The Foodie Travel Guide> London> Afternoon Tea> Kew Gardens Afternoon Tea

Explore Kew Gardens and Enjoy Traditional Afternoon Tea

by The Foodie Travel Guide | Mar 2, 2017

The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, London

A visit to Kew Gardens wouldn’t be complete without a traditional English afternoon tea taken in The Botanical restaurant.

Afternoon Tea at Kew Gardens Botanical restaurant

The Botanical restaurant serves traditional afternoon tea at Kew Gardens

Kew Gardens is one of my favourite places to visit for a day out in London. Every time I go, I discover something new.

In winter, I love stepping inside the humid Palm House. In the autumn, taking the treetop walk. In the spring, watching its famous borders come alive with flowers and in summer, picnicking in the grounds near Queen Charlotte’s cottage.

Part of the enjoyment of a day out at Kew is stopping for afternoon tea. Luckily for visitors, in 2017, Kew opened The Botanical restaurant. Beautifully situated on the lake side opposite the Palm House, it offers formal table service and traditional afternoon tea.

If you’re short on time, stop for a cream tea in the light and spacious Orangery restaurant. It’s self-service but the building is a lovely space for a quick cuppa and a scone.

The Foodie Travel Guide

Visit Kew Gardens

Kew is one of Britain’s most popular attractions, visited by over 1 million people a year.

They come to look up at the giant palms in the magnificent Victorian Palm House, to stroll around the gardens and to learn about the world’s largest living collection of plants, all punctuated, of course, by a stop at one of its many cafés and restaurants.

Go for a stroll along Kew’s famous flower borders

Take Traditional Afternoon Tea in The Botanical Restaurant

The Botanical restaurant at Kew is perfectly located next to the lake and overlooks Kew’s Palm House.

If you’re celebrating a special occasion, this is the place to come and sit down to enjoy formal table service, dainty fingers sandwiches and of course, pretty cakes served on a tiered cake stand.

Add a glass of Prosecco to make your day out at Kew Gardens extra special. If you’re looking for a gift for a gardener, this is just the ticket.

Enjoy a Relaxed Cream Tea in The Orangery

Of all the eateries at Kew, one of the most impressive is the Orangery. Originally filled with citrus trees, the 18th century building is Grade I listed. High ceilings and giant arched windows flood the restaurant with natural light.

The Orangery offers a self service restaurant so this is the place to come for a relaxed afternoon tea in a grand setting. Enjoy the great British tradition of a cream tea. Choose either a scone with jam and cream or a slice of cake, served with a cup of tea.

Visitors to Kew Gardens enjoying afternoon tea in the Orangery

The Orangery at Kew Gardens is a self service cafe

Explore Kew Gardens Many Attractions

There are 326 acres to explore in Kew Gardens so it’s hard to do it all in one day.

The treetop walk is fun, especially if you have children with you. A stroll around the giant Palm House is a must, as is a visit to The Hive.

This temporary 17 metre tall open air installation has over 1,000 LED lights. Designed as a unique, multi-sensory experience to highlight the extraordinary life of bees, it is both unique and mesmerising.

In the summer months, visit The Royal Kitchens at Kew Palace or take a tour of Kew’s kitchen garden which featured in the BBC series Kew on a Plate.

Beat the queue by buying Kew Gardens entrance tickets in advance
Kew Gardens are vast so one option is to buy a Kew Gardens Entrance ticket which includes a tour in the Kew Explorer train. Available to download as an e-voucher from Virgin Experience Days
Push the boat out with a Thames River Cruise from Central London (including entrance to Kew Gardens & Palace)
Visit Kew Gardens at Christmas time when the gardens are illuminated with lights
Keen walkers can walk along the River Thames to Richmond and visit Petersham Nurseries Café and Richmond Park

Cream Tea at Kew Gardens is served until 15.30. If the Orangery is closed for any reason, you can get a cream tea in Kew Gardens other cafés and restaurants.

Some of the attractions at Kew Gardens including Kew Palace and Queen Charlotte’s Cottage, have seasonal opening times. Visit in the summer to be sure to see them.