10 Secret Afternoon Teas From Around the Globe
Move over traditional thrones of scones, these 10 tea experiences are served in fairy-tale forests, misty estates, and boho chic escapes!
You think you know afternoon tea, delicate sandwiches, pretty pastries, a proper pot of hot Earl Grey tea. But step outside the usual tearooms, and you’ll find a whole other world brewing. Imagine sipping oolong in a 17th-century Japanese teahouse, nibbling pandan scones by the Chao Phraya River, or indulging in a Winnie the Pooh-themed feast complete with honey-drizzled meringues.
These aren’t the teas you’ll stumble upon in tourist brochures. They’re the kind you hear about from locals, stumble upon by accident, or discover when you follow the scent of fresh scones down an unfamiliar street.
Here are ten of the most surprising, scenic, and utterly unforgettable afternoon teas from around the globe, none of which involve sitting in a Mayfair hotel lobby!
1. Ceylon Tea Trails, Sri Lanka
Sip golden Ceylon tea where it’s grown, in elegant colonial bungalows surrounded by misty tea fields. Expect buttery scones, delicate sandwiches, and Sri Lankan treats like coconut sambol rolls, all brewed with leaves plucked just steps away.
Tucked into the emerald hills of Sri Lanka’s tea country, Ceylon Tea Trails is the ultimate “tea at the source” experience. Afternoon tea here is served in restored colonial planter bungalows, each with sweeping verandas overlooking rolling rows of tea bushes. Expect a menu that celebrates the estate’s own harvest, fragrant Ceylon tea poured alongside delicate finger sandwiches, buttery scones with fresh cream, and Sri Lankan twists like spiced fish cutlets or coconut-laced sweets.
To book a stay and enjoy afternoon tea, visit their website for more information➡️ https://www.resplendentceylon.com/
2. Hundred Acre Wood Themed Tea, Vancouver, Canada
Step into Winnie the Pooh’s world with honey-drizzled pastries, beehive meringues, and pots of deliciously fragrant tea. Perfect for anyone who wants their tea time with a side of childhood nostalgia.
Step into the pages of A.A. Milne’s much-loved tales at the Westin Bayshore’s Hundred Acre Wood Afternoon Tea. This experience celebrates Winnie the Pooh and friends with a honey-kissed menu that’s as charming as it is delicious. Think beehive meringues, “Pooh’s Pot of Gold” honey cakes, carrot patch cupcakes for Rabbit, and delicate finger sandwiches filled with seasonal ingredients. The tea list includes floral blends, rich black teas, and naturally, a honey-infused signature brew perfect for Pooh Bear himself! Every detail, from the themed tableware to the woodland-inspired décor, feels like you’ve wandered straight into the Hundred Acre Wood for a lazy afternoon with old friends.
To book a stay and afternoon tea, visit the website for more information ➡️ https://htastinglounge.com/menus/afternoon-tea-once-upon-a-time
3. Emeril’s Tea Pairing Experience, New Orleans, USA
Afternoon tea gets a fine-dining twist as rare teas meet gourmet plates like tea-smoked trout and hojicha-infused mushroom dishes. It’s tea as you’ve never tasted it, crafted like a chef’s tasting menu.
In the heart of New Orleans, Emeril’s reimagines afternoon tea as an elegant culinary performance. Here, each course is paired with a rare, high-grade tea, think hojicha smoked trout with earthy green notes, lobster mushrooms enriched by matcha butter, and jasmine-infused panna cotta to finish. The atmosphere is refined yet relaxed, blending Southern hospitality with the precision of fine dining. This is not a tiered tray and teacup experience; it’s a sensory journey where tea takes centre stage in a chef’s tasting menu.
To book fine dining tea experience, visit the website and request the Tea Pairing Menu ➡️ https://emerilsrestaurant.com/
4. Yum Cha, Santiago, Chile
This intimate home-turned-tea-house serves a ten-course tasting menu blending global teas with Chilean flavours. Expect oolong with smoked salmon or green tea alongside Chilean pastries; each pairing is a conversation starter.
Hidden away in a quiet Santiago neighbourhood, Yum Cha is a tea lover’s dream with a chef’s table twist. This intimate, home-turned-tea-house serves a ten-course tasting menu where every dish is paired with a carefully selected tea, oolongs from Taiwan, Japanese senchas, and delicate Chinese whites all make appearances. Expect flavour journeys such as smoky oolong with salmon tartare, bright green tea alongside flaky Chilean pastries, or earthy pu-erh matched with spiced chocolate. The setting is warm and personal, with the chef introducing each pairing, making it feel less like dining out and more like being invited into a friend’s kitchen, if that friend happened to be a world class tea master!
