The Original Maids of Honour

One of my favourite places to go. Super cosy, “oldie woldie” with a log fire. It’s like you’ve stepped back in time to old England. And then there’s the amazing food. The pies and sausage rolls are my favourite. Beautiful pastry. Plus the cakes and the famous Maids of Honour tarts are super nice. English breakfast is great too. Quality ingredients. And to top it all off, the staff are always lovely and welcoming! A must visit or else you’re really missing out!

The cosiest and most authentic place if you want a true afternoon tea experience. The staff were sweet and attentive, the service was great, and the waiting time was just right. The afternoon tea was perfectly put together with a lovely balance of savoury and sweet, and a wide selection of teas. I would absolutely recommend this place – the perfect stop before or after visiting Kew Gardens. And I would also recommend picking up some treats from their bakery – a large selection and cakes you’ll definitely want to try!😋

This is more than just a cafe, not only because of its charming and cozy tea room, but also because it's the perfect place to enjoy delicious cakes, biscuits, and desserts. Wow! In one of my Instagram stories I wrote "we're not in Tesco anymore" and I stand by that. The whole experience was simply delightful. A true hidden gem in London.

Cozy setting with friendly staff and inviting patrons which made the the high tea experience very memorable. Great selection of tea and pastries! Love the soft scones, very special indeed!

I ordered a Peppa Pig cake for my daughter’s second birthday and it came out fantastic ! The sponge was delightfully soft and moist with the perfect amount of cream and jam. The icing was the perfect thickness in that I was able to eat multiple slices ! My daughter was OVER THE MOON with this cake. It was all done by hand (granted my daughter had already had her hands in the cake when this photo was taken!) Thank you Habib and the team at Maids of Honour. Brilliant customer service and pricing. I will be coming again !❤️

A tea room to die for! Stopping here is like stepping back in time with traditional menus and setting. The food and pastries were so tasty and I highly recommend indulging in one of their premium teas.

I really enjoyed the afternoon tea here. The food was delicious — fresh and beautifully presented — and the service was excellent, with staff who were attentive and friendly. My favorite was the passion fruit cheesecake, which was so refreshing, and the scones were wonderfully soft. The peach tea was also delightful and paired perfectly with the treats. What impressed me most was how stunning the restaurant is; the elegant setting made the whole afternoon tea experience truly special. I’d love to come back again!

We had high tea here on Saturday. Food is overall good. It’s just the coffee eclair is too sweet for me to finish at once. Scones are soft and fluffy. Friendly and prompt service. Cozy environment. Love the decoration in this cafe. Reservation is recommended on weekends.

(FOR SOME ODD REASON, THIS REVIEW THINKS I AM FROM AMERICA. I AM FROM LONDON, ENGLAND. ) We went to Maids of Honour as a special birthday treat for a friends 'special' birthday. Have passed it many, many times on my way to Kew, or Richmond to visit friends, and have always said we must go there one day. I am so pleased we finally did. It was busy when we went in, and for most of the time we were there, which in itself is a recommendation!! The waiting staff were very friendly and helpful. Two of my party had the traditional tea. Quiche was fine, the chicken pie was fabulous, (best i have had in a long time). the Sandwiches tasty, as were the scones, cream etc. We had already ordered a birthday cake for said friend, (60th!). The waiting staff brought it in, sang Happy Birthday to her, joined in by us, and the rest of the tea rooms. Very nice and friendly of all. We also took home some Maids of Honour tarts. (delicious). I/we will certainly be going back there again, this time will try the luncheon. Many thanks to all at The Originally Maids of Honour.

