Not that we need an excuse to load up on scones (jam first, then cream, always), but Afternoon Tea 2026, running from 10th – 16th August, has arrived and we’re pumped for all the finger sandwiches, creative cakes and properly brewed tea. You can’t move for afternoon teas in London, and while we don’t have the word count to mention them all, here’s some of our handpicked favourites. There’s a fair few new afternoon tea offerings that have cropped up recently, alongside exciting collaborations (who can turn down a Winnie the Pooh inspired cake assortment? Not us), and some classics too:

1. For a Taste of Nostalgia: Fortnum & Mason

What: A century after Winnie the Pooh first wandered into the Hundred Acre Wood, he has found himself at Fortnum & Mason. To mark 100 years of the much-loved bear, the department store has teamed up with Disney for a summer of Pooh-Inspired Afternoon Tea, with a menu for children and a Summer Afternoon tea for adults at the Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon.

Eat and Drink: For adults, the classic Summer Afternoon Tea menu encapsulates the joy of the season through sweet Afternoon Tea stands with finger sandwiches layered with cucumber, lemon and mint, and Kames Bay smoked trout sandwiches with dill cream cheese, alongside freshly baked scones with cream and jam. For the smaller diners, the Pooh-inspired Afternoon Tea includes cakes sych as vanilla and raspberry lolly inspired by Piglet, chocolate and orange striped loaf cake inspired by Tigger and a honey and apricot mousse inspired by Winnie the Pooh. Finger sandwiches are kept simple and classic, from chicken mayonnaise and egg mayonnaise, to cucumber with cream cheese and ham and cheese, whilst plain and fruit scones are served with Somerset clotted cream and Fortnum’s Strawberry Preserve.

Where: 181 Piccadilly, St. James’s, London, W1A 1ER

 Starting from £60 for children

2. For an Artistic Afternoon Tea: Rosewood London

What: At Rosewood London, Executive Pastry Chef Mark Perkins is taking inspiration from Monet for a new afternoon tea, translating the Impressionist’s paintings into a menu of colourful savouries and intricately made pastries.

Eat and Drink: The experience culminates in three signature ‘Art Cakes’, each paying tribute to one of Monet’s iconic masterpieces – Water Lily Pond (1899) through pistachio and cherry blossom; Impression, Sunrise (1872) as peach melba; and Woman with a Parasol (1875) through apricot and rosemary. Complemented by a refined selection of premium teas, or a Champagne pairing if you want to push the boat out.

Where: 252 High Holborn, London WC1V 7EN

£68 per person, or £108 per person with Champagne

3. For a Children’s Afternoon Tea: The Wolseley City

What: Afternoon tea isn’t just for grown-ups. For Afternoon Tea Week, The Wolseley City has launched a new Children’s Afternoon Tea, putting a younger (and bite-sized) spin on the quintessentially British ritual.

Eat and Drink: Forget a beige buffet, this is a feast featuring all kinds of deliciousness. Think 100s and 1000s, chocolate drops and mini marshmallows ready to adorn hot chocolates; savoury bites in the form of mini hotdogs, chicken goujons and colourful cucumber and tomato skewers, plus a top tier of sweet treats, from jam roly-poly to chocolate-dipped strawberries.

Where: 68 King William Street, London, EC4N 7HR

£20 for children 

4. For French Flair: Kettner’s

What: Afternoon tea gets a French makeover at Kettner’s, one of London’s oldest restaurants, which has launched the first afternoon tea in its history.

Eat and Drink: Presented through the familiar format of a classic three-tiered stand, the savoury selection includes a tomato gazpacho with aged Sherry vinegar, smoked salmon and cream cheese rosti, egg mayonnaise with espelette, Brie de Meaux and jambon croffle (croissant-waffle hybrid), and Native lobster vol au vent with Marie Rose sauce, alongside a seasonal finger sandwich, currently served as cucumber and dill on a brown loaf. The sweet selection draws heavily from classic French pâtisserie, whilst retaining subtle references to British traditions. Dishes include a mini apple tarte tatin, pot au chocolat with beurre noisette and sea salt, and vanilla madeleines with cognac, which are baked to order. Traditional scones are served with strawberry preserve that’s made in-house and crème de Bresse in place of traditional clotted cream, as a nod to Kettner’s French roots.

Where: 29 Romilly St, London W1D 5AL

£55 per person 

5. For a New Afternoon Tea: Pérola

What: Battersea Power Station has inspired plenty over the years, from redevelopment plans to Insta pics. Now it has found its way onto an afternoon tea stand. Pérola, the rooftop bar above JOIA, has put together a new tea inspired by the landmark, with a line-up of sweet creations drawing on its architecture and industrial heritage.

