Bermuda Afternoon Tea
The old British tradition of having afternoon tea with cakes, pastries and cookies still prevails in Bermuda. If you visit the island and observe closely, you will see that almost all Bermudians are habitual drinkers of afternoon tea. Between 3 to 5pm, whether in work or leisure, a Bermudian would be craving for a cup of tea. There are several restaurants and cafes in Bermuda that serve afternoon tea to keep up with this long tradition. Some do it better than the others in terms of the ambience they provide, selections of tea, savories and sweets they serve and the presentation.
Traditional Afternoon Tea in Bermuda
Top Places for Afternoon Tea
Conservatory
(Category: $$$)
This is an elegant yet relaxed lounge and bar located at the great manor house and to the right of the reception of the hotel
Rosewood Bermuda in Hamilton Parish. With teak beams on the ceiling, twin fireplace and hand painted floor, comfy sofas with cushions, the lounge has a grand British vibe.
Conservatory at Rosewood
Photo: Rosewood Bermuda
The lounge extends to an atrium courtyard with retractable roof and lovely views of Castle Harbor... it's an ideal place to have tea and enjoy the views. During the day time, they serve excellent afternoon tea at Conservatory (loose tea in teapot) and you can choose from various types of tea in the menu such as des lords earl grey, chai black tea, sencha ariake green tea, jasmine green, rooibos vahines (caffeine free), mint herbal the du hammam etc.
Afternoon tea at Conservatory, Rosewood
Photo: Rosewood Bermuda
And of course the tea is accompanied with a great platter of savories and sweets. The finger sandwiches offered includes crab, house smoked salmon, cucumber, cream cheese, beetroot, tuckers farm goat cheese, roast beef and horseradish. Then there are cornets served (essentially mini ice cream cones) and the fillings include quiche lorraine, the premiers chicken salad, mango almond curry, local yellowfin tuna tartar, hummus and crudities. And there are freshly baked scones, strawberry tarts, Bermuda loquat jam, clotted cream etc.
Price: $48 per person. Gratuity extra.
Open Hours: Monday - Thursday 3pm to close; Friday - Sunday 1pm to close.
NOTE: Days and hours of operation of the resort's dining venues vary according to season.
Address: Rosewood, 60 Tucker's Point Drive, Hamilton Parish. Phone: +1 441 298-4013
Crown and Anchor
(Category: $$$$)
This is a wonderful restaurant and bar with an adjoining open terrace and located at the
Hamilton Princes and Beach Club in Hamilton City. With hardwood finishing and aristocratic decor it reflects an aura of a traditional and upscale island lounge. There is a new adjoining terrace, an open sitting area in a landscaped garden setting with lovely view of the marina.
While most guests come here for great signature cocktails and comfort food, Crown and Anchor has earned its name for superb traditional afternoon tea. And if you happen to be a cigar lover, then go out to the terrace and take a table, and enjoy your cigar while sipping the finest quality tea served here (you can buy cigars here at the bar counter).
Crown and Anchor Veranda
Photo: Fairmont
There is a range of tea selections... if you like floral flavor, try out the Royal Bermuda Rose Tea... it is layered five times with rose petals, or the Coral Lili Bermuda Tea... it's a fusion of clementine, freesia, nectar of rose and ginger. In earthy flavor you get a choice of Imperial English Breakfast Tea (with burgundy depth and malt highlights) and Somers Lili Bermuda (Warm sandlewood, vanilla, bergamot and patchouli). And there are fruity flavors too as well as ice tea with different flavors.
The assorted finger sandwiches include Crab Salad and Cucumber whole wheat bread, Tartine Sundried Tomato and Brie Baguette, Hearthstone Ham Served on rye bread with onion chutney, and Confit Rosemary Chicken. Sweet selections include Matcha Green Tea Cheesecake, Haitian Mousse Cake, Sea Salt Caramel Eclairs, Passionfruit Tartlet, Lemon and Raspberry Bars, Plain and Chocolate Scones, Bermuda loquat and raspberry jam, clotted cream etc. The savories and sweets are served in a 3-tiered exquisite silver stand.
Price: $55 per person (additional $20 with champagne). 17% gratuity extra.
Open Hours (for afternoon tea): Served daily, 3pm – 5pm (reservations required)
Address: Hamilton Princess, 76 Pitts Bay Road, Hamilton City, Bermuda.
Phone (Reservation): +1-800-441-1414; 441-298-2028
Jasmine Lounge
(Category: $$$) X Temporarily Closed
This is an excellent lounge and a cocktail bar located at
Fairmont Southampton Hotel. The ambience is inviting with impressive collection of books in the shelves... you can choose the plush sofas next to the fireplace or take a table in the outside balcony that overlooks the wonderful south shore.