We will walk in the rain before patronizing this establishment again. Food tasted OK, service was unpleasant, prices out of order. We disembarked from the 110 bus nearby, on our way to Kew Gardens (signal works had the District line blocked at Kew Bridge so we transferred to the 110 at Hammersmith, etc, all very simple) and ducked in out of rain to have a scone and tea, happy to patronize the first business at hand where the front display of pastry items looked inviting. However, after seating us in the dining area, they demanded £22 minimum spend per person in order to sit and eat. 13 tables in the dining area, 11 of which were unoccupied, and they said that unless we partake of a full lunch service and meet the spend minimum, they would rather we leave than spend our hard-earned cash at their establishment. We were prepared to spend half the minimum spend for a scone and tea, so we got up to depart. As we buttoned up our rain jackets and prepared to step out the door into the rain, the woman called to us and said, fine, go ahead back into the dining area, sit down, and I will serve you tea and scones with clotted cream and jam. Our mood dampened, and not by the rain, we debated our alternatives and partook of scone and tea. The food tasted OK, certainly nothing to rave about. The prices are ridiculously high with additional fees for dine-in pricing. And those empty tables in the dining area? One additional table was occupied while we were there and both previously-occupied tables cleared out. We spent about £21 total for our rather ordinary snack. That's £21 that the business was eager to forgo, lest they should actually have to exert themselves. This entire scenario is fertile ground for debate, but I leave it to the reader to flesh out the economic implications of this business model. A business model which, in our extensive experience of travel throughout the UK, is in many ways representative of the UK restaurant/service industry. For example we commonly encounter restaurants in the UK where we are turned away for having no reservation while the establishment is clearly 3/4 empty and there ain't no sign of nobody comin' to occupy them seats no time soon. But hey, don't go out of your way to welcome tourists, UK, I am an experienced traveler, capable of making my own fun, accustomed to extracting value from my frequent visits while injecting minimal cash into your economy. Based on our experience of the UK hospitality industry in general, we were not overly surprised by the unwelcoming environment of Maids of Honor, and we will walk in the rain before patronizing this establishment again.

The tea and cake were nice, but the service, my god. We were the only people there - it took the manager (I'm assuming) 10 minutes to take our order, even if I said we were ready. Then we waited for 20mins for two teas and 2 slices of cake. Not only the wait was bad but the staff was genuinely borderline rude - no smiles and a fuck off attitude. The manager literally threw the cutlery on our table. For how expensive this place is, the staff could be a million times nicer. Do not recommend this place - literally they will treat you nicer in costa.

Quaint village tearoom+bakeshop near Kew Gdns. I went for lunch, and I ordered Coronation Chicken salad which came with a side of roast potatoes --- very filling. The dessert was their Maid of Honour Tart -- a puff pastry with a hint of custard (not overly impressive). Next time I'll order the Victoria Sponge; it looks like it has more substance than the tart. If you're looking for a charming place to fill up before (or after) doing the famous Gardens, this is the spot.

This business actively discourages customers from consuming their purchases in the tea room. For a start, its eat-in prices are hugely inflated over those for takeaway. We arrived at around 1:30 pm last Sunday and asked to be seated in the tea room, which was empty apart from one table. We wanted to sit by the window but were told that only three tables were available to us, all close to the door and not very appealing. We explained that we were happy to be moved should floods of booking customers suddenly descend on the place in the next ten minutes, but this cut no ice with the unfriendly waitress. And so, railing against this petty intransigence and feeling unwelcome, we left.

Such a charming tea room just a short walk from Victory gate at Kews Gardens. My party and I decided we would grab a nice cup of tea before heading back to Windsor. A quaint old feel, with delicious baked goodies and hot drinks! Well worth a visit after a long day of sightseeing!

Have always wanted to come for a set tea and finally made the trip. Nevinha found my group of 4 the perfect seat and provided a wonderful tea. We enjoyed the Champagne Tea in a beautiful setting. The whole staff was very friendly and accommodating. I enjoyed the Japanese Cherry Green Tea and all of the tea sandwiches, scones, and lovely cakes. Everything was delish especially the walnut coffee cake! We even took some maid tarts to enjoy back at our airbnb. I would highly recommend a visit and a set tea anytime you're in the area especially after or before a trip to Kew Gardens!

Good food, though we felt it was a little pricey. I loved the Folkington's lemonade and wish I could find it at home.

Everything here is top notch! All the baked goods are made fresh on site and are fabulous. Their take away items like their pasties and sausage rolls are great warm or cold. If you have time to stop in for tea or lunch. They also provide sandwiches and other baked goods for the National Archives in Kew, so you can pick up a few things there if you are on a research trip.

