Afternoon tea is a real indulgence and one of the most quintessentially British pastimes we can think of.
From the steaming pots of tea to the dainty sandwiches and cakes – everyone has their favourite bit. Personally, ours has to be fruity scones slathered in clotted cream and strawberry jam. There’s just nothing better.
Add in a cocktail or a glass of fizz and you’re all set for a brilliant afternoon. Now, all you need is the venue.
Of course, not all afternoon teas are created equal – which is why we’ve put together this list to help you separate the wheat from the chaff. Keep reading to discover the best places for afternoon tea in Manchester.
The Refuge at Kimpton Clocktower
The winter garden at The Refuge is one of the most stunning settings for afternoon tea in the city / Image: The Refuge
Taken in The Refuge’s beautiful glasshouse winter garden courtyard, the afternoon tea here comes out in two waves: First, you’re presented with savoury treats and scones before moving on to a birdcage full of sweet treats.
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Start with gorgeously soft pork and kimchi sausage rolls, oak-smoked salmon with beetroot chutney and labneh on pumpernickel, and a mild and creamy cheddar cheese custard with carrots and flatbread crisps for dipping before diving into date and sour cherry scones, clotted cream and strawberry jam.
Then, finish with sweet treats like fig Battenberg, sesame snap-topped tahini choux buns, passion fruit and white chocolate opera cake, the cutest little black forest gateaux (served in an edible chocolate cup) and delicately spiced slices of carrot cake.
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Price: £29.50 per person with a pot of tea or coffee from Mancunian suppliers. Cocktails, such as a peach bellini made with sparkling green tea and a negroni sbagliato made with sparkling rooibos, start from £9 on top.
Richmond Tea Rooms
Richmond Tea ROoms is one of the boujiest spots in Manchester for an afternoon tea / Image: Richmond Tea Rooms
One of the boujiest spots in Manchester for an afternoon tea, if you’re looking for a raucous all-out affair you can’t do better than Richmond Tea Rooms.
Before the pandemic, it moved to a brand new home opposite Sackville Gardens in the Gay Village – which is absolutely stunning. Decked out in hot pink, the mad hatter’s theme continues throughout – right down to hosting their very own bespoke Alice in Wonderland-inspired tea parties.
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Alternatively, opt for the house Hatter’s Tea – served all day, it’s perfect for those who just can’t get enough tea and cake at any hour.
Price: £30 per person for the Mad Hatter’s Tea parties, or £11.95 for the Hatter’s tea which is served all day.
Sugar Junction
For something ultra-traditional, you can’t go wrong at Sugar Junction / Image: Sugar Junction NQ
This vintage tearoom can be found in the Northern Quarter on Tib street, serving up a range of delicious cakes and teas throughout the day.
Everything comes decorated authentically in a vintage style – from the tea pots to the china.
The classic afternoon tea here features homemade cupcakes, finger sandwiches, scones with strawberry jam and cream and a selection of freshly baked cakes – plus two organic loose tea infused tea bags.
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Cocktails are available separately – and well worth it (in our opinion).
Price: £22.95 per person with cocktails available to purchase separately.
The Midland
The Midland Hotel has been serving afternoon tea in Manchester for over 100 years / Image: The Midland
The Midland Hotel has been serving afternoon tea in Manchester for over 100 years. The venue has recently reopened its original dedicated tea rooms, where you’ll find a range of delectable afternoon tea menus to suit all dietary requirements.
Whether you’re vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free, there’s all sorts to choose from – including fun sandwiches choices like coronation tempeh, heritage carrot tartar and roasted pepper, rocket and feta.
Cakes, meanwhile, include favourites like lemon drizzle, chocolate and apple macaroons, olive oil and pistachio polenta cake and apple and caramel ‘crumble’. In such gorgeous settings, you can’t go wrong.
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Price: £28.00 per person for the traditional, vegetarian and vegan afternoon teas, all of which include a choice of premium loose leaf tea. Gluten-free and royal options start at £38 each.
King Street Townhouse
At King Street Townhouse, there’s not one but two afternoon teas to choose from / Image: King Street Townhouse
At King Street Townhouse, there’s not one but two afternoon teas to choose from.
Opt for their traditional afternoon tea with all the classics – like cucumber sandwiches with the crusts cut off and apricot scones with jam and clotted cream – or go for their gentleman’s afternoon tea for a more meaty affair.
A twist on the classic, the gentleman’s tea features options like steak and ale pie, lamb kofta pittas, mini fish and chips and sea salt fries – offering something a little bit different for those who want to push the boat out.
