See full version: Cheap afternoon teas in London
Look around the magnificent interior of The Wolseley on Piccadilly, a grand European-style all-day eatery. It offers a good value cream tea including just tea and scones (no sandwiches), which makes for an indulgent afternoon pick-me-up. If you're still hungry, add a few more sweet treats or break the budget with the full afternoon tea. Cream tea for £12.75 per person. [links]
Overlooking a "secret" Japanese garden, the beautiful orangery in Greenwich’s unique Fan Museum is the perfect space to unwind with a cup of tea and cake. In a break with tradition, you can opt for a cafetiere of coffee instead of a pot of tea. This delicious London afternoon tea offers amazing value at only £9 per person (museum admission is £5, free to London Pass members). more
Find an afternoon tea in London for less than £20 per person. You don’t need to go over budget to enjoy this British tradition, with plenty of affordable afternoon tea options available in the capital.
Enjoy fine arts, including paintings, porcelain and furnishings, at the Wallace Collection in Manchester Square, then take a well-deserved break with an affordable afternoon tea in The Wallace Restaurant. Alongside sandwiches, scones and cakes, you can choose from a wide range of specialist teas. Afternoon tea for £19.50 per person. more
Cost? : £30pp. Booking required.
Where? : The Saatchi Gallery Bar & Brasserie, 90 Duke of York Square, London, SW3 4LY more
Transport? : Deptford: Deptford Train Station (from London Bridge) Catford : Catford Bridge Train Station (from London Bridge)
Your tea comes with a pot of tea or cafetiere of coffee, a slice of carrot cake, a choice of lemon drizzle cake or salted caramel brownie and a scone with clotted cream & jam.
If you would rather swap the sandwiches for something more substantial the Gentleman’s Afternoon Tea includes a mini smoked salmon bagel, roast beef in a Yorkshire pudding, a chicken tikka sandwich and crispy haddock fish fingers with tartar sauce.
Transport ? : Oxford Street – between Bond Street and Oxford Circus tube stations. Victoria Street – between Victoria and St James’s park tube stations. [links]
Today, the evening meal in working-class households is still often called "tea" but as working patterns have changed yet again, many households now refer to the evening meal as supper. The addition of the word "high" to the phrase "high tea" is believed to differentiate between the afternoon tea that is traditionally served on low, comfortable, parlor chairs or relaxing in the garden and the worker’s after-work high tea that is served at the table and seated on high back dining chairs. [links]
Afternoon tea is a British food tradition of sitting down for an afternoon treat of tea, sandwiches, scones, and cake. Afternoon tea is served around 4 p.m. When afternoon tea became fashionable in the early 19th century thanks to the Anna, the Duchess of Bedford, it was never intended to replace dinner but rather to fill in the long gap between lunch and dinner at a time when dinner was served as late as 8 p.m. Lifestyles have changed since those times and afternoon tea is now a treat, rather than a stop-gap. [links]
The origins of afternoon tea show clearly it was the preserve of the rich in the 19th century. For workers in the newly industrialized Britain, tea time had to wait until after work. By that hour, tea was generally served with heartier dishes which were substantially more than just tea and cakes. Workers needed sustenance after a day of hard labor, so the after-work meal was more often hot and filling and accompanied by a pot of good, strong tea to revive flagging spirits. more
Often the phrases "afternoon tea" and "high tea" are used interchangeably as many mistakenly believe that there is no difference. Both tea traditions are steeped in British history and the differences, subtle as they may be, are a direct result of their origins.
The working lives of many do not allow the time to sit down to enjoy scones and cakes in the late afternoon, so for many, the ritual is now saved for holiday and special treat. The tradition is still quintessentially British, and many Brits still make time to sit and enjoy the propriety and civility of this the quaintest of English dining customs, just not on a daily basis. One renowned place to find a true afternoon tea is the Ritz in London. Their afternoon tea service is in such high demand that bookings generally must be made months in advance. In Yorkshire, there are the famous Bettys Tea Rooms which have barely changed since the day they opened in 1919. [links]
In Scotland, high tea takes on further differentiation. A Scottish high tea is not unlike an afternoon tea but will include some hot food, such as a cheese on toast or other savory goodies.
Featuring crustless finger sandwiches, scones topped with clotted cream and jam, cakes, pastries, and a whole lot of tea, there are an incredible array of afternoon teas in London to savor. [links]
Is there anything more quintessentially British than afternoon tea? Since Anna, the seventh Duchess of Bedford, came up with the idea in 1840, England has become renowned the world over for this elegantly rich three-course meal. [links]
If the Savoy and the Ritz are out of your price range, though, we've come up with a list dedicated to the city's best budget-friendly options. From a posh palace in Kensington to an under-the-radar art gallery in Marylebone, these central London spots all offer excellent value for money. more
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Afternoon tea, also known as 'low tea,' is what most people think of when they hear 'high tea.' It involves things like manners, lace, and dainty foods. It is typically served in the mid-afternoon and it was traditionally served on low tables, hence its two names.
High tea was much more of a working-class family meal than it was an elite social gathering. here
Legend has it that afternoon tea was started in the mid-1800s by the Duchess of Bedford. Around this time, kerosene lamps were introduced in wealthier homes, and eating a late dinner (around 8 or 9 p.m.) became fashionable. This increasingly late dinner was one of only two meals each day, the other was a mid-morning, breakfast-like meal. here