This is quite delightful. Came for the Scones but enjoyed everything with our tea service especially the experience itself. Neuinha made us feel at home and offered many tips and guided us on making our selections. A much better experience than the overrated Russian Tea Room in New York.

OMG... this place is wonderful!!! Located in the English town of Kew, it has been in its current location since 1868 and has been serving a tart that is the same recipe King Henry VIII enjoyed 500 years ago!! The original tart is delicious! Gives a delicious buttery aroma when being cut. I also had the salmon sandwich which was served with cream cheese and green leafy veggies. It was perfect! I then had afternoon tea accompanied with scones, English creamy butter with preserves. I thought I was in heaven. It was perfect! The service was slow and steady by the sweetest team of ladies. Perfect for a casual Saturday. If you use the "loo" you will go through the kitchen where you can see the original ovens. I am returning.

This was amazing for our group of 8 Americans who were skeptical of "this whole tea thing" Service was efficient and friendly. The quiche was tasty and the boys lived their pies. We did the Savory High Tea, well worth the splurge! It was an easy walk from KEW gardens and a great treat after our roaming.

This place was AMAZING! My son and I were visiting Kew Gardens and wanted to enjoy high tea but did not have reservations anywhere. Despite the staff being incredibly busy, they did manage to accommodate us for a delightful afternoon tea. The tea and treats were lovely and the restaurant is warm and cozy. I highly recommend this spot!!

Booked for a High Tea with Maids of Honour. High Tea could be had in London at many locations and far better than what is served here. Only we were told toward the end that they were sold out of Maids of Honour. Sorry! Confirm with them to guarantee they will have their house specialty before booking.

I came with my sister and friend for high tea, and had a lovely time. I went for the 20 pound savory high tea option and was so satisfied with the delicious array of sandwiches and savory pastries. The service was excellent, especially the Brazilian woman from São Paulo who served our table. I highly recommend this cafe, especially if you're making a trip to Richmond. We were able to walk here from the overground stop. Lastly, the decorations, music, and vibe inside were so cozy! Make a stop here for some tea and pastries :).

I'd bookmarked this place ages ago, but each time I headed to Kew Gardens (by train) I'd come across Pethers outside the station and be happy with a hot sausage roll. However, a couple of months ago, I passed on that temptation & headed to Maids of Honor. I loved their savoury afternoon tea. Very fulfilling. This weekend, we decided to eat a hot meal here and I have to admit the gravy with the roast pork was much better than I've eaten in most places in London. Their specialties are their desserts & the Maids of Honour tarts? - I simply can't recommend them enough. a recipe dating from the time of Henry VIII. They also pack picnic baskets and rent all picnic paraphernalia. I'm excited to try this option next year when the weather is suitable to carrying a basket into the park.

Very quaint and homely restaurant and pastry shop, close to Kew Gardens. Had the high tea and some pastries. The savory food was slightly stale, particularly the sandwiches - which I reckon were at least a day old. The quiche was far from memorable (although with quiche that may be asking too much). The pastries, on the other hand, are fresh and very good. There's a very wide selection of house made cakes and tarts. Tea was also good. Service was nice. I'd say go for the pastries, skip the savoury.

Fancy a tea and a cake or tart or two? Then this is the place to go if you have just spent many hours strolling kew Gardens. Of you didn't go then the tourist knows a thing or two.. The afternoon tea is great if you are feeling peckish and they range from £7-£50 with champagne of that tickles your fancy.. Our waited Victor was great, full of conversation and recommendations and really made our trip most enjoyable. Good luck on your acting career I say... Don't stop eating the cake though... Lol I say even if you don't try anything the original tarts and scones assets definitely one to try.. They aren't very big inside so be prepared to wait if its busy, shot in the main room when the fire is on and is cold outside.. Enjoy

So after a delightful ride from Harrow To Kew we reached blur destination which was Original Maids of Honour. I like the old antique Traditional Emglish feel to the place-very charming indeed. The toilets are passed the kitchen which was awkward...but hey! Due to English being the waitress second language, their was a little communication problem and I did not understand her fully, but we got their in the end. I ordered the Original Maids Afternoon Tea for £10 Pot of Tea, Plain Scone, Fruit Scone, Cream and Jam were all mini morsels of PER-FECT-ION!

