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Afternoon Tea in the Palace Lounge at The Rubens Hotel, London,

Afternoon Tea in the Palace Lounge at The Rubens Hotel

4.5
4.5
64 Reviews
£41 and over
Afternoon Tea

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Experiences are available.
  • Great for brunch
  • Charming
  • Fancy
Indulge in the epitome of a quintessential English Afternoon Tea experience at The Rubens at the Palace, where refinement meets tradition. Immerse yourself in the charming ambience of our Palace Lounge, offering panoramic views of the Royal Mews of Buckingham Palace, or enjoy your tea within the opulent surroundings of our exquisitely designed English Grill.

At the helm of our pastry kitchen is the exceptionally talented Sarah Houghting, a pastry chef of distinction who has showcased her skills on Bake Off: The Professionals on Channel 4. Sarah takes pride in crafting the freshest pastries and cakes, ensuring a delightful feast for our discerning guests.

Renowned as one of London's finest Afternoon Teas, we honour the classic British tradition while infusing innovative twists to captivate your palate. Our commitment extends to catering for diverse dietary preferences, with thoughtfully curated menus that include vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and halal choices.

Order delivery or takeout

Private dining

Private dining

Book your next event with us

View details

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    £41 and over
  • Cuisines
    Afternoon Tea
  • Hours of operation
    Mon–Fri, Sun 12:00 pm–5:00 pm Sat 12:00 pm–6:00 pm
  • Phone number
    020 7834 6600
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Executive chef
    Ben Kelliher
  • Private party facilities
    Whatever the occasion The Rubens offers the perfect venue for your afternoon tea celebration. With our Events Manager, your function will be meticulously planned and executed, with personalised menus, bespoke themes, and thoughtful touches that reflect your unique style and preferences.
  • Private party contact
    Meetings and Events at The Rubens: 020 7834 6600
  • Neighborhood
    Victoria
  • Cross street
    Bressenden Place
  • Parking details
    Valet
  • Public transit
    The Queen’s Gallery: 1-minute walk <br />The Royal Mews: 1-minute walk <br />Victoria Station:2-minute walk<br />Victoria Palace Theatre (Hamilton): 5-minute walk <br />Buckingham Palace: 6-minute walk <br />Apollo Victoria Theatre (Wicked): 6-minute walk <br />Westminster Abbey: 4-minute cab ride <br />Palace of Westminster: 7-minute cab ride <br />Oxford Street: 10-minute tube journey <br />West End theatre district: 14-minute cab ride<br /><br />Valet parking is available at the nearby secure car park with a charge of £50 for up to four hours or £70 per 24-hours, available daily with our concierge team from 8am to 8pm. Should the value of your car exceed £300,000 please contact us directly.
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Delivery, Dog Friendly, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, High Tea, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Takeout, Vegan, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Experiences

  • Royal Afternoon Tea

    £70.00 per person

    Multiple dates available
    Savour our Royal Afternoon Tea at the Rubens at The Palace; a delectable assortment of freshly baked scones and delicate finger sandwiches. Our delicate pastries include our signature Crown, made with alpaco dark chocolate mousse, grapefruit confit, & chocolate brownie. Impeccable service, breathtaking views, and a touch of royal splendour make this Afternoon Tea an unforgettable and quintessentially British affair. Price: £70 per person; £90 with Champagne
    Royal Afternoon Tea Photo
  • Bottomless Afternoon Tea

    £115.00 per person

    Multiple dates available
    Bottomless Champagne Royal Afternoon Tea Enjoy an exceptional Bottomless Champagne Afternoon Tea in our Palace Lounge, overlooking the Royal Mews of Buckingham Palace. Maximum seating time: 1.5 hours It is advisable to reserve a table. Delicious Vegetarian, Vegan, Halal and Gluten-Free alternatives are available. Dress Code: Smart, no shorts, no trainers Please note Bottomless Champagne Afternoon Tea is £127 per person during the festive period (18th Nov 2024 - 6th January 2025).
    Bottomless Afternoon Tea Photo
  • Winter Wonderland Afternoon Tea

    £35.00 - £127.00 per person

    Nov 18, 2024 - Jan 5, 2025
    Enjoy the festive version of this traditional English occasion at The Rubens at the Palace overlooking the Royal Mews of Buckingham Palace. The pastry kitchen at The Rubens is led by our Executive Head Pastry Chef Sarah Houghting, producing unique, delectable pastries for our guests to enjoy. With a reputation as one of the best in London, we pay respect to the tradition of Afternoon Tea whilst incorporating fresh twists along the way. Our delicious Winter Wonderland Afternoon Tea features mouth-watering seasonal pastries, finger sandwiches and scones. £82 per adult including a glass of mulled wine; add a glass of champagne: £102; bottomless champagne: £127; £35 children under 12
    Winter Wonderland Afternoon Tea Photo

What 64 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.5
4.5 based on recent ratings
  • 4.4Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.1Value

NoiseModerate

64 Reviews
  1. steve

    Oxford

    5 reviews

    1.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on September 22, 2024

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 3
    Compared to other high end teas this fell down on food quality - uninspiring sandwiches, dry scones, limited cake variation etc
    Afternoon Tea in the Palace Lounge at The Rubens HotelResponded on September 30, 2024
    Thank you for sharing your review following your recent visit. I am very sorry that we did not meet your expectations with regards to your Afternoon Tea experience. We appreciate all feedback and I will be sure to pass this on to our Kitchen Team so that they can take your comments on board, as we continuously work hard to improve the facilities and services we provide. I do hope that one day we may have the chance to welcome you back. Warm regards, Malcolm Hendry, Managing Director.

