For my last birthday, my friends gifted me a voucher for one of London’s most iconic experiences: an  afternoon tea at The Ritz. I went with my husband, and together we soaked up the magic of this legendary venue, where history, elegance, and tradition meet in the heart of London.

Today, DOYOUSPEAKLONDON takes you inside The Ritz for a truly special afternoon tea…

The Ritz, London

Nestled in the heart of London on Piccadilly, The Ritz has embodied elegance and British tradition for over 116 years. Its timeless charm and attention to detail make it one of the city’s most iconic landmarks!

The Ritz was the vision of César Ritz, the former manager of The Savoy, who set out to create a hotel defined by luxury, sophistication, and modern comfort.

Opened in 1906, its opulent interiors, lavish furnishings, and exquisite attention to detail quickly earned it the reputation of being one of the greatest hotels in the world.

The Ritz has seen numerous iconic clients like Winston Churchill, Dwight Eisenhower, and Charles de Gaulle who met in The Marie Antoinette Suite to discuss operations during the Second World War; or Hollywood stars including Charlie Chaplin, English playwright Nöel Coward who wrote songs at The Ritz including ‘Children of The Ritz’, Jackie Onassis who described The Ritz as being “like paradise” (no wonder), and Prime Ministers Sir Edward Heath and Harold Macmillan who dined at The Ritz.

The Ritz afternoon tea room

Stepping into The Ritz is truly something special, I have to admit. As soon as we arrived, we were warmly greeted by the attentive staff and shown down to the elegant afternoon tea room.

When I mentioned to the staff that I had been expecting the afternoon tea to take place in the beautiful ground-floor lounge I had seen on a previous visit, they kindly explained that, due to refurbishments, it was temporarily being served in another room.

Although I was a bit disappointed at first, I completely forgot about it the moment I saw the room. The setting was stunning, full of elegance, with gilded walls and period paintings that perfectly recreated a historic atmosphere.

Renowned pianist Ian Gomes adds to the experience, playing live music while guests enjoy their afternoon tea.

The Ritz dress code

A heads-up: you can’t enter The Ritz without dressing to the hotel’s etiquette, honoring its grand history and British traditions. Luckily, if you forget, they’ll sort you out, my husband learned that the hard way!

The Ritz has a dress code for different areas, and for afternoon tea in The Ritz Club, gentlemen are required to wear a jacket and tie. Jeans and sportswear aren’t allowed for anyone.

In all other areas of the hotel, like The Ritz Restaurant breakfast service, The Rivoli Bar, The Long Gallery, and The Ritz Garden, smart casual attire is expected. Just remember, shorts, trainers, and sportswear aren’t allowed in any of the hotel’s restaurants or bars!

The afternoon tea experience at The Ritz

I’d heard so much about the ‘unforgettable’ afternoon tea at The Ritz that my taste buds were already tingling with excitement before I even opened the menu.

I was surprised to learn there’s just one Traditional Afternoon Tea menu at The Ritz, featuring sandwiches, scones, and pastries. Of course, I couldn’t resist adding a glass of champagne, after all, it was a celebration!

There’s also an extensive tea menu, and I was thrilled with my choice: ‘Passion Fruit and Orange,’ a delightful blend of passion fruit with notes of apple, hibiscus, and orange peel.

I had a funny first impression because I had to pour the tea myself after the waiter warned me to wait 3–5 minutes before serving it. At first, I thought he’d come back, but I was too thirsty to wait!

Luckily, the next waiter (and there were plenty of them throughout the afternoon, each bringing something new to the table like a graceful ballet) refilled my cup just in time a few minutes later.

The food arrived as we watched the room start to fill up. The sandwiches and pastries were beautifully arranged on a three-tiered tray, and the scones came later, just as we finished our sandwiches.

We had six different sandwiches; all very traditional, except for one original brioche roll:
– Ham with Grain Mustard Mayonnaise on Brioche Bread
– Cheddar Cheese with Chutney on Tomato Bread
– Cucumber with Cream Cheese, Dill, and Mint on Granary Bread
– Breast of Chicken with Tarragon Creamed Mayonnaise on Malt
– Bread Scottish Smoked Salmon with Lemon Butter on Sourdough Bread
– Egg Mayonnaise with Chopped Shallots and Watercress on Brioche Roll

What can I say about these sandwiches? Sadly, they didn’t live up to the ‘exceptionally high standards’ we’d read about. While the bread choices — brioche or tomato — were thoughtful, the fillings fell short, leaving the sandwiches lacking in both flavour and texture.

Next came the plain and fruit scones, freshly baked and absolutely exquisite! The texture and flavor were perfect this time. The only downside was the limited accompaniments: just Cornish clotted cream and strawberry preserve.

At last, we got to try the seasonal pastries, a colourful selection of beautifully made treats.

I really enjoyed these pastries by Lewis Wilson, The Ritz’s Head Pastry Chef. Two were fresh and fruity, all had interesting textures, and they were clearly crafted with aesthetics in mind. I just wish there had been more!

A friend had told me about a tray of desserts being brought at the end of afternoon tea, but I didn’t see one anywhere in the room… I guessed our experience was a bit different.

As we finished our last bites and the room slowly emptied, we took a moment to quietly admire the space and reflect on the experience.

The setting is truly one-of-a-kind, and the piano music definitely adds to the grand atmosphere. However, the food experience didn’t quite meet our expectations for such an iconic venue, from the sandwiches to the limited accompaniments for the scones, and the small selection of desserts.

Of course, this is just my personal opinion, and everyone’s experience may differ!

That’s my take on afternoon tea at The Ritz! If you try it yourself, I’d love to hear your thoughts on DOYOUSPEAKLONDON’s blog!

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To go further:
The Ritz hotel: 150 PICCADILLY, LONDON W1J 9BR.
The Ritz website
Afternoon Tea is served daily at 11.30am, 1.30pm, 3.30pm, 5.30pm, and 7.30pm.
Priced from £67 for adults and £40 for Children’s Afternoon Tea.
Booking required.

Check out my other Afternoon Tea recommendations in and around London here.

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