Where to book afternoon tea in Brighton and Hove

Afternoon tea in Brighton comes in a few distinct flavours: the grand seafront hotel with a sea view, the Lanes hotel with a glass of fizz, the vegetarian kitchen doing something odd with halloumi, and a double-decker bus. Here is how to pick, with the practical bits first. Prices are the ones we have seen published, so check before you book.

The seafront hotels

The Grand, King's Road

The big one. The Grand Brighton, at 97 to 99 King's Road, serves its Afternoon Tea by the Sea every day from 12pm to 4pm in the Victoria Terrace and Lounge. It starts at £40 per person. The hotel says you get three tiers, a choice of tea and an extra slice of cake, with vegan and gluten-free versions available. The Celebration Afternoon Tea adds a glass of Pommery Brut Royal for £55 per person.

SquareMeal points to the brie, pear and rocket quiche, the hot leek and pork sausage rolls, finger sandwiches and Shipton Mill scones, all served with loose-leaf English tea. You can also swap the fizz for gin or English sparkling wine. The hotel says it has been voted Brighton's Best Afternoon Tea three years running, which is its own claim, but the setting does the persuading. The hotel has been part of Brighton life since 1864. See the hotel's afternoon tea page.

Metropole Bar and Terrace, King's Road

Just along the front, the Metropole Bar and Terrace at the DoubleTree by Hilton Brighton Metropole faces the West Pier. Afternoon tea runs daily, 12pm to 4pm according to Restaurants Brighton, with a seasonally changing menu. Expect finger sandwiches, plain and fruit scones, and cakes and patisserie on tiers, with a champagne option. There is also a children's afternoon tea (tell them how many children when you book). The dress code is smart casual and the venue is fully accessible. One booking site lists it from £32 per person, so confirm the price when you reserve. Hilton describes the terrace as one of the best along King's Road, and on a dry afternoon that is the seat to ask for. More on Hilton's dining page.

The Lanes and around

Hotel du Vin, Ship Street

On cobbled Ship Street, Hotel du Vin (2 Ship Street, the Lanes) is the one for fizz. SquareMeal names it Best Champagne afternoon tea. A voucher listing describes a champagne tea with smoked salmon and cream cheese, ham and mustard, cheese and pickle, egg and cress, and cucumber and mint sandwiches, plus handmade cakes and scones with jam and clotted cream. Gluten-free has been accommodated, and there is indoor and outdoor seating. The price is not one we can give you, so look at the Bistro du Vin page or ring 01273 718588.

Terre à Terre, East Street

If the idea of a plate of egg and cress leaves you cold, Terre à Terre at 71 East Street, between the Lanes and the seafront, does a vegetarian afternoon tea with a vegan version too. Restaurants Brighton and That's Up Brighton both rate it for imaginative savouries and sweets. Look out for marinated halloumi with kimchi cabbage, and the orange polenta cake with clementine sorbet and pomegranate molasses. DesignMyNight quoted from £29.95 per person, though that is not a recent figure, so check.

Hove

The Claremont, Second Avenue

For a quieter, more country house feel, The Claremont is a five-star boutique hotel on Second Avenue in Hove, in the Avenues conservation area and a short walk from the seafront. Its Traditional Vintage Afternoon Tea of finger sandwiches, mini scones with Cornish clotted cream and strawberry preserve, and traditional cakes is served 2pm to 4pm daily, listed from £26.50 per person on afternoontea.co.uk (verify when booking). Seating is in the drawing room, study or dining room, and in the garden when the weather allows.

Kemptown

Leman Tea Room

Leman Tea Room is a cosy Kemptown teahouse run by two lifelong friends, mixing Turkish hospitality with English tea tradition. Think lace tablecloths, chintzy china, floral wallpaper and bunting. SquareMeal gave it Best affordable afternoon tea, which makes it the sensible pick when the hotel prices make you wince. Check the address and prices before you head over.

On a bus

Brighton Regency Routemaster

The Brighton Regency Routemaster is afternoon tea on a restored 1965 Routemaster, with tables for two or four. The trip takes about 90 minutes and passes landmarks including the Royal Pavilion and Palace Pier. Choose classic, or Brighton Gin or Prosecco versions, and vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and pescatarian menus are available. Premium front seats cost extra. SquareMeal rates it Best special occasion and says the whole bus can be hired privately. Prices were not available to us, so ask when you book.

A tea for a group at the Royal Pavilion

The Royal Pavilion runs a Regency Afternoon Tea Party, but only for groups of at least 12, so it is not a drop-in for two. It is held in the Adelaide Suite, served by The Botanist, and the ticket includes Royal Pavilion entry for the day, an audio guide and a three-tier tea. Sittings are at 12pm, 1.30pm or 3pm, at £60 per person or £70 with a glass of Highweald English sparkling wine, according to Brighton Museums. Book at least a week ahead, as a £30 per person cancellation fee applies inside that week.

How to choose

• Sea view and a proper occasion: The Grand, King's Road.
• Terrace and an easy walk along the front: Metropole, King's Road.
• Champagne in the Lanes: Hotel du Vin, Ship Street.
• Vegetarian or vegan: Terre à Terre, East Street.
• Quieter and in Hove: The Claremont, Second Avenue.
• Easier on the wallet: Leman Tea Room, Kemptown.
• Something different: the Routemaster.

Book ahead at weekends, tell them about dietary needs when you reserve, and check prices and any seasonal menu changes on the venue's own site, as many of these figures move.