Time for tea? Taking kids to afternoon tea is the perfect way to spend an afternoon in the school holidays or for a special occasion or birthday. Many of the iconic London afternoon tea venues, such as The Ritz or The Savoy, will do separate afternoon tea menus suitable for children. But there are some special venues that go even further, with magical afternoon teas that will appeal to kids and adults alike, for a truly memorable experience.
Whether inspired by favourite children’s stories, recreating nostalgic sweetshop treats or offering cakes and pastries inspired by museums, there’s an afternoon tea to appeal to all. The menus and whole experience are fun and delicious and sure to have the kids talking for a long time afterwards. Read on for our picks of the best afternoon tea for kids in London.
For more afternoon tea inspiration, check out our full guide to the best afternoon teas in London for even more suggestions, including reviews of famous afternoon tea hotspots such as Fortnum & Mason and restaurants in The Shard. We’ve also reviewed the best themed afternoon teas in London, with menus centred around art, cheese, London landmarks and more…
For more London restaurant inspiration, check out our guides to the best pasta restaurants in London, best food markets in London or the best burgers in London.
Best kids’ afternoon tea in London at a glance
- Best all-rounder kids’ afternoon tea: The Hansom at St Pancras London, £59 for adults, £35 for children
- Best London-themed tea: The Dilly, £49 for adults, £39 for children
- Best for presentation: Peter Pan afternoon tea at Aqua Shard, from £70pp for adults, £55pp for under 12s
- Best for luxury surroundings: Palm Court at The Langham, from £85 for adults, £50 for children
- Best for a post-museum treat: Science afternoon tea at The Ampersand Hotel, from £59.50 for adults, £39.50 for children
- Best for storytelling: One Aldwych Charlie & the Chocolate Factory afternoon tea, from £95pp for adults, £65 for under 12s
- Best for sweet treats: Sweetshop afternoon tea at Chesterfield Hotel, from £75pp for adults, £45pp for children
- Best affordable afternoon tea for kids: Wizard afternoon tea at Georgian House Hotel, £40 for adults, £20 for children
Best afternoon tea for kids in London
The Hansom afternoon tea at St. Pancras London
- From £59 for adults, £35 for children, book at The Hansom
Best all-rounder kids’ afternoon tea
St. Pancras London’s new kids’ afternoon tea offers a wonderful mix of fun, creativity and delicious treats, all set within one of the city’s landmarks. The hotel is a stone’s throw from King’s Cross station, and it’s an ideal stop during a family day out as there’s plenty going on in the area – check out Granary Square, where there are often pop-up events and kids love playing in the fountains, plus Harry Potter fans will love platform 9¾ in the station.
As soon as we arrived at The Hansom, a stylish cocktail bar inside the St. Pancras London hotel, the staff in the elegant, light-filled lounge were warm and welcoming. Menus arrived with activity sheets and crayons for children, which were an immediate hit and kept them busy while we settled in.
We started with a selection of classic mini sandwiches, thoughtfully made with younger palates in mind – fillings included honey-cured ham and mild cheddar, and egg mayo. Staff were more than happy to offer extras too. Next came the sweet treats, beautifully presented and perfectly sized. Children are served a fluffy vanilla and raspberry cupcake, a chocolate brownie with popping candy, a strawberry tart, and the indulgent standout – a milkshake with sprinkles. Each treat had the right amount of sweetness without being too heavy. Finally, a selection of warm buttermilk plain and raisin scones arrived, accompanied with either plum or strawberry jam and loads (if you’re like me) of clotted cream.
Throughout the afternoon tea, a violinist played classic music, which the kids found fascinating and made the whole experience feel really special. While the kids enjoyed their mini treats, adults can pair the experience with tea, coffee or something sparkling. We picked the orange blossom tea, which was delightfully fragrant and floral. Overall, it’s a charming, fun experience that children and adults will enjoy – a lovely way to pause and recharge on a busy day out in London.
- From £59 for adults, £35 for children, book at The Hansom
The Dilly afternoon tea
- From £49 for adults, £39 for children, book at The Dilly
Best London-themed afternoon tea for kids
Right in the centre of London, a stone’s throw from Piccadilly Circus and Regent’s Street, you’ll find The Dilly, a huge, grand hotel in the perfect spot for exploring London (West End theatres, Buckingham Palace and Leicester Square are all within easy walking distance). Kids will love the red phone box and free lollipops in the foyer.
