There are some bargain spots that offer afternoon tea on a budget. Places like the National Portrait Gallery Restaurant, offer a more affordable afternoon tea at the cost of £27.50, while the Great Court Restaurant in the British Museum goes for £19.50. Kettner’s in Soho offers affordable high tea at the rate of £24.95 while the Millbank Lounge (at the DoubleTree by Hilton London Westminster) goes for £21.95 per person.
Finally, two pubs in central London offer an affordable experience at about £11 in each – The Cambridge (93 Charing Cross Road, London, WC2H 0DP; 0207 494 0338), and The Wellington in Covent Garden (351 Strand, London, WC2R 0HS; 0207 836 2789). For the pubs, do call ahead to make sure afternoon tea is being offered on your visit date.
If you don’t want the full afternoon tea experience, Cream Tea may be for you and offers a smaller portion size for a smaller price. Although some may call it a cheap afternoon tea, Cream Tea is far from a poor experience. Cream Tea omits the sandwiches included in the full afternoon tea experiences in favour of sweet bites such as scones – this may be preferable to many people that mixing savoury and sweet. At the British Museum’s Great Court Restaurant, for example, Cream Tea costs just £8.50.
Afternoon tea is here to stay and this culture will only be passed down from generation to generation and is a rare, casual delight in such a bustling city.