothing spectacular (but it’s not *bad* by any means).
Who this tea is best for: Couples (maybe pre-Wicked show?), or friends looking for a nice day out.
Price: £40 per person, plus an additional £10 for one of the special fizzy drinks
When: The tea is offered daily, with seatings from 12:30-4:30 p.m. on weekdays, and 1:30-4:30 p.m. on weekends.
Good to know: The Wicked theme is only scheduled to last until mid-December 2025!
5. Botanical afternoon tea
Lanes of London at London Marriott Hotel Park Lane
The Lanes of London Botanical Afternoon Tea was a new find for me, and it’s a delightful lightly-themed option that includes everything you need for a memorable tea. This tea is inspired by Hyde Park, and is unique in that it includes three different tea pairings to go with the different “courses” of the tea (savories, scones, and sweets).
I booked this tea when Wimbledon was on in London, so some of the sweet treats were also Wimbledon-themed – two themes in one!
The pros: The food and presentation of this tea was absolutely top-notch. Everything was beautiful, and tasted just as good as it looked – which is sometimes rare with afternoon teas! I also loved the tea pairings (though you could opt for different teas than the ones recommended).
The cons: While Lanes is inside a luxury hotel, there’s not really anything special about the space where they serve afternoon tea. Service was also very, very slow on the day we went; we waited at least half an hour after we arrived to even receive our first pots of tea.
Who this tea is best for: It’s definitely great for a girlfriends day out!
Price: Starts at £50 per person, which includes a glass of bubbly (excellent price, honestly!)
Length: This is offered daily from noon-4 p.m.
Good to know: They can do a vegan version of this tea, but you do need to book it in advance. Also, the rose and hibiscus scones might be the best scones I’ve ever had!
4. Bridgerton tea
The Lanesborough hotel, Knightsbridge
When it comes to Regency vibes, it’s hard to beat dining beneath the glass dome hung with glittering chandeliers inside the stunning Lanesborough hotel. Which is probably why this hotel teamed up with Netflix to put on a Bridgerton-themed afternoon tea fit for Lady Whistledown herself.
While Bridgerton fans especially will appreciate the themed sweet treats, even someone with no Bridgerton knowledge at all can enjoy the opulent setting and truly delicious bites. (My husband Elliot can attest to this; he hasn’t seen a single episode of Bridgerton, but still enjoyed this tea!)
Note: The photos here were from the 2022 Bridgerton-themed tea, but they have updated the tea for every season of the show. So the desserts might look a bit different now, but are still Bridgerton-themed!
The pros: The setting inside The Lanesborough is reason enough to come here, but the Bridgerton theme is done so well, from the beautiful themed pastries down to the menu complete with a note from Lady Whistledown. They also have a special tea blend, as well as a fun themed gin cocktail you can order.
The cons: The only con I can think of is that this one is on the pricier end of the teas I’m featuring here.
Who this tea is best for: The Diamond of the season, of course! Plus, any Bridgerton fans. Though, like I said, it’s a good enough afternoon tea in such a beautiful space that I think anyone could enjoy it. This one isn’t really geared towards kids, though.
Price: £89 per person (£99 with the themed cocktail)
When: Daily, though hours vary based on day of the week.
Good to know: They can accommodate dietary requirements if you let them know in advance. This is also one you HAVE to book in advance, as it does frequently sell out.
3. Science Tea
The Drawing Rooms at The Ampersand, South Kensington
You don’t have to be a science geek to enjoy this themed afternoon tea – but it certainly doesn’t hurt! Complete with an “experiment” to create your own lemonade, space-themed sweets, and a small box where you can “dig” for a dinosaur treat, this science-themed tea is just FUN.
While the food at this tea isn’t really themed flavor-wise, so many other elements are that this is one of the more charming themed teas you can book. There are themed plates, dry ice surrounding a one of the planet-shaped chocolate bombs when your tea stand comes out, a “petri dish” of jelly, test tubes filled with fun toppings for your scones, and more.
The food at this tea is pretty good (I particularly liked the chicken and basil bun and the dark chocolate and passion fruit planet mousse), and The Drawing Rooms are bright and beautiful, even if you visit on a rainy day like I did.
Pros: The theme is such a fun one, and is executed really well. The service was good, you can get refills on any of your favorites (and take leftovers home with you), and I loved that they offer a kids’ version that comes in a rocket-shaped tea stand! I also loved the “experiment” they give you (making lemonade) to pass the time while you wait for your food to come out. Plus, this one is offered almost all day long!
Cons: I could find few faults here. I would have liked more herbal tea choices on the menu, but that’s about it.
Who this tea is best for: This is my top pick for a kid-friendly tea (I mean, there are test tubes and things to squirt into your food!), though of course anyone can enjoy it.
Price: £59.50 for the Science Afternoon Tea; £39.50 for Kids’ Sci-Fi Tea
When: 2-hour seatings; tea served daily from noon-7 p.m. Monday-Friday, and 11 a.m.-7:30 p.m. on weekends.
Good to know: Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free menus are available. Booking ahead is highly recommended.
Note: They’ve launched a second themed tea in 2023, called the Jurassic Tea! It’s similar to the Science Tea, but leans more heavily towards the dinosaur theme. I need to try this one next time!
2. Peter Pan tea
Aqua Shard inside The Shard, Southwark
Looking to get swept away into a world of whimsy high above the rooftops of London? Then you’ll want to check out the Peter Pan-themed tea offered at Aqua Shard, a restaurant on the 31st floor of The Shard.
