Afternoon tea is a time-honoured English tradition. Nothing quite matches the elegant leisure of the whole affair –gourmet tea cakes, scones, and finger sandwiches are paired with the perfect cup of tea and flutes of champagne. The concept originated in the mid-nineteenth century. Anna, the Duchess of Bedford, used to feel hunger pangs at around 4 p.m. but couldn't wait till the 8 p.m. supper. Thus, afternoon tea was born.
The Best Chelsea Afternoon Tea Spots
This post-siesta snack came into vogue among Britain’s landed gentry and aristocracy. Soon, it became a ritual the English thoroughly cherish to this day. Chelsea, being the royals’ borough and one of London’s posh west-end locales, is home to premiere restaurants and cafes. Their afternoon teas are grand affairs, from the ornate crockery to premium champagnes and delectable eats. Read on to discover the best high tea spots in Chelsea.
1. The Lanesborough
The Lanesborough’s resplendent dining room – defined by an iconic glass dome, shimmering chandeliers, velvet furniture, and floral abandon – hosts one of the most exclusive afternoon teas in London. They present a seasonal tea menu featuring pastries, teas, and cocktails. At the time of writing, they have a limited edition afternoon tea menu called “The Queen Charlotte” to celebrate Netflix’s “Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story.". Inspired by the colourful characters in the series, such as King George, Lady Violet, and Lady Danbury, the menu evokes the magnificence and revelry of the Regency era.
Their tea menus have vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options. From pastries named “Your Majesty," “The Lady Violet," and “King George: Dreams of Venus” to homemade scones with Devonshire cream, the desserts are inventive sweet marvels. Their sandwiches, such as “coronation chicken with golden raisins” and “devilled egg mayonnaise with mustard cress,” are intensely pleasing. The edibles paired with the “Queen Charlotte” gin-based cocktail, champagne, and signature teas create the ideal upmarket afternoon tea experience.
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2. 11 Cadogan Gardens
11 Cadogan Gardens is a luxury restaurant set in the gorgeous Cadogan Gardens street in Chelsea. Owned by Lord Cadogan, the lush estate is the perfect purlieu for a highly exclusive afternoon tea rendezvous. The ornate dining room is highly evocative of Regency lounges, where the British elites used to unwind with noon tea. Guests can choose from a standard afternoon tea, a champagne afternoon tea, or a rose afternoon tea. A plant-based version of the food menu is available.
A sample food menu features sandwiches such as coronation chicken choux buns with parmesan; ham and mustard; smoked salmon and cream cheese; and cucumber with herb cream cheese on basil and spinach bread. Scones are served with strawberry jam, lemon curd, and clotted cream. Pastries include apple pebble; caramel and passionfruit opera; jaffa macaron; and lemon meringue tart. A variety of blends, from English Earl Grey to fresh mint and green, are offered on the tea menu. For champagne, they have Laurent-Perrier.
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3. Harrods Tea Room
There's nothing like indulging in the classic British pastime at the quintessential British luxury shopping centre. Harrods is an institution in Britain, with designer wares, celebrity clientele, and Edwardian baroque architecture. Its tea room certainly upholds the store’s hard-earned reputation.
Edwardian refinement reverberates through Harrod's seasonal menu. The summer menu toys with flavours of strawberry and yuzu; lime and timut pepper; apricot and thyme; and chocolate with passionfruit. Their latest menu headlines sophisticated savoury treats such as Parmesan madeleine and smoked-salmon vol-au-vents.
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4. The Ivy
The iconic restaurant is known for its immodest foliage, art deco furniture, and lush orangery. Ensconced in unbounded greenery, guests are served mouth-melting treats, decked on tiered cake holders, with champagne and teas
Like most luxury restaurants, the Ivy has a detailed seasonal menu brimming with dishes made with fresh produce. The spring afternoon tea menu features gems such as “The Ivy” 1917 cure smoked salmon and cream cheese finger sandwich; grilled chicken with truffle mayonnaise brioche roll; and pickled cucumber with courgette and basil double-decker sandwich. Fluffy scones are served with clotted cream and strawberry preserve.
The desserts truly shine at Ivy. The current menu includes a “garden planter” chocolate pot; meadow green refreshing juice; floral passion fruit choux puff; and “spring blossom” red velvet cupcake. The afternoon tea menu can be veganised, and can also be recreated without gluten.
