Afternoon tea in London is a rite of passage, and those lucky enough to be staying in Park Grand London Kensington have the added bonus of Park Grand Kensington Afternoon Tea – meaning you don’t even have to venture very far out of your Kensington Accommodation to tuck into the tiny sandwiches and cream scones which have been a British quintessential since the 1500s. Though you can never really have enough afternoon tea, you may be thinking: “are there any variations of this?” So, once you have tried your hotel’s traditional afternoon tea, here are some slightly wackier options that may not be quite as prestigious, but are all equally fun, unique and delicious.
Harry Potter Afternoon Tea
“Eat. You’ll feel better.” – Remus Lupin in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K Rowling
London is the place to be for Harry Potter lovers – both adults and children. Cutter & Squidge, one of London’s most highly revered bakeries, offers the kind of spell-bounding Potter-experience that will put a lumos light in any visitor’s eyes. The price includes all the classics, like finger sandwiches and cream scones, but makes sure it is still a different, magical experience with drinkable potions and a load of surprises along the way. They are very accommodating, and have specialised menus for children, vegans, vegetarians, wheat-free and dairy-free patrons, so just get in touch beforehand if you need to tailor your trip or menu.
Address: Cutter & Squidge, 20 Brewer St, Soho, London W1F 0SJ
Price: Start from £49.50 for adults, £39.50 for kids, with VIP tickets and packages available
Alice in Wonderland Afternoon Tea
“It’s always tea-time.” – The Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Caroll
Of all the world’s literary tea parties, the most widely spread and adored has to be Lewis Caroll’s Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, in which Alice finds that Wonderland is even more weird and absurd than she originally thought when falling down the rabbit hole. So it seems only fitting that there be an Alice themed afternoon tea available in London, to recreate this magnificently whacky experience. This experience offers the Stack of King of Hearts Ham and Parmesan Croque-Monsieur and the Queen of Hearts Rose and Strawberry Jammy Dodger – are you inspired yet?
Address: 50 Berners St, Fitzrovia, London W1T 3NG
Price: £48 per person and £35 per child (for children 4-11 years old)
B Boat: B Bakery’s Afternoon Tea Thames Cruise
B Bakery offers a range of afternoon teas, with one of the most popular being the Thames River cruise, where you bob along the Thames whilst eating all your favourite afternoon tea snacks. A number of themed afternoon teas choose to change the food to give the themed twist, whereas B Bakery has a different approach: they offer all the classics and simply change the location – in this case, to the city’s famous river. Tuck into your sweet and savoury morsels of flavour whilst looking out at Westminster, Big Ben and the Shard. The address below is where the cruise leaves from, and it is recommended that you buy your tickets in advance to avoid disappointment.
Address: Butler’s Wharf Pier, Shad Thames, London SE1 2YE
Price: £75 per person, £65 for 4-11 years, £30 for 0-3 years
B Bakery Afternoon Tea Bus Tour
B Bakery have another smashing option for those who prefer their tea served on land, but also those who want to do a bit of London site-seeing whilst they consume a London traditional tea. The bus tour takes a marvellous route around Hyde Park, through Trafalgar Square, passed Marble Arch and more. The buses depart every day from Victoria Coach Station at either 12, 2.30 or 5. Alternatively, they leave from 8 Northumberland Avenue at 12.30 and 3. There are a whole range of menus taking all range of dietary requirements into consideration
Address: Victoria Coach Station, Belgravia, London SW1W 9UD
8 Northumberland Avenue, Central London, London WC2N 5BY
Price: From £45 per adult
Mary Poppins Afternoon Tea
“A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down.” – Mary Poppins in Mary Poppins by Disney
The remake of the Disney classic Mary Poppins as well as the new West End musical production of it have taken the world by storm – reviewers can’t stop raving about either of them. So, why not make a day of Mary Poppins, preceding an evening showing at The Prince Edward Theatre in London’s West End with a Mary Poppins themed afternoon tea at Brasserie Max in Covent Garden. You can be sure that all the sweet dishes come with a bare minimum of a spoonful of sugar, and that the scones are supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!
Address: 10 Monmouth St, London WC2H 9LF
Price: £32 per person or £40 per person, including a themed cocktail
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Afternoon Tea
You didn’t think we would skip out the literary pinnacle of all things sweet and delicious when writing a sweet and delicious afternoon tea round-up, did you? Well, you don’t need to hunt down a Golden Ticket for this whirlwind of a sweet-tooth adventure, just a booking and an appetite is required. Though it must be said that the chocolate here isn’t mixed by waterfall, nor are there Oompa-loompas churning butter and jam, the frothy texture of your chocolate milkshake and perfectly crumbly scones may make you think otherwise.
Address: 1 Aldwych, London WC2B 4BZ
Price: £47 per person, with a glass of Lallier Grande Réserve Champagne or a cocktail £58 per person,
Children under the age of 12 £37 per person
Park Grand accomodation is always a part of a winning package, from the Park Grand London Kensington Breakfast to the soft pillows and prime location. However, if you find your want to shake things up a bit and try something slightly different, then maybe a quirky afternoon tea should be next on your list of things to try. From themed food to themed locations, London is bustling with options, each unique and delightful in their own way.