Afternoon tea is a quintessentially English tradition and always feels luxurious (it was, after all, started by royalty!) Whether you prefer to keep it simple in a cosy café, fancy indulging in an afternoon of opulence or like trying something unique, there’s an afternoon tea experience for you in Norwich! Here’s our top recommendations for the best places to enjoy a timeless treat in this historic city.
The Assembly House know what a great afternoon tea takes. You probably know them best for their themed afternoon teas, and for good reason! From Saturday, July 1 – Sunday, September 17, you can indulge in their delicious limited-time Peter Pan Afternoon Tea, which was set up in partnership with the Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity! For every afternoon tea sold, the Assembly House is donating 50p to this fantastic cause.
Here, you’ll be greeted by an impressive tower of sandwiches, savouries, scones, and quirky cakes and pastries, with every aspect of this afternoon tea carefully thought through to fit the theme! It’s certainly the go-to place for a unique feast. You can also try their Beforenoon Tea (£25.95 per person), served from 9am – 11am daily, which comes with a smaller version of their hot breakfasts plus three tiers of breakfast treats served like afternoon tea.
The Afternoon Tea at the Assembly House.
Afternoon Tea is available from £29.50 per person and children’s Afternoon Tea is also available at £17.95. Be sure to check their website and see if there are any amazing themes awaiting your visit!
If you’re looking for a touch of Parisian glamour, look no further than The Ivy. Bringing its signature extravagance to the afternoon tea, it’s a must for food lovers who want to enjoy their food in a chic setting.
Served between 3pm-5pm everyday, their Dreams Afternoon Tea is a delight. Comprised of savouries such as smoked salmon and cream cheese finger sandwiches, grilled chicken and truffle mayonnaise brioche rolls, alongside tasty scones and sweet treats like their honeycomb and dark chocolate plant pot or red velvet raspberry cake, your afternoon tea dreams will come true here.
This afternoon tea is available from £29.95 per person, or you can upgrade to enjoy a glass of Nyetimber Classic Cuvee MV alongside your tea for £39.95 per person. Delicious!
Afternoon tea at the Maids Head is the picture of elegant English tradition. Settle down in the country’s oldest hotel with one of the country’s longest-running traditions, there’s surely not much better than that?
At the Maids Head, you can enjoy their tea in a luxurious lounge, or in the gorgeous hotel courtyard on those warmer days. Expect all the classics of an afternoon tea, like finger sandwiches, alongside delicious cakes and pastries, all for just £24 per person. Yum!
The Maids Head afternoon tea can be enjoyed in their delightful lounge or out in their courtyard
Plantation Garden deserves a visit in its own right; family-friendly, yet peaceful and romantic, there’s something for everyone. There’s plenty of stories to discover; the garden has been enjoyed since 1842, and now you can feel a part of history by honouring the afternoon tea tradition there! If you’re not a history buff – simply appreciate delicious tea and cake surrounded by beautiful nature. Afternoon tea at Plantation Garden is also accompanied by musicians and singers, which will surely keep you entertained. It’s only available on Sundays during the summer months, so make sure you don’t miss it!
Is there a nicer setting to enjoy an Afternoon Tea than the Plantation Garden?
Where better to enjoy this culmination of British tradition than the historic Elm Hill? Standing since the 1300s, this incredible coffee house & restaurant serves up a seriously good afternoon tea, decked with mini sandwiches and desserts, including cake choices from their daily counter. Plus, they can even offer a vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free afternoon tea, so everyone can dine here in comfort. Available from just £14.99 for one and £28 for two, you’ll struggle to find better value than Britons Arms!
The Britons Arms on Elm Hill
For a lavish afternoon tea in a grand and regal venue, visit St Giles’ House Hotel and enjoy tiger prawn cocktail open sandwiches, raspberry and chantilly cream shortbread, smoked dapple cheese scones and more! It costs £21.95 per person, or £40 for two – perfect for a romantic afternoon in one of the oldest hotels in Norwich. You can even grab a glass of prosecco or champagne from £6.50.
What’s better than one choice of afternoon tea? How about four different variations to choose from? At Barnham Broom (just a 25-minute drive from Norwich), you can get just that! Settle into a cosy armchair by the warmth of their log fire and enjoy your choice of a traditional (£23.95pp), chocolate lovers’ (£26.95pp), cocktail (£32.95pp), or champagne afternoon tea (£32.95pp)! Each one is a genuine delight to tuck into, especially the chocolate lovers’ tea, if you’re feeling particularly indulgent!
Available between 1pm – 4pm, it’s absolutely perfect if you’re visiting Norwich and fancy a delightful meal during your stay, or even if you’re local and want to explore somewhere new!
Barnham Broom is perfect for an afternoon tea and picturesque walk!
Relaxing with an elegant afternoon tea must be one of the best ways to enjoy the spectacular interior and grounds of The Norfolk Mead, a historic Georgian country house only a 25-minute drive from the city centre. They use fresh, locally sourced produce to craft their traditional cakes and treats, and why not make the afternoon sparkle with a glass of Laurent Perrier?
If you’ve been looking for a luxurious boating experience on the idyllic Norfolk Broads, consider hiring the hotel’s six-seater open-top English Harbour yacht, with prices starting at £100 for a half day. Guests can request to have their afternoon tea picnic-style on the water – so you can take treating yourself to a whole new level!
Enjoy an afternoon tea picnic style on board The Norfolk Mead’s open-topped English harbour yacht
9. Park Farm Hotel
Served in Park Farm Hotel’s beautiful recently refurbished Drawing Room in the original Georgian House, you can enjoy three tiers of freshly prepared sweet and savoury delights. All served with loose leaf tea or freshly ground Park Farm blend coffee.
Available daily from 2pm – 4.30pm, prices start from £25 for a traditional afternoon tea, with a children’s option available for £12.50.
Celebrating a special occasion? Upgrade to a Prosecco, Champagne or cocktail afternoon tea for an extra treat. Find out more about this delightful afternoon tea here!
The beautiful Drawing Room of Park Farm Hotel
This family run hotel and restaurant is known for its amazing service and fantastic food. With all of the Stower Grange’s ingredients locally sourced, their selection of sandwiches, cakes and pastries are freshly made by their talented staff. Enjoy an afternoon tea in the traditional surroundings of the AA Rosette restaurant overlooking the gardens.
Want to discover more fabulous food and drink in Norwich? Check out our Eat & Drink page, or our Restaurants in Norwich listings to get some inspiration.
The beautiful exterior of Stower Grange