Tea takes place in the second-floor terrace restaurant, a beautiful, light-filled room. The tea is themed around iconic London landmarks. For adults, it all arrives on a fun London bus stand, and kids get their own London-themed board. Kids’ sandwiches included classic cheese and ham, egg and cress and beetroot carpaccio and feta on onion bread. The sweet treats are fun and incredibly detailed. There’s a stand-out hazelnut praline and milk chocolate Big Ben, a chocolate London Eye perched on a rich mud cake, and a mini version of the hotel made from walnut and honey cake with a strawberry ginger bus, which even includes an image of the hotel’s façade printed on chocolate, plus staple scones with jam and cream.
Kids’ drinks include a frothy hot chocolate or refreshing strawberry lemonade, while adults can enjoy a high-quality brew from Tea Makers of London or a glass of English sparkling or champagne. It made for a fun, memorable afternoon tea, and combines perfectly with a day of sightseeing – see the sights, then eat them in chocolate form! Portions are generous, and staff will happily provide a takeaway box. Before you go, if you need ideas for things to do in London with kids, the doorman is very knowledgeable and had lots of great recommendations.
- From £49 for adults, £39 for children, book at The Dilly
Peter Pan afternoon tea at Aqua Shard
- From £70pp for adults, £55 for under £12, book at Aqua Shard
Best for presentation
Get transported to Neverland with magical views, as if you’re Peter Pan flying over the rooftops of London. Children and adults alike will love the nostalgic treats and artistic touches included in this perfectly designed afternoon tea.
From the custom crafted ship that holds the food, to the story behind each component (the cod brandade is in the shape of a hook, as Peter calls him a ‘codfish’, for example), everything is meticulously designed and pure magic. Choose from either ‘darling tea’, which has delicious floral notes, or ‘adventure tea’, made from black tea with citrus, mango and ginger.
The perfectly cut sandwiches are light, soft and fluffy, with flavoursome fillings of chicken, bacon and mustard, along with the standout egg mayo (more vegetarian options are available). Your next course, after a fresh round of specially designed plates with Peter Pan characters on them, are freshly baked scones served with delicious apricot jam, raspberry jam and coconut clotted cream. The magic continues into the desserts. The ‘Peter’s secret never tree entrance’ is particularly noteworthy – a soft chocolate sponge with chocolate mousse, ganache and raspberry jam. Like the waitress spraying the Tinkerbell biscuit with edible gold glitter, the thought behind each element brought so much joy. From start to finish, this afternoon tea is a display of enchanting storybook delicacies in a stunning, picturesque setting.
From £70pp for adults, £55 for under £12, book at Aqua Shard
Palm Court at The Langham
Best for luxury surroundings
The Langham’s children’s afternoon tea offers a perfect blend of fun and delicious treats in a beautiful setting. Located in the heart of London’s West End, it’s an ideal spot for exploring the city, and within walking distance of Hyde Park and Covent Garden.
As soon as we entered the stunning art deco-inspired Palm Court, the staff were warm and friendly, making a special effort with the children to make them feel welcome. As the menus arrived, so did Langham-themed colouring books for kids, which were much appreciated. First up were finger sandwiches (they were a big hit!), with fillings for kids including cucumber & soft cheese, crushed avocado & tomato, roast ham and gouda. Gone in seconds, they immediately bought out another round (a big tick in our book!).
Next, a beautifully presented selection of bite-sized desserts arrived: for kids there was citrus cake, apple & vanilla choux buns and a strawberry & cream pebble (a biscuit topped with delicate mousse). They had just the right amount of sweetness without being too rich. By far the star attraction was the large milk chocolate ganache teddy bear with a white chocolate bow. We also enjoyed warm freshly baked scones with jam and clotted cream, and an outstanding moist, rich fruit cake.
For adults, there was an array of teas on offer, including organic darjeeling, as well as coffee, hot chocolate and champagne. For children, there was a kids’ blackcurrant & hibiscus tea, juices and hot chocolate. Staff were more than happy to pack leftovers in takeaway boxes, which made for excellent train snacks. Overall, it was a really fun experience for both adults and children – the perfect way to break up a busy day of sightseeing.
From £85 for adults and £50 for children, book at The Langham
Science afternoon tea at The Ampersand Hotel
Best for a post-museum treat
Just a stone’s throw from the Science and Natural History museums in South Kensington, it’s easy to see where The Ampersand got their inspiration from for this unique afternoon tea – the perfect treat for budding scientists. The tea aims to capture the magic of the Science Museum by experimenting with fun visuals (think rockets and dry ice), sounds and textures in each dish.