This tea is great for several reasons. First, the food is themed and quite good (they even have special tea blends that fit the Peter Pan theme). Second, the restaurant has floor-to-ceiling windows offering excellent views of London’s highlights; if you were planning to visit The Shard anyway, just book tea here instead!
And third, the presentation of this tea is one of the most unique. The tea stand they bring the sweets out on is shaped like a pirate ship, and comes complete with dry ice billowing out of it as you try to escape into the clouds from Captain Hook, and scones served inside a treasure chest.
The pros: The food is themed and pretty good, and the presentation really is special, right down to the menu that looks like a treasure map. You also can’t beat these views!
The cons: The savories are served before the sweets, which I find sometimes makes it difficult to pace yourself.
Who this tea is best for: A couple who wants to splurge a bit and enjoy stunning Shard views along with their tea. (Technically this tea is kid-friendly, though Aqua Shard definitely feels a bit fancy and I personally didn’t see any kids there.)
Price: £70 per person (or £88 if adding a Fairy Dust cocktail)
When: Daily from noon-3:15 p.m.
Good to know: They also have a non-alcoholic mixed drink you can add called the Never Grow Up punch. They offer vegetarian and vegan menus, but not a gluten-free option.
RELATED: Staying at Shangri-La The Shard in London: Is It Worth It?
1. Mad Hatters Afternoon Tea
Sanderson Hotel, Fitzrovia
So are you surprised that the Peter Pan tea didn’t take the #1 spot? I kind of was, too, to be honest! But, when it comes down to it, another of London’s famous themed teas slightly nudged it out: the Alice in Wonderland-themed Mad Hatters Afternoon Tea at the Sanderson.
Why did this beat out the others on this list? Well, because I think it melds a fantastic theme with good food at a more reasonable price point the best.
The Mad Hatters Afternoon Tea was the first themed tea I tried in London, and I was immediately enchanted. From the on-theme dishware to the themed tea blends to the pretty plate of food that came out, I was super impressed with everything about this tea.
The pros: Pretty much everything – the theme is carried out perfectly throughout the whole tea, and the food is all very good. They’ll also box up any extras for you to take with you (as will most of the other teas on this list). I also like that this one is served from noon-7 p.m. every day!
The cons: The only slight downside is that the tea is served in both the Sanderson’s restaurant and courtyard garden, but you won’t know where you’ll be sitting until you get there. The courtyard is very pretty, but if you’re in London during a heat wave like I was, it may be a little warm!
Who this tea is best for: Pretty much anyone who wants to enjoy a fun themed afternoon tea! This would probably be my pick if you wanted to take kids to a themed tea, as they have a dedicated “Little Hatters Tea” too.
Price: £65 per person (£86 with champagne), £45 per child
When: 2 hours; served daily from noon-7 p.m.
Good to know: They can accommodate needs for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free diets.
Themed London teas no longer offered
Many hotels rotate through afternoon tea themes, meaning some that I loved are no longer offered in the way that I experienced them. Here are a few more others that I enjoyed, along with info on what has since replaced them.
1. Sherlock Holmes afternoon tea
Kona at the Taj, Westminster
If you’re looking for a beautiful (and tasty!) themed tea in London, you can’t really go wrong with any of the offerings at Kona, one of the restaurants at the 5-star Taj 51 Buckingham Gate hotel. Their Sherlock Holmes-themed tea was one of my favorites EVER, as it was just so detailed and beautiful.
Check out all their afternoon tea offerings here. (Their Jasmine Indian Afternoon Tea in the one that’s usually always offered.)
2. Potions Room tea
Cutter & Squidge, Soho
Cutter & Squidge is a charming bakery in Soho that used to offer an epic Harry Potter-inspired afternoon tea. Their basement was set up like a Potions classroom, and you’d don a cloak and pick up a wand before sitting down to concoct “potions” (teas and cocktails), eat Hagrid’s rock cakes (scones), and enjoy other treats.
This tea was SO fun, but they don’t offer anything like it any more.
3. Charlie and the Chesterfield
Chesterfield Mayfair hotel, Mayfair
The charming Chesterfield Mayfair hotel used to offer a Charlie and the Chocolate Factory-themed tea in their light-filled conservatory. Their tea selection was unique, and the tea included Wonka-inspired sweet treats like chocolate scones, an Oompa-Loompa cupcake, and a bubblegum eclair.
This tea was replaced with a sweetshop-themed tea, which honestly is still similar in that it still centers around candy.
4. Travel-themed tea
St Pancras Brasserie and Champagne Bar
Searcys is a cool champagne bar inside St. Pancras Station connected to a restaurant called the St Pancras Brasserie and Champagne Bar. They used to offer a travel-themed afternoon tea served in a cute little suitcase!
They don’t appear to offer any type of afternoon tea any longer.
Where to stay for afternoon tea in London
Here are some hotels to check out that are convenient to these afternoon teas:
Science Tea
- The Ampersand Hotel – The hotel that hosts this themed tea is also highly rated, and it’s one of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World. (I’ve stayed here, and it’s a great hotel near some of London’s best museums.)
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory tea
- One Aldwych – The tea is offered at this hotel, and it’s also a 5-star beauty in the heart of London.
Teas at Kona
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Have you ever been to a themed afternoon tea? Which of these are you going to book next time you’re in London?
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Amanda Williams is the award-winning blogger behind A Dangerous Business Travel Blog. She has traveled to more than 60 countries on 6 continents from her home base in Ohio, specializing in experiential and thoughtful travel through the US, Europe, and rest of the world. Amanda only shares tips based on her personal experiences and places she’s actually traveled!
