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The Best At-Home Afternoon Tea Deliveries
Because what’s more decadent than tea and scones delivered to your door?
Whether you’re marking a special celebration like the Queen's Platinum Jubilee or looking for something a little luxe to bring to a summer picnic, a hand-crafted afternoon tea delivery is always the way to go.
Our favourite food halls, cafés and supermarkets are all in on the act, offering perfectly presented sweet and savoury selections, delivered to your doorstep (because frankly, who’s got time to make their own dainty finger sandwiches?)
How we test
From Selfridges to Appleyard London, we tested 25 at-home afternoon tea deliveries to find the most luxe experience. Our panel tried every element to ensure there wasn’t a dud scone in sight.
Read on for their expert-approved afternoon teas, alongside a handpicked selection from our trusted ELLE editors.
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There are few things that can top Lola’s red velvet cupcakes, but for a more well-rounded afternoon tea, this box delivers. It includes a rustic loaf of bread, farmhouse cheddar and tomatoes for making your own dainty triangle sandwiches (crusts removed, obviously). Punnets of fresh fruit balance out the freshly baked scones and Insta-worthy mini victoria sponge cake, while eco-friendly reusable straws provide a little keepsake.
What's included?
8 freshly baked scones
Clotted cream pots
Mini jam jars
5 inch Victoria Sponge Naked Cake
Punnet of fresh strawberries
Punnet of fresh blueberries
Vine tomatoes
West Country Farmhouse Cheddar
1 loaf of Campaillou bread
2 large pop orange juice bottles
English breakfast tea bags
Delivery: London, Slough, Reading, Guildford, Stevenage and Birmingham
Delivery cost: from £6.99
Mother Supper 'Cuppa Rosie' Homemade Afternoon Tea Hamper
With a background in events and hospitality, this small family run business offers gorgeous afternoon tea deliveries to enjoy at home. Frankly, we’ve never seen a more pleasing array of mini sandwiches, scones, savoury pastries and cakes. The presentation is on point, with edible flowers and colourful fresh ingredients brightening up our plate.
What’s included?
Cajun chicken focaccia
Serrano and parmesan bun
Chilli jam and cheddar jam bun
Sausage and leek pastries
Feta pastries
Cherry and chocolate cake
Lemon drizzle
Scones
Clotted cream
Jam
Delivery: Mainland UK
Delivery cost: Free
Who says afternoon tea has to be enjoyed in the afternoon? Harvey Nichols’ take on the quintessential classic has a breakfast slant, with strawberry and champagne preserve and chunky marmalade for your sourdough. Ground coffee and English breakfast tea bags provide that much-needed morning caffeine boost, and the brand also includes a mini bottle of prosecco because the best breakfasts always include bubbles — mimosa anyone? This is the perfect way to start a special weekend.
What's included?
Prosecco NV
Butter Fingers Handmade Butter Shortbread Biscuits
Strawberry Preserve with Champagne
Old English Thick Cut Marmalade
House Blend Coarse Ground Coffee
English Breakfast Teabags
Delivery: Mainland UK
Delivery cost: Free
Marks & Spencer Ultimate Afternoon Tea Selection
Let’s be honest, everyone has a soft spot for a Marks & Spencer spread and this inexpensive bundle has everything you need for a delicious coffee morning. It’s packed with cakes, biscuits, rolls and tarts, with both ground coffee and enough tea bags to serve a crowd this Jubilee weekend. Cake stand at the ready...
What's included?
Victoria sandwich cake
All butter Viennese raspberry creams
Extremely delicious chocolate brownie mini bites
Strawberry and clotted cream sponge roll
Cherry bakewell tarts
Scottish all butter shortbread fingers
Classic ground coffee
Red label teabags
Delivery: Mainland UK
Delivery cost: from £3.50
No cup of tea is complete without a biscuit or two to dunk. This curated afternoon tea from Cartwright & Butler has got every craving covered, from zingy lemon shortbread to fruity cranberry biccies, plus the all-important breakfast tea and coffee.
What's included?
Demerara shortbread rounds
Flaked almond shortbread rounds
Triple chocolate chunk biscuits
Cranberry crumbles
English breakfast tea
CAFÉ York Blend Coffee
Delivery: Mainland UK
Delivery cost: From £5.95
Treat someone special to a luxury lunch, containing a mix of savoury scotch eggs, tarts and rolls, as well as pretty cakes and scones. We tried the vegan selection, which includes thoughtful extras such as whipped vegan butter, and although billed as serving two, we found the portion size incredibly generous. This voucher enables the recipient to redeem either a classic, veggie or vegan feast, at a time that suits them.
What’s included?
Chocolate loaf cake with lavender glaze
Raspberry, lychee and rose swirl cake
Vegan vanilla scones with pink sugar sparkle
Whipped vegan butter
Tiptree jam
Spring vegetable scotch ‘eggs’
Leek and tarragon tarts
Spring vegetable vegan rolls
Tea Pigs tea bags
Delivery: Mainland UK
Delivery cost: Free
Afternoon tea is normally a pretty decadent affair, but the health-conscious sisters behind Cutter & Squidge aren’t fans of overly fatty or sugar laden food, so keep those ingredients to a minimum. You won’t feel like you’re missing out though, with brownies, cakes, scones and accompaniments all crammed into the brand’s bright orange gift box. You’re also able to add on Seedlip’s non-alcoholic spirit — ideal for baby showers.