When in Richmond/Kew it is a must to stop here for a takeaway of the famous Maids of Honour tarts. The eponymous tearoom in Kew Road has been selling the small sweet cheese curd pies since the 18th century. Even better if you'd prefer to stay for tea - the place is almost always packed (especially at weekends), so it would literally be your lucky day. :) The decor is indeed old fashioned, but charming - though I do wish the chairs were slightly more comfortable. The classic blue china is by Spode and you are served by uniformed staff. First time I went there I was torn between two pies and the lady behind the counter kindly treated me with two samples on a plate so I could sit down and make up my mind. :) This time I decided to go the whole hog and plumped for a proper afternoon tea. The sandwiches are small but perfectly formed, and all the classics are here: eggs, cucumber, roast beef, salmon, and cheese. The bread not being dry definitely a plus in my books. The two scones that followed were also small but perfect in texture and taste, the jam had bits of strawberries in it and real clotted cream is always a joy to behold. To finish things off you get to choose a cake or pastry and I went for the mini vanilla cake; you can really taste the vanilla while you delight on your handful of sweet, fluffy sponge. The small-ish sizes allow you to happily munch your way through the three tiers without feeling uncomfortably full. The pot of breakfast tea was lovely and the charming staff accomodating to my request of extra hot water (it seems to be a problem in some places, go figure). My friends had the chicken pie and the sunday roast, all plates licked clean. I can vouch for the pie myself: it's delicious. For "desert" (sorry, not sorry) we ordered a round of Maids of Honour + half a dozen to take away. They're that good and I will let you in a secret: they taste even better the next day. :) Go the full tourist and take a picture with the old Morris 8 parked in front, framed by pink climbing roses in the summer; instant Instagram appeal. :)

The High Tea was FANTASTIC, my husband loved his Full English. Outstanding food, exceptionally friendly staff, right next to Kew Gardens. We bought additional pastries on the way out, the fresh selection is impressive, I am eager to return and try all the different treats.

By miles the BEST scones you'll ever eat. Housed in a traditional Tudor house on busy Kew Road, you'll find friendly staff serving baked goods ranging from éclairs, strawberry tarts, quiches andhave I mentioned already?: the best scones you'll ever eat!! I went all the way to the Cotswold in search of good scones, and I personally prefer them at the Original Maid of Honour. The quaint decor might not be everyone's cup of tea but I love it.

It's a nice place to stop after your visit to the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew. They serve very substantial afternoon tea with well made teas, delicate scones and cakes and a nice selections of savory sandwiches. There's also a champagne tea which was very tempting.

Here, I had my first authentic Full English in this cozy old(e) Tutor a bunny hop away from Kew Garden! Anyone who knows me knows how much breakfast means to me. It's everything. The world. My Full English consisted of the following: 2 rashers of bacon Blood puddin' 2 eggs Baked beans Grilled tomato Sausages Toast My fellow Americans, blood pudding is not as scary as it sounds...and it does sound bloody awful, doesn't it? When I first heard of it, I pictured the English daintily spooning up liquefied blood from engraved porcelain bowls. When I was told it was "clotted" I became even more queasy. But nay and nay again, my star spangled friends. It is fried and you eat it with a fork, not a spoon. You can think of it as simply another kind of sausage with the same size, shape, and texture, with the exception that it's black and has a rich but delicate flavor (U.K. "flavour") that is hard to describe but very delish. Unlike most kinds of sausage or cured meats, it is not overly salty. The eggs I had were so fresh they glowed neon orange like tiny, protein-filled nuclear reactors. While I normally am grossed out by baked beans, these worked well with the rest of the breakfast ensemble. I never knew one could successfully grill a tomato without turning it to mush. My tomato was fresh and perfectly made. A "rasher" of bacon, by the way is a slice. And bacon, by the by, is cut differently in the U.K. It doesn't come in neat, thin, perfectly linear strips as it does here in the states. It's thick, chunky, asymmetrical, has more in common with slices of ham than the bacon we are accustomed to. With extra cooking it can be made as crispy as our Yank bacon, but often it is served lightly fried with a good deal of give and flex in the denatured protein molecules. Although I am the greatest connoisseur and expert on the Great American Breakfast who ever lived--and its most staunch defender--I firmly believe in the cultural diversity of the breakfast experience. From huevos rancheros of Mexico, to the desayunos of Honduras with sides of Gallo Pinto to the Full English, I believe that every breakfast tradition is made stronger through appreciation of all others, and by the cross-cultural fusion of all available breakfast elements. My friends, let us all be united by fat, protein, and sheaves of chlorophyll-based autotrophic carbohydrates, our stalks projecting upwards in pagan worship of the sun. I am very grateful to my lovely tour guide and to the able chefs of Maids of Honour for helping me overcome my prejudice towards blood pudding, and for facilitating my enjoyment of the Great Full English in all its glory.

