When I was planning my London trip, one of the biggest dilemmas was the crazy price of afternoon tea. I loved the idea of a classic London tea, but paying £100+ at famous historic venues like The Ritz or Claridge’s felt a bit steep for my budget.
Fortunately, finding the best afternoon tea in London under £50 is entirely possible without sacrificing quality or atmosphere. After testing out a few alternatives, I found several budget-friendly spots that still deliver hot scones, great loose-leaf tea, and a genuinely wonderful setting. Here are five top-rated tea rooms worth booking, including my personal favorite inside a historic Victorian railway hotel.
Quick Comparison
| Tea Room | Location | Price per Person | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Clermont, Charing Cross | Strand / Charing Cross | £40–£47 | Grand Victorian hotel setting under £50 |
| Cutter & Squidge | Soho | from £35 | A playful, dessert-forward spin on tradition |
| Natural History Museum | South Kensington | £35 | Pairing tea with a free morning of sightseeing |
| Mr Ma’s Afternoon Tea, The Academy | Bloomsbury | £38 | A quiet, Asian-fusion boutique setting |
| The Bingham Riverhouse | Richmond | £42 | Thames views away from the city center |
The Best Afternoon Tea in London Under £50: Top 5 Picks
The Clermont, Charing Cross – My Personal Favorite
If you’re looking for a classic London hotel afternoon tea without the luxury price tag, The Clermont is hard to beat. The Clermont is a Grade II listed Victorian railway hotel built in 1865, serving tea in The Terrace overlooking the Strand.
Walking into The Terrace, the high ceilings and Victorian details immediately set the mood—it honestly didn’t feel any less grand than the high-end spots. The teapots were kept topped up without us even having to ask, and the scones arrived genuinely hot alongside thick clotted cream and jam.
Because it’s right in the heart of London, it’s super convenient to step outside after tea and stroll over to nearby sights. Walking down to Trafalgar Square to catch some street performances, followed by a visit to the National Gallery, makes for an absolute perfect afternoon.
📍 Check-in Pick Insight: If you’re visiting Trafalgar Square or the National Gallery in the morning, booking a table here around 2:00 PM works out perfectly. The window seats offer a great view over the Strand, and it’s one of the most convenient high-end spots in Central London without the steep price tag. If you’re balancing your daily spending, I’ve broken down more cost estimates in my London Travel Budget guide.
Cutter & Squidge, Soho
Cutter & Squidge sits right in the middle of Soho and takes a younger, brighter approach to afternoon tea than historic hotels do. The space is decorated in soft pinks with floral touches, which photographs well, but the food is the actual draw.
Their signature item is the “Biskie,” a soft cookie-cake hybrid filled with buttercream and jam. The bakery uses natural ingredients and deliberately cuts back on butter and sugar, so the flavor comes through without the sugar crash that a lot of tiered tea sets leave you with. A standard set starts from around £35 per person and includes freshly baked scones and savory sandwiches alongside the sweets.
Because of its popularity and Soho location, the tables are close together and the room gets pretty lively. It’s definitely not a quiet, sleepy tea room, but their signature Biskie makes the energetic vibe completely worth it.
📍 Check-in Pick Insight: Weekend slots go quickly here because of the Soho location and the photo-friendly interior, so try to reserve online two or three weeks ahead. If you plan to wander around Soho or head toward Covent Garden after tea, my London Neighborhood Guide has a few handy transit tips and district highlights for the area.
Natural History Museum, South Kensington
This option puts the tea inside the museum itself, served in the Annings Rooms—an exclusive members’ space with views over the building’s Victorian architecture. At £35 per person, the menu leans into the setting with nature-themed touches like Earl Grey scones and a dinosaur-footprint macaron, made with locally sourced British ingredients.
Since museum admission is free, spend the morning with the dinosaur skeletons and the blue whale in the main hall, then head over for afternoon tea around lunchtime. For official details, visit the Natural History Museum website, and for more budget-friendly ideas, read my guide on Free Things to Do in London.
Mr Ma’s Afternoon Tea at The Academy, Bloomsbury
The Academy Hotel in Bloomsbury, close to the British Museum, runs a tea inspired by Lao She’s novel Mr Ma and Son, which blends Chinese-influenced pastries into a traditional English tea service. At £38 per person, expect Chinese egg tarts and sesame dough balls sitting on the same stand as the usual scones and clotted cream.
It’s a quieter option, tucked away from the main tourist routes, and a great fit for a couple wanting a slower afternoon or a solo traveler looking to relax with a book.
📍 Check-in Pick Insight: If the weather’s decent, ask for the courtyard rather than the indoor lounge. It’s a small garden space that most visitors don’t know to request, and it completely elevates the experience.
The Bingham Riverhouse, Richmond
Richmond sits out in Travel Zone 4, reachable by the District Line or London Overground, and offers a genuine change of scenery from central London. The Bingham Riverhouse is set in a restored Georgian townhouse right on the Thames. Afternoon tea here (£42 per person) comes with buttermilk scones and seasonal savory tarts alongside a proper river view.
The walk from the station took a bit longer than expected, but sitting by the Thames with warm scones made it entirely worth the extra effort.
📍 Check-in Pick Insight: Keep in mind that Richmond sits out in Zone 4. If you’re unsure how Tube fares or daily caps work when traveling outside Central London, check out my London Travel Zones Explained guide before heading over. Also, be sure to request a window table when booking if you want the river view, as those aren’t assigned automatically—pairing the tea with a walk along the Richmond riverside beforehand or after turns it into a great half-day outing.
A Cheaper Alternative: The Cream Tea
If even £35 is more than you want to spend, or if a full three-tier stand sounds like more food than you actually want, most tea rooms and cafés will serve a Cream Tea instead.
It’s the stripped-down version: a pot of loose-leaf tea and two warm scones with Cornish clotted cream and strawberry jam, usually priced between £12 and £20 per person.
📍 Check-in Pick Insight: There’s a genuine, long-running disagreement in the UK over how to build a scone. Devon tradition puts the clotted cream on first, then the jam. Cornwall does it the other way round—jam first, cream on top. Neither is wrong, so it’s worth trying both and picking a side!
Essential Booking Tips
- Book Online in Advance: Walk-ins rarely work at any of the places above, especially on weekends or during peak season.
- Flag Dietary Requirements Early: Most of these spots handle vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free requests well, but generally require 24 to 48 hours’ notice.
- Smart-Casual Dress Code: None of these five venues require formal attire, but skipping activewear or overly casual gym clothes is standard practice.
For a few more practical steps on getting around and planning your itinerary, feel free to read through my general London Travel Tips as well.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best afternoon tea in London under £50?
The Clermont in Charing Cross offers the grandest hotel setting for £40–£47, while Cutter & Squidge and the Natural History Museum offer great informal options at £35.
Do I need to book in advance?
Yes, online reservations are strongly recommended for all venues, as walk-ins are rarely available—especially on weekends.
Final Thoughts
You don’t have to break the bank to enjoy proper tea and warm scones in London. No matter where you’re sightseeing, there’s a fantastic, budget-friendly option nearby. Pick the location that fits best into your route for the day, and enjoy a classic British tradition for a fraction of the cost!