The Ritz LondonAfternoon Tea at The Ritz

Afternoon tea at The Ritz is among the most celebrated in the city, and it takes our top spot for consistency as much as grandeur. Served in the Palm Court and adjoining salons, it runs to finger sandwiches, freshly baked scones with Cornish clotted cream and strawberry preserve, an assortment of pastries and cakes brought from the trolley, with a resident pianist throughout. You choose from 20 loose-leaf teas, and there are five daily sittings from 11.30am to 7.30pm, so it is easier to book than its reputation suggests. It is formal by design: gentlemen need a jacket and tie, and jeans and sportswear are barred for everyone over 16. At £95 a head, with a glass of Champagne adding around £26, it is a milestone-celebration tea rather than a casual one; for grandeur, live piano and well-drilled service, reviews rank it at the top, which is why it edges Claridge's for the overall spot.