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Looking for the best classic afternoon tea in London? After visiting London multiple times, doing lots of afternoon tea research, and making three visits to the Brown’s Hotel Drawing Room, I’m here to tell you why I think Brown’s Hotel afternoon tea is the one.
There are so many iconic sights and places to visit in London, but when it comes to experiences, one of the top London bucket list things to do is to enjoy a classic afternoon tea.
My first afternoon tea in London, almost ten years ago, was at the beautiful Drawing Room, and I’ve been hooked ever since. On my most recent trips to London, I’ve been looking to try other spots, but honestly nothing comes close to the classic, elegant vibe of Brown’s Hotel afternoon tea.
Even on my recent 10-day Europe trip, with a 3-day London itinerary, I was looking for other spots to take my mom and aunt to, but honestly it just had to be Brown’s Hotel, and this post will show you why.
Best Classic Afternoon Tea in London: Brown’s Hotel Afternoon Tea Review
I have to fully credit my husband with this one, as my first visit to Brown’s Hotel afternoon tea was a surprise he planned for me.
On our first trip abroad, we went to London, and I really wanted to try a nice and fancy afternoon tea. After he did all the research, he found that the iconic Drawing Room was frequented by Queen Victoria, and rightly assumed that if it’s fit for the queen, I would probably like it.
Since then, we’ve gone back two times, once for Valentine’s Day while working in London, and recently with my mom and aunt while giving them a tour of London, where, of course, I wanted to include the quintessential afternoon tea experience.
While on the splurgy side of things, this is definitely worth it if you’re looking for the best classic afternoon tea in London to round up a perfect trip.
Brown’s Hotel afternoon tea: Quick facts
| Location | Mayfair, London |
| Venue | The Drawing Room at Brown’s Hotel |
| Price | £80 per person for traditional afternoon tea |
| What’s included | Finger sandwiches, scones with jam and Cornish clotted cream, pastries, and a selection of teas |
| Champagne options | Yes, from £92 per person |
| Plant-based option | Yes, £80 per person, with plant-based sandwiches and pastries |
| Booking | Book afternoon tea on the official website |
| Best for | Traditional luxury afternoon tea, elegant surroundings, special occasions, and a memorable London experience |
What is afternoon tea at Brown’s Hotel like?
The first time we visited The Drawing Room for afternoon tea, I was so nervous about just how fancy the experience would be, and how out of place I was going to feel. After visiting three times, I can tell you, there’s nothing to worry about.
As soon as you arrive at Brown’s Hotel, you’re warmly greeted by the fancy-looking doormen wearing top hats and all—it’s so cute, it feels like walking straight into a movie.
Once inside, the service is attentive and classy, but not arrogant. Not once did I feel like anyone was being rude to us tourists having afternoon tea in an elegant setting, and that was a huge relief.
The Drawing Room is just so beautiful… like a rich family’s cozy living room. And the experience of having afternoon tea definitely made me feel like a rich family in Bridgerton; just leisurely passing time, enjoying pastries in a beautiful room.
It’s a strange but very unique foodie experience, I believe.
The Drawing Room and atmosphere
One of the main elements that make Brown’s Hotel the best classic afternoon tea in London is the historic Drawing Room’s elegant yet cozy vibe.
The walls are dark wood-paneled, with dark red velvet chairs, a marble fireplace, white linens, and delicate white porcelain teacups. The atmosphere is classy but inviting, the perfect place for classic afternoon tea.
As if the beautiful setting wasn’t enough, there’s a live pianist playing in the room; last time it was all modern songs, and it really felt like we were in an episode of Bridgerton.
Service and overall experience
The service is impeccable and incredibly attentive since you arrive at the hotel’s door. Once seated, the waiter explains the menu in detail, presents you with the tea options, and indicates what’s coming up next.
Throughout the afternoon tea experience, the waiter checks in now and then to see if you need a refill of any of the sandwiches or tea. We normally get a few extra coronation chicken sandwiches—they are so good!
And while I’m shy about looking dumb asking questions in such a fancy setting, the service was always friendly and helpful. I didn’t know that once we finished the first pot of tea, we could ask to try a different type of tea, for example. After asking the waiter for guidance in choosing my next tea, I ended up trying a green tea and loved it.
