The Experience
London is one of the greatest cities on earth for visitors, but there are so many sights and attractions that sometimes the simple pleasures are just ignored, missed, or not even known about. The English are known for their love of a good cup of tea, so where better to drink it than in the nation’s capital? Finding the best afternoon tea in London can turn into an adventure in and of itself, if you let it. You should surely allow your search to spin you around the fingers of the city in a delectable scavenger hunt for the quintessential experience of afternoon tea. You’ll soon learn that there is not one way in which to enjoy high tea in London, but many.
Tea at the Savoy (with the piano accompaniment) has to be experienced to be appreciated. Perhaps you’ve just arrived in London, and after your long flight, you don’t want to exhaust your legs running to and from tourist attractions. Instead, you want a calm experience of afternoon tea in London. The Savoy will offer you just that. In the centre of the hotel you will find the Thames Foyer where you can lounge back and be swayed by the cool tones of the resident pianist. Your taste buds will flower as you bite into the homemade scones or sandwiches that accompany your afternoon tea in London.
When your legs are rested, and you’ve already seen many parts of the city, you’ll want to search out the next afternoon tea experience in London. The Crusting Pipe, a wine bar and restaurant at the heart of Covent Garden, not only offers you an afternoon tea but also food and wine all day. Getting there will be easy, as it is near Charing Cross, Embankment, Covent Garden, and Leicester Square tube stations (subway stations). What makes high tea at the Crusting Pipe in Covent Garden particularly special is that you can arrange to arrive during the live classical music and opera performances. Just remember to book early, between 2–5pm.
Another day passes and you’re once ready to find that next tea adventure. Hopefully you will have thought out this next one in order to secure a seat well in advance. Tea at the Ritz dazzles. You enter in formal garb, as is the requirement, and gape at the room: golden drapery and tapestry, angel white tablecloths like gowns, intricate crown molding and golden trim, lamps and fanciful bouquets of pink flowers, brilliant golden statues and incredible luxury…. You are made to feel Royal. The tea at the Ritz is precise, as the venue is part of the prestigious Tea Guild. The stands of finger food accompaniment are three-tiered—try the smoked salmon sandwich. This is an extreme of high class experience, so take it in strides.
After your brush with luxury, it will be time to come back to reality, perhaps going a bit further than you’re used to by visiting a place frequented by truckers and labourers. A greasy spoon, commonly coined as a “caff,” refers to a cafe that sells enough fried food that the place itself is rendered greasy (or at least that is the inference). They won’t serve tea in the cup that you’ve become used to by now, but rather in the larger, stouter mugs. At greasy spoons, you’re served a giant mug of steaming hot and burly strong tea, none of that high class lemony pizazz. TJ’s Café in Mortlake is one such peopled joint. It serves big portions of food for cheap. Indeed, it was called the “best greasy spoon in London 2003”. They say they serve proper chips. The place itself is not fancy, nor is it somehow historically significant. It’s just a good honest hub of real people and strong tea, where you can end your London tea adventure at the other extreme of the spectrum.
Tea at the Savoy (with the piano accompaniment) has to be experienced to be appreciated. Perhaps you’ve just arrived in London, and after your long flight, you don’t want to exhaust your legs running to and from tourist attractions. Instead, you want a calm experience of afternoon tea in London. The Savoy will offer you just that. In the centre of the hotel you will find the Thames Foyer where you can lounge back and be swayed by the cool tones of the resident pianist. Your taste buds will flower as you bite into the homemade scones or sandwiches that accompany your afternoon tea in London.
When your legs are rested, and you’ve already seen many parts of the city, you’ll want to search out the next afternoon tea experience in London. The Crusting Pipe, a wine bar and restaurant at the heart of Covent Garden, not only offers you an afternoon tea but also food and wine all day. Getting there will be easy, as it is near Charing Cross, Embankment, Covent Garden, and Leicester Square tube stations (subway stations). What makes high tea at the Crusting Pipe in Covent Garden particularly special is that you can arrange to arrive during the live classical music and opera performances. Just remember to book early, between 2–5pm.
Another day passes and you’re once ready to find that next tea adventure. Hopefully you will have thought out this next one in order to secure a seat well in advance. Tea at the Ritz dazzles. You enter in formal garb, as is the requirement, and gape at the room: golden drapery and tapestry, angel white tablecloths like gowns, intricate crown molding and golden trim, lamps and fanciful bouquets of pink flowers, brilliant golden statues and incredible luxury…. You are made to feel Royal. The tea at the Ritz is precise, as the venue is part of the prestigious Tea Guild. The stands of finger food accompaniment are three-tiered—try the smoked salmon sandwich. This is an extreme of high class experience, so take it in strides.
After your brush with luxury, it will be time to come back to reality, perhaps going a bit further than you’re used to by visiting a place frequented by truckers and labourers. A greasy spoon, commonly coined as a “caff,” refers to a cafe that sells enough fried food that the place itself is rendered greasy (or at least that is the inference). They won’t serve tea in the cup that you’ve become used to by now, but rather in the larger, stouter mugs. At greasy spoons, you’re served a giant mug of steaming hot and burly strong tea, none of that high class lemony pizazz. TJ’s Café in Mortlake is one such peopled joint. It serves big portions of food for cheap. Indeed, it was called the “best greasy spoon in London 2003”. They say they serve proper chips. The place itself is not fancy, nor is it somehow historically significant. It’s just a good honest hub of real people and strong tea, where you can end your London tea adventure at the other extreme of the spectrum.
When to Go to High Tea London
You can visit London at any time of the year, but a lot of the large public gardens, parks and teahouse back gardens add an extra dimension to your time there. This is especially true if you want to enjoy your London high tea experience in a summer garden. However, the interior of these teahouses and hotel lounges are so beautiful that you hardly notice the difference. London has something to offer in every season, and the tea is always hot and delicious regardless.
Places to Eat
- The Crusting Pipe
- Right in the heart of London's Covent Garden, the Crusting Pipe is a great place for tea or just about any drinks or munchies
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