Afternoon Tea Week 2022: best places for afternoon tea in Manchester, according to Tripadvisor reviews

The humble cup of tea is an institution which is enjoyed by people across the country, including many in and around Manchester.

Afternoon tea is one  of the more sophisticated ways of enjoying a brew, so much so that it has a whole week dedicated to it.

As Afternoon Tea Week gets underway, here are some of the best places to go in Manchester for afternoon tea according to reviews and ratings on Tripadvisor.

The Midland Hotel

The Midland Hotel is a grade II listed building which has been part of Peter Street for well over a century.

From over 7,000 Tripadvisor reviews, the hotel has a rating of 4 stars out of 5.

The Royal Afternoon Tea, which includes a glass of Champagne, is the perfect way to mark any occasion.

Featured review: “Brilliant hotel. Very busy, but everything was well organised and simple to access/use.

“Beautiful hotel and lovely professional employees. Room was spacious and well appointed, Proper wooden furniture made the environment more classy. Shower was amazing and the bathroom was roomy.”

The Midland Hotel, Peter St, Manchester M60 2DS

Find out more and book a table via Tripadvisor.

Hotel Gotham

The description of the afternoon tea on the Hotel Gotham reads: “Served in Honey Restaurant, our afternoon tea boasts all the details needed for a traditional British custom.

“Tuck into a delectable afternoon’s worth of bite-sized delights in a fabulous Art Deco interior that takes you back to its awe-inspiring former glory.”

The hotel has a Tripadvisor rating of 4.5 out of five from over nearly 2,400 reviews.

Featured review: “Fantastic Hotel. I used the Lowry for years thinking it was the bees knees!!!. Well The Gotham knocks it into a cocked hat.

“Amazing customer experience. Service second to none. Just 100% excellent. We had a champagne afternoon tea on the terrace. Attention to detail was amazing.”

100 King Street, Manchester M2 4WU England

Find out more and book a table via Tripadvisor.

Richmond Tea Rooms

The tea room has a four star rating on Tripadvisor from 2,269 reviews.

Reviews often complement the friendly service, and one described the afternoon tea as a ‘feast for the eyes’.

The themed dining experience is described on the tea rooms website. This reads: “Our award winning ‘Alice in Wonderland’ themed dining experience is complemented with freshly prepared sandwiches, cakes and treats – all individually made in house with flavours and fillings hand picked by our team of chefs.”

Featured review: “Outstanding afternoon tea. Quality regular and GF choices. Our waitress Charlotte was very attentive. Hope to go back very soon!”

Find out more and book a table via Tripadvisor

46 Sackville Street, Manchester M1 3WF England

Afternoon Tea at Cloud 23

For a proper afternoon tea with a view, why not pay a visit to Cloud 23. You’ll enjoy tea and sandwiches 23 floors above the streets of Manchester.

The bar has fine champagnes, signature cocktails, decadent afternoon tea, and panoramic city views, and a rating of 3.5 out of five on Tripadvisor.

Featured review: “Afternoon tea for my birthday. Jessica Knott made our experience so special.

“Next time we’ll book the free flowing champagne package! That looked awesome!”

For more information and to book a table, visit Tripadvisor 

303 Deansgate Beetham Tower, Manchester M3 4LQ England

Great John Street Hotel

The hotel has an impressive 4.5 out of 5 rating on Tripadvisor and many of the reviews compliment the atmosphere of the hotel.

Various options of afternoon tea are available at the hotel, and bookings can be made through their official website.

Featured review: “We went to the Great John Street Hotel last Saturday for afternoon tea and it was simply excellent.

“The quality of the food and the service were both fantastic. We were very well looked after by Ana and will definitely be coming back soon!”

For more information and to book a table, visit Tripadvisor

Manchester, Greater Manchester, M3 4FD

Sugar Junction

This Tib Street eatery is highly rated on Tripadvisor, with a 4 out of 5 rating from nearly 800 reviews.

The cafe is often described as an amazing find on reviews.

Describing how the cafe came to be, a segment on their website reads: “Sugar Junction was born from a passion of baking, a love for good wholesome food, excellent coffee, beautiful tea, enthusiasm for beautifully unique drinks and of course, a love for everything vintage.”

Featured review:” What a find!! I had such an amazing experience at Sugar Junction today. I had afternoon tea which I must say is the best one I have ever had.

To book a table, visit Tripdvisor

“Tasty sandwiches, perfectly baked scones and wonderful cakes.”

60 Tib Street, Manchester M4 1LG England

Proper Tea

Located at Manchester Cathedral, the cafe boasts a 4 out of 5 rating from 400 Tripadvisor reviews.

An excerpt on VisitManchester about Proper Tea reads: “Visiting the Cathedral or just passing by, Proper Tea at the Cathedral is the perfect spot to have a sit down and a proper tea just set away from the city’s bustling centre, in the tranquil surroundings of Manchester Cathedral and gardens.”

Featured review: “Their selection of a variety of teas was great! They gave clear instructions on how to drink the teas when served and left a timer that it is brewed to your preference!

“Worth visiting the place for an afternoon tea and cakes!”

To book a table, visit Tripadvisor

Cathedral Visitors Centre, 10 Cateaton Street, Manchester, M3 1SQ

Annies

The cafe has a Tripadvisor rating of 4 out of 5 from over 1,800 reviews.

All afternoon teas at Annies, there are six different versions including a vegan option and also a child-size portion, come with limitless loose leaf English Breakfast tea, Earl Grey and fresh barista Americano coffees.

Featured review: “Had a great afternoon tea here for my Mother in laws 60th food and selections were great as well as unlimited hot drinks.

“Service was brilliant. I think the names were phoebe and Harry apologies if that’s incorrect. All round fab atmosphere must visit in Manchester.”

To find out more and to book a table, visit Tripadvisor

5 Old Bank Street Royal Exchange Building, Manchester M2 7PE England

Tea Hive

This Chorlton tea shop has a 4 star rating on Tripadvisor from over 300 reviews, many of which are complementary of both the food and the service provided.

Featured review: “Delicious food and excellent service. The portions are huge and all tasty. They were so accommodating to different dietary requirements.

“Service was friendly and all food orders spot on despite the size of our group.”

To book a table, visit Tripadvisor

53 Manchester Road Chorlton, Manchester M21 9PW England

Grand Pacific

Rated 4 out of 5 from over 1,000 Tripadvisor reviews, Grand Pacific is in a transformed grade II listed building that is now a comfortable and relaxing dining experience.

Featured review: “Great value for money the afternoon tea consisted of a range of savoury and sweet bites, each served on separate stands with a wonderful presentation.

“All of the food had an Asian twist and was delicately presented. Great for my mother in law’s 70th birthday.”

For more information visit Tripadvisor

50 Spring Gardens, Manchester M2 1EN England

What is afternoon tea week?

Afternoon Tea Week celebrates the British institution which is a nice hot cup of tea. In 2022 the week takes place from 8 to 14 August and shops and businesses across the country get involved.