11 spots where you can get afternoon tea in Dublin

Pinkies up, everyone!

Whether you’re treating someone special, or just want to feel fancy as hell, afternoon tea is one of those experiences that hits different. You get a bitta sweet, bitta savoury, and everything is teeny tiny as well (which, as we all know, makes everything taste better).

It comes as no surprise that Dublin excels in the afternoon tea department, with eleven top locations serving the yassified tea break, with salmon and cream cheese sambos atop a three tier tray in tow.

Sure with Mother’s Day just around the corner (March 10th), what better way to ring in the day than a spot of afternoon tea? And even if you’re not celebrating, or find this annual day to be a difficult one, then use it as an opportunity to treat yourself and your friend / sister / brother / dad / dog (yes, there is one spot that accommodates pups for this fancy feast).

If you’ve never had the pleasure, or it’s just been too long since your last tango with afternoon tea, check out these Dublin spots.

11. Póg

Available at their Tara Street, Howth, and Clontarf locations, more info here

Is there anything Póg can’t do? Not only are they legendary for their pancakes and other brunch bits, they also do a great afternoon tea.

While we’d love to see mini pancakes stacked on their trays, you’ll find toast two ways alongside the staple sandwiches, one with mortgage-blocking smashed avocado, and one with nut butter and fruit. Another Póg exclusive is the addition of superfood smoothie shots, so you can feel #healthy whilst indulging.

You need to book at least 48 hours in advance, and the experience is available seven days a week, all day on weekdays, and from 2pm on weekends. Best of all, if you don’t do dairy or animal products, you can opt for the vegan edition of the afternoon tea – alt milk beverages and spicy falafel sambos? Stun.

Prices start at €38pp, rising to €45 if you want to add a glass of prosecco, and capping at €55 if you’re looking to go bottomless for a special occasion.

10. The Fitzwilliam

Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2, more info here

There’s something about waltzing into the Fitzwilliam that just makes you feel like you’re important (complete notions of course, but what’s wrong with being a bit notionsy sometimes).

Rather than serving the classic crusts cut off sambos, The Fitzwilliam afternoon tea leans more into cooked food, with an Asian cuisine flair. They don’t stray too far from tradition though, still serving up fruit scones, with a healthy helping of cream and jam.

While it’s easy to get blinded by the food, the tea offering at The Fitzwilliam Hotel is also impressive, with the various kinds coming presented to us in a suitcase, with a dozen different kinds to choose from – coffee drinkers can also opt for that instead.

9. Ladurée

South William Street, Dublin 2, more info here

If you have a friend who gives serious Emily in Paris vibes, then they’ll be buzzing for an invite to Ladurée for their afternoon tea. Set in what can only be described as looking like Marie Antoinette’s drawing room from the 2006 film starring Kirsten Dunst, the location alone is a great reason to opt for Ladurée.

Included in the price is one scone, two macarons, two sandwiches, and one dessert (which you get to choose from an array of gorgeous bits) per person. In keeping with tradition, one sandwich is cucumber, and one is smoked salmon.

The scone is served with the expected clotted cream, but instead of jam you get sort of mashed up raspberries, which gives the pastry a bit more texture.

It costs €90 for two people enjoying afternoon tea, €135 for three guests, and €180 for four guests. Our whole review of the afternoon tea experience at Ladurée is on-site.

8. Old Music Shop Restaurant

North Frederick Street, Dublin 1, more info here

The Old Music Shop likes to switch up the theme of their afternoon tea in spectacular ways, with their upcoming edition naturally centring around Mother’s Day. For just €29.95pp, the North Frederick Street spot is our most cost friendly afternoon tea where you still get a gorgeous spread and treat a special person in your life, be that your mam, or someone else near and dear to you.

The menu is made up of savoury and sweet, with sambos filled with cream cheese and egg mayo, chicken and herby stuffing, and honey roasted ham and mustard. Scones with cream and/or butter are also on the cards, alongside a selection of mini desserts, including macarons, lemon cheesecake, caramel puff pastry balls, and more. Wash it all down with some organic herbal tea infusions, whether you’re into peppermint, Earl Grey, camomile, or the classic English breakfast.

It’s served daily between 12pm and 5pm, and you can choose between their classic and their veggie serving. You can even order their afternoon tea to go, if you want to feel fancy in your own home – find all those details here.

If you’re going as a family, and have kids in tow, they also serve a kids edition of the afternoon tea, which costs just €25 and serves two.

7. The College Green Hotel

College Green, Dublin 2, more info here

Looking for somewhere extra special to treat that extra special someone in your life? The College Green Hotel’s afternoon tea offers a selection of your classic sandwiches and nibbles, as well as the Atrium Lounge’s signature cocktails, all with Dublin themed names menu.

