Best Gluten-Free and Vegan Afternoon Tea in London

London’s afternoon tea scene has changed. It’s no longer just about scones with clotted cream and finger sandwiches served in lace doilies. These days, you can find places serving delicate gluten-free pastries, plant-based clotted cream, and cakes made without a single animal product-all while still keeping that classic British charm. If you’re gluten-free, vegan, or just curious about what’s out there, you don’t have to settle for a sad cucumber sandwich anymore.

What Makes a Good Gluten-Free and Vegan Afternoon Tea?

A great gluten-free and vegan afternoon tea isn’t just about removing ingredients. It’s about replacing them with something just as satisfying. Gluten-free flour blends like rice, almond, and buckwheat need to mimic the texture of wheat without turning gummy. Vegan butter and plant-based creams have to hold shape, spread smoothly, and taste rich-not chalky or oily. And the tea? It should be fresh, properly steeped, and served warm-not lukewarm after sitting too long.

Many places still treat gluten-free and vegan options as an afterthought. But the best spots in London treat them like the main event. They bake from scratch daily. They source organic, locally milled flours. They use coconut cream instead of dairy, aquafaba instead of egg whites, and maple syrup instead of honey. You can taste the care.

Top 5 Places for Gluten-Free and Vegan Afternoon Tea in London

1. The Orangery at The Royal Hospital Chelsea

This historic venue quietly became one of the city’s top choices for plant-based tea. Their gluten-free and vegan afternoon tea includes smoked beetroot and cashew cheese tartlets, coconut panna cotta with berry compote, and lemon and poppy seed muffins made with almond flour. Everything is labeled clearly, and staff know exactly what’s in each item. The tea selection includes organic chamomile, rooibos, and a house-blend Earl Grey with orange peel. Reservations are required, and they offer a 10% discount for booking online.

2. Violet Cakes (Soho)

Violet Cakes started as a vegan bakery and grew into a full afternoon tea experience. Their vegan afternoon tea is a three-tiered affair: bottom tier has gluten-free savories like roasted vegetable quiches (made with chickpea flour), middle tier has mini cinnamon rolls with cashew icing, and the top tier features raspberry macarons and chocolate truffles made with cacao butter. They use organic cane sugar and no artificial flavors. The tea is served in ceramic pots with a choice of 12 single-origin blends. They’ve been doing this since 2014 and still bake everything fresh every morning.

3. The Garden Tea Room (Notting Hill)

Hidden down a quiet street, this cozy spot has no menu board-just a handwritten list on chalkboard. Their gluten-free and vegan afternoon tea changes weekly based on seasonal produce. One week you might get pumpkin and sage scones with oat cream; the next, spiced pear and walnut cake with coconut yogurt. Everything is certified gluten-free by Coeliac UK. They use stone-ground spelt flour for their savory items, even though it’s not gluten-free, so they clearly label what’s safe. Their lavender honey alternative is made from fermented apple cider and tastes surprisingly close to the real thing.

4. The Ivy Asia (Covent Garden)

Don’t let the name fool you. The Ivy Asia’s vegan afternoon tea is one of the most creative in the city. It’s inspired by East Asian flavors: matcha financiers, tofu and mushroom dumplings wrapped in rice paper, and lychee and rosewater jelly cubes. The gluten-free breads are made with millet and sorghum flour. They serve their tea in glass teapots with a side of dried citrus peel for infusion. The staff will adjust sweetness levels on request, and they’ll even pack leftovers in compostable boxes if you want to take it home.

5. The Tea Room at The Lanesborough (Knightsbridge)

For those who want luxury without compromise, The Lanesborough’s vegan and gluten-free tea is worth the £75 price tag. Their pastry chef trained at Le Cordon Bleu and spent six months perfecting a gluten-free shortbread that shatters like the real thing. The vegan clotted cream is made from cultured coconut milk and has a 12-hour fermentation process. They serve it with wild strawberry jam made from organic berries and a side of candied ginger. The tea is from a single estate in Darjeeling, steeped for exactly 4 minutes. They offer a vegetarian version too, but the vegan option is the one that gets the most repeat bookings.

What to Look For When Booking

Not every place that says "vegan" or "gluten-free" actually knows how to do it right. Here’s what to check before you book:

• Separate baking area: Cross-contamination is a real issue. Ask if they bake gluten-free items in a separate kitchen or oven. Places that use the same toaster for regular and gluten-free bread are a red flag.
• Certifications: Look for Coeliac UK or Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO) logos. These mean they’ve been audited.
• Ingredient transparency: If the menu doesn’t list ingredients or the staff can’t tell you what’s in the jam, walk away.
• Booking policy: Many places require 24-48 hours’ notice for vegan or gluten-free options. Don’t assume they’ll have it ready on walk-in day.
• Price: If a place charges the same for vegan as for traditional afternoon tea, that’s a good sign. If they charge extra, ask why-sometimes it’s just cost of ingredients, but sometimes it’s a markup for being "special".

DIY: Make Your Own Gluten-Free Vegan Afternoon Tea at Home

Not everyone wants to spend £50 on tea. You can make a beautiful spread at home for under £20. Start with:

• Tea: Pick a loose-leaf black tea like Assam or Ceylon. Steep for 4 minutes in freshly boiled water.
• Savories: Make mini quiches using chickpea flour, nutritional yeast, and spinach. Bake in a muffin tin.
• Scones: Use almond flour, oat milk, and apple cider vinegar. Add a tablespoon of maple syrup for sweetness.
• Spreads: Blend soaked cashews with lemon juice and salt for a creamy "cream cheese." Use mashed raspberries and a touch of chia for jam.
• Desserts: Melt dark chocolate (check for dairy-free label) and dip strawberries. Chill until set.

Arrange everything on a wooden tray with a linen napkin and a small vase of flowers. You’ve just created a spa-worthy afternoon tea that costs less than a coffee.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Even experienced eaters make these errors:

• Assuming "plant-based" means gluten-free. Many vegan pastries use wheat flour.
• Believing "natural" or "organic" means safe. Natural flavors can still contain gluten or dairy derivatives.
• Not checking for hidden gluten in tea blends. Some flavored teas use barley malt or wheat-based flavorings.
• Ordering "vegan" without confirming the butter substitute. Some places use margarine with dairy-based emulsifiers.
• Skipping the tea. The tea matters as much as the food. A poor brew ruins the whole experience.

What’s New in 2025

This year, three new spots opened with zero compromise:

• Tea & Bloom (Shoreditch) uses fermented oat milk for their clotted cream-it has a tangy depth that mimics dairy better than any coconut version.
• The Tea Collective (Camden) partners with a gluten-free bakery in Brighton to deliver fresh pastries daily.
• Herb & Honey (Chelsea) makes their own vegan honey from apple blossom nectar and rosemary, then infuses it into their scones.

Also, London’s first gluten-free and vegan afternoon tea subscription box launched in March 2025. For £35 a month, you get a curated box of four pastries, two tea blends, and a recipe card. It ships nationwide.

Final Thoughts

You don’t have to sacrifice flavor, elegance, or tradition to eat gluten-free and vegan in London. The city’s afternoon tea scene has evolved-not because of trends, but because people demanded better. The best places now serve food that’s not just safe, but unforgettable. Whether you’re dining solo, celebrating a birthday, or treating someone special, there’s a table waiting for you with a perfect cup of tea and a slice of cake that doesn’t need an excuse to be delicious.