New York City / Afternoon Tea
Best Afternoon Tea
in NYC
Priced honestly, from a $70 French Teatime at Ladurée to $145 under the Plaza’s dome — the tea services worth booking, and exactly what each one costs.
Afternoon tea is an occasion, not a happy hour — expect $70 to $145 a person, and book ahead.
- 9 verified services
- from $70pp
- grandest: The Plaza
- priciest: Baccarat
The short version
- The grand oneThe Plaza — Palm Court tea, $120–$145pp.
- Best valueLadurée — loaded French Teatime, $70pp.
- Grand-hotel valueThe Carlyle — ~$90pp.
- Most intimateLady Mendl’s — 5-course, $117pp.
- Cheap & cozyTea & Sympathy — a proper British cream tea.
The best afternoon tea in NYC, priced honestly: The Plaza’s Palm Court is the grand one ($120–$145 a person), Baccarat is the most extravagant ($140, up to $435 with caviar), and The Carlyle is the best-value grand-hotel tea (~$90). For less, Ladurée’s SoHo Teatime is a loaded $70, Lady Mendl’s is a five-course Victorian sit-down ($117), and Tea & Sympathy is a cozy, cheap British cream tea. Afternoon tea is an occasion, not a happy hour — expect to book ahead and dress the part. Below, grouped by grand hotels, classic salons, and casual picks.
At a glance
Grand hotels up top, then salons, then the casual picks. Every price is per person. Tap a number on the map to place it.
| Bar | The deal | Days | Window | $ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Plaza (Palm Court) | Palm Court tea | Daily | $120–$145pp | $$$ |
| Baccarat Hotel (Grand Salon) | Grand Salon tea | Daily | $140pp+ | $$$ |
| The Carlyle (The Gallery) | The Gallery tea | Daily | ~$90pp | $$$ |
| Russian Tea Room | Tea + Champagne | Daily | $145pp | $$$ |
| The Whitby Hotel | Afternoon tea | Daily | $95pp | $$$ |
| Lady Mendl’s | 5-course sit-down tea | Wed–Sun | $117pp | $$$ |
| Ladurée SoHo | French Teatime | Daily | $70pp | $$$ |
| Tea & Sympathy | British cream tea | Daily | Budget | $$$ |
| Alice’s Tea Cup | Whimsical tiered tea | Daily | ~$45pp | $$$ |
Map: where these 9 spots are
Most cluster in Midtown and on the Upper East Side, with Ladurée down in SoHo and Lady Mendl’s in Gramercy.
Pins are numbered to match the table above – tap any pin for the deal and directions.
Grand hotel teas
The full white-glove occasion, $90 to $145 a person. For a matcha alternative, see our best matcha in NYC guide.
The Plaza (Palm Court)
The verdict: the quintessential grand New York tea, under the Palm Court’s stained-glass dome. The Plaza runs three tiers — Central Park, Plaza Signature and the caviar-topped Grand Imperial — from about $120 to $145 a person, with Champagne extra. The why: it is the room everyone pictures when they think afternoon tea in New York. The local move: the mid Signature tier is the sweet spot; book well ahead and dress up. Honest caveat: this is a $120-plus, reservations-essential occasion, not a casual drop-in — you’re paying for the Plaza as much as the tea.
theplazany.com · See our Midtown happy hours
Baccarat Hotel (Grand Salon)
The most extravagant tea in the city, in a crystal-draped Midtown salon. The signature Prince of Wales service is $140 a person; tiers climb to a $435 caviar-and-Champagne experience. The why: the room, the crystal, and a genuinely excellent three-tier spread of savories, scones and pastries, unhurried over about two hours. The local move: the $140 Prince of Wales is the one to book; save the caviar tiers for a real occasion. Honest caveat: this is top-of-market pricing with a $140 minimum per person, and reservations open 30 days out and go fast.
baccarathotels.com · See our best matcha in NYC
The Carlyle (The Gallery)
The best-value grand-hotel tea in the city, and an Upper East Side classic. The Carlyle serves afternoon tea in The Gallery for about $90 a person, with Champagne an extra $25 or so. The why: full white-glove hotel tea for meaningfully less than the Plaza or Baccarat. The local move: skip the Champagne add-on and put the savings toward a nightcap at Bemelmans Bar next door. Honest caveat: it is still a $90 occasion with a dress-code sensibility, and reservations are strongly recommended.
Russian Tea Room
A theatrical, over-the-top tea beside Carnegie Hall, red-and-gold and unmistakably itself. The afternoon tea is $145 a person and includes a glass of Champagne or prosecco; the Royal version at $160 adds four caviars on blini. The why: the setting is a New York institution, and the service leans full-spectacle. The local move: the standard $145 already includes bubbles, so only step up to the Royal if you actually want the caviar. Honest caveat: it is pricey and unabashedly touristy, but that maximalist room is the entire point.
russiantearoomnyc.com · See our Midtown happy hours
Classic salons
Design-forward and intimate rooms, $70 to $117. More sweets in our best pastries guide.
