London’s best afternoon teas

The Mothering Sunday Chocolate afternoon tea is available March 27-April 3 and costs £27.50 per person. The rest of the year the Confessions of a Chocoholic tea costs £25.50. Available 2-6pm daily. London Hilton Park Lane, 22 Park Lane, London, W1K 1BE; tel. 020 7208 4022; www.podiumrestaurant.com

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2. For traditionalists - The Langham

The five-star Langham hotel offers all the charming traditions of an afternoon tea, but in an airy and rather glitzy setting, the Palm Court. Choose between the Wonderland Afternoon Tea, the G and Tea Time (comes with a gin and tonic) or the Bijoux Tea where the cake selection is inspired by the jewels from some of the world’s most glamorous jewellery houses (délices de Cartier, for example). Each tea comes with a selection of finger sandwiches and patisseries, and the highlight is definitely the warm scones, which are served with Devonshire clotted cream and strawberry preserve. The Langham tea blends are mixed especially for the hotel and there is also a choice of black, green and white teas and you can upgrade to their uber tea selection. We tried the traditional Langham blend, which is light and refreshing and the Langham Festive tea, which has a warming wintry flavour. For a royal treat, try the Tea Royale, created especially to celebrate Kate and William’s wedding in April.

The Langham, 1c Portland Place, Regent Street, London, UK W1B 1JA; tel. 020 7636 1000; london.langhamhotels.co.uk; Wonderland Afternoon tea from £38, the G and Tea Time from £42 and the Bijoux Tea from £46. Seatings: 2pm, 2.30pm, 4.30pm and 5pm

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3. For art lovers - The Royal Academy

The new restaurant at the Royal Academy is an art lovers’ delight with golden-lit sculptures at the heart of the room and plush red armchairs in contrast to the slate floor. It’s very chic, very Parisian. The nuances of texture and colour are also reflected in the afternoon teas. “The Joshua” offers a choice of cold-cuts including fine-grained wild boar mortadella and country terrine, salami and dry cured ham. “The Royal”, meanwhile, offers fresh Mersea Island oysters, sea bass carpaccio, cured salmon and prawn cocktail. For those in search of tradition, “The Classic” has a daily changing assortment of finger sandwiches. Chocolate cake, banoffee tart and mini scones accompany all three on a three-tiered stand, with Cornish clotted cream, Peyton and Byrne jam and a berry trifle to the side. Let’s not forget the tea – with 15 black, green, white and herbal blends on offer, there’s plenty to choose from.

Royal Academy of Arts, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1J 0BD; tel. 0207 300 5608; www.royalacademy.org.uk. The Classic, Joshua and Royal Afternoon Teas are available from 3pm – 5.30pm daily at £16.50, £19.50, and £25 respectively. There is the option of upgrading with either prosecco (Manzanilla for Joshua) or champagne.

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4. For culture vultures - The Wallace

The clink of china and genteel chatter echoes in the huge glass-roofed courtyard of The Wallace, where the popular afternoon tea is best booked in advance if you want to get the coveted 3pm slot. The choice is English or Parisian. Finger sandwiches and a delicious fresh-baked scone with clotted cream and Peyton and Byrne jam adorn the tiered cake stand for the former, meanwhile the latter offers foie gras, duck rillette and salmon tartare layer and a selection of cakes, then there’s delicate patisseries on both. The tea menu includes black and green tea, oolong (a mixture of both), and herbal infusions, plus you can upgrade to a glass of fizz. The Wallace Collection, just through the French windows, is an opportunity for a gentle stroll amid the oil paintings, elaborate homeware and armoury that make up The Wallace Collection.

The Wallace, The Wallace Collection, Hertford House, Manchester Square, W1U 3BN; tel. 020 7563 9505; www.thewallacerestaurant.com. Afternoon tea from £17.50 or £25 with a glass of Champagne. Served 2.30-4.30pm daily.

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5. For lovers of contemporary hotels -The Haymarket

The tea room at the Haymarket hotel has a cosy but luxurious feel. Located a few streets from Trafalgar Square, it is perfectly placed for an afternoon respite from sight-seeing. Afternoon tea takers are enveloped by comfortable upright chairs, each with their own dog design on the back. The Pommery Champagne Tea starts with a chilled glass of bubbly. Later, an ornate stand appears with cakes on the upper tiers and sandwiches and scones on the lower levels. The sandwiches, which include crayfish and mayonnaise as well as the more traditional cucumber, are cut into perfect rectangles. The cakes, a carrot cake, strawberry and citrus macaroons and a berry tart were delicious but the real highlight was the scones, clotted cream and jam accompanied by a bowl of strawberries. As if that were not enough, the hotel has made sure it is a destination for tea fanatics with 11 speciality and fragrant varieties to choose from. The friendly staff are on hand to top up your sandwich and hot water, and if you can’t finish, they will fill up a doggy box for you.