While the service is attentive, it’s also relaxed, with plenty of time given to enjoy your tea—which is necessary since it’s a lot of food.
Brown’s Hotel Afternoon Tea Menu: What do you get?
One thing to make clear is that if you’re planning on having afternoon tea, I’d highly recommend skipping lunch.
While people say that afternoon tea is the bridge between lunch and dinner, you’ll get so much food here, and it’s expensive, so you definitely want to come hungry.
Finger sandwiches
One of my favorite things about afternoon tea is the incredibly delicious and fresh finger sandwiches. And you might think “they are just sandwiches”, but believe me, they are so good!
Normally, you’ll get served five types of finger sandwiches at the Brown’s Hotel afternoon tea:
- Coronation chicken
- Devilled egg mayonnaise with mustard cress
- Roast beef
- Smoked salmon, dill and lemon
- Cucumber and goat cheese
Honestly, it’s hard to pick a favorite; all of them are amazing! But if I had to choose, I feel like most of the time we end up asking for a few extra of either smoked salmon or coronation chicken.
This is dangerous, since this is just the first step and there’s so much more food coming your way, but it’s hard to stop yourself when the sandwiches are so soft and tasty.
Scones, clotted cream, and jam
My other top favorite of the afternoon tea, of course, is the iconic scones—which follow their 181-year-old recipe—with clotted cream and strawberry jam.
The scones come warm out of the oven, and they are just perfect: dense and so delicious. The best ones I’ve ever had!
You’ll get both plain and sultana scones (with raisins); my favorite is always the plain one, but both are good.
There’s a never-ending debate of what goes first, cream or jam, and I’ll proudly say that for me it’s cream first and then jam, and that’s the only way that makes sense to me. But you do you.
Cakes and pastries
Lastly, when you think you can’t possibly eat anything else, you’ll be presented with a literal tower of pastries.
This is the part of the menu that might change depending on when you visit, as they sometimes do a themed pastry theme. Right now in October, they’re having an “Autumn afternoon tea,” with a pumpkin choux.
One of the times we visited was for Valentine’s Day, so we had some delicious raspberry pastries.
The pastries may vary, but they are always of the highest quality. If, like me, you can barely take a bite of anything once you get to this step, you can always ask for the pastries to go.
Nothing goes to waste if you’re spending £80 for afternoon tea!
Tea selection: Which tea should you choose?
At Brown’s Hotel afternoon tea, you’ll be offered a curated selection of teas, and while a lot of them sound tasty, almost every time I’ve been here, I like to take the classic “Brown’s English Breakfast” tea. Just to stick to basics, you know?
Last time I was there, I did try a second tea towards the end of our afternoon tea, and I went with a Genmaicha green tea, and it was also very nice and light. My aunt tried something floral; I believe it was Indian Rose, and it was delicious.
I don’t know much about tea, but you can definitely taste the difference when it’s a high-quality tea.
If you have any questions about what to try, the staff is really helpful in finding something that you would like.
Is the Brown’s Hotel afternoon tea filling?
Yes, afternoon tea at Brown’s Hotel is very filling!
If you’re coming to Brown’s Hotel for afternoon tea, you should definitely skip lunch; this is lunch, dessert, and more. There’s no way you can come for afternoon tea and leave hungry.
You can always ask for extra sandwiches, as we normally do. I’m not sure about the scones and pastries, but honestly I highly doubt you’ll have the space for more.
How much does afternoon tea at Brown’s Hotel cost?
There are a few options for afternoon tea at Brown’s Hotel, with the traditional afternoon tea and plant-based afternoon tea costing £80 per person, plus a 15% service fee.
Afternoon tea with a glass of champagne costs from £92 up to £125 per person, depending on the type of champagne, plus the 15% service fee.
Traditional vs. Champagne afternoon tea
The only difference between traditional and champagne afternoon tea is the added glass of champagne, so depending on your occasion, if you’re celebrating something, it could be a nice add-on.
We did it once for Valentine’s, but honestly I was struggling to know when to sip the champagne with all the tea, sandwiches, and scones; there are just so many options, so I think it’s okay to only do traditional afternoon tea.
