Afternoon Tea in Liverpool

Creative Tourist

Put the kettle on – or better yet, get someone else to. Afternoon tea is usually reserved for a special occasion, but there are plenty of places in Liverpool where you can find everything from a classic cream tea to a slap up smorgasbord celebration.

The British custom of tea and cakes in the afternoon is said to date back to the 1830s when Anna Russell, Duchess of Bedford, found herself a bit peckish in the gap between lunch and dinner. Anna began inviting her friends over to Woburn Abbey for a cheeky snack and then brought the habit back to London where it caught on with the upper class socialites.

Of course, us Scousers have since added the likes of cocktails and Prosecco to our afternoon teas, but most menus still have a dazzling variety of brews to choose. There’s definitely something for everyone and for any occasion; from cafes and coffee shops to the tallest restaurant in Liverpool.

This is our round-up of the best, independently reviewed places for tea, cake and afternoon delights in Liverpool. When it’s scone, it’s scone.

Our top picks

Oh Me Oh My

Oh Me Oh My, West Africa House, 25 Water Street, Liverpool, Merseyside, L2 0RG - Visit now

Oh Me Oh My occupies space in Liverpool’s Grade II-listed West Africa House and uses the building’s stunning features to full effect. Art Deco tiles and reclaimed furniture offer the perfect setting in which to enjoy Oh Me Oh My’s ‘delectable’ afternoon tea, a symphony in classic cakes, scones and finger sandwiches.

Afternoon tea at Oh Me Oh My

The London Carriage Works

The London Carriage Works, 40 Hope Street, Liverpool, Merseyside, L1 9DA - Visit now

The multi award-winning London Carriage Works on Hope Street serves up its traditional afternoon tea with fresh berries (a nice touch), delicately-cut sandwiches and cakes made by the in-house patisserie team.

External photo of the London Carriage Works in Liverpool
The London Carriage Works. Photo: Vicky Andrews

Panoramic 34

Panoramic 34, West Tower, Brook Street, Liverpool, L3 9PJ - Visit now

Enjoy your afternoon tea from one of the highest restaurants in the UK. Pair this decadent selection of sandwiches, cakes, pastries and scones with a Bellini or two, and you’ll be on top of the world.

A table with a view of Liverpool at the fine dining restaurant Panoramic 34
Photo: Panoramic 34

The Art School Restaurant

The Art School Restaurant, 1 Sugnall Street, Liverpool, Merseyside, L7 7DX - Visit now

You can always count on Paul Askew to provide posh nosh and afternoon tea is no exception. Served in the Art School Cellars, this cheeky banquet features a sumptuous selection of sarnies (how does Loch Duart poached salmon with dill crème fraiche, cucumber and Keta caviar on rye bread sound?) and a mouthwatering selection of cakes and desserts including strawberry chouquette filled with Crème Diplomat. Bring. It. ON.

Ian Jones

Stanley’s Bar & Grill

Stanley’s Bar & Grill, Stanley Dock, Regents Road, Liverpool, L3 0AN - Visit now

Set within the Titanic Hotel, the afternoon tea at Stanley’s Bar & Grill comes with a unique view overlooking the waters of Stanley Dock. These former warehouses were used as the backdrop to several major blockbusters and television series, including Captain America, Sherlock Holmes and Peaky Blinders. A must for film fans.

Stanley's Bar & Grill

60 Hope Street

60 Hope Street, 60 Hope Street, Liverpool, Merseyside, L1 9BZ - Visit now

60 Hope Street is the kind of restaurant Scousers in the know keep up their sleeve for special occasions. Situated in a gorgeous old Georgian house on one of Liverpool’s most picturesque thoroughfares, 60 Hope Street is a stalwart of the city’s fine dining scene. All of which means that you can rely on the restaurant’s afternoon tea being superlative; choose between a pot of tea, glass of fizz or champagne.

