The Tea Room at The Midland

The Midland describes its Tea Room as Manchester's only space designed and dedicated solely to afternoon tea, and it is the reason this pick tops our list: it treats the ritual as the main event rather than an add-on to a restaurant or bar. The Traditional Afternoon Tea (indicatively from around £38 per person) runs through finger sandwiches, freshly baked scones with clotted cream and jam, a tier of home-baked cakes and a choice of premium loose-leaf teas, with Royal (~£48 with Pommery champagne) and Excellence (~£60) upgrades for occasions. Its edge over The Lowry below is heritage and a purpose-built setting overlooking St Peter's Square; the trade-off is that it is not the cheapest and serving days are limited to Wednesday to Sunday. Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free versions are offered at the same price as the traditional spread.