Price: £28 per person for both, or upgrade with a seasonal cocktail or champagne for £38.
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20 Stories
Enjoy sweeping views across the city at 20 Stories / Image: 20 Stories
At this drinking and dining palace in the sky, you’ll be treated to one of the most indulgent afternoon teas in the city.
Available Monday to Thursday 2pm – 4.30pm, the new and improved afternoon tea features a tempting selection of sandwiches, classic sweet treats, homemade scones and pairing tea options – with the extra option to upgrade to a Moet Chandon afternoon tea.
Price: £20 per person for the 20 Stories Afternoon tea, or £32 for a champagne upgrade.
Grand Pacific
A stunning regal setting for afternoon tea with old-world hospitality / image: Grand Pacific
Set in the stunning surroundings of King Street’s old Reform Club, Grand Pacific’s afternoon tea menu is just as gorgeous as the venue’s stunning interiors.
Available to book between 2pm -5 pm Wednesday to Saturday and 12-3.30 pm on Sundays, teas come served on the restaurant’s signature golden pineapple stand for that extra touch of glamour.
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Tuck into a plethora of bite-sized sweet delights and sandwiches, accompanied by some aromatic beverages from faraway places.
Price: £23 per person, or upgrade with a cocktail for £29, with house champagne for £28, or Moet Chandon for £30.
The Ivy
This Spinningfields spot is a must-visit for afternoon tea / Image: The Ivy
The Ivy has two afternoon teas on offer: a cream tea and a special summer garden afternoon tea, which is currently being served in the brasserie and on the roof garden daily between 3pm and 5pm.
For the summer garden option, you’ll be treated to such delicacies as marinated cucumber and dill finger sandwich on basil bread, lemon & raspberry donuts with pink lemonade, chocolate caramel flower pots and pistachio nasturtium crème brûlée.
Yes, The Ivy has really gone all-out on the flower theme and we’re here for it.
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Price: £7.95 for the cream tea or £24.95 for the summer garden afternoon tea.
Mamucium
Located next to Manchester Victoria, Mamucium offers a bottomless option with its afternoon tea / Image: Mamucium
Located next door to Manchester Victoria station, Mamucium’s afternoon tea features such delights as grilled cajun goosnargh chicken wrap, creamy Lancashire bomb, and sweet pickle finger sandwiches and home-baked scones with clotted cream and preserves.
The big treat here, though, is that you can also upgrade your afternoon tea to make it bottomless – meaning you’ll get 90 minutes of bottomless prosecco to tuck into alongside your three-tiered feast.
Price: £14.95 per person, or £24.95 to upgrade with 90 minutes of bottomless prosecco.
Inside Manchester Town Hall as more scaffolding comes down and reopening date confirmed
Daisy Jackson
The Manchester Town Hall at long last has a path to completion, and as the scaffolding around this landmark building creeps down, the council has shared a glimpse at the work that’s happening inside.
The Grade I-listed building has been hidden behind scaffolding and white sheets for more than five years, with its once-in-a-century regeneration delayed by a number of factors.
But now, at long last, Manchester City Council has confirmed a completion date for the project, with work on the Manchester Town Hall set to complete in spring 2027.
Those of us wandering through town or attending the Manchester Christmas Markets in recent months will have noticed the scaffolding around the beautiful structure slowly unveiling its beautiful facade.
First came the clock tower, then down came the huge temporary roof (which had been keeping the building watertight while roofing works were carried out), and now there’s movement around the sides of the town hall too.
Inside, an army of skilled workers have been carefully restoring and repairing this heritage building, safeguarding it for future generations.
In images shared by the council, we can see the ornate ceilings, intricate stonework, and grand hallways of the Manchester Town Hall for the first time in years.
And addressing the ‘unique challenges’ faced during the restoration, the report has laid out a ‘more certain’ completion date of spring 2027 and a budget increase of an additional £95 million – taking the overall project budget to £524.8 million.
The Manchester Town Hall project has faced challenges since it began in 2020, including the Covid pandemic, a volatile economic climate, and construction industry rising costs.
The council’s report also said that there’s been a shortage of ‘specialist labour capacity in the supply chain, issues with the supply of materials (which under strict heritage rules need to closely match those used in the original construction) and ongoing discovery of further construction challenges, all of which unavoidably cause delays and associated costs’.
Inside the Manchester Town Hall. Credit: Supplied
On top of that, three of the contractors working on the regeneration have gone into administration in the last six months alone.
Despite that, most of the external work is now complete, with work now focussing on the interiors.