Baltic Social

Baltic Social, 27 Parliament Street, Liverpool, Merseyside, L8 5RN - Visit now

We couldn’t resist a bit of an alternative pick here – the Baltic Social serves a Punk Afternoon Tea, which is about as far away from carefully cut finger sandwiches as it’s possible to get. Instead, think a mini cheese burger with baconaisse, honey chorizo skewers, deep fried ham hock and mac and cheese balls. In place of Victoria sponge there’s red velvet cake, oreo sponge and bubblegum cake. The veggie alternative also looks suitably rock and roll.

Baltic Social restaurant in Liverpool

Where to go in Liverpool

The MerseyMade building in Liverpool
Liverpool
Shop
MerseyMade

In the MerseyMade shop you’ll find bottled gin from the likes of Turncoat Gin, Anfield Gin, Albert Dock Gin and Three Graces Gin. Yep, Liverpool REALLY likes its gin.

Exterior photo of Pippin's Corner cafe in Liverpool
Lark Lane
Café or Coffee Shop
Pippin’s Corner

Pippin’s Corner is a family-friendly cafe bistro in the leafy Liverpool suburb of Aigburth and is an ideal base for exploring Lark Lane’s independent shops and the magnificent Sefton Park.

Afternoon tea at Oh Me Oh My
City Centre
Café or Coffee Shop
Oh Me Oh My

A secret space and tea room, Oh Me Oh My lives in the stunning surrounds of Liverpool’s West Africa House. We take a look.

Liverpool
Café or Coffee Shop
92 Degrees Coffee – Baltic

Placed at the very heart of Liverpool’s Baltic Triangle, 92 Degrees Coffee forms an integral part of the Baltic Creative Community.

Liverpool
Café or Coffee Shop
Ryde Liverpool

A ‘bicycle café’ set in Northern Lights within the Baltic Triangle, serving up great food and coffee to leave you… spinning.

City Centre
Café or Coffee Shop
Bold Street Coffee

A super cool cafe at the top of Bold Street, Bold Street Coffee in Liverpool serves a range of specialist coffee, cakes and sandwiches.

City Centre
Café or Coffee Shop
LEAF on Bold Street

Keeping Bold Street a hub of creativity, LEAF is more than a tearoom, it’s also a bar and thriving event space with a packed schedule of upcoming happenings.

Liverpool
Restaurant
Food From Nowhere

Food From Nowhere is a weekly vegan cafe held in the basement space of much-loved radical bookshop News From Nowhere. It’s open every Saturday from midday to 5pm.

Liverpool Visitor Guides

Tasting Menus in The North

Looking for the finest luxury multi-course restaurants in Manchester? Look no further. We've picked out the very best tasting menus in the city - just make sure you have deep pockets.

Cinemas in Liverpool

Whether you want a multiplex or something a little extra, the cinemas in Liverpool have it all.

Restaurants on Liverpool’s Bold Street

Bold Street is one of Liverpool's most high-profile areas, full of unique coffee shops and independent restaurants. Here's our expert guide to this wonderful area.

Casual dining in Liverpool

From delicate small plates to locally-sourced laid-back dining, Liverpool has it all. We get it, sometimes you’re just not in the mood to get dressed-up and fancy, sometimes jeans, t-shirt...

Vegan Food in Liverpool
Vegan Food in Liverpool

Liverpool is one of the better cities when it comes to high-quality vegan cuisine - here's our guide to the best vegan food in the city

Croxteth Hall and Country Park
Walks in Liverpool

A round-up of the best walks in Liverpool, including the city centre, its many parks, and over the water by Creative Tourist.

Coffee Shops in Liverpool

Over the last couple of years, Liverpool – like the rest of the country – has been taken over by an army of artisan coffee shops. But how do you separate the wheat from the chaff (or bean from the berry)?

If at First Main Image
Spotlight on

Black History Month in Manchester and the North

Discover the North West's best Black History Month events, including exhibitions, theatre and dance.

Take me there

Culture Guides