The Haymarket Hotel, 1 Suffolk Place, London, SW1Y 4HX; tel 020 7470 4000; www.haymarkethotel.com. Afternoon tea from £21.50 per person, the Pommery Champagne Tea is £30 per person.

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6. For trendies - The Sanderson

In Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, the heroine discovers a little bottle with the words DRINK ME on a label round the neck. “It had, in fact, a sort of mixed flavour of cherry-tart, custard, pine-apple, roast turkey, toffee, and hot buttered toast,” she says on tasting it. The contents of my own bottle, part of the Mad Hatter’s tea at the Sanderson Hotel, tasted similarly exotic – liquid layers of apple pie, lemon curd and toffee but thankfully no turkey. It was also a plus not to shrink Alice-like after drinking it. There was also a heart-shaped strawberry mousse cake with Eat Me written beautifully in icing on it to restore me to normal size even if it had. The Sanderson’s afternoon tea gets curiouser and curiouser. You start with four rainbow coloured finger sandwiches, such as a smoked salmon with cream cheese on virulent green spinach bread. The Alice theme continues with a rich chocolate and coffee rabbit clock layer cake. A burst-in-the mouth hazelnut praline ice-cream ball and hot-cold blueberry lollipop are pure, but delicious, madness. The scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam and tea seem very ordinary by comparison.

Suka at The Sanderson, 50 Berners Street, London, W1T 3NG, tel 020 7300 1400; www.sandersonlondon.com). Afternoon tea £25 plus £6.50/£9.50 with a glass of Prosecco/Champagne. Served 2.30-5.30pm daily.

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7. For daytrippers - Swissôtel The Howard

The Howard sits in a prime position just off London’s Embankment but sadly serves its scones and sandwiches on the ground floor ruling out even a glimpse of The Thames. Luckily, the chefs bring the river’s most famous sights to the table. In an inventive twist, the hotel’s TLSee (Tea, London, Sight see) afternoon tea serves up carefully moulded, edible versions of Big Ben, the London Eye, Tower Bridge, the Gherkin and St Pauls. Arranged along a river made of icing, and bustling with a black cab, Routemaster bus and underground sign, the platter of chocolate and shortbread is a seriously impressive sight and delicious too. Traditionalists need not fear: the miniature landmarks come alongside salmon, chicken and cucumber sandwiches, moreish scones with clotted cream and jam, and an array of delicate sweet pastries and cakes. There’s an array of tea or for a celebratory feel, you can upgrade to champagne.

Swissôtel The Howard, 12 Temple Place, London, WC2R 2PR, tel. 020 7300 1700; swissotel.com/London. Traditional afternoon tea from £25, TLSee afternoon tea from £32, champagne from £10 per glass. Served 11am to 7.30pm.

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8. For sybarites - The Athenaem

The honey-themed tea is a popular choice at this Piccadilly hotel, not only among lovers of the spread, but also because it is collected in Regent’s Park. We tasted the 2010 edition in sandwiches, on scones and in cakes - a rounded sweetness, but without the sugar high. The sandwiches are topped up, which is great for those for whom the savoury course of afternoon tea can be a little lacking. We had honey with ham sandwiches, but also roast beef in a wrap, smoked salmon on brown and ham in a white onion bread, with the crusts cut off of course. The delicious, crumbly scones had the welcome addition of crumpets, both warm, and next came honey chocolate parfait, honeycomb marquis, honey and lavender macaroons and honey and apple jelly. The only disappointment was a rather dry honey cake. The tea comes with an optional extra of a treatment at the spa downstairs, including the REN hour-long skin detox facial using essential oils and manuka honey. It’s a relaxing treatment in the stunning surroundings of the recently relaunched spa, using deliciously scented products that leave the skin glowing.

The Athenaeum, 116 Piccadilly, London, W1J 7BJ; Tel: 020 7499 3464; www.athenaeumhotel.com. The Honey Tea costs £39 for two people including a honey fizz cocktail (or £139 including the REN facial for two people). There are 3 sittings for tea: 12:30pm, 3pm and 5:30pm daily.

