Scones arrive later, so you can enjoy them warm before the finale – a huge, fluffy slice of Victoria sponge served from the trolley. Bang in the centre of busy Soho is the colourful Ham Yard Hotel from Tim and Kit Kemp, whose portfolio includes the splashy Whitby in New York. Small it may be in size but it roars like a lion. Inspired by Repton’s original plans for the square (which involved shrubberies, flowerbeds, a grove of trees and a lawn divided into four quadrants), the Principal hotel (now the Kimpton Fitzroy London Hotel), which overlooks the square, took a similar approach with its newly renovated Palm Court. You will not regret it. Tunes from the 1920s played by a pianist and cellist create the perfect backdrop, while the incredible Dale Chihuly chandelier hovered above our heads as a modern-day talking point. Located just a stone's throw away from Harrods, The Capital is a luxury … It’s on the final tier, though, that the nod to the surrounding institutions comes into play. You won't want dinner. The nominees of this month's BRIT Awards are the inspiration behind a new afternoon tea at London Secret Garden. Something to think about as you tuck in. There’s no flash at the Goring, but that doesn’t stop it being flawless. We were assured that they were taking measures to change this, so we look forward to being served drinks in proper china next time. Cream is infused with cinnamon. Buena Vista Social Club, the Gipsy Kings (who are, naturally, personal friends) and Frank Sinatra kept us in good company throughout our visit. I'm going to be in London on Easter Sunday and thought it would be nice to go to afternoon tea. Though the tea has a gimmick – the sweet dishes are ostensibly a tour of those nearby shops – it's especially well executed, the details done properly. But it’s the cakes themselves that receive the full Stars and Stripes treatment – literally, in the case of the Cookies 'n' Cream tart: a red, white and blue doughnut-shaped confection of white chocolate cookies, coconut mousse and lemon curd. First of all, the venue. The No.2 Mellow bespoke blend is a medium-strength, fruity refreshment. A post shared by God's Own Junkyard (@godsownjunkyard) on Jan 6, 2020 at 4:41am PST. £39 per person. It's a crazy, eccentric kind of a tea, just as you'd expect - or would you? Address: 7-8 Park Place, London SW1A 1LS Telephone: +44 20 7316 1621 Website: stjameshotelandclub.com Price: From £40 per person. But it’s not all cold-pressed kale juices (although those are available too); the meat-free meatball sub is a lunch-hour bestseller, and there were opening-day queues around the block for the burgers. The afternoon tea itself is lovely: the cakes are particularly exquisite and look marvellous, with the London Royal Tea benefiting from a heavy London-theme. You have successfully subscribed to our newsletter. They’re decadent without leaving you feeling like you’ve overdone it on the sugar. Still, we've found the finest traditional serves going – those with lashings of luxury, gilded in gold. Oh Those Guitars (top picture) alludes to the musical motif used throughout Picasso's work, and is a light and airy sponge made with meringue and infused with colourful orange blossom and honey ganache adorned with chocolate guitar strings. Please note, while London is under Tier Two restrictions, we can only accept reservations for single households. And now, they’ve just shaken up the weekend routine: it’s out with brunch, in with afternoon tea. The musical influence stretches to the new afternoon tea menu, which includes a Coldplay’te of finger sandwiches (see what they did there? Their menu of the stuff is long enough to raise eyebrows without intimidating, they've even a menu which pairs different blends with dishes. Lazy afternoons of garden cricket and cream teas are calling, By If that’s not enough to satisfy your sweet tooth, guests are also presented with a cloud of just-spun candy floss before they leave. The huge white domed room, with its updated art deco vibe and tinkling piano music, is the perfect spot for a classic afternoon tea, executed perfectly. Who knows, but Rosewood London knows how to keep hungry Londoners coming through its doors, switching up the menu of its Art Afternoon Tea every few months to coincide with London's biggest exhibition. Conceived and perfected by the hotel's passionate Italian food and beverage manager Robert de Vivo, the combination of the two distinctly different types of drink works almost disconcertingly well: guests can choose either Black Vanilla or Earl Grey gin-infused tea to sip from their vintage china teacup, served over rattling ice cubes in the warmer months, or warm-your-cockles hot come winter. The string quartet in the corner plays the Beatles rather than Beethoven, a bit of a contrast to the elevator music of most hotel lobbies. But there’s also a cheddar version that comes with airy, whipped soft cheese and chives for spreading. The Orangery, home to the afternoon tea, is a gently lit glass-ceilinged room with designer Kit's oh-so-quirky-yet-tasteful stamp all over it. London Hilton on Park Lane, Mayfair. Created by restaurateur Mourad Mazouz and award-winning chef Pierre Gagnaire, much-hyped Sketch remains one of the most beautiful restaurants in London. A pianist plays, tea comes in upright, sterling silver teapots and all the usual suspects are all here: raisin and plain scones, finger sandwiches, French pastries, and a cake selection served from a trolley. Get things going with the lightest, most-perfect Chouquettes – the milk chocolate ones being particularly delicious – with a flat white.