Kids kick off with a ‘spaceman’ hot chocolate whilst adults can pair their experience with champagne and Jing tea. Fun savouries include hot dogs and dinosaur sandwiches for the kids, with classic sandwiches for adults. Sweet white chocolate scones come with strawberry preserve and Cornish clotted cream, before the quirky sweet treats of jelly, chocolate lollipops and colourful planets for children, and some extras for grown ups that still continue the science theme, such as a mandarin and redcurrant jelly petri dish. Portions are generous too, very welcome after a morning spent museum-hopping.
From £59.50 for adults, £39.50 for children, book at The Ampersand Hotel
One Aldwych Charlie & the Chocolate Factory afternoon tea
- £95pp for adults with a glass of champagne, £65 for under £12s, book at One Aldwych
Best for storytelling
The Charlie and the Chocolate Factory-themed afternoon tea makes its theme clear from the beginning with the choice of drinks: try chocolate tea (with a delicious cocoa aroma), hot chocolate with whipped cream and sprinkles for kids or, for adults, The Chocolatier cocktail – whisky, cherry liqueur, grapefruit juice, cherry purée and chocolate bitters topped with champagne.
Once on to food, the savouries are fun and quirky, with some classics mixed in too. Think a not-quite-as-it-seems beetroot macaron and spinach roly-poly alongside classic Coronation chicken and egg mayo sandwiches. Scones arrived in baskets with ‘snozzberry jam and all the creams’. Everyone around the room was busily snapping photos of their sweets displays, and when ours arrived, we could see why. It’s a sweet tooth’s dream: mysteriously flavoured candy floss, lemonade posset and ‘hair toffee mousse’. A bottle of chocolate milk washes it all down. This makes for a special afternoon that kids will remember forever, or an excuse not to act your age – whatever your reason for visiting, it’s a sweet treat not to be missed.
£95pp for adults with a glass of champagne, £65 for under £12s, book at One Aldwych
Sweetshop afternoon tea at The Chesterfield Mayfair
Best for sweet treats
If you’re looking for a magical afternoon tea for a special occasion that will inspire the imagination and excite the palate of both adults and children, then the Chesterfield is for you. Set in a grand, Georgian hotel on a smart Mayfair street, the service is exceptional from the moment you step into their large marble hallway. Once you’re seated and have been talked through the extensive range of teas, your experience will start with a dramatic smoking pink lemonade topped with a flying saucer. You’ll then move onto a selection of beautifully presented finger sandwiches – our favourites were the Scottish smoked salmon with chive cream cheese and roast chicken with mustard mayonnaise and nibbed almonds.
Accompanying the sandwiches are fluffy chocolate chip scones, Drumstick macaroons, strawberry liquorice allsorts cheesecake, blue raspberry & bubblegum Battenberg, giant jazzie lollipops, coca cola slice and a decadent take on a Reece’s peanut butter cup. There’s a dedicated kids menu which comes served with milkshakes. When it’s time to leave you’ll be escorted to a traditional sweet shop stand where you can select a bag of your favourite pick and mix sweets to take home, any treats you couldn’t quite finish will be beautifully boxed up for you to take away too.
From £75 for adults, £45 for children, book at The Chesterfield Mayfair
Wizard afternoon tea at Georgian House Hotel
Best affordable afternoon tea for kids
This fun and imaginative afternoon tea is one that’ll delight kids and adults alike, upon entering the smart Georgian house hotel you’ll be led to the basement where your spooky afternoon tea awaits. Expect plenty of surprises with overflowing cauldrons, salmon sandwiches served from a smoking box, bubbling cocktails and mocktails and golden chocolate wizard hats. The afternoon tea is served in a gothic looking bird cage and is a very generous affair with a variety of delicate savoury treats from tiny tarts to a selection of open and closed sandwiches. Plain and sultana scones are served with jam and clotted cream, after which a fresh bird cage is brought out with an abundance of sweet treats, a favourite had to be the web topped passion fruit jelly which almost looked too good to eat. The staff were attentive, relaxed and fun and there’s plenty of quirky decorations and spooky music for an authentically ghostly experience. There is also the option of a vegetarian or vegan version as well as bottomless prosecco for an extra £20.
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