August 29, 2026 · Travel

I Went to London Just to Drink Tea and Eat Scones (A Guide)

I Went to London Just to Drink Tea and Eat Scones (A Guide)

Some people go to London for the museums. I went to drink tea, sip coffee, and eat scones, and I regret absolutely nothing. If your ideal London day involves clotted cream more than crowds, this list is for you.

The quick take: book a proper afternoon tea (The Montague on the Gardens was my favorite), escape to the Cotswolds for tea in a storybook village, and spend a slow morning in Barnes, the riverside neighborhood where the cafes feel like locals-only secrets.

Watch: London, but Make It Tea

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Where I Drank My Way Through London

  • The Montague on the Gardens: classic afternoon tea near Covent Garden and the British Museum. Tiered trays, proper scones, full ceremony.
  • Bantam Tea Rooms, Cotswolds: a day trip to a storybook village for afternoon tea in a centuries-old room. Worth every minute of the drive.
  • Orange Pekoe, Barnes: a tea-lover's breakfast cafe by the river, with walls of loose leaf tins.
  • The Nest, Barnes: the neighborhood cafe and bar you wish you lived above.
  • Kew Gardens Cafe: coffee and cake inside one of the world's great botanical gardens.
  • Chiswick Park Cafe: a low-key park cafe attached to gorgeous Chiswick House grounds.

Planning Notes

  • Book afternoon tea ahead: the good rooms fill up, especially weekends.
  • Go west: Barnes, Kew, and Chiswick make a perfect slow day away from the center, all along the Thames.
  • Cotswolds: doable as a day trip by train or car, better as an overnight.

FAQ: London Tea Trip

Where should you have afternoon tea in London?

The Montague on the Gardens near Covent Garden is a classic hotel afternoon tea, and for something quieter, Orange Pekoe in Barnes does a lovely low-key version.

Is the Cotswolds worth it for a day?

Yes. Villages like the one that hosts the Bantam Tea Rooms feel like another century, and afternoon tea there is the whole point.

What is the best non-touristy cafe neighborhood in London?

Barnes. It is riverside, village-like, and full of cafes locals actually use, with Kew Gardens next door.

Keep Exploring

More travel diaries: a week in Japan and Amsterdam's canals and tulips. Back home, my matcha loyalty lives at Basquet in Coconut Grove.