The Whitby Hotel
The design-lover’s tea, in Kit Kemp’s riotously colorful Midtown hotel. The Whitby’s afternoon tea is $95 a person — warm scones with clotted cream, savories and pastries — with a caviar-topped Royal Tea for Two available at $155 a person. The why: the room and the plating are as much the draw as the food, and there are strong vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free versions. The local move: the standard $95 tea is plenty; go for the pattern-on-pattern Orangery seating. Honest caveat: it is a $95 hotel tea with weekday and weekend service windows, so book the time you want ahead.
firmdalehotels.com · See our best matcha in NYC
Lady Mendl’s
The most intimate tea in the city, in a Gramercy townhouse that feels frozen in the Victorian era. Lady Mendl’s is a five-course, sit-down prix fixe at $117 a person, served in a parlor with mismatched antique china. The why: it is a slow, multi-course ritual, not a tiered stand — closer to a small dinner than a snack. The local move: reserve well ahead; the whole table takes the prix fixe together. Honest caveat: at $117 for a required five-course prix fixe, it is a commitment of both money and about two hours — that’s the experience you’re booking.
ladymendlsteasalon.com · See our Gramercy happy hours
Ladurée SoHo
The best-value proper tea in the city, and the prettiest garden to take it in. Ladurée’s SoHo Teatime is $70 a person and loaded: two finger sandwiches, two scones, four savory tartlets, a pastry, two macarons, cookies, a drink, a mocktail, and a box of three macarons to take home. The why: it is French-pastry pedigree at nearly half the hotel prices, in a Rococo tearoom with a cherry-blossom garden out back. The local move: book the 4-to-6pm daily service and ask for a garden table in spring. Honest caveat: it is macaron-and-pastry-forward rather than a classic three-tier hotel tea — which, at $70, is the point.
laduree.com · See our SoHo happy hours
Casual & affordable
The unfussy, wallet-friendly picks. See also our best cakes in NYC guide.
Tea & Sympathy
The cheap, cozy, genuinely British option, and the antidote to hotel-tea prices. This tiny West Village room does a proper cream tea — scones, clotted cream, jam, finger sandwiches, a strong pot — with mismatched furniture and British memorabilia on every wall. The why: it is real, unfussy, and a fraction of what the grand hotels charge. The local move: book ahead — it seats maybe a dozen — and don’t skip the Victoria sponge. Honest caveat: it is small, snug and often full, and it is homey rather than fancy, so confirm the current tea price when you reserve.
Alice’s Tea Cup
The whimsical, no-dress-code tea, and the easy one to bring kids or a group to. Alice’s serves tiered stands of scones, finger sandwiches and desserts in an Alice-in-Wonderland setting; the Nibble for one runs around $45 and the Mad Hatter for two around $85. The why: it is playful and unpretentious, and the scones are genuinely good (get a box to go). The local move: the two-person Mad Hatter is the value order; weekends are busy, so reserve. Honest caveat: it is charming-chaotic rather than refined, so come for the fun, not white-glove polish, and confirm current pricing when you book.
alicesteacup.com · See our Upper East Side happy hours
Best afternoon tea in NYC: FAQ
What’s the best afternoon tea in NYC?
For the grand occasion, The Plaza’s Palm Court ($120–$145 per person). For the best value, Ladurée’s SoHo Teatime at $70. The Carlyle is the best-value grand-hotel tea at about $90.
How much does afternoon tea cost in NYC?
Roughly $70 to $145 a person. Ladurée ($70) and The Carlyle (~$90) sit at the low end; The Plaza, Baccarat ($140) and the Russian Tea Room ($145) are the priciest, with caviar tiers climbing past $400.
What’s the cheapest good afternoon tea in NYC?
Tea & Sympathy in the West Village does a cozy British cream tea for well below hotel prices, and Ladurée’s $70 SoHo Teatime is the best value among the polished options.
Do I need a reservation for afternoon tea?
Yes, almost always. The Plaza, Baccarat, Lady Mendl’s and the Carlyle all require booking ahead — Baccarat opens reservations 30 days out — and dress codes lean smart-casual to formal.
What’s the difference between afternoon tea and high tea?
Afternoon tea is the light mid-afternoon service of sandwiches, scones and pastries these spots serve. High tea historically meant a heartier early-evening meal, though the terms are often used interchangeably in the US.
Last updated: July 2026. Deals and hours change – confirm with the venue before you go. Spot something out of date? Let us know.
