Where to Get the Best Afternoon Tea in Dublin
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We’ve rounded up the best afternoon tea in Dublin spots. Few meals manage to be both elegant and adorable, but a proper afternoon tea deftly threads this needle 100% of the time.
Stacks of tiny sandwiches with the crusts cut off, wee pots of clotted cream, and piles of freshly baked scones all tidily laid out on a lovely multi-tiered tray, accompanied by a beautiful pot of excellent tea? If you were raised on fairy tales or historical dramas, this is something you’ve daydreamed about.
While studying abroad in Dublin, afternoon tea was one thing that I knew I had to cross off my Ireland bucket list.
Dublin has perfected the art of the afternoon tea like few other cities, with many establishments offering the most deliciously divine experience, each with its own special touches and options.
When you next visit the Emerald Isle, we’ve got a guide for you to some of the best, most iconic spots for afternoon tea in Dublin.
Afternoon Tea in Dublin
Pink
Ready to think pink? And eat pink? Then Pink is the place to be for your afternoon tea in Dublin! Located just blocks from the George’s Street Arcade, you won’t be able to miss this restaurant with its rose-tinted façade and overflowing baskets of flowers in shades from blush to bashful.
Once seated inside the cheerful pink patisserie, you’ll be served an array of pink-themed delicacies from Pink’s generous gourmet menu and a lovely pot of the tea of your choice. You’ll be tickled absolutely… well, you know!
Pink also offers a special children’s version of its tea menu.
🫖 Days Available: 7 days a week
🕰️ Tea Hours: Monday to Friday 12:00 PM–3:30 PM, Saturday & Sunday 11:00 PM–3:30 PM
🗓️ Reservation Required: Yes.
Dylan
For a thoroughly luxurious High tea experience in Dublin, look no further than the city’s only 5-star boutique hotel. The afternoon tea here at Dylan is a truly elevated experience, with the hotel offering a Tipsy Tea that features tasty pastries, extremely elegant little savory sandwiches, and delicate desserts infused with lux liqueurs.
Their tea menu is expansive, packed with classics like Earl Grey as well as more niche offerings such as Gunpowder & Mango. For an extra charge, you can add two of the hotel’s signature cocktails or champagne to your tea experience.
🫖 Days Available: 7 days a week
🕰️ Tea Hours: 1:00 PM-5:00 PM
🗓️ Reservation Required: Yes, 24 hours in advance.
The Cake Café
The Cake Café is the stuff of the most charming daydreams. Tucked away in a courtyard behind a Dublin bookshop, this quirky little bistro prides itself on its freshly baked cakes and bread, locally sourced ingredients, and sustainability mindset.
Their afternoon tea in Dublin rings in at €40 per person, a fantastic price given that it includes a glass of prosecco along with mini-sandwiches on house-baked bread and a selection of their freshly baked cakes of the day, as well as tea or coffee.
Visitors frequently note the happy, helpful staff and effervescent atmosphere, so all around, The Cake Café is a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon tea experience.
🫖 Days Available: Tuesday-Saturday
🕰️ Tea Hours: 12:00 PM-3:00 PM
🗓️ Reservation Required: No, but keep in mind that it is subject to availability.
Intercontinental Dublin
The most quintessential afternoon tea time can be had at the five-star Intercontinental Hotel in Dublin.
Here, seated in their beautiful Reading Room, you get the traditional Irish afternoon tea elegance of the three-tiered tray, filled with delicious gourmet treats, which the hotel offers in vegan and gluten-free tea options as well.
You can add glasses of champagne if you wish or stick to the tea–the Intercontinental offers a generous 25 varieties of delicious premium loose-leaf teas.
🫖 Days Available: 7 days a week
🕰️ Tea Hours: 12:00 PM-4:30 PM
🗓️ Reservation Required: Yes.
Iveagh Garden Hotel
Next to the tranquility of the Iveagh Gardens Park is her namesake hotel, the modern and elegant Iveagh Garden. A traditional Irish afternoon tea is beautifully presented in the hotel’s lobby, on comfortable sofas by large windows that overlook the bustling street.
The hotel offers a lovely array of fresh scones, sandwiches, and desserts, served with a porcelain pot of the tea of your choice. For an additional fee, you can add a glass of prosecco to bubble up your day!
🫖 Days Available: 7 days a week
🕰️ Tea Hours: 12:30 PM-3:45 PM
🗓️ Reservation Required: Yes.
Ladurée
A bit of French flourish comes with Ladurée’s afternoon tea in Dublin, and it is one of the most aesthetic tea experiences on this list. Ladurée provides traditional finger sandwiches, French pastries, and scones, beautifully made in-house and presented with a gorgeous silver pot of tea or coffee.
The lovely spread also includes prosecco for two of Ladurée’s famous macarons in the flavors of your choice (based on what is available at the Macaron Counter that day). It’s all served in their exquisite Parisian-style tea room–very coquette.
🫖 Days Available: 7 days a week
🕰️ Tea Hours: 12:00 PM-4:30 PM
🗓️ Reservation Required: Yes, you must reserve and adhere to a 90-minute time slot.
The Merrion
Possibly the most beautifully unique experience on this list of afternoon teas in Dublin is the Art Tea at The Merrion.
The hotel’s tea room chefs offer an art-themed gastronomic experience that changes seasonally–the Autumn/Winter 23-24 offering is a tribute to Pop Art and Andy Warhol–with desserts that are literally edible pieces of bite-sized art.
Your two-hour tea experience also includes finger sandwiches and pastries as well as tea curated by their Tea Masters and champagne for an additional fee. And good news for the plant-based among us: The Merrion has also begun offering a vegan teatime!
