Whittard’s Covent Garden Afternoon Tea Bar Review (honest)

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There’s nothing I love more than finding the best afternoon teas in London, and after experiencing the hidden afternoon tea bar in Covent Garden, I’ve definitely unlocked a fantastic option for small groups and people who want to have tea with the tea experts themselves!

Whittards Covent Garden logo on wall
Inside Whittard Covent Garden Afternoon Tea room

The Whittard’s afternoon tea experience in Covent Garden is just a few steps away from the Whittard’s tea shop in Covent Garden.

For the uninitiated, Whittard of Chelsea’s is one of London’s leading tea and coffee shops and they operate locations around the city.

Not all locations, however, have the option to sit in their funky digs and actually enjoy the tea!

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Check out my other favorite afternoon teas in London here!

Inside Whittard Covent Garden afternoon tea room with people eating and talking
People eating cakes and drinking tea inside the Whittards afternoon tea Covent Garden
A wicker hamper with tea pots and mugs in it
A cup that says "time for tea" on it

Whittard’s Afternoon Tea Menu

The menu for afternoon tea gave you plenty of options, ranging from just scones and tea (some of the best British foods to try in London) for a more basic tea to a full “grocer’s tea” which came with Prosecco and sausage rolls.

Whittard Covent Garden afternoon tea menu
Whittard Covent Garden afternoon tea menu

We had the classic afternoon tea, which came with both sandwiches and scones/cakes as well as the tea of our choice!

When it came to choosing a tea option, we were a little overwhelmed as the best part of having tea in a tea shop means that the options are seemingly endless.

Thankfully, our afternoon tea “guide” was more than happy to make suggestions on what would be good with our sandwich offerings.

In fact, I’m not the world’s biggest fan of tea, so I was allowed a delicious hot chocolate instead!

Whittards Covent Garden afternoon tea menu
Whittards Covent Garden afternoon tea menu
Whittards Covent Garden afternoon tea menu
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For this afternoon tea, everything came out at once on a beautiful platter for 2.

Afternoon tea sandwiches and cakes on a rack
Green and black tea timers in a holder

You’re also given a tea timer, which was to tell you when your tea would be ready to pour.

Two sandwiches on a plate with greenery

We started with the sandwiches on the lower platter, which were amazing.

We had one vegetarian portion and one regular portion, and both were super tasty.

Three sandwiches neatly stacked on a plate

Next up, the scones with jam and clotted cream!

They were freshly baked and plain without raisins, which is how I like them.

Scones clotted cream and jam on a plate

We finished off with our raspberry cakes, which were absolutely delicious.

The funny thing about afternoon tea is you always look at the platter and think, “I’m going to be hungry after this” and you never, ever, are.

I could barely make room for the last bit of my cake, but couldn’t leave any on the plate so put my stomach to the test.

A selection of cakes on a plate at Whittard Covent Garden
A hot chocolate in a mug with whipped cream on top

After we had finished, in about an hour and a half, we took some time to browse the tea shops for some gifts and other items to remember our experience by.

Inside the Whittards Covent Garden afternoon tea shop
Tubs of loose leaf tea with a glass container of tea behind

We had just had a ton of tea, of course, but there were tasters in case we still couldn’t get enough – great for people who are browsing the shop!

Tea tasting station inside Whittards Covent Garden
A bookshelf with tea items on for sale
The entrance to Whittards afternoon tea room on the lower floor of Covent Garden with arches over green doors and windows

Overall, I would recommend afternoon tea at Whittard’s for visitors who don’t have a ton of time for the pomp and circumstance of a more traditional afternoon tea and would prefer to have it in a more casual location as part of their shopping day or exploring day in Covent Garden.

The tea selection is unparalleled, and the menu has enough choice for everyone in your group to be happy, but it’s meant to be more of a cozy tea which is super accessible to the general public rather than a Ritz-like experience where you are worried the whole time you’ve put your spoon down in the wrong place.

A sign for Whittard Chelsea outside the entrance

Definitely book ahead of time if you know your plans as the seating is limited, and enjoy your tea!

What else should I not miss in London?

If you’re visiting London soon, here’s a very brief rundown of a few of my other favorites to make sure you don’t miss anything!

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