To book a tea experience here, see their Instagram page ➡️ https://www.instagram.com/yumchacl/
5. Jo-an Teahouse, Inuyama, Japan
Step back to the 17th century in one of Japan’s most treasured teahouses, complete with tranquil gardens. Here, the tea ceremony is slow, deliberate, and deeply connected to tradition.
Tucked within the peaceful grounds of Urakuen Garden in Inuyama, Jo-an Teahouse is considered one of Japan’s finest examples of traditional tea architecture, and is officially designated a National Treasure. Built in the 17th century by famed tea master Oda Uraku, the structure embodies the essence of wabi-sabi: simple beauty, natural materials, and perfect harmony with its surroundings. Visitors can take part in an authentic Japanese tea ceremony, watching as matcha is whisked with slow precision before being served with a seasonal sweet. Sitting on tatami mats, surrounded by shoji screens and a roji (tea garden), you feel transported to another era, where every gesture is deliberate and every sip is an act of mindfulness.
To book a tea experience here (tip: book in advance during cherry blossom and autumn seasons) Inuyama Tourism Office ➡️ https://www.japan.travel/en/spot/1199/
6. Moroccan Mint Tea at Le Salon de Thé par Pierre Hermé, Morocco
Sip refreshing mint tea under glittering chandeliers, paired with Pierre Hermé’s legendary pastries. The setting blends Moroccan charm with Parisian patisserie perfection.
In the heart of Marrakech, the Royal Mansour’s Le Salon de Thé par Pierre Hermé elevates Morocco’s iconic Moroccan mint tea into an art form. Here, the fragrant blend of fresh spearmint and green tea leaves is poured from high above into beautifully delicate glasses. The ritual is paired with Pierre Hermé’s exquisite French pâtisserie, think rose and lychee macarons, buttery madeleines, and jewel-like fruit tarts, served on fine china beneath glittering chandeliers. The setting is a sumptuous mix of Moroccan craftsmanship and Parisian elegance, with intricate zellige tilework, carved plaster, and plush seating that invites you to linger. This is a tea experience where two worlds meet in perfect tea harmony.
To book a tea experience here see ➡️ https://www.royalmansour.com/en/marrakech/dining/
7. Babington’s Tea Room, Rome, Italy
Since 1893, this tearoom has been serving Victoria-style afternoon tea right on the Spanish Steps. Expect proper English scones, fine teas, and Roman elegance in equal measure.
At the foot of the Spanish Steps, Babington’s Tea Room has been serving tea in Rome since 1893, long before cappuccinos became the city’s drink of choice. Founded by two English women, Isabel Cargill and Anna Maria Babington, it remains a timeless haven of Anglo charm amid the bustle of Piazza di Spagna. Inside, gilded mirrors, plush armchairs, and shelves lined with tea canisters set the scene for a menu that blends British tradition with Italian flair. Afternoon tea features perfectly baked scones with clotted cream, dainty finger sandwiches, and pastries like cannoli and almond biscotti. Every pot of tea is brewed with care, from robust Assam to fragrant Earl Grey, making it a refined pause in the heart of the Eternal City.
To book an afternoon tea experience here see ➡️ https://babingtons.com/en
8. Mandarin Oriental Bangkok’s Thai-Infused Afternoon Tea, Thailand
Trade clotted cream for pandan scones and lime-chili prawn sandwiches. This is a vibrant, flavour-packed take on high tea, best enjoyed overlooking the Chao Phraya River.
Overlooking the Chao Phraya River, the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok reimagines the classic afternoon tea with a distinctly Thai twist. Served in the Authors’ Lounge, a colonial-style haven of white rattan furniture, polished teak floors, and soaring ceilings, this experience blends East and West in perfect harmony. The menu features delicate pandan scones with coconut cream, lemongrass-infused pastries, and savoury bites like green curry chicken tartlets. Alongside traditional black and green teas, you’ll find fragrant local blends such as jasmine-scented oolong and bael fruit tisane. As live classical music drifts through the air and riverboats glide past, it’s an afternoon steeped in both elegance and culture.
To book an afternoon tea experience here see ➡️ https://www.mandarinoriental.com/id/bangkok/chao-phraya-river/dine
9. Afternoon Tea on the Harbour, Hong Kong
Board the Star Peninsula and sip tea as the skyline of Hong Kong glitters around you. The experience pairs delicate bites with a side of sea breeze.
