London’s Best Christmas Afternoon Teas For 2025
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6 days ago
'Tis the season... to eat cake
It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and what better way to celebrate than with some tea and cake? Many of London’s finest restaurants and hotels have given their afternoon teas a festive shake-up, with seasonal sandwiches, mince pies and mulled wine being thrown into the mix.
London is one of the world’s best cities for afternoon tea. The long-standing British tradition dates back to the mid-19th century, when Anna, the seventh Duchess of Bedford, would enjoy a mid-afternoon tray of tea, bread, butter and cake to see her through from lunch to dinner. This grew into a social event, and the ritual gained popularity over the years. Nowadays, you can enjoy afternoon tea across many hotel restaurants in London, with the offering usually featuring a spread of sweet and savoury treats including finger sandwiches, scones and cakes, typically paired with tea and champagne.
Around this time of year, chefs and pastry makers give their afternoon teas a festive twist, adding seasonal flavours and fun specials. Think turkey sandwiches, truffle tarts, mini yule logs, gingerbread cupcakes and warming cocktails. Feeling hungry yet? Read on to discover where to find the best Christmas afternoon teas in London for 2025.
Best Christmas Afternoon Teas in London 2025
The Coral Room
With its pink-hued walls and Murano chandeliers, The Coral Room at The Bloomsbury is one of London’s most aesthetic hotel bars. But it’s not just about the cocktails: the 1920s-inspired salon bar also serves afternoon tea, which has been given a festive spin for the winter. Begin with finger sandwiches of smoked salmon and mascarpone, and roast turkey with cranberry, before getting stuck into the showstopping pâtisserie tier. Highlights include a pistachio Christmas wreath, a Mont Blanc tart layered with blackcurrant and frangipane, and miniature gingerbread madeleines – as well as buttermilk and vanilla scones. Pair with Ronnefeldt tea or a glass of Charles Heidsieck Brut Réserve. There’s also a plant-based option, plus a child-friendly version.
When? From 11 November 2025
How much? £75pp
Where? 16-22 Great Russell St, Bloomsbury, London WC1B 3NN
BOOK: thecoralroom.co.uk
Corinthia London
With its Baccarat crystal chandelier, piano melodies and Richard Brendon hand-painted china, you’ll struggle to find a prettier afternoon tea setting than Corinthia London. Cakes are appetisingly presented on a trolley which is wheeled from table to table – and these are even better come Christmas time. First up is the savoury side though: enjoy sandwiches filled with pickled cucumber and goat’s cheese curd, coronation chicken, and Wiltshire honey roasted ham, plus festive sausage rolls. Follow these with seasonal desserts like hazelnut and milk chocolate rocher, black forest bûche de noël, and orange and honey madeleines.
When? From 14 November 2025 – 4 January 2026
How much? From £105pp
Where? Corinthia Hotel, 10 Whitehall Pl, London SW1A 2BD
BOOK: corinthia.com
Fortnum & Mason
A trip to Fortnum & Mason’s Piccadilly flagship is a must on the Christmas shopping calendar – especially since you can tie it in with a festive afternoon tea. The store has joined forces with prestigious Hong Kong bar Tell Camellia on its 2025 edition, with the option to switch the usual glass of fizz for a special edition cocktail, the ‘Merrycha’, made with spiced Christmas Fortnum’s blend. Alongside this, diners can enjoy finger sandwiches of Suffolk ham, and smoked trout with dill cream cheese, followed by pastries like sticky figgy pudding loaf, mince pies and mini mandarin mousse. All this is served to the backdrop of Christmas music from the grand master piano, amid the refined surroundings of Fortnum’s Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon.
