The 10 best afternoon teas around the country

As we welcome in Afternoon Tea Week on Monday, Leighanne Bent rounds up the best places to get your fill of cream-laced scones

The Signet Library - Edinburgh

Using the very best of locally sourced Scottish produce, enjoy savoury bites like ox cheek arancini or Scottish game and bramble pie, before satisfying your sweet tooth with honeycomb mousse and coconut and mango panna cotta. Surrounded by extravagant furnishings, Corinthian columns and thousands of books – it’s one of the prettiest places for afternoon tea in the city.

Cutter and Squidge - London

Cutter & Squidge have transformed their Secret Garden into a magical Genie's Cave until Autumn 2017. Their afternoon tea offering is just as magical, with peanut butter filled Hidden Gem Macaroons, Magic Carpet Cookies and Golden Treasure Biskie. Choose from either a premium pot of tea, or go all out with a glass of bubbly on your visit.

Long Bar Sanderson Hotel - London

According to The Mad Hatter, all the best people are a little bit crazy, and we couldn’t agree more. Tumble down the rabbit hole this year and visit The Sanderson Hotel for the cutest afternoon tea of them all. Your tier will be packed with vanilla pocket watch macaroons, a blue caterpillar made of chocolate and pistachio, Tweedle Dee lemon curd alongside lots of other themed bits. You’ll get a mini flight containing four Alice in Wonderland-themed cocktails too.

The Den - London

The Den at St Martin’s Lane is a cosy retreat with plenty of gentlemen's club-like charm, thanks to oak-panelled walls and leather furnishings. They devised a special afternoon tea for the summertime that can be enjoyed inside or outdoors on their sun-trapped terrace. Opt for unlimited Hotel Chocolat hot chocolate if the weather isn’t playing ball, or go boozy with a signature G&T or a glass of Perrier-Jouët.

Jekyll and Hyde - Birmingham

Head over to Jekyll and Hyde’s tea party for weirdly-wonderful bites in one of Birmingham’s most interesting hangouts, and be sure to splash out the extra £5 for a glass of fizz to accompany the feast.

BB Afternoon Tea Bus - London

No other afternoon tea quite lives up to the BB Afternoon Tea Bus. Not only will you get a tasty tier filled with buttery scones, sweet pastries, colourful cupcakes and dainty sandwiches; but you’ll also be treated to a trip around London, that shows off the city’s most iconic buildings as you go.

Betty Blythe Vintage Tearoom - London

For a spot of extra extravagance with your finger sandwiches, you need to check out the Betty Blythe Vintage Tearoom. Complete with a dressing up booth, 1920s style design and mouth-watering bites to boot, you’ll be channelling your inner movie starlet as you dine at this West London gem next week.

Panoramic 34 - Liverpool

Holding the title as ‘Liverpool’s highest restaurant’, this exclusive-feel spot premiers flawless views of city’s glorious skyline. There are three afternoon tea options to choose from too, but the one with ‘luxury’ in the title steals the show by offering an ice-cold glass of Nyetimber rosé sparkling wine alongside the sweet and savoury bites.

(©Ming Tang-Evans)

The Dorchester - London

with over 80 years of experience under their belts, The Dorchester has dreamt up a very special champagne and ice-cream edition for the month of August. It’s a little pricey but the mini cones and sorbets in three different flavours (blackberry mojito sorbet, clotted cream and cherry, and honeycomb and strawberry basil sorbet) are more than worth the dent in your bank balance.

Menagerie - Manchester

This experiential restaurant offers two types of afternoon tea - both of which are just as tasty as the other - but the option with a glass of Moët & Chandon is a no-brainer. You’ll be treated to your usual fine-dining finger sandwiches, but you’ll be mesmerised by their cupcake ferris wheel. Forget about calorie counting and sink your teeth into marshmallow-filled donuts and triple layer Victoria sponge cake.

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