When it reopens next year, Manchester Town Hall will have a free public attraction The Town Hall Story, which will bring its fascinating history to life.
Before then, a series of hard hat tours are being planned to welcome Mancs inside the building.
Deputy Council Leader Cllr Garry Bridges said: “This project to safeguard Manchester Town Hall and create unprecedented public access is the biggest heritage project the country has seen for many years. Only the restoration of the Houses of Parliament will surpass it in scale.
“A project of this size is extraordinarily complicated and has had to navigate a stream of challenges – from a global pandemic to high inflation in the construction industry and the hidden issues within the building’s historic fabric.
Scaffolding around the Manchester Town Hall is slowly coming down. Credit: Supplied
“Like everyone, we have been frustrated by the increased time and cost involved. But if we had not acted decisively to invest in the future of this Victorian masterpiece, many parts of which were reaching the end of their natural lifespans, we would have seen it become unusable and obsolete.
“We’re glad that we’re now on a confident path to completion in spring 2027, in time for the 150th anniversary of its original opening. The results of the project will be there for people to appreciate and enjoy for the next 100 years.
“Manchester people are beginning to see the benefits of the expanded Albert Square, at the heart of the city’s best ever Christmas, and there will be many more events to come in a public square to rival the best in Europe.
“When town halls like ours were built in the 19th Century, most Mancunians were excluded from them. But we want to give the building back to the people – inviting them to a new free visitor attraction and to share in a cultural programme around its reopening.
“Now we have a date for completion we can begin to look forward with excitement.”
The Cut and Craft are hosting a bottomless Boxing Day brunch this year
Danny Jones
This holiday season, The Cut and Craft are hosting an extra lavish take on their usual bottomless brunch on Boxing Day.
Suddenly, we’re looking forward to 26 December maybe even more than our mam’s Christmas dinner…
Yes, the much-loved steak and seafood restaurant is already well-known for one of the best bottomless brunches in Manchester, not to mention evening meals, but they always elevate things even further over the festive period.
Promising top ingredients, the best booze labels you could ask for, as well as stunning service in an even more stunning room, you can’t go wrong if you’re looking to make the most of your toasts this Boxing Day – and don’t worry, vegetarians: there are some great options for you, too.
Typically held over a long weekend, The Cut and Craft bank holiday bottomless brunch will be held for the last time this year on the final Friday of 2025. You couldn’t ask for more perfect timing than that.
The group have transformed the beautiful room in the heart of the city into what they’ve dubbed “a scene straight out of Miracle on 34th Street.
Adorned with grand wreaths, the reliable warmth of twinkling fairy lights, stockings hanging in front of the fire in ‘The Gossip Room’, plus Santa guarding the wine cellar, the only thing more inviting than the space is the menu.
Besides the usual 90 minutes of non-stop Moët & Chandon champagne, as well as DJs, live entertainment and dancers, the food offerings include flat iron steak and chips served on a hot stone with a grilled tomato and signature salt.
If you prefer something to steer away from the red meat/have already had plenty over Christmas, you can go for grilled seabass with Duchess potatoes, gremolata, hazelnut and cauliflower sauce, OR opt for the halloumi fajitas packed with roasted peppers and onions, guacamole, salsa and chive sour cream.
You can even load these up even further with the addition of free-range British chicken breast, rump steak (if you change your mind on the day), and even king prawns.
We’re almost drooling just thinking about all this – as are our mates from The Hoot after confirming the same promotion is available at their equally gorgeous sites over in Leeds.
Veggie options are Cut & Craft’s ‘Redefine Flank Steak & Chips’ (tender flank-style cut of plant-based steak), or spicy cauliflower wings, served with broad beans, English garden peas, buckwheat, baby gem, baby spinach, broccoli couscous, toasted cashews, pistachio crumb, and maple-mustard dressing.
Once again, all of this can be tweaked here and there by the exceptional waiting staff; for instance, if you’d rather wine than champers, you can always swap the bubbly for Whispering Angel Rosé, which will be served straight from their limitless fountain.
Guests who fancy visiting Cut and Craft for Boxing Day 2025 can choose between a bar table with unlimited Whispering Angel drinks only from just £55, or go all out with a restaurant table and a dish from the set brunch menu starting from £75.
The full Moët fizz upgrade package will set you back £100, if you’re really looking to indulge yourself this year, and who could blame you? It’s a long, old winter, after all.
If you’re interested in securing your seat at 38-42 Mosley St, bookings are available from 1pm onwards, and you can reserve your table right HERE.
Georgina Pellant -
6th August 2021 