When? Available now
Where? Fortnum & Mason, 181 Piccadilly, London, W1A 1ER
BOOK: fortnumandmaison.com
Grosvenor House
For a festive afternoon tea with a touch of whimsy, head to Grosvenor House hotel. Its Christmas tea is inspired by Enid Blyton’s Magic Faraway Tree book series (soon to be adapted for film), with five pastries crafted by head pastry chef Anthony Hurst. The Land Of Presents is a honey mousse and pear compote with caramelised chocolate ganache, while Woodland Whispers takes the form of an edible woodland toadstool encased in a white chocolate shell. On the savoury side, the menu – which features special illustrations by Mark Beech – there are finger sandwiches featuring Norfolk turkey, cucumber and mint, and Burford Brown egg on open brioche buns. Enjoy alongside Newby fine teas or a glass of bubbles. This is a great family-friendly option, with a children’s edition featuring miniature scones and hot chocolate.
When? 18 November 2025 – 30 April 2026
How much? From £75pp or £38pp for a child
Where? 86-90 Park Ln, London W1K 7TN
BOOK: marriott.com
Cafe Linea
After a morning of Christmas shopping on the King’s Road, book afternoon tea at Chelsea’s new hotspot, Cafe Linea. The restaurant’s terrace has been transformed into a wintry escape with fairy lights, blankets and a tree, where diners can enjoy a suitably festive tea. Begin with egg mayo sandwiches and smoked salmon and cream cheese bagels, ahead of sweet treats including a mince pie biscuit sandwich and a crème brûlée choux. This can be enjoyed with champagne or one of Cafe Linea’s sweet cocktail pairings, such as an Espresso Martini with Salted Vanilla, or a Crème Brulée Martini.
When? From 11 November 2025
Where? 90 Duke of York Square, London, SW3 4LY
BOOK: linealondon.com
Rosewood London
The Chancery Rosewood might have stolen the limelight this year, but let’s not forget about the Holborn original, which feels particularly magical during the Christmas season. This year, there’s a special afternoon tea on offer in the hotel’s Mirror Room, which pays homage to the works of Charles Dickens. Pastries draw on Dickens’ novels: A Christmas Carol, for instance, is a chocolate dessert featuring layers of rich sponge and sour cherry jelly, wrapped in a chocolate scarf and finished with an edible candle. The Old Curiosity Shop, meanwhile, features luxuries from the festive streets of Victorian London: think gingerbread sponge and vanilla jelly, topped with edible trinkets.
When? 10 November 2025 – February 2026 (excluding 25 December 2025)
How much? From £90pp
Where? 252 High Holborn, London WC1V 7EN
BOOK: rosewoodhotels.com
The Landmark London
Marylebone hotel The Landmark is renowned for its afternoon tea, served in the pretty Winter Garden Restaurant beneath a towering glass atrium. This winter, the offering is being given a festive spin, complete with an array of finger sandwiches, spiced mandarin scones with Valrhona chocolate, and pastries including white chocolate and cranberry yule logs, and Mont Blanc with candied chestnuts. Pair with a glass of Taittinger Champagne while admiring the hotel’s giant Christmas tree.
When? 27 November 2025 – 4 January 2026
How much? £99pp
Where? 222 Marylebone Rd, London NW1 6JQ
BOOK: landmarklondon.co.uk
The Dorchester
The Dorchester really comes alive during the Christmas season, with its majestic 15ft Nordmann spruce welcoming guests in the lobby. Served in the Promenade, its afternoon tea is one of London’s best, and is always given a festive spin around this time of year. The 2025 menu includes finger sandwiches of smoked salmon and lemon on rye bread, cucumber and pine cream, and Cambridge bronze turkey, followed by warm raisin and plain scones. Pastries on offer include chocolate and orange yule log, almond mousse with sour cherry compote, and tropical tart with coconut chantilly, which you can enjoy alongside The Dorchester’s own tea blend. The children’s version, meanwhile, includes miniature sandwiches, hot chocolate and sweet treats including Christmas cupcakes and raspberry jelly fruit swirls.
When? Weekends throughout the season
How much? From £125pp
Where? 53 Park Ln, London W1K 1QA
BOOK: dorchestercollection.com
