Palm Court at The Balmoral

Palm Court is the afternoon tea most Edinburgh lists put at the top, and it is our pick for best overall. The room sets it apart: a glass-domed ceiling, a Venetian chandelier and palm trees, with a harpist playing through the sitting. The official menu lists a choice from dozens of loose-leaf teas poured tableside, alongside savouries, roast Ayrshire ham sandwiches, warm scones and handcrafted cakes. The standard afternoon tea is £72.50 per person, or £90 with a glass of Champagne. Against the Signet Library below, you gain polished grand-hotel service and a more intimate, music-filled room; you give up the sheer architectural scale of the Library's salon. It is central, just off Princes Street by Waverley, but it books up well ahead, so treat it as a planned occasion rather than a walk-in.