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9. For serious tea drinkers - Orange Pekoe

A destination for tea lovers, Orange Pekoe tea shop in Barnes has more than 60 teas to drink or buy, strikingly displayed in large black caddies in its foyer. Whitewashed brick walls, vintage crockery and pretty silhouetted wallpaper give the café a cosy and relaxed feel, and there is no minimum spend, should you wish to share afternoon tea. The tea is served on tiered stands, with substantial finger sandwiches including cucumber and fresh mint, and cheddar with apricot and ginger chutney, a warmed scone with jam and cream, and your choice of one of the delicious cakes on offer, such as an orange whisky bombe or carrot cake; champagne is also available. The tea sommelier was attentive and his recommendations spot on; we had a smoky Golden China Yunnan in response to our request for a tea ‘like English breakfast, but different’. Their tea menu includes green, yellow, white and rooibos teas, as well as herbal teas such as chrysanthemum flowers and a pregnant mummy blend with caraway seeds and nettle. This tea shop is small but very popular; bookings for afternoon tea are recommended.

Orange Pekoe, 3 White Hart Lane, London, SW13 0PX; tel 020 8876 6070; www.orangepekoeteas.com. Afternoon tea is £16.95; £24.95 with champagne. Afternoon tea is served from 2 - 5pm

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10. For glamour - The Savoy

Tea is taken in the restored Thames Foyer at the heart of the hotel, centred on an iron gazebo beneath a glass dome where a pianist plays evergreen tunes on a shiny black Shigeru Kawai grand piano. The décor is Edwardian pastel green with a recurring floral motif on the walls, carpet and even beautifully etched on the tops of champagne flutes. The Traditional Afternoon Tea begins with a tiered selection of finger sandwiches, including organic egg and shiso cress salad and cucumber and cream cheese, and freshly baked raisin and plain scones with Devonshire clotted cream, homemade lemon curd and strawberry preserve. This is followed by a neat tray of French pastries, including the Savoy chocolate and pistachio “Opera” and Valrhona chocolate éclairs; tea is rounded off with the arrival of an elegant cake trolley that has a rich English fruit cake, carrot cake and lemon and poppy seed cake on board. It would be churlish to allow the fact that the strips of ham in the sandwiches were a bit disappointing (more vac-pack supermarket than off the bone honey-roasted) or that the scone was a tad chewy, this was otherwise a five-star experience. What’s more you can take a cake box home and the bespoke china tea cups are available to buy at the bijou Savoy Tea store, as are all the teas and guests can see the hotel’s pastry chefs at work.

Thames Foyer at The Savoy Hotel, Strand, London, WC2R 0EU; Tel. 020 7420 2111; www.fairmont.com/savoy. Traditional Afternoon Tea costs £36 and Traditional High Tea (add smoked salmon and scrambled eggs with Melba toast and toasted crumpets with butter and honey) £39 per person. A glass of Louis Roederer Brut champagne brings the bill to £47.50, meaning you can get out just below the £100 mark for two. Afternoon tea is available from 2:30pm to 6.30 pm and High Tea from 5pm to 6.30pm

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11. For burlesque lovers - Volupte

For tea and titillation, try the Afternoon Tease session at the intimate Volupte club. There are a dozen or so tables under the low ceiling and red light of this central London cabaret club. Book a front table if you’d like to see more than your fair share of the lovelies doing their best burlesque tricks (there is singing, dancing with feather fans and Tableaux Vivants), while you nibble on finger sandwiches and sip champagne. The tea is served up in vintage bone china cups by waitresses in old-fashioned pinnies. The tea choice isn’t wide though and sandwiches and cakes are standard (think egg and mayo and curried chicken for the former and chocolate brownies for the latter) and slightly on the small size, but the warm scones and champagne are a nice touch. This afternoon tea is popular with couples and groups of friends in equal measure and to get into the swing of things, you’re encouraged to dress up in your best 1920s/30s outfits. But be advised, the acts leave little to the imagination, so if you don’t feel comfortable with your other half (or your mum) getting an eyeful, then this place is probably not for you.

Afternoon Tease, Volupté, 9 Norwich Street, London, EC4A 1EJ; tel. 020 7831 1622; www.timefortease.co.uk. Show and full afternoon tea with a glass of fizz from £42 per person. (Jo King’s burlesque introduction class is an extra £25 pp). Served at 2.30pm, every second and fourth Sunday of the month.

