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21st February 2025
05:55pm GMT
Getting dressed up to eat finger sandwiches without crusts is a lot more fun than it has any right to be.
There’s something about dainty cups and the knowing flicker of a butter knife that carries an air of seduction. Albeit you’re being seduced by notions rather than a human. But still. Get that clotted cream.
To help you pick the best spot to wear your fascinator to we’ve ranked Dublin’s afternoon teas. From high-society grandeur to quirky little hideaways, ensuring you’ll find the perfect setting to sip, nibble, and gaze meaningfully over the rim of your bone china teacup.
So whether you’re plotting a seduction, indulging in a little solo romance, or just looking for an excuse to feel like old-money royalty for an afternoon, read on.
No fixed abode (boards from St. Stephen’s Green)
Drinking tea on a moving bus? Outrageous. Drinking tea on a vintage London Routemaster while rolling through Dublin’s streets like you own them? Genius. Vintage Tea Trips is both a novelty and a triumph—a chance to inhale finger sandwiches while passing Trinity College, Phoenix Park, and all the landmarks that make you feel smugly cultured.
The bus itself is a charmer, with seats full of happy customers, heads bobbing along to the dulcet tones of 1950s crooners. And the names? Pauline, Kitty, and Jean—after the owner’s grandmothers, who knew how to host a tea like pros. You? You’re just along for the ride.
Price: €49.50pp, €27 for kids. Dietary options available.
Camden Street
If afternoon tea had a cool, artsy cousin who lives in a sun-drenched loft and exclusively drinks organic wine, it would be The Cake Café. Tucked behind The Last Bookshop, this leafy courtyard spot is for those who like their pastries with a side of effortless charm.
The cakes are made fresh daily, the sandwiches are proper, and there’s prosecco because hydration is important. Sustainability is also key here—rainwater flushes the toilets, and food waste is composted. Chic, conscious, and completely delicious.
Price: €40pp. Available Tues–Sat, 12–3pm.
Available at Tara Street, Howth, and Clontarf
Póg is for those who like their indulgence with a side of #wellness. You’ll find smoothie shots, smashed avocado toast, and just enough nut butter to make you feel virtuous. But don’t be fooled—the sugar content is still glorious, the treats still indulgent, and the tea still flowing. They even do a fully vegan afternoon tea, which means you can tell yourself you’re being good while working your way through a tower of treats.
Price: From €38pp (€55 for bottomless). Book 48 hours in advance.
Chester Beatty Library
Afternoon tea but make it global. Forget crustless cucumber sandwiches—Silk Road Café’s version serves Palestinian chicken, Persian love cakes, Indian burfi, and mango mousse. It’s an adventure in bite-sized form, all served in the tranquil surrounds of the Chester Beatty Library. Culture, carbs, and the smug knowledge that your afternoon tea is objectively more interesting than everyone else’s.
Price: €30pp (€35 with wine). Available Thurs–Sat, 2pm or 3pm.
South William Street
If afternoon tea was a person, Ladurée would be the effortlessly glamorous Parisian who always seems to have a perfect manicure and a plane ticket booked. Think pastel interiors, flawless macarons, and the kind of setting that makes everything taste 30% fancier.
Price: €100 for two people.
Balfe Street
The Westbury’s afternoon tea is not just a meal; it’s a declaration of self-worth. Here, tea is poured from silver pots into bone china, the kind of delicate, whisper-thin cups that make everything taste 30% more refined. The setting? A plush, velvet-clad lounge that hums with quiet luxury. It’s the kind of place where people lean in for hushed, meaningful conversations—the whispered scandals of high society, the soft clink of silver against porcelain, the occasional delighted gasp as a pastry melts in your mouth.
The tea selection is a global affair, offering everything from classic Earl Grey to exotic oolong blends. The sandwiches are delicate but deeply satisfying, and the desserts? They’re a parade of patisserie perfection, each bite a moment of indulgence. If you’re going to play at being posh for an afternoon, this is the place to do it.
Price: €75pp (€99 with champagne). Available daily.
St. Stephen’s Green
The Shelbourne’s afternoon tea is not just an experience—it’s a rite of passage. This is where old-money elegance meets modern indulgence, where you sit beneath glittering chandeliers and let yourself be seduced by the sheer grandeur of it all. The room is steeped in history, the kind of place where you half-expect to see literary ghosts lingering over their cups, debating the state of the world.
But forget the ghosts—you’re here for the tea. And it is, predictably, exquisite. The sandwiches are stacked with luxury ingredients—truffle egg mayo, smoked salmon on treacle bread, honey-roasted ham with wholegrain mustard. The scones are impossibly light, the desserts so delicate they practically dissolve on your tongue. The Shelbourne doesn’t just serve afternoon tea; it serves legacy on a plate.
Price: From €75 ish -pp (there's no official price on the website but the booking page says €75 and it is subject to change). Available daily.
Merrion Square
Afternoon tea at The Merrion is what happens when luxury is distilled to its purest form. It’s not just about the food (though the food is divine), nor is it just about the setting (though the setting is flawless). It’s about the feeling—the moment you step into this Georgian masterpiece, you know you’re somewhere special. The light filtering through the windows is softer, the chairs are more comfortable, and the scent of freshly brewed tea and warm pastries makes the world outside feel distant and unimportant.
The Merrion’s Art Afternoon Tea takes things a step further, transforming classic pastries into edible works of art inspired by the hotel’s extensive collection. Think tiny, delicate creations modelled after famous paintings—each one an exercise in flavour and form. The sandwiches are perfect, the scones rich yet impossibly light, and the desserts? The kind of thing that makes you close your eyes in sheer pleasure. It’s afternoon tea as high art, and frankly, nothing else in the city comes close.
Pick your setting, book your spot, and prepare to feel extremely fancy. It’s what you deserve.
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