Afternoon Tea
The 6 Best Indian Afternoon Teas in London
Six London restaurants and hotels doing an Indian spin on afternoon tea, from Kolkata street food to a masala chai poured tableside.
In short: our top picks are Cinnamon Bazaar, Colonel Saab and Kinaara at InterContinental London The O2. 6 places in total, chosen on merit, with the full reasoning below.
Swapping clotted cream for chaat is not a gimmick when the chef doing it has actual family history to draw on. Several of the teas below come from chefs who grew up eating this food at home rather than researching it for a menu launch, and it shows in the small choices, a masala chai brewed properly with ginger and cardamom rather than a teabag with a sprinkle of spice on top, or a chutney that has clearly been made from a real recipe rather than adjusted for a British palate. What all of these share is a structure borrowed from the English tea, three tiers, sandwiches then savouries then sweets, filled with ideas that would never appear on a standard hotel stand. Expect tandoori flavours in the sandwiches, jaggery and cardamom in the desserts, and usually the option of a proper masala chai instead of an ordinary pot of Assam.
| Place | Area | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Cinnamon Bazaar | Covent Garden | ££ |
| Colonel Saab | Holborn | £££ |
| Kinaara at InterContinental London The O2 | Greenwich Peninsula | £££ |
| Kona at Taj 51 Buckingham Gate | ££££ | |
| Madhu's of Mayfair, High Chai | £££ | |
| The LaLiT London, Baluchi | Tooley Street, Bermondsey | £££ |
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Editor’s choice
Cinnamon Bazaar
Why we pick itChef Vivek Singh built this one with Bake Off's Tamal Ray, drawing on both their family roots in Kolkata for a menu of watermelon chaat, tandoori chicken chutney sandwiches and mini paneer naan pizzas, finished with a Bhapa Doi cheesecake. It runs midday to 4pm daily at £27.50 for two, with a chai bellini available on top.
Worth knowingLoud enough on a Friday to make conversation hard work, and the small plates are small enough that two people will order more than they budgeted for.
Kolkata inspired street food tea
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Colonel Saab
Why we pick itSet inside the old Holborn Town Hall, the menu is built around the travels of the owner's father, a colonel in the Indian Army, so a Bombay grilled sandwich sits next to a lentil and jaggery payasam. Prices start at £25 a head, rising to £41 with Champagne.
Worth knowingA room this striking sets expectations the kitchen does not always meet, with reviewers noting dish execution varying between visits.
Indian army officer's travel tale tea
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Kinaara at InterContinental London The O2
Why we pick itChai By The Shore is cooked by Tanuj and Narayan, the pair who won Bake Off: The Professionals in 2024, and pairs coronation chicken sandwiches and bread pakora with a mango tart, all served with a view over the Thames toward Canary Wharf. It runs Friday to Sunday at £59 per person.
Riverside Indian fine dining tea
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Kona at Taj 51 Buckingham Gate
Why we pick itThe Indian Jasmine tea leans on spices from across the country rather than any single region, with a masala mutton keema pinwheel and a khandvi chutney tart among the savouries, and a menu that is close to entirely vegetarian. It runs Friday to Sunday at £85 per person.
Indian Jasmine afternoon tea
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Madhu's of Mayfair, High Chai
Why we pick itSet inside the Grade II listed Oak Room at The Dilly hotel, High Chai puts a chilli cheese sandwich and vada pav alongside lychee and rose mousse and a pistachio fan, drawing on Madhu's own family history in East African Indian cooking since 1935. It runs midday to 3pm, from around £38 a head.
British and Indian fusion tea
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The LaLiT London, Baluchi
Why we pick itBaluchi's High Chai is served in the Grade II listed former assembly hall of St Olave's Grammar School, all vaulted ceilings and blue chandeliers, with a pan Indian sandwich and pastry selection that runs daily from midday to 4pm. It costs from £49 per person.
Pan Indian High Chai in a former grammar school hall
Before you book
Prices range from around £14 a head at the more casual Covent Garden spots up to £85 at the grander hotel version, and most of these need booking a week or so ahead for a weekend slot. If you want the meat dishes done correctly, it is worth asking whether halal options are available when you book, since several venues offer this on request rather than by default.
Common questions
What are the top picks in this guide?
Cinnamon Bazaar is our editor's choice: Chef Vivek Singh built this one with Bake Off's Tamal Ray, drawing on both their family roots in Kolkata for a menu of watermelon chaat, tandoori chicken chutney sandwiches and mini paneer naan pizzas, finished with a Bhapa Doi cheesecake. It runs midday to 4pm daily at £27.50 for two, with a chai bellini available on top. Cinnamon Bazaar, Colonel Saab and Kinaara at InterContinental London The O2 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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