Afternoon Tea with Scones

I love afternoon tea. Little sandwiches, pastries, and scones always put a smile on my face. My favorite part of the experience: scones with jam and clotted cream. I’ve had a goal for a while now to make homemade scones. This weekend I had real craving for them, so I decided to give it a try. They turned out great – even my super British brother-in-law said well done! The recipe I used came from Joy of Baking and was really easy to follow. The only thing I changed was I used french vanilla extract instead of standard vanilla.

My love for afternoon tea began during my first trip to the UK with my now husband. He’s a Brit so naturally he couldn’t wait to introduce me to such a quintessential British pastime. I loved the experience and now make it a priority to stop for afternoon tea every time I visit the UK. If you’re planning to go to the UK anytime in the future, here are my favorite afternoon tea spots:

The Pump Room Restaurant – Bath, UK
This is the first place I went for tea. The city of Bath is beautiful and unlike any other in the UK. If you’re in London, I would recommend taking a day trip to this former Roman city. In addition to serving delicious afternoon tea, The Pump Room is the site of ancient Roman baths. This restaurant is very touristy, so make sure to make a reservation well in advance.

The Savoy Hotel – London, UK
The Savoy is my husband’s favorite place for afternoon tea and after eating there it is mine now too. The hotel has recently undergone a very extensive and long renovation. The tea room is incredibly posh and reminds me of what it must have been like to have afternoon tea a hundred years ago. The restaurant is very popular, so I recommend booking well in advance.

Sanderson Hotel – London, UK
The afternoon tea at the Sanderson Hotel is Mad Hatter-themed. It features “eat me” cakes and “drink me” potions along with traditional favorites like tea sandwiches and scones. If you’re looking for a unique tea experience I recommend  stopping here.

If you’re interested in finding additional great afternoon tea places in and outside of London, I would recommend reading Stylist magazine’s round-up of the best afternoon tea spots in the UK.

The UK is not the only country that does afternoon tea well. There are lots of cute tea rooms in the States, so grab your girl friends and enjoy this fantastic British tradition!

xoxo, Andi

P.S. Did I mention that many tea rooms serve champagne afternoon tea too?!

Tags: afternoon tea, bath, Brit, British, british experiences, clotted cream and jam, england, London, london sites, sanderson hotel, scones, the savoy hotel, traveling to london, UK, United Kingdom