Few settings are as iconic as sipping afternoon tea with Hong Kong’s glittering Victoria Harbour as your backdrop! Many of the city’s luxury hotels, including The Peninsula and the InterContinental, transform this classic ritual into a glamorous affair. Picture a tiered stand laden with fluffy scones, smoked salmon blinis, and East-meets-West delights such as mango mousse domes, jasmine tea–infused éclairs, and the city’s beloved silky Hong Kong milk tea. Premium teas are poured into fine china cups as the skyline glistens across the water, with the Star Ferry gliding past. Whether you choose a window seat or a terrace table, it’s an indulgent pause from the city’s fast pace, offering an unforgettable blend of refinement and views.
To book an afternoon tea experience on board the Star Peninsula, see here ➡️ https://www.peninsula.com/en/hong-kong/special-offers/dining/the-peninsula-afternoon-tea-on-the-harbour
10. Dobrá Čajovna, Czech Republic
These cosy, bohemian tearooms brew rare teas from across the globe, served by passionate tea devotees. Perfect for losing track of time in a warm, aromatic haze.
Tucked away on a quiet street in Prague’s Old Town, Dobrá Čajovna is a tea lover’s sanctuary far removed from the bustle of the Charles Bridge. This cosy teahouse, with its low wooden tables, floor cushions, and soft Eastern music, feels like stepping into another world. Specialising in rare and high-quality loose-leaf teas from China, Japan, India, and beyond, the menu reads like a global tea atlas. Each pot is brewed with meticulous care, whether it’s a fragrant Darjeeling, a smoky Lapsang Souchong, or a delicate Japanese gyokuro. Guests can linger for hours, pairing their tea with light vegetarian snacks or sweet treats, while the warm, earthy atmosphere invites conversation, or quiet contemplation.
Dobrá Čajovna usually operates on a walk-in basis, get more information here ➡️ https://www.dobratea.eu/locations/
10 Unique FAQs for Best Unique Afternoon Teas Worldwide
What makes Ceylon Tea Trails in Sri Lanka unique?
This experience lets you sip freshly brewed Ceylon tea right at its source, restored colonial bungalows sitting amid misty tea fields, with estate-grown teas served alongside Sri Lankan treats like coconut sambol rolls and spiced fish cutlets.
What is the Hundred Acre Wood Afternoon Tea in Vancouver?
Hosted at the Westin Bayshore, this Winnie‑the‑Pooh–themed tea features honey‑drizzled treats, including beehive meringues, “Pooh’s Pot of Gold” honey cakes, and seasonal finger sandwiches, bringing beloved childhood stories to life.
How does Emeril’s Tea Pairing Experience in New Orleans differ from traditional tea?
Instead of tiered trays, it’s a chef‑crafted tasting menu where each savoury or sweet dish, from tea‑smoked trout to jasmine panna cotta, is thoughtfully paired with rare, high‑grade teas.
What makes Mandarin Oriental Bangkok’s afternoon tea distinct?
Set in the elegant Authors’ Lounge overlooking the Chao Phraya River, this tea offers Thai-infused creations such as pandan scones with coconut cream, lemongrass pastries, and green curry chicken tartlets, plus fragrant local tea blends.
What’s special about afternoon tea on the Harbour in Hong Kong?
Served aboard the Star Peninsula (or at luxury hotels like The Peninsula), this glamorous setup pairs East-meets-West, think jasmine eclairs and silky Hong Kong milk tea, with sweeping views of Victoria Harbour.
What is Dobrá Čajovna in Prague known for?
A cosy, bohemian teahouse in Old Town, Dobrá Čajovna specializes in rare loose-leaf teas from across the globe. The ambient setting, low wooden tables, and aromatic brews creates a serene hideaway for tea lovers.
Why are these teas referred to as “secret”?
They’re hidden gems, tea experiences you’re unlikely to find in guidebooks, discovered through local whispers, chance encounters, or curiosity-driven adventure.
Is this article only about traditional English tea rituals?
Not at all! The post highlights creative reinterpretations, from thematic storytelling teas to regionally inspired menus, offering far more than the classic tiered sandwiches and scones.
How many of the featured experiences blend local culture into the menu?
Nearly all do, think Sri Lankan sambol rolls, Thai pandan scones, Hong Kong’s East-West desserts. These menus reflect both place and tradition in captivating ways.
What essential takeaway does the post offer about tea experiences?
That afternoon tea isn’t just a meal; it’s an immersive journey. Whether in misty estates or riverside lounges, it's as much about the view, story, and culture as it is about the sip.
Wherever your travels take you, may your cup always be full and your view unforgettable. Thank you for reading!
