Afternoon Tea
The 6 Best Afternoon Tea in Covent Garden
Theatrical spreads and French patisserie a few steps from the piazza, timed neatly between a matinee and the evening show.
In short: our top picks are NoMad London, The Waldorf Hilton and One Aldwych. 6 places in total, chosen on merit, with the full reasoning below.
Covent Garden takes its afternoon tea with a sense of performance, which suits a quarter built around the theatre. You can go full spectacle, with a Charlie and the Chocolate Factory trolley or savouries served on a board cut from an old stage floor, or keep it classic with French patisserie by the piazza. The hotels around the Aldwych do the grand version; the tea houses on King Street do the elegant one. Either way it sits neatly in the gap between a matinee and dinner.
| Place | Area | Price |
|---|---|---|
| NoMad London | Covent Garden | ££££ |
| The Waldorf Hilton | Aldwych | £££ |
| One Aldwych | Covent Garden | ££££ |
| Mariage Freres | Covent Garden | £££ |
| Laduree | Mayfair | £££ |
| Theatre Royal Drury Lane | Covent Garden | £££ |
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Editor’s choice
NoMad London
Why we pick itA picnic-themed tea served in a wicker basket inside the grand former magistrates' court on Bow Street, a minute from the piazza.
Worth knowingRooms feel smaller than the grand public spaces suggest, and the atrium bar stays busy with non-guests most evenings. Book it for the buzz, not for hush.
grand hotel afternoon tea
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The Waldorf Hilton
Why we pick itWest End glamour in the Homage patisserie-style room, a five-minute walk from Covent Garden along the Aldwych.
West End hotel tea
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One Aldwych
Why we pick itHome of the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory tea, a playful golden-ticket spread five minutes from the piazza.
themed afternoon tea
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Mariage Freres
Why we pick itThe airy upstairs tearoom of this historic French house on King Street pairs a proper English tea with a wall of rare leaves.
Worth knowingTea is prepared properly, which makes service slower than a standard booking; at £39 a head this is a considered afternoon, not a quick pre-theatre stop.
French tea house
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Laduree
Why we pick itPastel Versailles-inspired rooms right on the piazza, with a macaron-heavy tea for anyone who wants patisserie over sandwiches.
Worth knowingA retail counter rather than a tea room, with barely any seating. The Saturday queue reaches out into the arcade and service gets rushed in tourist season.
Parisian patisserie tea
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Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Why we pick itA two-act tea inside London's oldest working theatre, savouries served on a board cut from the historic stage floor.
theatrical afternoon tea
Before you book
Covent Garden and Charing Cross stations are both a short walk, and most of these sit within the piazza or just along the Aldwych. Book the hotel and themed teas well ahead, a week or more for weekends, since they sell out around show times. Laduree and Mariage Freres take walk-ins more readily if you just want scones and a pot without the full sitting.
Common questions
What are the top picks in this guide?
NoMad London is our editor's choice: A picnic-themed tea served in a wicker basket inside the grand former magistrates' court on Bow Street, a minute from the piazza. NoMad London, The Waldorf Hilton and One Aldwych lead the guide, with 6 places in total, all chosen on merit.
How does Lamplit London choose its recommendations?
Every place is chosen on merit, after first-hand visits where possible, with no pay-for-placement. Read our full method at https://www.lamplitlondon.com/how-we-choose/.
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