Tea has been a ubiquitous component of English life for over two centuries, and although we’d rarely wish to swap places with our Georgian and Victorian ancestors, we’d hardly turn down the Victorian’s lavish afternoon tea ceremonies.
Legend has it that Queen Victoria’s lifelong friend Anna Maria Stanhope, the 7th Duchess of Bedford, set the practise in motion – too hungry to wait for a late dinner, she requested a selection of biscuits and cakes to be served in her dressing room with a pot of tea.
Not surprisingly, Stanhope became rather fond of this afternoon custom and began sending invitations to friends requesting their company. Queen Victoria soon learnt about her friend’s pre-dinner ritual and quickly became smitten with it (in fact, her diaries mention afternoon tea over 7,000 times). By the late 1840s the royal household was hosting its own daily afternoon parties, which became known as afternoon tea.
Inspired by our founding patron’s passion for tea and triangle sandwiches, we worked with the renowned food historian Natasha Marks of AVM Curiosities, who helped us serve up a menu worthy of Victoria herself. Presented in our 19th-century refreshment rooms, this unique experience took place amid the teal paneling and stained glass of our Morris Room (originally called the Green Room) and, for effect, included antique cutlery and British Burleigh crockery.
Diligently, our menu dished the dates that various sweets and savouries became fashionable, such as crayfish and mayonnaise sandwich (1890), iced orange cake (1891) and Mrs Beeton’s cucumber sandwiches (1859). Teas, meanwhile, ran from Earl Grey and breakfast tea to the more unusual elderflower and lemon.
So whether you were looking to relax (after all, ‘A good cup makes all young’ according to one inscription on our cafe walls) or wanted to transport yourself back to the London of Victoria and Albert; our afternoon tea conjured the by-gone days when Londoners pulled up to the museum in a horse-drawn carriage for sconelets and a fragrant dish of steaming Darjeeling.
Victorian Afternoon Tea was served in our cafe from 2018 – 2020.
Dear Team,
We would like to make a reservation for the afternoon tea.
Is that passible for March?
Best regards
Alexandra
Dear V&A Team,
I understand that the Afternoon Tea is modelled after historical dishes – still: do you offer a Vegan Afternoon Tea Option?
We are visitin London in August and very much enjoy taking Afternoon Team. The V&A Museum would be alovely destiantion.
Kind regards
Xenia Mohr
I would like to make a booking for 1 for afternoon tea on Sunday 7 April.
Is it possible to book a tea time in the Tea Room.
My understanding was that it was a requirement. Can you please advise how to arrange it?
Thank you very much,
Tom.
How do I make a reservation for afternoon tea on April 16th?
Thank you.
Hello There! How do I make reservations at the V & A Museum for afternoon tea. There will be 3 of us hoping to visit on July 29. Thanks a million!
Hello! Visiting the V&A museum 5/10 and would like to schedule a tea time preferably after 2 pm. Please advise times available and how to reserve.
Sincerely,
Yvonne from
California — V&A admirer :)
Is it possible to book afternoon tea slots at the V and A ?
Hello, is it a need to book V&A cafe ( Gamble room) in advance?
Hello,i would like to book afternoon tea for 3 persons on June 15th. Is here the right place to do it? Thank you
Dear V&A Team
Is it possible to book the afternoon tea？
I’m going to london in june(2024) from japan.
I enjoyed the afternoon tea over 5years ago,
so I want to enjoy it again.
Hello
How do I book afternoon tea for 2 for November and How much is it?
Thanks
Hello,
I would like to make a reservation for afternoon tea at the Morris Room of Victoria & Albert Museum.
Could you please let me know if there are any available dates between 8th August and 12th August or 5th September and 9th September ?
Thanks in advance.
Best regards
Hello,
I would like to book afternoon tea for 3 persons at the Morris Room between 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on September 8th.
Thanks in advance.
Hello can you tell me if afternoon tea is still served in the Morris Room? If so how do I book a table?
Many thanks
Jan
I would like to book afternoon tea for 2 persons at the Morris Room. Please let me know if there is availability between 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on November 9th.
Thanks in advance.
Hello, We would like to take afternoon tea at the museum and would like to make a reservation for Oct. 27 at 3 p.m. Can you kindly advise. Thanks much
Hello, I would like to make a reservation for an afternoon tea set for two people on December 26th at 2pm. Can you tell me how I can make a reservation? Thanks.
Hi, I would like to book afternoon tea for Sunday 19th January, could you please let me know how I can book this.
Kind regards.
Could you please let me know if it is possible to book afternoon tea for December 19th, and if so, how that might be done? Thank you.
Would like to reserve afternoon tea for two Monday, May 5 at 1430.
Kind regards
David and Robyn Ours
Dear Sir/Madam,
I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to inquire about the availability of afternoon tea at the V&A Museum, specifically in the Morris Room. I have found information up until 2020, but I am unsure whether the service is still available at present.
If afternoon tea is indeed still being offered, I would like to make a reservation for two people on March 14th, 2025. Could you kindly confirm if this is possible and provide any necessary details regarding the booking process?
Thank you in advance for your assistance. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Best regards,
Toko Mori
Hello,
We wouden like to make a reservation for four People for an afternoon tea on april the 20th. How can we book this.
I love to hear from you.
Greetings Janneke
We are visiting the V&A Sunday May 18. I have been told you have an afternoon tea in a special room, using old cutlery, as days gone by. I would like to make reservations for 2, on that date. What are your times and how much would it cost? Please , send this information ASAP so we can plan- we are coming from California. Thank you, Yve
Hello we are visiting the Victoria & Albert Museum on Thursday 31 July. Can I please make a booking for afternoon tea for 2 people. It is my husband’s birthday that day and it would be really special for him. Could you accommodate us at 4pm? Thank you, Maggie Lake
Hello!
I am a teacher from California, traveling on Wednesday the 18th with approximately 20 teenage students (some chaperones), many of which whom have never been to England, let alone have high tea; we will be at the V&A that day and I would love to have them experience a high tea.
What is the best way to book that?
Hello! I will be travelling to London with my mother and sister at the end of July, and I am wondering if you are still doing afternoon tea? I see up above that it was served through 2020, which leads me to believe that you are no longer serving afternoon tea? Can you clear that up for me, please? We would love to experience it! Thank you!
Hello! I will be travelling to London next week with my daughter and I am wondering if you are still doing afternoon tea?
Looking forward to hear from you,
Best Di
Hi,
How do I go about making a reservation for afternoon tea?
Thanks
Hello! Can I make a reservation afrernoon tea on 19 January 2026 ?
Hi!
The afternoon tea on V&A museum still exist?How can i make a reservation?