    Is this helpful?

  2. SharonA

    Orange County

    8 reviews

    5.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on June 23, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    A family favorite, we always try to have afternoon tea at the palace lounge on trips to London.
    Afternoon Tea in the Palace Lounge at The Rubens HotelResponded on July 4, 2024
    Thank you for your wonderful review following your recent visit. As regular and much valued guests I am delighted that we have once again met your expectations and our Afternoon Tea continues to be a family favourite! I will be thrilled to share your kind words with our team, ensuring their hard work is duly noted. We look forward to welcoming you back when you next visit London! Best regards, Malcolm Hendry, Managing Director.

    Is this helpful?

  3. OpenTable Diner

    New Mexico

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on April 27, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Welcoming, attentive staff. Beautiful presentation & environment.

    Is this helpful?

  4. OpenTable Diner

    London

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on April 15, 2024

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 5
    Beautiful hotel, beautifully presented Afternoon tea. Service was a little slow but plentiful food and wonderful scones Very disappointed when the bill arrived that 15% service charge was applied!! Thank goodness this is discretionally I was happy to tip £10

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  5. OpenTable Diner

    London

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on March 10, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Absolutely outstanding experience. From the delicious food, to the ambience, to the personable service. All of our needs were catered to and the environment was calm and cosy. We will definitely be back.

    Is this helpful?

  6. OpenTable Diner

    London

    1 review

    1.0

    1 review

    Dined on March 10, 2024

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 1
    Sadly awful service from Carlota on Mother’s Day - mean to my mum and myself. Very disappointing as we’ve had many lovely celebrations and events there in the past. Not again.

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  7. Sophi

    New York City

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on March 10, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Lovely experience. Delicious afternoon tea. Caters to different options - gluten free, vegan, kids, & more. Live pianist was excellent. Shout out to Aby for her friendliness & professionalism. Highly recommend.

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  8. Marjorie

    Birmingham

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on February 14, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Booked for my parents anniversary and the absolutely loved it.
    Afternoon Tea in the Palace Lounge at The Rubens HotelResponded on October 28, 2024
    Thank you for sharing your positive review following your parents' recent visit for Afternoon Tea. It is wonderful to read that they loved their special anniversary celebration with us and I will be thrilled to share this with our team. I do hope that we have the opportunity to welcome them back one day soon. Warm regards, Malcolm Hendry, Managing Director.

    Is this helpful?

  9. OpenTable Diner

    New York City

    43 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    43 reviews

    Dined on December 26, 2023

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Came for afternoon winter tea. It was just okay. Over priced. Amazing service. Wouldn’t do it again

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  10. Blair

    Berkshire

    12 reviews

    4.0

    12 reviews

    Dined on December 21, 2023

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Pricey but worth it for the experience. The service was outstanding, the food was tasty and extremely well presented, and the tea was very high quality. We all left very full and satisfied, if you can justify the cost this is a very enjoyable experience and worth doing during your visit to Buckingham Palace / London.

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FAQs

Afternoon Tea in the Palace Lounge at The Rubens Hotel offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at 020 7834 6600.

Afternoon Tea in the Palace Lounge at The Rubens Hotel is rated 4.5 stars by 64 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Experiences are available.

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for Afternoon Tea in the Palace Lounge at The Rubens Hotel

39 Buckingham Palace Road, London, SW1W 0PS

Additional information

  • Cross street
    Bressenden Place
  • Neighborhood
    Victoria
  • Hours of operation
    Mon–Fri, Sun 12:00 pm–5:00 pm Sat 12:00 pm–6:00 pm
  • Price
    £41 and over
  • Cuisines
    Afternoon Tea
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Parking details
    Valet
  • Public transit
    The Queen’s Gallery: 1-minute walk The Royal Mews: 1-minute walk Victoria Station:2-minute walkVictoria Palace Theatre (Hamilton): 5-minute walk Buckingham Palace: 6-minute walk Apollo Victoria Theatre (Wicked): 6-minute walk Westminster Abbey: 4-minute cab ride Palace of Westminster: 7-minute cab ride Oxford Street: 10-minute tube journey West End theatre district: 14-minute cab rideValet parking is available at the nearby secure car park with a charge of £50 for up to four hours or £70 per 24-hours, available daily with our concierge team from 8am to 8pm. Should the value of your car exceed £300,000 please contact us directly.
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Ben Kelliher
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Delivery, Dog Friendly, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, High Tea, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Takeout, Vegan, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Phone number
    020 7834 6600
  • Private party facilities
    Whatever the occasion The Rubens offers the perfect venue for your afternoon tea celebration. With our Events Manager, your function will be meticulously planned and executed, with personalised menus, bespoke themes, and thoughtful touches that reflect your unique style and preferences.
  • Private party contact
    Meetings and Events at The Rubens: 020 7834 6600
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