It already feels like a special occasion to spend 2 hours sipping tea in such a beautiful room.
Is Brown’s Hotel afternoon tea worth the money?
Yes, absolutely—for the right person. While afternoon tea at Brown’s Hotel Drawing Room is definitely a pricey experience, I think it’s definitely worth it if you’re looking to try the best classic afternoon tea in London.
This is clearly not an everyday thing, but more of a foodie, cultural experience that makes a great addition to a trip to London as a quintessentially British thing to do.
Again, I think this is worth it as someone who loves food and values experiences while traveling. If you’re trying to decide if afternoon tea at Brown’s Hotel is worth it for you, it just depends on the kind of traveler that you are and what you value.
Most afternoon teas will be pricey by default; what I think makes this one special is the incredible quality of everything included: the service, the delicious sandwiches, the perfectly warm scones, the delicate teas, and the beautiful, elegant, cozy atmosphere.
I’ve researched so many other places to have afternoon tea in London, but none of them looked as classic as the one at Brown’s Hotel.
How to book afternoon tea at Brown’s Hotel
Opening times and reservations
You can book your afternoon tea daily from around 12:00 PM to 6:30 PM.
The normal afternoon tea time is between 3:00 PM and 5:00 PM. Normally we book for 2:00 PM, since we skip lunch to have afternoon tea.
Dress code and what to wear
There’s no official dress code enforced; however, it is encouraged by the venue to dress smart-casual.
Jeans are perfectly fine; just pair them with a nice top or sweater and nice shoes. I normally wear a skirt with tights, ballet flats, and a cute sweater. My husband wears dark jeans, black boots, and a shirt or nice sweater.
Location and how to get there
The Drawing Room is located inside Brown’s Hotel in Mayfair at Ground Floor, 33 Albemarle St, London W1S 4BP, United Kingdom.
One of the closest tube stations is Green Park, or if you’re spending the day exploring Covent Garden and Soho, you can easily walk to the hotel in the afternoon.
How long should you allow?
You should plan to spend around 2 hours at afternoon tea.
My tips for visiting Brown’s Hotel for afternoon tea
During my first afternoon tea at the Drawing Room, I was shocked at the amount of food there is. I had no idea; I really thought it would just be a few small bites and tea, but you truly walk out of there stuffed.
So I would highly advise you to skip lunch and book your afternoon tea between 2 and 3:00 PM. At least that’s what works best for us with a late breakfast, and then using afternoon tea as lunch.
There are a few afternoon tea social etiquette rules out there, which could be fun to research in advance. The only one I would particularly be careful about is not to clink the spoon to the cup, as this is quite frowned upon.
Is Brown’s Hotel afternoon tea right for you?
Afternoon tea at Brown’s Hotel is the place to go if you’re looking for the best classic afternoon tea in London as a unique experience to add to your trip.
This is definitely an experience worth having for travelers who value food and cultural experiences. Similar to a green tea ceremony in Japan, having a classy afternoon tea while in England is such a bucket list item.
There are many other afternoon teas in the city; some are themed, some in more modern settings, some fun and quirky like Sketch, but if you’re looking for the quintessential British afternoon tea, Brown’s Hotel is the best.
If you want to sort of experience afternoon tea but don’t want to spend that much money, you could also look for “cream tea” somewhere else, which is just scones and tea. That would be much more affordable.
Final thoughts on the Brown’s Hotel afternoon tea: The best classic afternoon tea in London
Having afternoon tea in London is such a bucket list activity, and while it is a bit of a splurge, it truly is a once-in-a-lifetime kind of thing… or 3 times if you can’t stop yourself like me.
However, while I think this is an iconic activity to add to your London itinerary, it’s not necessarily a one-size-fits-all type, as it is quite the investment for one meal; that’s why I think this is worth it only if you truly care about the experience.
While there are numerous places to have afternoon tea in the city, I would say that if you’re going ahead and splurging on this activity, you might as well do it right and visit Brown’s Hotel for the best classic afternoon tea in London, with incredible food, service, and the coziest rooms.
Do you think you’ll add a stop at this Mayfair icon for tea and scones in your London itinerary? Let us know in the comments.
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