Sound the trumpets. It’s time for a royal feast. These are the best coronation afternoon teas in London you need to check out.
Britain loves a traditional afternoon tea, and what better excuse to get all traditional than the coronation of King Charles III? The big day falls on May 6th, but many of London’s top establishments will be putting on special coronation afternoon teas throughout the week.
They range from the ultra-traditional to the afternoon tea with a twist. Nearly all can be upgraded to include a glass of fizz, and they are all, no doubt, the perfect way to celebrate the coronation of our new king.
London’s Coronation Afternoon Teas
The Intercontinental, Park Lane
£55pp, or £68 with a glass of Champagne
3rd – 14th May
If you would like to celebrate the coronation in true style, classiest of classy Park Lane hotels, The Intercontinental are hosting special coronation afternoon teas in their Wellington Lounge, coincidentally the address of which was once the childhood home of Queen Elizabeth II.
The spread is truly fit for a king. Finger sandwiches of pheasant and forest truffle, Earl Grey tea-smoked duck among others precede a plate of scones and cakes that pay homage to Charles’ favourite drinks.
That means you can expect a martini cheesecake, a G&T lime delice, as well as a darjeeling and honey opera – no singing involved.
Aquavit
£45pp
2nd – 6th May
London’s swankiest Nordic outpost, Aquavit, is offering their take on the classic British afternoon tea, mixing it with the traditional Swedish version, fika.
Fika is much the same as its British counterpart except that they don’t put lids on the sandwiches. At Aquavit a traditional fika involves a plate of open-faced sandwiches with Nordic toppings such as Atlantic shrimp with dill mayonnaise or the more-English roast beef crowned with horseradish and pickled cucumber.
This is followed by a plate of Swedish pastries and baked goods and accompanied, of course, by tea – a choice of fresh mint or English breakfast.
The Rockwell
£50pp with alcoholic cocktails, or £38pp with non-alcoholic cocktails
4th – 18th May
Traditionally, Brits celebrate a big occasion by getting outrageously drunk. If that sounds more like you, take note that The Rockwell, cocktail bar of the Trafalgar Hotel in St. James is putting on a coronation cocktail and cake pairing.
Now this is still a fancy place so you shouldn’t go getting all lary, but a few of their royalty-themed cocktails would certainly hit the spot.
Especially when they come paired with a spread of cakes and traditional sandwiches, including a must-have coronation chicken number and a smoked salmon and cream cheese creation that comes topped with salmon caviar – the decadence!
The Rubens at the Palace
£70pp
1st May – 1st August
The Rubens at the Palace are kicking the coronation off with a string of multi-month deals and celebrations, one of which is an afternoon tea you should have on your radar.
Their afternoon tea takes its cues from the very palette of the king-to-be, riffing off flavours that he’s known to love. Wild Mushroom Quiche, and Orchard Plum Confit are just two examples where that method bears fruit (no pun intended).
They’re served alongside Spiced Welsh Lamb Sausage Roll, and Darjeeling-Soaked Fruit Cake in the Rubens’ Palace Lounge – a space that overlooks the Royal Mews themselves.
The Goring
£75pp
24th April – 28th May
The Goring has no shortage of royal history either. Apart from being situated a stone’s throw from Buckingham Palace itself, the hotel played host to a number of foreign dignitaries at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, and its owner, George Goring, was awarded an OBE for the standard of his hospitality.
They’ve got a full spread of an afternoon tea on for about a month around the time of the coronation.
It begins with a glass of Bolinger, takes a tour through the traditional sandwich game and ends with a selection of pastries especially prepared for the menu by the Goring’s team of pro chefs.
This is all accompanied by a choice of teas so wide and varied it could keep a palace full of royals refreshed for weeks.
The Milestone Hotel
£80pp
1st – 14th May
Situated right across from Kensington Palace and Hyde Park the Milestone Hotel’s nod to the coronation festivities is about as traditional as it gets.
They’re not messing around with new flavours or trying to impress by designing brand-new pastries. Instead they’ve put together a menu of all the best of a classic afternoon tea.
You’ll find a selection of finger sandwiches ranging from smoked salmon and cream cheese to roast beef and a spread of sweet bites that include King’s fruit cake, scones and macaroons.
To top it off, on the day of the coronation they’ll be showing the ceremony on a big TV so you can enjoy all of the above while watching the king receive his crown.
The Egerton
£95
1st – 10th May
Elegant Knightsbridge townhouse The Egerton has thrown their hat into the coronation afternoon tea game with a menu that hits all the classic notes you’d want to see for the occasion – sandwiches, freshly prepared with a coronation chicken option there of course.
This comes paired with cakes including a rather expert Battenberg – a cake thought to have originated at the wedding of Prince Phillip’s grandparents – and the most traditional of all English desserts: a trifle.
All this can be enjoyed, with the addition of a few extra quid, alongside a few of the Egerton’s world-famous Martini’s.
Coronation Afternoon Teas: Practical Tips
- Make sure you book these ahead either on the venues website or by calling. Some of these will get very busy and you don’t want to miss out.
- This will be especially true on the day of the coronation when London’s classier venues will no doubt be full of people trying to enjoy their own slice of the royal day.
