London’s secret budget afternoon teas

Where to go to get a good-value afternoon tea, in 2024

I love the ritual of afternoon tea – there’s something special about getting frocked up, sitting in a beautiful hotel or restaurant and taking time to enjoy exquisite treats, whilst sipping properly-made tea, from the very best china.

We are lucky to have so many amazing venues in London and around the UK. Stand-out experience for me include the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory tea at One Aldwych and tea with Teddy the Shetland pony at The Goring Hotel.

But this week, I decided to highlight some of the secret afternoon teas in the city, which you might not have heard about, which deliver a special experience, without the super-high price point. Here’s my top five picks for summer 2024:

The tea at Dalloway Terrace and Middle Eight. Pics: Bloomsbury Hotel; Middle Eight

1. Classic Afternoon Tea at Dalloway Terrace, Bloomsbury Hotel

The stunning Dalloway Terrace in the Bloomsbury Hotel – part of the Doyle Collection – is an Instagram-heaven outdoor space, covered by an awning. As such, it’s the perfect location for a surprisingly good-value afternoon tea. Think harissa and apricot chicken on turmeric bread sandwiches, vanilla and sultana buttermilk scones, pistachio and vanilla Battenberg cake and salted caramel madelines. From £48 p/p, visit dallowayterrace.com

2. Covent Garden Crescendo at Middle Eight

Middle Eight is one of the West End’s best-kept secrets – a lovely five-star hotel in the heart of Covent Garden, which also offers a great-value afternoon tea. With classic sandwiches including Coronation chicken (my fave) and smoked salmon, you move on to vanilla and fruit scones and cakes such as blood orange mini-chocolate slices, vanilla millefoglie and pecan mince pie. From £45 p/p, visit middleeight.com

The great-value tea at The Corner and Mr Ma's lovely tea at The Academy. Pics: The Corner London City; The Academy

3. Vegan Afternoon Tea at The Corner London City

Dubbing itself “the greenest hotel in London”, this funky hotel in East London has 41% less water consumption than other hotels and 67% less CO2 emissions. They offer an afternoon tea, consisting of classic finger sandwiches such as Coronation chicken and ham and mustard, plus fruit and plain scones, prosecco tort, blueberry cheesecake and fruit skewers. There’s a vegan and standard version. All this for an incredibly good value £25 p/p, visit thecornerlondoncity.co.uk

4. Mr Ma’s Afternoon Tea at The Academy

Tucked in Bloomsbury, it’s only fitting The Academy hotel has a literary-themed afternoon tea, in its hidden courtyard. Inspired by Lao She's novel, Mr Ma and Son, it’s afternoon tea with an Asian twist, including Chinese egg tarts, sesame jian dui dough balls and macaroons, plus the classic scones served with clotted cream and strawberry preserve. From £38 p/p, visit theacademyhotel.co.uk

Tea at Chelsea’s The Tea House. Pic: Bread Ahead

5. Afternoon Tea at The Tea House

Bread Ahead bakery and baking school has venues all over the city, but it also has a Tea House upstairs at its Pavilion Road bakery in Chelsea, where you can enjoy an afternoon tea, paired with Fortnum and Mason teas. The seasonal menu includes sandwiches such as lemon crème fraiche chicken and avocado and egg mayonnaise with truffle, scones with jam and lemon curd and cakes such as Pistachio Opera Cake, Bakewell tart and Dundee cake. From £50 p/p, visit breadahead.com