12 Best Afternoon Tea Spots in Cambridge

Cambridge is famed for one of the world’s leading universities, and I can’t think of many places better in Britain to tuck into a generous spread of scones, finger sandwiches, cakes and savouries.

Whether you fancy afternoon tea by the river, in a converted train carriage, or with a Winnie the Pooh theme, this city (and the villages just outside it) has you covered.

I’ve combined my own visits with recommendations from locals to bring you the best of the best afternoon teas in Cambridge.

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👀 At a glance

🗺️ Map of the best afternoon tea spots in Cambridge

Use my map below to see where all my favourite afternoon teas in Cambridge are located.

🏙️ In the city centre

These nine are all within easy walking distance of the centre, so you can pair afternoon tea with a wander round the colleges either side of it.

1. Parker’s Tavern at The University Arms Hotel

Literary types, or those with kids, need look no further. The afternoon tea here is inspired by A. A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh, with a Tigger swirl cake flavoured with chocolate and orange, and Winnie the Pooh macarons alongside the usual sandwiches and scones.

👉 Book a stay at the University Arms Hotel.

2. Six Brasserie at The Varsity Hotel & Spa

Six Brasserie sits on the sixth floor of The Varsity, giving diners sweeping views over Cambridge, one of my favourite views in the city.

The scones are often still warm from the oven, served with a rotating selection of cakes and a choice of teas from the hotel’s Master Blenders.

👉 Book a stay at The Varsity or discover more of the best spa breaks in Cambridge.

3. Clayton Hotel Cambridge

Ideally placed for ravenous arrivals, Clayton Hotel is a minute’s walk from the station. Tea is served in the colonial-style Garden Room.

The Tamburlaine Afternoon Tea (£32pp) adds finger sandwiches and seasonal cakes to scones and clotted cream, or go lighter with the Tamburlaine Cream Tea (£14.50pp).

👉 Book a stay at the Clayton Hotel.

4. Fitzbillies

If you want to go old school, Fitzbillies is a Cambridge institution, a traditional bakery and cafe on Trumpington Street dating back to 1920. The stainless steel teapots and tiled walls give it a no-nonsense charm that suits the fruit scones, mini cakes and finger sandwiches perfectly.

Bookings are taken for tables of six or more; smaller groups can walk in. You cannot leave without trying one of their iconic cinnamon buns.

👉 Fitzbillies also makes my list of best cafés in Cambridge.

5. Graduate Hotel

The Garden Room at the Graduate Hotel is hard to beat for a riverside setting, with views over the Cam through large windows and, weather permitting, seating out in the garden itself. Watching people punt past adds to the sense of place.

Prices start from £29.50pp (£39.50pp with a glass of English sparkling wine)

👉 Book a stay at The Graduate Hotel.

6. Browns Brasserie & Bar

Browns is a Cambridge institution in its own right, with a sandwich selection running from classic egg mayo to smoked salmon and cream cheese, and scones served with strawberry or blackcurrant jam. The miniature puddings are the highlight.

7. Gonville Hotel

Afternoon tea at the Gonville is now served in the light-filled Gonville Kitchen (or, for dog owners, the more relaxed Long Bar). 

British produce runs through the sandwich fillings, think Norfolk chicken and Scottish salmon, and the tea list stretches to Japanese Cherry and Gunpowder.

Booking is essential. For something extra, ask about the Bentley Afternoon Tea Experience.

👉 Book a stay at Gonville Hotel.

8. The Ivy Cambridge

The Ivy’s Art-Deco interior, all marble floors and burnt orange banquettes, makes for a smart, colourful setting. 

The three-tier stand brings freshly baked fruit scones, a black bee honey and almond macaron, and a dark chocolate and honeycomb dessert, with a glass of Nyetimber English sparkling wine to add if you fancy it.

👉 The Ivy also makes my list of best places for breakfast and brunch in Cambridge.

9. Hotel Du Vin

Hotel du Vin pairs Bird & Blend tea infusions with finger sandwiches, filled brioche and Scandi-style open salmon sandwiches. Plus there’s a wine list that’s one of the best in the city – I’ll have a Chablis, please!

Worth knowing: afternoon tea here now runs Friday to Sunday only, 12.30-2.30pm, from £29.95pp, so it’s not a weekday drop-in option.

👉 Book a stay at Hotel Du Vin.

🚗 A little further out

Worth the short trip out of the city for something the centre doesn’t quite offer.

10. The Orchard Tea Garden, Grantchester

Just two miles from the city along the river, Grantchester is practically part of the Cambridge experience, and The Orchard has barely changed in over a century

Tea is taken outdoors under the fruit trees in summer, or in the winter pavilion when it’s cold. Indulge in the house speciality, honey-soaked bread and butter, alongside the usual sandwiches, cakes and scones.

11. Carriages of Cambridge

Afternoon tea here is served aboard one of three Pullman-style railway carriages at an authentic 1920s station, complete with its own Victorian garden supplying some of the ingredients.

It’s a distinctly different setting, and one that earned it a spot on Time Magazine’s list of the world’s greatest things to do in 2026. Booking is essential.

12. Flock Cafe at Burwash Manor

Flock has more space to spread out than most city-centre spots, with a large outdoor seating area that comes into its own on a sunny day. The cakes are made fresh on site daily and have a strong local following.

🫖 Plan your Cambridge afternoon tea

Whichever you choose, book ahead where you can, several of these take reservations days in advance during busy periods, especially at weekends. Pair your tea with a walk along the Backs or a punt down the Cam, and you’ve got a classic Cambridge afternoon sorted.

Whether you stay in the city or venture out to Grantchester or Fen Drayton, each of these spots earns its place on this list rather than just filling a number.

Planning a trip to this pretty English city? Read my Cambridge travel guide or discover my pick of the best things to do in Cambridge.