Afternoon tea in an upmarket hotel is a venerable London tradition.
The Langham in Regent Street is credited with popularising it back in the 19th century when it started serving post meridiem potables to London’s fashionable set.
Teatime has undergone many changes in the intervening years, but perhaps the most interesting of them has been the fusion of Japanese hospitality with Britain’s obsession with tea.
The marriage of Japanese hospitality – or omotenashi – and refined British tea-taking is a potent mix and has introduced next-level solicitousness and a sense of ceremony to tea-taking in the capital.
Both of these you’ll find in abundance at the eight venues we have on our list.
You’ll also find exhaustive tea lists and a tempting array of wagashi, teatime treats no Japanese tea ceremony is complete without.
Let’s dig in. Itadakimasu!
NB: Our list is ranked by Google rating from highest to lowest and the information was correct at the time of publication.
1. Pan Pacific London, City of London (4.8 ⭐ | 840+ Google Reviews)
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Teatime here is a quintessentially English affair with a few oriental elements thrown in for good measure.
That means you can indulge in typical English teatime fare like fluffy pastries and buttery scones and wash them down with lashings of Gyokuro and Sencha tea.
You can’t beat the setting here – all its tea is served in the hotel’s secret garden, nestled in the foothills of the mountainous glass towers of the Square Mile, providing an oasis of peace slap-bang in central London.
Afternoon Tea Details
Japanese Teas: Gyokuro | Sencha.
Teatime: Afternoon tea at the Pan Pacific is served 13:00–16:00 (Monday to Thursday). Prices start at £58 per person.
Book here.
Contact Information
- Address: 80 Houndsditch, London, EC3A 7AB.
- Phone: 020 7118 6888.
- Website: panpacificlondon.com.
2. The Prince Akatoki, Marble Arch (4.6⭐ | 590+ Google Reviews)
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A short walk from Marble Arch and Hyde Park, the Prince Akatoki offers some of the most refined afternoon tea-taking anywhere in the capital.
Its afternoon tea sessions are hosted in the Malt Lounge and Bar, where guests enjoy a laid-back oriental vibe and a dizzying array of piping hot Japanese infusions.
Indeed, the tea list doesn’t disappoint and includes on-trend matcha and ultra-premium gyokuro tea, a high-grade Japanese green tea that packs a punch and really delivers on the umami flavour.
Once a month (typically a Sunday), the lounge also hosts a special Koto-accompanied afternoon tea session.
It’s a not-to-be-missed tea-taking experience where guests get to listen to musician Keiko Kitamura strumming her Koto, a traditional stringed Japanese instrument, while they sip their beverages.
Afternoon Tea Details
Japanese Teas: Green Pearl Okumidori Gyokuro Ichibancha 2021 | Matcha Green Velvet Lalani & Co Organic Single Origin | Craft Hojicha Nibancha 2020 | Kamairicha 2023 Ichibancha | Okumidori Kabusecha Ichibancha 2021 | Usucha Matcha.
Tea-Time Treats
- Savoury: Finger sandwiches, chicken teriyaki buns, prawn tempura rolls and tamagoyaki (omelette).
- Sweet: Plain, matcha and cranberry scones, served with strawberry jam and Cornish clotted cream. Matcha and pistachio opera cake, passion fruit and yuzu Swiss roll, and a Sakura-do patisserie Tokyo trio.
Got to Try
Matcha-infused scones served with clotted cream and yuzu jam.
Teatime: Afternoon tea at the Prince Akatoki is served 12:00–17:30 (Friday to Sunday). Prices start at £48 per person.
Book here.
Contact Information
- Address: 50 Great Cumberland Place, Marble Arch, London, W1H 7FD.
- Phone: 020 7724 0486.
- Email: reservations@tokii.co.uk.
- Website: theprinceakatokilondon.com.
3. Kibou, Battersea (4.5 ⭐ | 460+ Google Reviews)
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This restaurant might be physically located in Battersea, but its heart and soul lie in the bustling streets of Tokyo.
Guests are welcomed by a vast mural depicting scenes of Japan’s capital’s famous street food scene, transporting visitors to the East.
But while its decor might be gritty urban chic, the afternoon tea service itself boasts a generous dollop of English genteelness – all its teatime treats are served on a dainty three-tiered stand.
They also offer a matcha tea option, which includes a bowl of steaming matcha tea hand-whisked right at your table.
Afternoon Tea Details
Japanese teas: Sencha, Hojicha | Genmaicha | Imperial Jasmine.
Tea-time Treats
● Savoury: Prawn hosomaki, prawn tempura, California roll, salmon tataki, and sea bream nigiri.
