London's Best Afternoon Tea for 2026, Crowned by Muddy Stilettos

From delicate teacups to crustless sandwiches and bite-size Victoria sponges, afternoon tea is one of the most delightful ways to while away an afternoon — and London is hardly short of options. The capital's chicest restaurants and grandest hotel dining rooms all serve exceptional afternoon teas, many with their own creative twists on the classics.

But according to lifestyle publication Muddy Stilettos, one London afternoon tea stands above the rest. Tallying nearly half a million reader votes for the 2026 Muddy Awards, the guide crowned Richmond Hill Hotel as serving the finest afternoon tea in the capital.

The hotel offers two afternoon teas. Its 'Enchanted Treehouse Afternoon Tea' (£46 per person), inspired by Enid Blyton's Magic Faraway Tree, pairs unusual bites such as chicken mousse with tarragon and celery in a charcoal tartlet and fig frangipane with mascarpone cream, alongside classics like egg mayo on spinach bread and lemon meringue tart.

For those who'd always choose a starter over dessert, there's a savoury afternoon tea. Also £46, it swaps the sweets for ham hock and pea croquettes, spicy sticky cauliflower bites and sweet-and-smoky chicken tenders — and instead of the usual scones and jam, you get caramelised onion and rosemary scones with black garlic hummus.

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An impressive line-up of loose-leaf teas accompanies it all, from Chinese lapsang souchong and Rwandan virunga to Taiwanese oolong. Add a glass of champagne or a gin cocktail for £10 more, or upgrade to English sparkling rosé for £12.

The hotel beat a strong field of finalists including Sketch and Fortnum & Mason, both of which also feature on Time Out's guide to the capital's finest afternoon teas.