We’re spilling the tea on the UK's best cafes, restaurants and hotels
Tiny sandwiches, cream scones and cuppas. Afternoon tea has something to offer for everyone. So if you’re in the mood for a perfectly steamed brew alongside an array of fancy finger food, the UK has an abundance of spots for you to try on National Tea Day.
Measuring popularity by a unique index score – generated by the number of hashtags each location has racked up on Instagram, as well as Google and Tripadvisor reviews, with the lower the overall index score the higher the ranking – Online Slots site Betway has plated up the best afternoon tea locations in and around the UK, with Edinburgh, Manchester and Belfast among the top twelve.
Known for being one of Edinburugh’s most iconic spots, The Dome is a mouth-watering experience for any tea-lover out there. With finger sandwiches and still-warm scones served daily in The Georgian Tea Room, the fancy boutique hotel placed first on the list, with a unique index score of six. Inspired by the desire to sip on blends in the heart of Manchester, Richmond Tea Rooms came in at second, as it secured an overall index of eleven. The quirky tea room offers an Alice in Wonderland themed dining experience, including an assortment of homemade cakes, mini fish and chips, and most importantly, premium loose leaf tea.
Placing third and fourth, The Merchant Hotel in Belfast and The Ivy, Temple Row in Birmingham also provides a selection of tea blends in their afternoon tea packages. Meanwhile, Belfast’s Titanic Hotel – which offers luxury Northern Irish tea in the best china – completed the top five. Served inside the original headquarters of Harland and Wolff, the tea drinking spot also boasts handmade cakes and flaky pastries for you to enjoy with a much-loved pot.
Top 12 most popular afternoon tea spots in the UK (index score created using figures from Tripadvisor, Google and Instagram):
- The Dome, Edinburgh
- Richmond Tea Rooms, Manchester
- The Merchant Hotel, Belfast
- The Ivy – Temple Row, Birmingham
- Titanic Hotel, Belfast
- Hotel Gotham, Manchester
- Panoramic 34, Liverpool
- Thames Foyer at The Savoy, London
- New House Country Hotel, Cardiff
- Pettigrew Tea Rooms – Bute Park, Cardiff
- The Butterfly and the Pig, Glasgow
- Winter Garden, London
Notes to editors:
> Index score created using data from Tripadvisor, Google and Instagram
> Index score ranked 1-50 (with 1 being the highest)
> Only venues with a rating of 4 or greater on Tripadvisor and Google
> Data collected on 03/04/23