Eat and Drink: From The Chocolate Chimney, chocolate with smoked salt and caramel crémeux, to Pistachio Powerhouse featuring pistachio éclair with hazelnut and milk chocolate, as well as Control Room A, a raspberry tart with strawberry and kalamansi gel. The experience also features a selection of premium teas from White Peony to Jasmine Pearls, coupled with finger sandwiches with classic fillings such as Salted beef, horseradish and watercress, eggs and truffle with olive oil mayonnaise and beetroot-cured salmon and dill cream cheese with lemon pearl as well as freshly baked scones with traditional accompaniments.

Where: Art’otel London Battersea Power Station, 14th Floor, 1 Electric Boulevard, London SW11 8BJ

£45 per person 

6. For a Japanese Afternoon Tea: Aki London

What: If cucumber sandwiches and scones aren’t quite cutting it, Aki London is offering an alternative. The contemporary Japanese restaurant in Marylebone has teamed up with tastemaker Milly Kenny-Ryder for a new summer afternoon tea, giving the familiar format a distinctly Japanese spin.

Eat and Drink: Traditional scones are replaced with fluffy Dorayaki pancakes served with cream and jam toppings, while a selection of savoury Japanese sandos feature fillings including chicken katsu with tonkatsu dijon mayo; green tea smoked salmon with yuzu curd and golden egg yolks with summer truffle. A selection of delicate pastries includes yuzu and citrus tea cake; pistachio and raspberry tart and a milk chocolate and black sesame mousse, celebrating iconic Japanese flavours and ingredients. As a parting gift, guests will receive delicate Matcha Madeleines to take away

Where:  One Cavendish Square, London W1G 0LA

 £49.50 per person or £70 with a glass of Champagne

7. For English Sparkling Wine: The Ned x Nyetimber

What: Afternoon tea comes with a little extra fizz at The Ned this August, where Millie’s Lounge is serving its Nyetimber Afternoon Tea. And during Afternoon Tea Week, there’s a complimentary glass of Nyetimber with every tea ordered.  That’s us sold.

Eat and Drink: The menu leans into patisserie as much as nostalgia, with raspberry and vanilla Battenberg wrapped in persipan, a blueberry tartelette with cheesecake cream and shortbread, a chocolate Sacher log with apricot ganache, and a strawberry Eton Mess roulade made for summer.

Where: 27 Poultry, London, EC2R 8AJ

From £50 per person 

8. For a French Inspired Tea: Royal Albert Hall 

What: Experience a taste of Versailles at the Royal Albert Hall with the new Fête de Versailles Afternoon Tea.  Inspired by the grandeur of Versailles and the Hall’s lavish 1913 French celebrations, this limited-edition experience marks the first in a new archive-inspired afternoon tea series.

Eat and Drink: Begin with a citrus palate cleanser before a selection of delicate finger sandwiches, seasonal savouries, exquisite pâtisserie and freshly baked scones, alongside bottomless tea. Celebrate the occasion with a glass of Champagne or opt for a cocktail such as the Petit Désordre Royal.

Where: Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Gore, London, SW7 2AP

From £68 per person 

9. For a Trip to Moominvalley: Biscuiteers x Moomins

What: Biscuiteers has partnered with Moomins to launch an exclusive collection celebrating the beloved characters from Moominvalley. As part of the collaboration, the brand is serving a Moomin Afternoon Teaat its Notting Hill Icing Café running until the end of Afternoon Tea Week.

Eat and Drink: Served on beautiful Moomin China by Fiskars, the experience includes Moomins x Bird & Blend’s Moominhouse Cosy Blend tea, a selection of Moomin-inspired sandwiches, an array of character-themed sweet treats (almost too cute to eat), and a complimentary Moomin gift for every guest.

Where: 194 Kensington Park Rd, London W11 2ES

From £50 per person

10.  For an Afternoon Tea with a View: Oblix East

What: There are worse places to sit down for afternoon tea than 35 floors above London. At Oblix East, the view takes in the Gherkin and Walkie-Talkie, with Tower Bridge and Canary Wharf beyond. This summer, the restaurant has added a children’s afternoon tea to its offering – a playful version of the traditional spread for under-12s, served alongside the menu for adults.

Eat and Drink: The adults’ afternoon tea features standout sandwiches such as Severn and Wye smoked salmon; seaweed and cucumber; leek and Comte tarte and coronation chicken with mango chutney and coriander. A variety of scones are also served with whipped clotted cream and raspberry preserve alongside a sweet selection including warm honey madeleines with chocolate sauce; Oblix hazelnut Rocher; and jasmin, yuzu and pear choux.

Where: The Shard, 31 St Thomas St, London SE1 9RY

From £65 per person

Photo credit: Justin De Souza