I often get asked for my London gluten free afternoon tea recommendations and have put this guide together to share some of my favourites with you.

I have been lucky enough to try some wonderful offerings, with there being at least a couple of outstanding gluten free afternoon teas in the capital now. I will be adding more places to this guide as and when I try them, so do pop back every now and them for updates.

All afternoon teas recommended here were suitable for coeliacs at the time of writing. This guide has been updated for 2024.

[* = Complimentary Visits. I was under no obligation to share details on this blog, all opinions are my own.]

London’s Best Gluten Free Afternoon Teas

1. One Aldwych – Charlie & The Chocolate Factory Afternoon Tea*

WHAT: An incredible themed afternoon tea focused on all things chocolate, One Aldwych do an exceedingly good gluten free version of their tea. From soft sponge cake pops and candy floss to delightful scones, this is definitely one to add to your must-try list. The sweets items and scones were excellent, the savouries were generally good but fell short of the gluteny savoury offering described on the menu.

WHERE: One Aldwych Hotel, 1 Aldwych, London WC2B 4BZ

PRICE: £70 per person/£50 children under 12.

DAIRY FREE AVAILABLE: Yes and the team at One Aldwych state they can cater for all allergies and dietary requirements, including nut allergies. Please give them 48 hours notice.

2. The Sanderson – Mad Hatter’s Tea Party*

WHAT: A spectacular gluten free afternoon tea at the uber-cool hotel, which looks exactly like the regular afternoon teas. Champagne and cocktails available. One of the best afternoon teas in London, in my opinion, the creativity and attention to detail impressed me so much. Plus the food tasted absolutely delicious, especially when washed down with cool glasses of champagne and Cheshire Cat tea. Highly recommended. We sat outside in their lovely courtyard and honestly had a wonderful afternoon.

WHERE: Sanderson Hotel Tea Room, W1T 3NG

PRICE: £55 per person.

DAIRY FREE AVAILABLE: Yes

3. Fortnum & Masons – Gluten Free Afternoon High Tea

*NOTE: Fortnum’s has recently added a disclaimer to its website, stating that it cannot cater for coeliacs because they operate a mixed kitchen. Rachel from TheSightSeeingCoeliac enquired further and was told the kitchen staff use dedicated stands, gloves and utensils when preparing the gluten free afternoon teas. It’s hard to know whether this disclaimer is a generic attempt to cover themselves legally, or whether it really is not suitable. Please use your discretion and speak to the team when booking*

WHAT: A very classic English afternoon tea in revered teahouse Fortnums & Masons. Their elegant tea room makes for quite a formal experience, ideal if you want to feel especially fancy for your afternoon outing. I loved the sandwiches and scones at Fortnums, but the cakes weren’t great when I visited. Perhaps they were having an off day though and I would still recommend this high tea for a very British experience.

WHERE: Fortnum & Masons, 181 Piccadilly, London, W1A 1ER

PRICE: £80.00 per person.

DAIRY FREE AVAILABLE: Yes, also vegan menu available.

4. The Lanesborough – Gluten Free Luxury Afternoon Tea*

WHAT: Possibly London’s most beautiful afternoon tea salon, nestled at the heart of the Lanesborough hotel. The Lanesborough kindly invited me to try their luxury gluten free afternoon tea recently and we had a great experience. Rather than classic finger sandwiches this high tea features a selection of savoury canapes and their gluten free scones are some of the best I have tried – incredibly soft and still warm from the oven. The cake selection was good but I would have preferred a third cake option rather than ice cream and jelly, yet ones we had were top notch. Add in perfectly chilled champagne and the setting and you get one rather lovely afternoon tea experience. 

As of 2024 they are running a Queen Charlotte themed afternoon tea, which is sure to delight any Bridgerton fans out there!

WHERE: The Lanesborough, Hyde Park Corner, London SW1X 7TA

PRICE: £80.00 per person.

DAIRY FREE AVAILABLE: Please enquire.

5. Harrods – The Tea Rooms

WHAT: Not one I have tried, but a follower recommended this afternoon tea to me, saying the gluten free scones were wonderful. A gluten free afternoon tea is available, however they state they cannot guarantee no traces of cross contamination.

This is quite a widely used disclaimer now in London, due to a change in food allergy legislation, but please decide for yourself as to whether you are comfortable.

As of 2024, they are running a temporary tea room until autumn, while their main tea rooms undergo a revamp.

WHERE: Knightsbridge

DAIRY FREE AVAILABLE: Yes and vegan.

PRICE: £73 per person.

6. The Ampersand Hotel – the Drawing Rooms

WHAT: Science and space-themed afternoon teas (at present), with a gluten free option. Seriously creative and a fun take on the classic afternoon tea. From honey chocolate spacemen and dinosaur biscuits to white chocolate planets and delicious scones and sandwiches.

They also have a second themed option, a dinosaur-themed afternoon tea, which you can read about below (number 8).

WHERE: South Kensington.

DAIRY FREE AVAILABLE: Please enquire.

PRICE: £54.50 per person (£37.50 for the kids version)

7. The Rosebery – Tea Rooms

WHAT: A glorious-sounding range of sandwiches, cakes and freshly baked gluten free scones, with some mouthwatering flavour combinations. You can view the full gluten free afternoon tea menu on their website.

WHERE: Knightsbridge.

DAIRY FREE AVAILABLE: A vegan menu is available, however please enquire to check with items are gluten and dairy free.

PRICE: £79 per person/£49 per child.

8. The Ampersand – Dinosaur Afternoon Tea

WHAT: Oh this was so much fun! I took my daughter, sister and niece for this novelty afternoon tea, after a day of exploring in the Science and Natural History Museums. It’s completely dinosaur themed and can make everything gluten free. From a passion fruit volcano to dinosaur eggs and chocolate dinosaur footprints – the kids version comes on a dinosaur-shaped stand too!

WHERE: South Kensington.

DAIRY FREE AVAILABLE: Please enquire direct.

PRICE: £54.50 per person (£37.50 for the kids version)

Other Gluten Free Afternoon Tea Options

Additional choices I have seen recommended:

If you have any other London gluten free afternoon tea recommendations you think should be included in this guide please do get in touch at [email protected].

Otherwise please do have a read of my other London guides while you are here, including:

Enjoy! x