What's included?
2 Indulgent Brownies
2 Mini Lemon Drizzle Cakes
4 Buttery Scones
2 Pots of Rodda's Clotted Cream
1 Pot of Fruity Jam
1 Fine Loose Leaf Tea
Delivery: Mainland UK
Delivery cost: £6.00
Forget queueing for a loaf of seeded sourdough and get Gail’s to come to you instead. London postcodes are able to receive a box of the bakery’s best bits, including insanely soft scones, pretty mini sandwiches and chocolate brownies. There’s enough to serve four people, as long as no one goes overboard with the lemon curd.
What's included?
4 Scones
Rodda’s Clotted Cream
GAIL’s Organic Jam and Lemon Curd
4 Brownie Fingers
5 Honey Cakes
4 Smoked Salmon & Avocado Yoghurt Sandwiche
4 Avocado & Egg Sandwiches
Loose Leaf JING Tea
Delivery: London only
Delivery cost: £7.00
Alongside the edible elements — chocolate florentines with the perfect snap, spicy ginger stem shortbread, boozy fruitcake — you’ll also receive a couple of pretty mugs, delivered on a whitewash wooden tray. We think it would make a chic housewarming gift, and hopefully they’ll return the favour with breakfast in bed served on the aforementioned tray. Win, win.
What’s included?
Cartwright & Butler English afternoon blend
Gold Crown Dundee slab
Linden Lady handmade luxury florentines
Shortbread House of Edinburgh shortbread fingers with stem ginger
Two green mugs
Whitewash Wooden Tray
Delivery: Mainland UK
Delivery cost: £6.50
Editor's Picks
What's included?
Café York Blend Coffee in Carton 50g
Lemon & Tangerine Slice Mix Sweets in carton
Butter Shortbread Rounds Carton
Tea in Carton English Breakfast
Butter Fudge in carton
Chocolate Wafer Crispies
What's included?
Shortbread with ginger, 160g
Peach jam with prosecco
Raspberry jam with prosecco
Pink grapefruit marmalade with gin
Strawberry jam with champagne
Cartwright & Butler Afternoon Gift Selection Box
What's included?
Demerera shortbread rounds
Lemon curd
Butter fudge
What's included?
Cherry Tree Strawberry Extra Jam
Devonshire Clotted Cream
2 Fruit Scones
2 Plain Scones
Cherry Tree Apple & Cider Cheddar Truckle
Cherry Tree Cracker Bites
2 Mini Chutney Jars
What's included?
Chocolate croissant loaf
12 mini macarons
PAUL ground coffee,
Signature PAUL Hot Chocolate
Buttery shortbread biscuits.
What's included?
Four Anjels Double Chocolate Biscuits
Cottage Delight Strawberry Extra Jam, 113g
Sultana Scone
The Cotswold Gourmet Fruit & Nut Slab Cake with Marzipan Star & Dusting
Roddas Cornish Clotted Cream
Taylors of Harrogate Pure Assam Tea
Taylors of Harrogate Cafe Imperial Ground Coffee
Olivia Blair is Entertainment Editor (Luxury) at Hearst UK, working across ELLE, Esquire and Harper's Bazaar. Olivia covers all things entertainment and has interviewed the likes of Margot Robbie, Emma Stone, Michaela Coel and Ryan Gosling over the years.
Stacey looks after all food and drink reviews — from coffee pods and veg boxes, to natural wine and tequila. Stacey is also founder of Crummbs, where she’s written nearly 2,000 restaurant and hotel reviews since 2013. Prior to this, Stacey wrote hundreds of in-depth buying guides for the Independent, i newspaper and BBC Good Food, as well as reviewing restaurants and interviewing celebrities in her column at Balance Magazine. Stacey has also appeared in BAFTA-nominated BBC documentary Blood, Sweat & Takeaways, where she investigated South East Asia's food production industry, appearing on both Newsnight and BBC World Service to share her findings. Regularly checking out the latest restaurants, bars and product launches, Stacey also loves experimenting with recipes at home, and is a WSET-certified wine and spirits expert, with over 10 years of experience in the business. You can follow Stacey on Instagram @crummbs_uk
Millie is freelance journalist and editor with five years’ experience writing product reviews, buying guides, breaking news and about the latest trends.
Millie has also reviewed countless restaurants and written travel features for British GQ, The Telegraph and the Independent, and has interviewed a number of leading chefs, including Jamie Oliver, Heston Blumenthal and Raymond Blanc.
Founder of creative catering brand @grazeandgorge, Millie also spends her time creating seasonal recipes and tablescape content, as well as planning her next golden retriever-friendly getaway and rearranging her own home bar cart (... again).
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