This place is very popular and there was always a line of people waiting for a table. The tea and scones were delicious. We wish we had time to return. We would certainly go back if we could. We definitely recommend this place.

Very predictable and consistant. Food is great. I always recommend it to people who want a real "tea" experience. For over 20 years I have bought their chicken pie (whole), cut into slices, and freeze at home. It is superb. The ladies working slightly act as though they are doing you a favour...pity...

Maids of honour is in the middle of a busy road in Kew. The place itself looks like an old lady's cottage. When you enter, there's a counter with their daily wares and a seating area to the right. The menu itself is quite big, full of sweet and savoury options. Afternoon tea combinations as well as single options and full meals. We went for cream tea which is 2 scones and tea for £7. The scones weds, as expected, home-made and crumbly soft. Delicious. We also tried their savoury high tea and we thought their leek quiche was excellent. Their chicken pie was outstanding, never had a pie outside of my mother's which was so good. Overall, the food was excellent, but expensive, £7 for 2 tiny scones and tea and a slice of pie for £6.50?? Service is pretty poor, no personal feel, rushed and disinterested. But they are so busy, they rest on their laurels and I'm sure they don't care and I think I'll be back too.

The Original Maids of Honour is absolutely fabulous. Their afternoon tea surpassed all of my English-Afternoon-tea fantasies. And such a great value! For £12, my friends and I each got our own tea, set of sandwiches, pair of scones with jam and clotted cream, and pastry. The scones were fresh and so delicious! The decor is adorable - very cutesy without being over the top. I honestly can't recommend it enough. Afternoon tea is a mandatory English experience - if you're gonna do it, and you don't want to spring for the £30+ fancy set teas that you'll find elsewhere, go to the Maids of Honour.

They don't make 'em like this anymore! (Not since the 70's anyway) Traditional tea shop close to the main entrance of Kew Gardens. It looks like your Granny's front room (if you're British), and serves good tea and cake (go for a cream tea). It gets busy on the weekend, so be prepared to wait. Well worth a visit, as it's such a strange place to find in London. They serve meals too, but most people go for tea and cake only. My tip: don't buy the set menu as the individual items add up cheaper!

I have driven past here so many times and always said ... must go there....the day dawned and we went there. Perhaps when you really want to go somewhere you build it up in your mind so that when you do get there it can be disappointing. It was nice but I thought disappointing and a tad on the expensive side. Staff were 'nice' but we had to wait ages for service and we were only having a cup of tea and a cake. Oh well at least I have been there.

A total flashback experience. The food was good and the staff so friendly. Roast was spot on!

This is a nice old fashioned cafe that I stumbled upon when i was visiting the Kew gardens. The interior and the cafe itself looks very old fashion and the waitresses still wear a maid's costume. It feels as if you went back in time. I had tea with scones, and my friends had their famous cake which looks and taste very delicious. Their pies and pasties are also very good, due to the tried and tested recipe. prtions are actually quite tiny, so you will need to order a bit more if you are hungry. If you have guests or friends visiting from other countries, then this is a very good place to take them to, as it is very impressive. Note though: you will need a table booking in advance, because they are normally crowded especially during the weekends.