Enter a space of relaxation, where time slows and you can really soak up the decadence that comes with a couple of hours of enjoying afternoon tea. Bask in the natural light,

They have multiple different menus to suit different dietary requirements, whether you’re vegan, vegetarian, or eat a bit of everything. In each section the menu splits into three, the tried and true afternoon tea formula – sandwiches, scones, dessert. There are also 14 loose tea variations, whether you’re feeling adventurous and wanting to go for something fruity and floral like the Morgentau, or something a little more cosy like the Chai Ginger Orange.

The signature afternoon tea costs €65pp, but if you’re in a particularly celebratory mood, you can get a glass of champers for an additional €20 each.

 6. Dylan Hotel

Eastmoreland Place, Dublin 4, more info here

Afternoon tea at a five star hotel? Count us in. As with all the fancy hotels in Dublin, the Dylan does a banging afternoon tea, with all the usual suspects, but their desserts are gently infused with Bailey’s or champagne. The sambos come in the expected smoked salmon and cream cheese, but they also do a duck liver parfait number with fig compote – the scones aren’t your go-to raisin boys, made with more niche ingredients, including macerated fruit and champagne jelly, dulce de leche and whiskey tarde, and almond & hazelnut financier, roasted chestnut & honey cremeux.

You can avail of Tipsy Tea at The Dylan Hotel, costing €45pp or €70pp if you want to include two cocktails, all of which are infused with tea in order to stay on theme. Cocktail choices include earl grey martini, basil & cucumber gin, east coast cooler or white chocolate martini.

5. The Westbury

Balfe Street, Dublin 2, more info here

Voted the number one hotel in all of Ireland, let alone Dublin, you know an afternoon spent with pinkies elevated within Balfe’s will be one you won’t soon forget.

Get a glam view of Grafton Street as you enjoy all the finer things in life, sinking back into the squishiness of a sofa over a hard-backed chair for maximum relaxing time. Tea comes served in sweet silver tea pots, and there is a serious selection from Ronnefeldt, from vanilla chai, Irish whisky cream, Jasmine pearl, oolong peach, and many, many more.

Afternoon tea at the Westbury costs €70pp, or €93 for the champagne edition. You can avail of this fancy meal every day between 12pm and 5pm.

4. Haddington House

Dún Laoghaire, more info here

For a view of the sea to accompany your afternoon tea, it’s gotta be Haddington House. The interior is one part Wes Anderson film set, one part Moulin Rouge.

You can tell the afternoon tea menu at Haddington House has been created by someone with an understanding of what people really want, who realises that we want a helluva lot more from an afternoon. The food comes in three stages, the savoury plates are made up of little bite-sized mouthfuls with a lot of local ingredients that rivals Chapter One’s amuse-bouche selection. The second is a shortcrust scone that comes with cream and jam, the third a trio of desserts one more unctuous than the next.

Reviewed on-site, it did not disappoint with food nor interior, and the service was top-notch (which is really all you can ask for). A great Dublin spot for afternoon tea and bubbles, especially you’re looking to get out of the city.

3. The Shelbourne

St Stephens Green, Dublin 2, more info here

Afternoon tea at The Shelbourne, overlooking Stephen’s Green, is, let’s be honest, a little bit iconic. There’s just something about the Shelbourne that exudes luxury, and has everyday folk looking in, wanting a piece of the magic. As with all things they do, the afternoon tea offering is one that is elegant, the most gorgeous backdrop for the fancy meal.

The sandwiches are the classics you’d expect at afternoon tea, but you know the ingredients are top notch, using a variety of breads including pumpkin, treacle, poppy seed, and white. The desserts mix it up a little, with an eclair that is made with yuzu and lemongrass cremeux, and The Brunch, which reminds us of the ice-cream, made with rhubarb and strawberry mousse, vanilla pot creme, and strawberry crunch.

The classic afternoon tea is €68pp, and €88pp if opting for the champagne edition.

Going for Afternoon Tea at the Shelbourne is considerably pricier than other spots, so bear that in mind when booking (maybe save it for a special occasion).

2. The Conrad

Earlsfort Terracе, Dublin 2, more info here

The Conrad is a very glam hotel based just a kiss away from the bustling busyness of the city centre, a five star establishment that brings all its luxury when it serves afternoon tea.

What elevates The Conrad above other afternoon tea spots is one very specific offering – they are dog friendly. Not only is your pup allowed inside the dining area, they get a full afternoon tea to themselves.

On the tiered tower you’ll find everything you’d expect from a great afternoon tea – small but perfectly formed sambos filled with smoked salmon, egg mayo, chicken, saffron mayo and mango and classic ham and cheese with Ballymaloe Relish, tasty miniature desserts, warm scones with clotted cream and an extensive selection of teas. Dogs have a choice of pawnstar martinis or cosmopawlitans, generous servings of chicken and rice and a varied assortment of crunchy treats.

The Conrad’s Afternoon Tea is priced at €110 for two people, and the dog treats and cocktails are available at an additional €10.