● Sweet: Mochi ice cream, cinnamon and apple gyoza, shichimi chocolate tart, and custard dorayaki with strawberry compote.
Got to Try
The Matcha afternoon tea option: A steaming cup of on-trend Matcha expertly hand-whisked at your table.
Teatime: Afternoon tea at the Kibou is served between 14:30–16:30 (Sunday to Friday). Prices start at £46 per person for classic afternoon tea. The Matcha afternoon tea option is priced at £58 per person.
Book here.
Contact Information
- Address: 175-177 Northcote Road, Battersea, London SW11 6QF.
- Phone: 020 7223 8551.
- Website: kibou.co.uk.
4. Katsute100, Islington (4.4 ⭐ | 1000+ Google Reviews)
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All the establishments on our list take tea seriously, but few take it quite as seriously as the Katsute in Islington.
So serious is the place about the tea it serves up that it eschews the established names in Japanese leaf growing and sources all its teas from small-batch artisanal leaf growers.
Its nativist approach to tea extends to its tableware and crockery – all its teas are served in traditional Japanese teapots and cups.
The restaurant’s atmosphere is positively zen-like and very relaxed, and all its sweets and desserts are home-baked. A leafy garden at the back provides an ideal spot for tea-taking on balmy summer days.
Afternoon Tea Details
Japanese Teas: Genmaicha | Uji Premium Gyokuro | Kyoho Sencha | Matcha (lattes, espressos, and iced).
Teatime Treats
● Savoury: N/A.
● Sweet: Matcha mille crepe, matcha strawberry shortcake, black sesame soufflé cheesecake, matcha Basque cheesecake, sakura mochi and Daifuku (rice cakes filled with sweet red bean paste).
Got to Try
- Ichigo Daifuku: A chewy confection consisting of a soft mochi rice cake filled with sweet red bean paste, topped with ripe strawberries.
Teatime: Tea is served at Katsute100 11:00–20:00 (Monday to Friday) and 10:00 AM – 200:00 (Saturday and Sunday). No set price. A pot of Japanese tea starts at £4.00 per pot.
Contact Information
- Address: 100 Islington High Street, London, N1 8EG.
- Phone: 020 7686 8828.
- Website: katsute100.com.
5. Nobu Hotel London Portman Square, Marylebone (4.3 | 840+ Google Reviews)
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Afternoon tea at the Nobu is a seasonal affair, evolving with the change of the seasons.
The hotel is especially worth a visit in spring when the afternoon tea at Nobu is all about the Japanese cherry blossom, the sakura.
The Hanami – or flower viewing – is big in Japan and has been transposed to London by Nobu as the centrepiece of its springtime Japanese tea ceremony.
This means guests can enjoy the origami cherry blossom decor and a range of yummy sakura-infused teas.
Afternoon Tea Details
Japanese Teas: Sakura Sencha Obubu | Sakura | Kabuse Sencha | Genmaicha | Sakura Wood | hand-roasted lemongrass tea.
Tea-time Treats
- Savoury: Beef tataki shokupan, shrimp salad rolls, and tuna Matsuhisa.
- Sweet: Sencha green tea basil cake, apricot and tonka bean macarons, and scones served with raspberry mint jam, yuzu curd, and clotted cream.
Got to Try
- The sakura blossom mousse, a fluffy confection made with the essence of cherry blossom. It’s tasty but gone in a jiffy, reflecting the ephemerality of the blossom itself.
Teatime: Afternoon tea at Nobu is served between 12:45–17:30 (daily). Prices start at £68 per person.
Book here.
Contact Information
- Address: 22 Portman Square, London, W1H 7BG.
- Phone: 020 7290 9222.
- Website: nobuhotels.com.
6. Ginza St James’s (4.3 ⭐ | 800+ Google Reviews)
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The Ginza in Mayfair offers an upmarket afternoon experience that marries refined British tea-taking with true Japanese hospitality.
The Ginza is also the place to be if you want something stronger than tea to accompany your sweet and savoury bites.
It has a trio of extremely potable sakes on the menu and a couple of Japanese digestifs that will help you wash down all the sweet and savoury teatime goodies on offer at the Ginza.
Afternoon Tea Details
Japanese Teas: Kyoto Oolong Nibancha | Okumidori Kabusecha | Assam Malt Black | Crystal Gyokuro Ichibancha | Hojicha Tea | Supermuscatel | Miyazaki Cherry Black | White Tea.
Tea-time Treats
- Savoury: Mini okonomiyaki, salmon and avocado maki, black cod croquette, wagyu menchi katsu, sirloin tataki, and chicken karaage.
