The London Table Edit: Cafés, Afternoon Tea and Neighborhood Favorites
Two grand afternoon teas, a historic market and a walk-in Covent Garden favourite: where London's table rewards a little planning, and where it rewards turning up.
London eating splits into two moods. There is the occasion meal, booked weeks ahead with a dress code to read, and there is the place you drift into because it is on the way. The best days mix the two: one anchor reservation, then a market or a café that asks nothing of you but an appetite.
This edit pairs two well-known afternoon teas with three easier options. Every venue below was checked against its own website, and where a page is silent on something readers often ask about, such as dress code or children, we say it is not stated rather than fill the gap.
Afternoon tea: choose the formality you want
The two venues below sit at different points on the formality scale. One publishes a clear dress code and a long list of seatings; the other is a tea salon inside a department store whose booking page leaves dress and children to a direct enquiry. Neither is a quick stop, so give each a relaxed afternoon.
Two afternoon teas
Afternoon Tea at The Ritz London
Piccadilly
A more formal option: tiered sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and a tableside cake trolley, with live music accompanying the seatings. It is the choice for a milestone occasion where the formality is part of the point.
Best for: Celebrations and first-time visitors who want the full ritual.
The hotel publishes a dress code: gentlemen are asked to wear a jacket and tie, and jeans and sportswear are not permitted for anyone, though children under 16 are exempt. Vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free menus are available on request, but the hotel says it cannot adjust for specific allergies on the day, so give notice. Seatings run from 11.30 am to 7.30 pm, so choose the time that suits your day.
Afternoon Tea at Fortnum & Mason
Piccadilly, St James's; also the Royal Exchange
A department-store tea with a deep tea list, in the Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon on the fourth floor of the Piccadilly store. The retailer also serves afternoon tea at its restaurant at the Royal Exchange in the City, which helps if you are based east of the West End.
Best for: Tea lovers who want to choose from a long list of teas, and shoppers combining tea with browsing.
Tables are reserved through the retailer's booking links for each location. The page we reviewed does not state a dress code, children's policy or dietary arrangements, so confirm those directly. The caviar tea option and the standard tea are priced differently; see the official page for current pricing.
Neighbourhood favourites that ask less of you
These two suit the part of a London day that is not planned. Borough Market is best treated as a lunch you assemble yourself. Dishoom is an all-day option in Covent Garden.
Market and all-day café
Borough Market
Southwark, beside London Bridge Station
A food market that says it has stood on its current site since 1756, with traders selling food from across Britain and the wider world. It suits a varied lunch, one stall at a time.
Best for: Grazing lunches, self-catering supplies and travellers who like to see ingredients before they eat.
The market is closed on Mondays and open longer on Saturdays; visitor numbers are highest on Saturday afternoons, so a weekday is likely to be quieter. The ground is a mix of surfaces including cobbles, and the site is on a single level. The page we reviewed gives no policy on children, pushchairs or dogs, so ask the market if that matters to you.
Dishoom Covent Garden
Covent Garden
An all-day restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, with a menu the restaurant describes as vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free friendly and halal-friendly. It is useful when a group has mixed dietary needs and you want one place that works for all of them.
Best for: Groups with mixed diets and flexible schedules; breakfast before a day of sightseeing.
The restaurant keeps most tables for walk-ins and says to expect a wait of roughly half an hour to an hour, mainly after 6pm and at weekends, with chai provided while you queue. Bookings can be made before 6pm; after 6pm they are open for groups of six or more. The page lists a children's section on the menu but states no age policy.
How to sequence a London food day
- Book the occasion meal first, then fit the walk-in places around it.
- Visit Borough Market on a weekday or early Saturday if crowds bother you.
- For afternoon tea, ask about dress code and dietary needs at booking, not on the day.
- At walk-in restaurants, arrive just before the usual meal rush rather than at it.
By Passport2Suitcase Editorial. Last reviewed 2026-10-12.