I felt obliged to stop at the 'Original Maids of Honour' as the reviews on Trip Advisor suggested the shop offered the 'best scones' I would ever eat, and it was just down the road from my partner's parents' house. The scones were good, but hardly the best I have ever eaten. I suppose I was expecting pastries that would simply melt in my mouth and send me into euphoria, but what I got was just a basic scone that frankly, did not taste all that different to Tesco's. Like some other reviewers, I was disappointed. We did not stay for tea, so perhaps the overall experience would have been better had we.

I popped in here after swiftly walking away from the £7.50 jacket potato at the kew greenhouse cafe and really glad I did. This sweet little tea room opposite Kew Gardens had always been a mystery to me. I had never visited it as I thought it would be one of those places that looked nice from the outside but was a big disappointment. Also after reading the yelp reviews I wasn't wowed by it. As I was nearby I popped in, I think me and my boyfriend were the youngest people in here, it wasn't a trendy cafe where you'd see lots of beards, asymmetric haircuts, high buns and mismatched cutlery, instead it was a warm, cosy little tea room where the staff all wore matching uniforms and you felt like your gran had scooped you up and put you there-it was lovely, warm and inviting. Firstly to get the bad points out of the way, the service was incredibly slow but I'll allow this as the place was heaving and i had such a great experience. We sat in the garden, it was so nice being surrounded by the hanging baskets and flowers, the outside is only small but a bit nicer then the inside which seemed a bit cramped and stressful. We ordered a cheese and leek quiche slice at around £3.75 each and afternoon tea for 1 at £6.95 which we shared. This came with 2 small scones and a pot of tea with extra hot water to refill, you could get about 4 cups of tea each. We had the assam tea which was lovely and I thought the scones were light and fluffy and much better then the ones I had when I visited the Ritz! The quiche was a good size and melted in my mouth, sadly it didn't come with a small salad or anything. All in all i will definitely be going back when the sun is out or I might take away some of the quiche's, pasties they had on offer and go sit on kew green

If afternoon tea is your thing then this the place for you,over the road from kew gardens its just the place for a nice cup of tea and one of their cakes.They make everything on site and their famous maids of honour cakes have over the years caused much debate over how they are made,even delia has had a go. The history goes back about 300 years i think and there is nothing they dont know about cakes! Apart for many cakes to choose from they also do lovely steak slice's and lunches,great wine list and they kid friendly. If you go with friends please book as they get so busy and after around 11 there is a queue.

Hmmm... I've been there many times, for its lovely tea set and food. However, I can't give it more stars because of the service, and it seems to get worse lately. I went there again last weekend with a few friends. It wasn't super busy that day. There was an empty table by the window, so we asked if we could sit there. The senior looking staff said to us, "You can sit there, I don't mind, but we have no time to clean up (the table was full of plates, cups and pots), we are very busy." No smile, no nothing... We couldn't believe they actually said that to customers. Anyway, we sat down and waited for quite some time, then a young lady staff spotted us and cleaned the table for us and apologised. We didn't get the name of that staff, but she was very lovely and helpful. After quite a while, we were still waiting for our food, the people who arrived and ordered after us were already eating... The restaurant provides good food, but they need a proper manager to manage the place, it's a mess. Often take at least 15-20 mins before anyone comes take orders from customers. Or the staff will say, "Give me 5 mins, I'll come back." Which you know, they never will. And very often there are a couple of staff chatting/serving one customer while leaving the whole place a chaos.

Lovely place for cream tea :) Went here with my friend and you automatically do feel like you have gone back in time. Waitresses wear old style clothing and the decor is very antique in a unique and quirky way. Nice sized scones and healthy portions of cream and jam! Definitely one to visit.

