Where to get... afternoon tea

Afternoon tea is back and booming. But where to meet? Sarah Hanson rounds up the best places to scoff a scone

The Landmark Hotel is the only place in the UK selling English tea—that’s tea grown in Blighty. The cakes aren’t great, but the stunning atrium compensates. The champagne tea costs £29.50. www.landmarklondon.co.uk

When it comes to institutions, few can match tea at the Ritz. Its afternoon tea costs £35, but even at that price, and with five sittings a day, it is advisable to book in advance. Dress up, because no jeans or trainers are allowed and gentlemen must wear a jacket and tie. www.theritzlondon.com

Those aware of how fashionable tea has become will love The Berkeley. Here you can enjoy Pret-a-Portea—a concept designed to add a classic twist to traditional afternoon tea with cakes and pastries inspired by the latest catwalk designs. Prices start from £31, extra for a glass of bubbles. Any unfinished treats can be taken away in little handbag-style boxes in pale mint green with pink handles. www.berkerley hotellondon.com

Some claim that the opening of The Wolseley helped kick-start the current boom in tea. It still has a buzzy atmosphere and remains a great location for celebrity spotting. A selection of finger sandwiches, fruit scones and pastries will set you back £18.50. www.thewolseley.com

When it comes to excellent tea, Claridges (left) tops many lists, not least  the Tea Guild’s, which awarded it the Top London Afternoon Tea 2006 Award. There are over 30 different teas, with finger sandwiches, French pastries and freshly baked raisin and apple scones, served with Claridges’s own tea-infused jam and thick Devonshire cream. Prices start at £30.50. www.claridges.co.uk

What better way to relax after a shopping spree than tea at Liberty? A traditional afternoon tea costs £16.50 and includes finger sandwiches, a slice of tea loaf, cream cakes and fruit or plain scones with strawberry preserve and clotted cream. With a glass of pink English bubbles, the price is a very reasonable £21. And the traditional afternoon tea is served all day. www.liberty.co.uk

With great views over Trafalgar Square down to the London Eye, The National Portrait Gallery is good for tea. The Portrait Tea is a snip at £10.25 and includes a selection of sandwiches, cakes and scones with clotted cream, jams and a selection of teas and coffees. For £16.50 you can enjoy the Champagne Tea. www.npg.org.uk

Gilbert White’s Tea Parlour at Selborne in Hampshire offers great views of rural England. You can also visit the Oates Museum, commemorating the Oates family and in particular, Captain Lawrence Oates, who accompanied Scott to the South Pole in 1911. And there’s a historical bent to the food, with 18th century recipes such as old-fashioned seed cake and plum cake. www.gilbertwhiteshouse.org.uk

In the south west, Muffins Tea Shop at Lostwithiel in Cornwall has won awards from Cornwall Tourism, Taste of the West and the Tea Guild. The Muffins full English Tea includes a sandwich, homemade scone with locally made cream and jam, cake and a pot of tea, all for £6.50. www.muffins32.fsnet.co.uk

In Ely, Cambridgeshire, Peacocks offers a choice of over 50 teas, while chocolate lovers should try the Venetian Te Ciocclato. The Special Afternoon Tea for £10 includes a selection of finger sandwiches, fruit scones, a slice of cake and a pot of tea. www.peacockstearoom.co.uk

To get a glimpse of the legendary Badgers’ Nippies, head to Badgers Café and Patisserie in Llandudno, Wales. On offer is the Welsh cream tea with scones, cream, jam and bara brith (currant bread). www.badgersgroup.co.uk

Another institution is Bettys Café Tea Rooms in Harrogate, which the whole UK can now enjoy, thanks to Betty’s by Post. For details see  www.bettysandtaylors.co.uk

But according to the Tea Guild, Hazlemere Café and Bakery in Grange-Over-Sands, Cumbria, is the Top Tea Place 2006. It offers over 28 types of tea and specialities such as Cumberland Rum Nicky. www.hazelmerecafe.co.uk