- Sweet: Strawberry sando, truffle chocolate, coconut silken tofu, miso financier cake, and matcha castella cake.
Got to Try
Strawberry sando sandwich: A super-indulgent fusion dish where a Japanese finger food meets the choicest British summer-time strawberries for an indulgent afternoon treat.
Teatime: Afternoon tea at Ginza St James is served daily between 12:00–16:00. Prices start at £55 per person.
Book here.
Contact Information
- Address: Ginza St James, 15 Bury Street St. James’s London SW1Y 6AL.
- Email: reservations@ginza-stjames.com.
- Phone: 020 3862 7700.
- Website: https://www.ginza-stjames.com/.
7. AKIRA Restaurant, Japan House London, Kensington (4.2 ⭐ | 600+ Google Reviews)
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The Japanese tea selection here at the AKIRA is smoking – literally.
The restaurant sources many of its teas from the Kaneroku Matsumoto Tea Garden, a world-renowned Japanese tea producer that grows its leaves in the volcanic soil in the shadow of Mount Fuji.
The smokiness of its teas derives from the fact that tea leaves used in its infusions are smoked over native Japanese wood cherry, oak, and cypress, imparting to the leaves a rich smoky flavour.
The restaurant itself possesses a serene charm and a sophisticated aesthetic, informed by Japanese minimalism.
Afternoon Tea Details
Japanese Teas: Matcha | Sencha | Gokujo Hojicha | Gokujo | Genmaicha | Matcha Latte | Whisky, Apple, Hinoki Cacao black teas.
Tea-time Treats
- Savoury: Seasonal sushi.
- Sweet: Traditional wagashi including mochigashi (pounded rice cakes with sweet bean paste fillings), yokan (a firm jelly-like dessert), dorayaki (sweet-filled pancakes), and senbei (sweet and crispy rice cakes).
Teatime: 14:30–17:00 (kitchen closes at 16:30). Prices start at £24 per person.
Book here.
Contact Information
- Address: 101-111 Kensington High Street, London, W8 5SA.
- Phone: 020 3972 7100.
- Email: info@akira-restaurant.co.uk.
- Website: japanhouselondon.uk.
8. Sanctum Soho Hotel, Soho (4.1⭐ | 740+ Google Reviews)
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Michelin-starred chef Hollihead has concocted a true Japanese-inspired street food vibe for afternoon tea at the Sanctum in Soho.
The hotel’s Wild Heart restaurant manages to artfully blend traditional British afternoon tea with elements of the traditional Japanese sado tea ceremony, all served up in the spectacular setting of the hotel’s rooftop terrace overlooking Soho.
An unrivalled assortment of Japanese-inspired savoury dishes and traditional Japanese tea awaits tea-time guests.
Afternoon Tea Details
Japanese Teas: Hojicha | Matcha.
Tea-Time Treats
- Savoury: Tuna Tataki with ruby grapefruit dressing, pickled cucumber, sea vegetables, vegetable gyoza, and soft-shell crab sliders with hot wasabi.
- Sweet: Matcha panna cotta topped with freeze-dried raspberries, mini yuzu and fruit tarts, warm raisin scones served with yuzu curd and clotted cream, whiskey chocolate mousse, yoghurt and vanilla cream, and macarons paired with a flight of mini cocktails.
Got to Try
The raisin scones with yuzu curd: a true fusion of a British teatime classic and a Japanese citrusy curd made from the grapefruit-like yuzu.
Teatime: Afternoon tea at the Sanctum Hotel in Soho is served between 12:00–16:00 (Tuesday–Saturday). Prices start at £44 per person.
Book here.
Contact Information
- Address: 20 Warwick Street, Soho, London, W1B 5NF.
- Phone: 020 7292 6100.
- Website: sanctumsoho.com.
Fusion is Fashionable
London is a melting pot of cultures and people, and its afternoon tea has evolved to reflect its changing demography.
Indeed, the Japanese-British teatime fusion experiences we have listed above are just the tip of the iceberg if you’re looking for a fresh twist on classic teatime.
Indian-British fusion is in evidence at Chai By The Shore at InterContinental London at the O2. Here you’ll find an afternoon tea experience that introduces a hit of Indian spiciness into the traditional afternoon tea. Dishes include spiced scones, masala chai-infused treats, and a curated selection of teas from JING Tea.
And London proves it never ceases to amaze and is no longer earthbound, with the introduction of an interplanetary afternoon tea offered by Gravi-Tea at Skylon on the South Bank.
An out-of-this-world experience awaits guests with galaxy-themed treats like Jupiter cake and cosmic mini choux on the menu.
A truly out-of-this-world experience!
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