A friend introduced me to the 'Original Maids of Honour' and we had a brilliant time chatting and eating. Both of these activities I do best. It is a little on the expensive side. But fabulous never the less and definitely worth the splurge. This place is known for its High Tea or otherwise known as cream tea. It also must be on a tourist guide, because I see a lot of touristy types visiting this cafe. So it definitely attracts many people from around the world. I suppose this is because this place is the epitome of being English. You feel very sophisticated when you drink your tea - with your little finger out! Now on the food..I seriously loved jam and cream scones as a kid. This place is right up my ally... as old English food goes straight to a soft place in my heart. The quality is very good - the scones are fluffy and home made. The sandwiches are traditional, which are simply cheese or cucumber. The last course is a choice of dessert to your taste. I had the coffee bun, which was lovely. I can definitely say I will be back again!

I had a delightful blackcurrant cheesecake with Assam and Darjeeling tea. The cheesecake was delicate and sweet in a way that really hit the spot. I was also charmed by the atmosphere. What a nice place to go after visiting Kew Gardens!

This place is really famous as its been there so long, still run by the family and making Henry VIII Maids of Honour cakes. They are also quite eco-minded and are taking part in the Greener Kew campaign to ban plastic bags and they also use free range chicken in the chicken pies.

One of the best restaurants in the area. For sure it could be overcrowded sometimes but that's why I prefer going there in the morning. I enjoy having my breakfast there from time to time. They serve nice coffee that together with something to eat is just the best start of another day.

Lovely tea room that's well priced with kind staff. A great spot if you are visiting Kew Gardens. We had the high tea plus a salmon pie because it looked too good to pass up. The pie was indeed tasty and the scones were light and creamy. You get to pick the cake you want with your tea which is rather luxurious!

Lovely English tea room and pastry shop. During peak hours there is a 15£ per person charge but the choices are varied and high tea is delicious with a variety of sandwiches, scones and pastries. The list of tea varieties has something for everyone's tastes. Right across from the Kew gardens between the two main entrances.

We visited on Sunday 29 October for a cream tea, and the place was full but waiting time was short. I remember this place from childhood, when coming here after visiting Kew Gardens was a real treat. But what a disappointment! The scones were tiny, and definitely sponge-like. Not what I expect at all. The clotted cream didn't look or taste like clotted cream - it was thin and runny, and a tiny portion, like the jam. That didn't bother me, as I don't use much of either, but my friends were not impressed. However, the staff were excellent, really helpful and friendly, and the tea was plentiful. If you want a good choice of patisseries, get there early or go on a less popular day. I'm not going back though.

This is a mandatory stop whenever I'm taking people around on their first trip to London. It's a real ye olde world tea shop that dates back to the days of Henry VIIIth. The recipe of their signature pastry - the Maids of Hnoour - is apparently the one old Henerz loved so much he had it locked it away in a vault. You have to try one of them but I personally prefer the scones with jam and cream. Beware: they don't open Sundays or public holidays.

It's quite a trek outside of the City, but totally worth the time warp. This tea room is so happy and sweet, but busy with the ladies bustling around quite a bit to keep the crowds moving. Though some of the other pastries are prettier, the clotted cream and scones are the real treat. The space is tiny, so don't go on a day you're too hungry to wait. The happy cheer of this place should not be spoiled by impatience!

A really great place to go after a trip round Kew Gardens, the set tea is pretty legendary. Really quite expensive so can't go too often, although you probably wouldn't want to as it is all rather decadent. Have never had anything other than the tea, although have heard great things about the lunches and sandwiches they offer. The highlight has to be the maids of honour - not so sure what is in it (I think the recipe is secret!), but they are delicious. Have rather fantastic pictures on the walls as well of people who have eaten there, I was seated next to John and Norma Major last time. Beware going on a Monday afternoon though! They shut at 1:30 (although another very nice cafe nearby - The Greenhouse - if this catches you out. You will probably not be on yelp in that instance though, so nevermind :)). Excellent.

The maids of honour cakes are amazing. I understand that it is an old building and is supposed to be old, but it doesn't mean it should be as shabby as it is.

A beautiful authentic tea house where waitresses wear tea dresses and small aprons which really adds to the authentic feel. The scones and clotted cream are delicious as is the other home made bakes goods available with high tea all priced extremely well. Highly recommend