We were interested in doing an afternoon tea at the V&A but now I see it is more of a “self serve” option (?) Can anyone give me some idea of what that looks like in practice? Does it simply mean you order at the counter?
Are there other good options nearby? We are heading towards Hyde Park afterwards.
The V&A cafe is very beautiful but it’s just a standard museum cafe where you queue up with a tray and get your items.
If you're looking for an authentic afternoon tea, you might want to consider booking it at the Wolseley, which is about a little over a mile from Hyde Park in Piccadilly. It's a really nice tea and is affordably priced. https://www.thewolseleypiccadilly.com/menu/afternoon-tea
If you want to explore further, there are some options in these threads:
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/england/high-tea-14093707-7e22-4de5-9399-dbcb8b02003d
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/england/afternoon-tea-4a4831b3-e2af-4349-b671-6d388ea46b2a
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/england/tearooms-in-london
The tea/lunch rooms at the V & A are truly beautiful and it may be worth the inconvenience of having to carry a tray. If there are two or more of you, someone can claim an empty table while the other gets the food and drink. Another thought might be the afternoon tea at Royal Albert Hall. Check their website and see if it's still available (you must reserve). It's the only real afternoon tea I've ever done in London. Not expensive or overly formal and the room and service is nice. If you pair it with a tour of the building you will have an even richer experience. It's not too far from the V & A and afterwards you can walk to the Park.
Last August my daughter and I did both—had tea and cake at the V&A and had afternoon tea at the Wolseley. We enjoyed both, but if you want a true afternoon tea with table service someplace like the Wolseley is the way to go.
The V&A itself is wonderful, so I highly recommend both if you have the time. We planned 2-3 hours but liked it so much that we spent a full day there.
