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What Is a Cream Tea vs. an Afternoon Tea in London? What’s the Difference?

a white plate topped with different types of food — Photo by Soyoung HAN on Unsplash

These two things get confused constantly, and ordering the wrong one will either leave you pleasantly surprised or seriously disappointed depending on what you were expecting. They are not the same thing. Not even close.

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Cream Tea

A cream tea is the simpler, more modest affair. It consists of scones (usually two), served with clotted cream and jam, accompanied by a pot of tea. That’s it. No sandwiches, no cakes, no fancy tiered stand. Just scones, cream, jam, and tea.

The beauty of a cream tea is in its simplicity and its price. Where an afternoon tea at a fancy London hotel might cost £50-95 (about $67-127) per person, a cream tea typically runs £8-15 (about $11-20). You can find cream teas at cafes, tearooms, and even some pubs throughout London, and it’s one of the most pleasant ways to spend a mid-afternoon break.

The scones should be fresh and warm — or at least warm-ish. They should be plain or fruit (containing dried fruit, usually sultanas). You break them in half (never cut with a knife, say the purists, though this rule is widely ignored) and load them up with clotted cream and strawberry jam.

Now, the order of operations — cream first or jam first — is the subject of a fierce and genuinely ancient rivalry between Devon and Cornwall. In Devon, the cream goes on first with jam on top. In Cornwall, it’s jam first with cream on top. Both sides feel extraordinarily strongly about this. As a visitor, you can do whichever you prefer, and if anyone gives you grief about it, just tell them you’re American and the whole thing is new to you. They’ll forgive you.

Afternoon Tea

Afternoon tea is the full production. It was invented in the 1840s by Anna, the Duchess of Bedford, who found herself getting hungry between lunch and the fashionably late dinner hour. She started requesting a tray of tea, bread and butter, and cake to her room in the afternoon, and eventually began inviting friends to join her. A tradition was born.

A proper afternoon tea in London is a three-course affair, served on a tiered stand (the iconic cake stand with two or three levels). The bottom tier holds finger sandwiches — typically cucumber, smoked salmon, egg and cress, and coronation chicken, with the crusts cut off. The middle tier has scones with clotted cream and jam. The top tier is an assortment of pastries, petit fours, and small cakes.

And of course, tea. Lots of tea. You’ll typically choose from a selection that includes English Breakfast, Earl Grey, Darjeeling, and various herbal and specialty options. The pot will be refilled as needed — a good afternoon tea is a leisurely affair that should last at least an hour and a half.

The London Afternoon Tea Experience

London takes afternoon tea very seriously, and the range of experiences is enormous. At the top end, you have The Ritz (where booking weeks in advance is essential and a jacket is required for gentlemen), Claridge’s, The Savoy, and The Dorchester. These are special occasion experiences with prices to match — expect £95-130 (about $127-174) per person, more with champagne.

In the middle ground, hotels like The Chesterfield, Brown’s, and The Langham offer beautiful afternoon teas at slightly more accessible price points. Department stores are also excellent options — Fortnum & Mason’s tea is legendary, and Harrods and Liberty both serve lovely versions.

For something more affordable, look beyond the big-name hotels. Many smaller hotels, restaurants, and dedicated tearooms serve excellent afternoon teas for £25-40 (about $34-54) per person. The quality can be just as good — you’re paying less for the address and the chandelier, not for inferior scones.

Which Should You Choose?

If you want a quick, sweet treat and a taste of British scone culture without the commitment or the price tag, go for a cream tea. It’s perfect for a mid-afternoon pick-me-up and won’t take more than 30-45 minutes.

If you want the full experience — the tiered stand, the finger sandwiches, the parade of pastries, the whole elegant ritual — book an afternoon tea. Treat it as a meal (it genuinely replaces lunch or makes dinner unnecessary) and an experience rather than just a snack.

Many visitors find that the ideal strategy is to do a cream tea early in the trip to get comfortable with scones and clotted cream, and then save the full afternoon tea for a special occasion later in the visit. Either way, you’re participating in one of London’s most cherished traditions, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that.