8 Top Teas for Afternoon Tea

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Whether you're hosting or simply attending, this list of top teas will help in selecting a delicious tea for afternoon tea.

Choosing the right cup of tea and pairing it with traditional teatime foods will lead to a beautiful and delicious afternoon with friends.

Vintage Teapot and Teacup for Top Tea for Afternoon Tea

Hosting your own tea is easier than you might think. With a few simple recipes, delicious tea, and the gathering of special friends, it will be an occasion to remember. This list of top 8 teas to serve is well suited to afternoon tea fare.

Top Afternoon Teas

If you've questioned what kind of tea is used in afternoon tea or which tea is best in the afternoon, the following 8 ideas will help you select the best tea for the occasion, along with foods that it pairs well with.

Porcelain teacup with black tea being poured

1. Earl Grey

Earl Grey is the world's most popular black tea. It has a citrusy flavor that comes from the oil of bergamot. With its natural sweetness, Earl Grey pairs well with sweets and scones.

How to Brew Earl Grey Tea

A green tin labeled "Fortnum & Mason Classic World Teas Assam Superb," containing 125g (4.4 oz) of tea—perfect as a tea for afternoon tea.

2. Assam

Often mentioned as Queen Elizabeth's favorite tea, Assam tea is grown in Assam, India. It's a robust tea that pairs well with milk and sugar. Because of its somewhat tannic flavor, it is ideal with afternoon tea savory foods, finger sandwiches, quiche, as well as teatime sweets.

A cup of brewed tea, perfect for afternoon tea, is placed above a pile of loose black tea leaves on a white background.

3. Darjeeling

Darjeelings are teas from Darjeeling, India. They are a classic for afternoon tea foods. The Darjeeling First Flush, which comes in spring, has a floral flavor, while summer's Second Flush is distinctive fruity. Both are delicious with savory tea foods. The Second Flush is especially nice with sweets like French pastries, chocolate, and fruit-based desserts.

Green tea plants grow on a sloping hillside among tall trees under a clear sky, with a small structure visible in the distance—perfect for harvesting tea for afternoon tea.

4. Ceylon

Sri Lanka is one of the most famous countries to produce tea. Ceylon teas include white, green, oolong and black varieties. And are always popular for tea. Favorites include: Orange Pekoe, Nuwara Eliya, Uva, and Dimbulla.

A porcelain teacup filled with tea for afternoon tea sits on a matching saucer, with a daisy flower floating in the tea and more daisies scattered across a rustic wooden surface.

5. Chamomile

Chamomile Tea is an herbal tea with a floral flavor. It pairs especially well with scones and tea sweets.

A floral teacup filled with herbal tea for afternoon tea, garnished with fresh mint leaves, sits on a decorative saucer with a sprig of mint beside it on a bamboo mat.

6. Mint

Mint Tea is also an herbal tea and is a superb choice for tea. This tea pairs well with tea sandwiches, fruity sweets, chocolate, and vanilla or plain sweets, like pound cake or shortbread.

A cup of brewed tea for afternoon tea sits above a pile of loose black tea leaves on a white background.

7. Lapsang Souchong

Lapsang Souchong is a popular black tea with a strong, smoky flavor. Its aroma is a "heady mixture of pine and hardwood smoke, fruit, and spice." Which makes it ideally pair with strongly flavored foods like sweets, smoked salmon, and quiches.

A closed black book rests on an old blue book beside a cup of tea for afternoon tea, a saucer, a spoon, and a bundle of dried lavender on a wooden surface.

8. Lavender Tea

Lavender is a flavoring often added to teatime in scones, Lavender Tea Bread, and other baked sweets. It pairs beautifully with Devon cream, petits fours, and shortbread cookies. Popular blends of this herbal tea include Lavender Earl Grey and variations that include chamomile and mint or peppermint.

More Tea Resources

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