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5. Anya Cafe
Anya Cafe’s afternoon tea stands out for its playful rendition of this distinguished activity. A labour of love by acclaimed designer Anya Susannah Hindmarch, Anya Cafe is known for its quirky pastries and biscuits. A charming little haven, guests can expect smiley faces etched on sandwiches and cloud-shaped cakes. Everything, from their teas to cookies, bears an inquisitive pair of eyes.
Smoked salmon with lemon, dill, cream cheese sandwiches and egg and cress sandwiches are showstoppers on their menu. Their inventive desserts, such as “lemon curd meringue chubby cloud” and “chocolate and raspberry chubby heart,” are customer favourites. Raisin scones pair beautifully with the teas and champagne.
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6. The Cadogan Lounge by Benoit Blin at The Cadogan, A Belmond Hotel
The Cadogan Hotel offers another high tea experience with a French twist, curated by Michelin-starred chef Benoit Blin. Chef Blin has certainly made a handsome menu, which includes salmon gravadlax on a toasted croissant with quail egg and cream cheese; BBQ corn bread with cured Wagyu beef and Cornish crab brioche with pink grapefruit and trout also take centre stage at this venue.
Desserts are unlike any other, and include coffee bean with cardamom religieuse, and “la rhubarbe” Yorkshire rhubarb and timur pepper. However, the pistachio rose and raspberry tea cake and the hazelnut and chocolate marble cake are the showstoppers. Benoit Blin has curated one of the most expansive tea menus in London. Spanning seven pages, one is spoiled for choice, with the most premium blends from different parts of the world at their disposal. A wide range of black teas, oolong teas, green teas, white teas, rooibos, and tisanes, in addition to coffees, wines, and champagnes, make the Cadogan Lounge the ultimate noon tea destination.
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7. London’s Secret Garden
Tucked away at the heart of Cromwell Road lies a beautiful garden with five pop-up glass domes, where guests come for the ultimate afternoon tea service, to be enjoyed in peace and quiet. The Secret Garden’s dome is your very own oyster. Sandwiches of roast beef with horseradish cream, smoked salmon with cream cheese, and egg mayonnaise with watercress can be enjoyed with international loose-leaf teas, botanical cocktails, and champagne.
The Secret Garden’s pastry chef prides himself on a range of sweet treats – raspberry Victoria sponge cake, lemon crème tot, banoffee cream tart, and macarons accompany teas such as “Persian Pomegranite” and “Sapphire Earl Grey.”. Even the most archetypal British high tea item on the menu, such as fruit scones, has an utterly unique London’s Secret Garden touch. Every relish and drink is a bona fide Secret Garden dish.
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8. Le Deli Robuchon
Le Deli Robuchon celebrates “food, family, and the home.”. The open space bears minimalist shelves that host a collection of wine bottles, baked goods, preserves, and produce. A wrap-around deli counter dishes freshly cooked meat as well as seasonal salads. The restaurant is particularly Instagram-famous for its cube croissants, which have been found to be worth the hype.
It is thus one of Chelsea’s buzziest afternoon tea haunts. The kaleidoscope of cheese boards certainly sheds light on this establishment. Sandwiches such as ham and emmental cheese and smoked salmon with egg and wasabi mayo are served alongside fruit tarts, madeleines, mille feuilles, and warm home-made scones. Seasonal jams, clotted cream, and Laurent-Perrier champagne are paired with the decadent fare.
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9. Caffe Concerto
Caffe Concerto is defined by its tasteful excess, from gilded furniture to gold-inscribed wallpapers and chandeliers. Caffe Concerto is certainly old-money glam personified. Located on King’s Road, a retail therapy destination for London’s creme-de-la-creme, Caffe Concerto is the perfect hub for unwinding after a day of indulgent extravagance.
The afternoon tea menu possesses a contemporary Italian twist. Finger sandwiches and brioche rolls include cucumber with cream cheese, egg mayo with mustard, Scottish smoked salmon with soft cheese, and coronation chicken. Tea cakes and pastries accompany the savoury relishes, and global tea blends dominate the show. A bottle of premium Prosecco can be a great extra touch, too. Cafe Concerto's menu can be made vegetarian upon request.
The quintessential British high tea ritual has stood the test of time, given its decadent and indulgent comfort. As London’s “it” neighbourhood, Chelsea’s afternoon tea hubs epitomise elegance, sophistication, and finesse. Go to town with an utterly British experience and treat yourself to the ultimate afternoon tea.