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12. For shopaholics - Café Luc

Dark leather seats and golden lighting, matched with shiny lines of Murano glass bulbs along the bar, make this stylish Marylebone brasserie also cosy enough for tea. Standard finger sandwiches, taking the middle tier of the traditional stand, were a little dry – really only filling space below what might just be the best scones in London. Golden and puffy, four warm scones are served with shiny dollops of clotted cream and two kinds of fresh jam; a bright strawberry and a gorgeous, pulpy raspberry. French pastries include a silky-light lemon tart and a petite chocolate one, smooth and dark inside. It comes with French Mariage Frères tea – the only place you’ll find them in the UK, points out the Belgian owner, the eponymous Luc van Oostende. The attention to detail isn’t quite consistent, but at £17.50 for two this is excellent value compared with London’s others. Splash the difference on the Marylebone shops, a step out of the door.

Café Luc, 50 Marylebone High Street, W1U 5HN; tel. 020 7258 9878; www.cafeluc.com. Afternoon tea £17.50 for two. Served 3pm-6pm daily.

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13. For globetrotters - Momo

Its location on a pedestrianised Georgian terrace just off Regent Street makes Momo an ideal oasis for the foot weary shopper, so booking is essential to guarantee a table on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon. The cushion seating, lantern lighting and scent of sweet spices create the feel of a Moroccan souk, an influence that is reflected in the afternoon tea. Moroccan chicken, smoked salmon with lemon confit and quiche replace the traditional sandwiches, while the pastries are a blend of French, Berber and Moorish influences and include an exquisite chocolate torte, forest fruit cheesecake, and a selection of Maghrebine treats and crepes delicately flavoured with citrus, pistachio, and spices. The tiered cake stand is crowned with classic homemade scones, served with clotted cream and surprisingly delicious strawberry and fig jam. The menu also offers a range of green and black teas to refresh the palate, with Moroccan mint tea also available for those wishing to continue their afternoon North African odyssey.

Momo, 23-25 Heddon Street, London, W1B 4BH; tel. 020 7434 4040; www.momoresto.com. Afternoon tea from £22 or £32 with a glass of Champagne or Momo’s special cocktail. Served 2.30-5.30pm daily.

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14. For the health-conscious - Brown’s Hotel

The Brown’s Hotel “Tea Tox” is a refreshing alternative to the more saccharine teas for those who want a healthy option, or are susceptible to sugar highs, and subsequent lows. It is wheat and sugar free, and in place of sandwiches are delicate goodies such as smoked chicken with pear and walnut on a chicory leaf and egg white, chive and mushroom on spelt bread. There are no scones in sight – the next layer of the tier is crudities and healthy dips, and the top is light cakes and treats including apple and cucumber jelly and carrot seed cake. Anyone disappointed by the lack of scones will find it filling, buoyed by the hotel’s policy of fresh plates of food until one is satisfied. The tea is rounded off with delicious and fruity raspberry sorbet. The tea menu includes black, green and herbal infusions, any of which can be supplemented with fresh ginger. Then there’s the elegant wood panelled surroundings and lounge furniture, pretty crockery, silverware, live piano and quiet central London location.

Brown’s Hotel, Albemarle Street, London W1S 4BP; tel. 020 7493 6020; www.brownshotel.com. Tea-Tox costs £38 per person or £47.50 including a glass of “low calorie” champagne. Afternoon Tea is served between 3pm and 6pm Monday to Friday and 1pm to 6pm on Saturday and Sunday.

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15. For lovers of Italy - Four Seasons Hotel

Rich Italian-inspired cakes, a red grand piano to gaze at and marble floors gleaming beneath your feet: the La Dolce Vita afternoon tea at the newly refurbished Four Seasons is all about opulence. Come prepared to speak in suitably low tones and display your best table manners as the wealthiest of wealthy travellers peck at bruschetta and panettone around you. The service (other than a screw-up with our booking that had us down for tea for one, not two) is five star, with handbags awarded their own perches and tea topped-up like clockwork. The savoury element of the afternoon tea is delicious - bruschetta, bottoncini with parma ham and robioloa, focaccia al formaggio and vegetarian fritto misto - even if the serving sizes are small, but it’s the sweet treats that really hit the mark, with a brilliant range of torrone, cannoncini and cannoli making a nice change from the traditional scones and cakes.

Four Seasons Hotel, Hamilton Place, Park Lane, London, W1J 7DR; tel. 020 7499 0888; www.fourseasons.com/london. La Dolce Vita afternoon tea or Traditional English Afternoon Tea from £32. Served 2pm – 6pm.

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Reviews by Ginny Light, Veronica Schmidt, Louise Cohen, Corinne Abrams, Mark Barber, Qin Xie, Nick Wyke, Sonia Zhuravlyova, Mark Frary; and Lynn Robinson of teaforjoy.blogspot.com