Bridgerton Afternoon Tea Review: Inside The Lanesborough London

“I am the tea that you are having.”

— Violet Bridgerton

Make haste! Season 4 of Bridgerton has dropped, and naturally, everyone in the ton is watching. The romance, the drama, the gowns—once again, it’s impossible not to get swept up in the world of Regency London.

If, like me, watching the new season makes you want to step into that world for a moment, there’s actually a way to do exactly that. In London, The Lanesborough has been serving a Bridgerton Afternoon Tea since the show first launched, with the menu subtly updated each season to reflect the details and themes of the latest chapter.

During my recent trip to London, I decided to try the Bridgerton Afternoon Tea for myself. In this review, I’ll share what the experience is really like—from the atmosphere and the menu to whether it’s worth booking.

Here we go! Let’s determine if the Bridgerton Afteroon Tea is worth it while we cover all aspects, from the location, to the food, and the atmosphere:

The Location & How to Book

The Bridgerton Afternoon Tea is hosted at The Lanesborough, one of London’s most elegant luxury hotels, located right on Hyde Park Corner where Hyde Park meets Belgravia.

The experience is served in The Lanesborough Grill, the hotel’s main restaurant. When you enter the hotel, simply walk down the hallway, and you’ll find the restaurant on your right. The team at reception—or the doorman—will happily point you in the right direction, but it’s easy to find once you step inside.

The restaurant itself is a beautiful space for afternoon tea. It’s bright and elegant, with a glass roof that lets in plenty of natural light and beautiful chandeliers hanging above the dining room. It feels refined without being overly formal, making it the perfect setting for a Regency-inspired tea.

You can book the Bridgerton Afternoon Tea through the hotel’s website, with reservations handled via OpenTable. Since the experience has become quite popular—especially around new Bridgerton releases—it’s a good idea to reserve your spot in advance.

You can check availability and book your table here

The Menu & Theme

Once you’re seated, the Bridgerton theme starts to reveal itself in small, thoughtful ways. It’s not something that screams Bridgerton the moment you walk in, which I personally loved, given the elegant setting of The Lanesborough. Instead, the references are subtle and woven into the experience.

The menu is where the theme really comes to life. The first page reads like one of Lady Whistledown’s famous society papers, welcoming you in her signature style. It’s a charming detail that instantly transports you into the world of Bridgerton before you’ve even taken your first sip of tea.

When booking the experience, you’ll notice there are a few different options. You can simply enjoy the afternoon tea itself, or choose to add champagne, the Bridgerton cocktail, or a mocktail. Prices vary depending on which option you select, so it’s worth double-checking the menu when you make your reservation. We decided to go for the option with the Bridgerton-themed cocktail—got to stay on theme, of course—which was £102 per person.

The food follows the classic afternoon tea format: delicate sandwiches, pastries, and warm scones served with fruit preserves and clotted cream. Vegetarian and vegan menus are also available.

Another nice detail is that everything is essentially unlimited. If you particularly enjoyed one of the sandwiches or pastries, you can simply ask for more. The same goes for the tea—you’re welcome to try different blends throughout the experience. Now, on to the food…

The Food & Drinks

Once everything arrives at the table, the Bridgerton theme becomes even more fun. Many of the drinks and pastries are named after moments from the latest season of Bridgerton, which makes it feel like a little secret. If you’ve watched the season, you’ll probably recognize some of the references right away. It’s very much an “if you know, you know” situation. My absolute favorite one is a kite motif on top of one of the cakes. When the food is served, the staff also walks you through what everything is and explains the different options.

As mentioned earlier, we decided to go with the Bridgerton-themed cocktail. If I’m being completely honest, the cocktail was a bit on the sweet side. But honestly, I didn’t expect it to be much different. This is a Bridgerton afternoon tea after all, so the sweetness kind of fits the vibe. Just something to keep in mind if you usually prefer your cocktails less sweet.

The sandwiches were nice, with the harissa chicken being my favorite. Nothing wildly spectacular if I’m being honest, but still very enjoyable. I also always find that the tea really lifts the flavors of the food, which is something I love about afternoon tea in general—when everything complements each other nicely. We ended up trying quite a few different teas, with the signature Bridgerton tea being my favorite.

Now I’m going to be completely honest about something: I’m usually not the best person to judge cakes at afternoon teas. I tend to go for the theme and the experience rather than the sweets themselves—I’m just not a huge sweet tooth. That said, these were genuinely delicious, and the theming really tied everything together. There’s a ginger cake and a chocolate one—which I was slightly worried might be overpowering, but it actually wasn’t—and the real star of the stand is the white chocolate and lemon “Mask” cake sitting right at the top.

You’ll also get a couple of scones served with fruit preserves and clotted cream. By the time we got to those, we were honestly so full that we ended up taking them with us to eat later in the day because it was simply too much food.

I’ll be honest: the cake element of afternoon tea is a bit wasted on me. If you’re someone who loves pastries and sweets, though, you’ll probably appreciate this part even more. Personally, I usually go to afternoon teas for the theme and the overall experience. For example, I previously tried the Peter Pan afternoon tea at The Shard, which was also a really fun themed experience.

And yes, I’m aware that saying I’m not really a cake person while going to themed afternoon teas might sound a little ironic… but I simply can’t resist a good theme.

The Verdict: Is it Worth it?

So, is the Bridgerton Afternoon Tea worth it?

Overall, I really enjoyed the experience. The setting at The Lanesborough is beautiful, and the way the theme is incorporated feels thoughtful and subtle rather than over the top. From the Lady Whistledown-inspired menu to the names of the pastries and drinks, it’s clear that a lot of care went into creating an experience that feels connected to the world of Bridgerton.

When it comes to the food, it was good, but not something completely out of this world. That said, I’m not entirely sure afternoon tea is meant to be that kind of culinary experience. It’s more about the ritual and the atmosphere than mind-blowing dishes.

Price-wise, it is on the higher side. But after looking at other afternoon teas in London, it’s actually pretty much in line with what you’ll find elsewhere. Afternoon tea in London has simply become quite expensive in general.

If I were doing it again, I might actually consider another option as well. You can order the Bridgerton-themed cocktail at the hotel bar, which could be a nice alternative if—like me—you’re not the biggest sweet tooth but still want a little taste of the theme.

That said, this is very much a personal preference rather than something being “wrong” with the afternoon tea itself. If you love sweets, pastries, and themed experiences, you’ll likely enjoy the full afternoon tea even more than I did.

I hope this was helpful. If you have any more questions, you can always reach out here or on Instagram, and I’m more than happy to answer any of your questions. Bon Appetit!

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