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<\/div>\nThe English afternoon tea is that utter rarity of an experience that delights both first-time tourists and the born-and-bred English. A novelty for the former, it is a long-held tradition for the latter, and today no trip to the green and pleasant land<\/a> would be complete without it. For the best afternoon teas in London<\/a>, both groups are utterly spoilt for choice.<\/p>\n The nation\u2019s capital, it\u2019s no wonder London is where to source the best afternoon tea. Today, no luxury London hotel experience is complete without an afternoon tea offering, and this is slowly starting to spread into other realms of the hospitality sector, too.<\/p>\n Despite all the offerings the great city of London has to offer, we are yet to find a more charming way to escape the bustle of the city than an afternoon spent inside one of London\u2019s finest establishments, engaging in one of the country\u2019s favorite pastimes: exchanging pleasantries over a pot of tea and sandwiches. Bonus points if you discuss the weather.<\/p>\n [See also: The 15 Best Luxury Hotels in London]<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n Winter in the capital is grueling, and you\u2019d be hard-pressed to find even the stiffest of upper lip Londoners successfully resist a smile at the dawning of spring. Luckily for us, The Lanesborough ushers in the glorious season early, with the launch of the hotel\u2019s new Meadow Afternoon Tea.<\/p>\n Placing the spotlight on English ingredients, such as chicken from the Cotswold, cheese from Lancashire, and smoked salmon from Scotland (the best in the world, we\u2019d argue), spring is thrust center stage with a pastry collection so gorgeous it feels almost criminal to eat. But do: the apple blossom is divine, and the white chocolate and honey bee is already a new classic.<\/p>\n oektercollection\/thelanesborough.com<\/a><\/p>\n [See also: The 12 Best Fine Dining Restaurants in London]<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n Afternoon tea at The Ritz is such a classic of the genre that we\u2019re not quite sure any best afternoon teas in London round-up has missed it; and lest we be the first.<\/p>\n The Palm Court, where afternoon tea is held, oozes timeless elegance in the most opulent of settings. Featuring all the usual trappings of the afternoon tea affair \u2013 finely cut sandwiches, scones and cream \u2013 The Ritz London is also the only location across the UK to have a certified Tea Master.<\/p>\n Naturally, there is a dress code; this is The Ritz, after all. As there should be; the Palm Court was the hotel\u2019s original ballroom, and echoes of gowns and jewels of centuries gone by linger as pleasantly as the musical ensemble from The Ritz London\u2019s resident pianist.<\/p>\n theritzlondon.com<\/a><\/p>\n [See also: Trivet Restaurant, London: A Post-Pandemic Success Story]<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n This one goes out to all the artists and art lovers; Rosewood London\u2019s afternoon tea offering, the Dali Art Afternoon Tea, was voted the best contemporary afternoon tea in the UK. The latest in an impressive line of Art Afternoon Teas, executive pastry chef Mark Perkins was inspired by surrealist artist Salvador Dali.<\/p>\n Designed in line with the upcoming Surrealism Beyond Borders exhibition at the Tate Modern, Perkins says of the afternoon tea: \u201cLondon is a vibrant city with an incredibly energetic art scene. Rosewood London\u2019s quirky interiors reflect the British capital\u2019s history, culture, and sensibilities.\u201d<\/p>\n The pastry designs are magical; keep an eye out for the butterfly windmill, one of Dali\u2019s most memorable designs, which is made using olive oil cake and encased in chocolate mousse.<\/p>\n rosewoodhotels.com\/london<\/a><\/p>\n [See also: The Best Rooftops and Terraces in London]<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n If The Rosewood London\u2019s afternoon tea honors artists, then The Bloomsbury Hotel tips its hat to London\u2019s long established literary scene with afternoon tea hosted at the hotel\u2019s Dalloway Terrace, named after \u2013 of course \u2013 Virginia Woolf\u2019s most famous character, Mrs. Dalloway.<\/p>\n An unmissable presence in the capital during the spring and summer months due to its open-air space and floral decorations that are reminiscent of the English countryside, in winter it remains fully heated and just as enticing.<\/p>\n There is, of course, so much more going on than just the venue. The terrace\u2019s head pastry chef, Chris Dodd, is an Afternoon Tea of the Year finalist \u2013 can it get more quintessentially English than that?<\/p>\n dallowayterrace.com<\/a><\/p>\nThe Lanesborough<\/h2>\n
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The Ritz London<\/h2>\n
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Rosewood London<\/h2>\n
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Dalloway Terrace at The Bloomsbury Hotel<\/h2>\n
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