🫖 Days Available: 7 days a week
🕰️ Tea Hours: 12:30 PM, 1:00 PM, 3:30 PM and 4:00 PM, each tea slot is for two hours.
🗓️ Reservation Required: Yes.
The Castle Hotel
The High Tea experience at The Castle Hotel’s elegant Georgian tea room in the Old Music Shop Restaurant is a lovely, classically genteel one.
With a High Tea served in beautiful Chinoiserie porcelain, fresh buttermilk scones with cream, absolutely stunning gourmet finger sandwiches, and an array of adorable miniature desserts, it doesn’t get much more textbook-perfect an example of afternoon tea than this!
The Castle offers a classic tea, a vegetarian tea, a children’s version, and even a gorgeously packaged tea in a box that you can take home and enjoy.
🫖 Days Available: 7 days a week
🕰️ Tea Hours: 2 PM-5 PM M-F, 12 PM-5 PM Sa-Su
🗓️ Reservation Required: Yes.
Morrison Hotel
A posh hotel on the Liffey with a sense of humor about itself, the Morrison offers a whimsically named Fancy Pants Afternoon Tea that is a pleasantly substantial experience for its €42 price tag.
The finger sandwiches here are generously stuffed with top-class fillings, and the desserts are some of the most elegantly indulgent around. The Morrison also offers Gentlemen’s Tea (don’t worry, it’s available to all genders) with heartier options such as grilled sausage, steak sandwiches, and whiskey truffles.
The added bonus is that the Morrison also has vegan and wheat-free menus for those who need them, and they’re equally as delicious as the others.
🫖 Days Available: 7 days a week
🕰️ Tea Hours: 12 PM-6 PM
🗓️ Reservation Required: Yes
The Shelbourne
At the legendary Shelbourne Hotel, a splendid afternoon tea has been a cherished institution for decades. Presented in the elegant Lord Mayor’s Lounge overlooking St. Stephen’s Green, the tea here is a light yet lavish affair, with delicate and refined being the watchwords for the day.
Feast on top-tier gourmet sandwiches, the most luxurious desserts in Dublin, and delectable homemade scones with clotted cream, all presented on a divinely sophisticated four-tier tea stand with a silver pot of tea or coffee.
This is one of the best High Teas in Dublin, and will be a truly memorable experience.
🫖 Days Available: 7 days a week
🕰️ Tea Hours: Sittings are available at 12 PM, 2:30 PM, and 5 PM
🗓️ Reservation Required: Yes.
The Westbury
Modern sophistication reigns supreme at Clarendon Street’s The Westbury, and the most emblematic signifier of the concept is in their afternoon tea.
One of the most traditional Irish afternoon teas here, you’ll receive a selection of the most delicious sandwiches in the city along with a delightful seasonal offering of miniature gourmet desserts and fantastic scones with cream and jam.
The Westbury’s gratifyingly long list of available teas is one of the most widely varied and globally diverse ones around, with everything from traditional black teas to herbal infusions and even effervescent sparkling teas.
Vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free menus are also available for the discerning diner.
🫖 Days Available: 7 days a week
🕰️ Tea Hours: 12 PM-5 PM
🗓️ Reservation Required: Yes
Vintage Tea Trips
For a Dublin afternoon tea experience to really write home about, you’ll want to book Vintage Tea Trips. The personable team here will escort you onto one of their quirky and charming vintage double-decker Routemaster buses for a rambling tour of Dublin’s Fair City.
You’ll be regaled with tales and serenaded with some hearty Irish tunes, all while dining on a beautifully fresh and filling true Irish tea. By the time you return to the lively streets of Temple Bar, you’ll be wondering how any other tea experience compares!
The team at Vintage Tea Trips also tries to accommodate many dietary needs and allergens; just give them a call and let them know what you need.
🫖 Days Available: Thursday through Monday
🕰️ Tea Hours: Time slots are available starting at 11 AM, with the last trip at 4 PM.
🗓️ Reservation Required: Yes, and punctuality is key–the tours operate on a strict timetable!
Conrad
Afternoon tea at Dublin’s 5-star Conrad Hotel is in itself a 5-star experience, with polished elegance reigning supreme.
From the towering, fluffy scones to the scrumptious top-class finger sandwiches, plus wonderful aromatic teas served in lovely botanic-themed porcelain pots, you’ll love this timelessly classic Dublin afternoon tea experience with a sleek modern twist.
🫖 Days Available: Friday-Sunday
🕰️ Tea Hours: 12:30 PM-4:00 PM
🗓️ Reservation Required: Yes.
Bewley’s Grafton Street Café
A Dublin landmark and institution, Bewley’s has operated its flagship ‘Oriental Cafe’ on the legendary Grafton Street for nearly 100 years.
Follow your nose–Bewley’s roasts their own coffee beans in-house–up Grafton Street to the carefully preserved Art Deco façade, and walk through the doors into a quintessentially Dublin experience.
Marvel at the stunning stained glass windows and vintage decor, then tuck into a fantastic afternoon tea with classics like Coronation Chicken sandwiches and delicious crème brûlée infused with Bailey’s and topped with a delicate mandarin jelly.
To dine at Bewley’s is to be as steeped in Dublin’s history as one of Bewley’s signature tea blends.
🫖 Days Available: Thursday-Sunday
🕰️ Tea Hours: 1:30 PM-4:00 PM
🗓️ Reservation Required: Yes.
Final Thoughts: Dublin Afternoon Tea
An afternoon tea in Dublin is an essential part of any journey to the Fair City. With experiences and menus for just about every possible taste, teatime enthusiasts will have no trouble finding the tea that suits them best. Bon Appetit!
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