Scotland's Best Afternoon Tea Locations
One of life's finest indulgences is afternoon tea. We've written before about the history of afternoon tea and how to choose the best tea to go with yours. In this post, we want to highlight some of the best places in Edinburgh for afternoon tea. For delicate sandwiches and delicious cakes paired with the best tea in the city, look to the following places that serve a selection of our teas.
Fingal
Fingal Edinburgh is a luxurious boat hotel in a charming old Leith dock. Initially an old lighthouse service ship, Fingal underwent a remarkable refurbishment and opened its doors to the public in 2019. We were thrilled to work with Fingal to create a custom afternoon blend exclusively for their afternoon tea service. Try this blend on board, or choose from PekoeTea single estate teas and hand-crafted blends.
The Caledonian Hotel Waldorf Astoria
The stylish sophistication of the new Peacock Alley will reconnect to all the glamour and traditions of the original Waldorf & Astoria Hotels in New York. We wanted to tell the story of the Caledonian Hotel through an exclusive blend: The Peacock Alley blend. We started with the history of the Caledonian Hotel itself. The building was part of the Princes Street Train Station - the Edinburgh terminus for the Caledonian Railway. The Caledonian Railway was established on the back of the Monklands "coal lines" that transported coal from the Monklands coal fields to Glasgow in Scotland before expanding to carry other goods from places such as Leith docks and a thriving passenger service. We wanted to have a Scottish element while maintaining a link to the Caledonian Railway. The base tea combines Chinese and Ceylon (Sri Lankan) black teas with little roasted oolong and Lapsang Souchong. The tea is then complimented with rose petals and blue cornflowers, with the cornflowers evoking the Saltire. It is finished with real single-malt Scotch whisky and a little bergamot. This tea perfectly complements their gorgeous cakes.
Royal Deck Tea Room on the Royal Yacht Britannia
Why not have afternoon tea on the Queen's former yacht? Treat yourself to a Champagne Cream Tea in the very same spot where the Royal Family would have played deck games and entertained. Enjoy freshly prepared, homemade food, stunning views, a warm welcome, and some of our favourite Pekoe Tea single-estate tea and hand-crafted blends! The menu includes speciality cocktails, tasty soups and sandwiches, and mouth-watering cakes and scones, all made on board in the Royal Galley.
Mackintosh at The Willow
The original Willow Tea Rooms Building was initially opened in the heart of Glasgow by Miss Cranston and designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh in 1903. Mackintosh at the Willow, reopened to the public in 2018, is situated in the original Willow Tea Rooms building, so you can now dine in the historic tearooms. We were asked to produce an exclusive afternoon blend that would tell the story of the history of the tea rooms, called the 1903 blend, after the year that the original tea rooms were opened. The 1903 blend is designed to be an alternative to a Breakfast Blend and to have the option to be taken with milk. Read all about the blend here. You can also sip on a range of Pekoe Tea's finest teas. Enjoy their special Summer Afternoon Tea running until August 31st.
The Old Course Hotel
The Old Course hotel stands alongside the 17th hole of The Old Course, one of the world's most iconic golf courses. The hotel has beautiful views of the course and West Sands Beach. Immerse yourself in their breathtaking Conservatory, surrounded by unmatched views, as you savour an exquisite array of sandwiches, pastries, scones, cakes, and a selection of Pekoe Tea loose-leaf teas. You can even try the exclusive Old Course Signature blend!
Cameron House Hotel
Cameron House Hotel opened in 1990 on the banks of Loch Lomond in a baronial state dating all the way back to the 15th century. You can enjoy afternoon tea in their sumptuous Lobby Bar and try their exclusive Cameron House Blend, a blend of black teas and local flora.
Dunkeld House Hotel
Dunkeld House is a country house hotel on 280 acres of well-maintained and natural woodland. It overlooks the wide and fast-flowing River Tay, renowned for its famous salmon fishing. They serve Afternoon Tea in the traditional manner of dainty sandwiches, sweet treats, small savouries and pots of PekoeTea.