The tea served is a Lot 35 Premium tea with a selection of flavors such as Imperial Breakfast, Creamy Earl Grey, 1907 Orange Pekoe (bold, bright, brisk and lively tea), Organic Jasmine Green Tea, Kyushu Japan Sencha (Japanese Green Tea), Organic Oolong Tea and more.
Balcony at Jasmine Lounge
Photo: Jasmine Lounge
In finger sandwiches the varieties include Smoked Salmon Dome, Cucumber and Boursin Parcel, Cajun Chicken in Mini Brioche, Sesame Basket, Beef Bresaola with Pimento Peppers and Chive Cream Cheese. The selection of sweets include Raspberry Profiterole, Opera, Strawberry Tart, Blueberry Scones, Coconut Pineapple (White Chocolate).
Price: $31 per person. 17% gratuity is added extra.
Open Hours (afternoon tea): Daily 3pm to 5pm. Reservations not required.
Address: Fairmont Southampton, 101 South Shore Road, Southampton, Bermuda.
Sweet P
(Category: $$)
This is a tea room in St. George that opened in Feb 2012 at the grounds of the historic Stewart Hall and has a nice garden setting. This is where the popular
Bermuda Perfumery is also located. Along with fine tea, they serve lots of innovative and yummy snacks like miniature brioches, chicken coronation sandwiches, rum babas, brioche pastry soaked in rum syrup, miniature cakes, scones, other pastries, finger sandwiches etc. All these are prepared using fresh local ingredients. The scones are served with local honey, jam and chantilly cream.
Afternoon Tea at Sweet P
Photo: Sweet P
So if you plan for a
Walking Tour of St. George in the morning, then in the afternoon you can walk down to Sweet P and have a high tea for your lunch in a lush outdoor garden setting (they can also arrange for indoor seating). You get an opportunity to scan the perfumery as well.
Price: $35 per person plus 15% gratuity (cash only)
Tea Hours: 1:00pm-4:00pm on Wednesdays and Saturdays; Reservation recommended.
Sweet P is located on Queen Street at Stewart Hall premises.
(Category: $$)
This eatery is located at
Royal Naval Dockyard with a small garden setting and you can have your tea al fresco under the garden umbrellas. The English style afternoon tea is served between 2pm to 5pm accompanied with scones, jam and jelly, sandwiches, and optionally with a glass of sparkling wine. Open daily from 9am to 5pm. 12 Dockyard Terrace (located at the entrance of Victualling Yard).
Source: Dockyard Pastry Shop
Cafe 4
(Category: $)
Located in Hamilton with indoor as well as outdoor dining option with great garden setting, they serve traditional afternoon tea along with nice Fourways gourmet pastries.
Photo: Cafe4
Open Monday to Saturday.
Address: Windsor Place, 18 Queen Street, Hamilton.
(Category: $$$)
This elegant. Boutique style hotel is packed with the old-world charm and adheres to the longstanding conservative afternoon tea tradition. Served daily in the Huckleberry Restaurant, it is complimentary for the hotel guests. You will find everything served in beautiful and classy vintage bone china from Royal Kendal, Royal Albert, Colclough, and others. Finger foods mostly include tuna, smoked salmon or cucumber with cream cheese sandwiches, other favorites such as in-house baked carrot cake, banana bread, gingerbread, scones and the very popular sugar cookies.
Photo: Huckleberry Restaurant, Rosedon
Price: $42 per person with an additional 17% gratuity
Hours (Traditional Afternoon Tea): Daily 3pm-4:30pm
Address: 61 Pitts Bay Road, Pembroke
Phone: (441) 295-1640
(Category: $$$)
This sophisticated property located on Bermuda’s South Shore, offers daily Afternoon Tea all year round. It is served at one of their restaurants, Aqua Terra on an outdoor terrace with stunning ocean views.
Hours (Afternoon Tea): 4pm-5pm
Address: 56 South Shore Road, Southampton
Phone: 800-742-2008 / 441-238-0222
(Category: $$$)
The Palm Court Restaurant at Grotto Bay Beach Resort also offers Afternoon Tea every day. Beautifully spread across acres of tropical greens, it is an all-inclusive resort in Bermuda. The restaurant exudes a nice ambience complete with tropical plants and ceiling fans. Afternoon Tea here is complimentary for in-house guests.
Hours: Daily 3.30pm — 4.30pm
Address: 11 Blue Hole Hill Hamilton, Hamilton Parish CR04, Bermuda.
Phone: 441 293 8333
Other Places Serving Afternoon Tea
1. Somer’s Café Express, located on the 2nd Floor of 59 Front Street, Hamilton.. It has both an outdoor terrace as well a small indoor seating area, offering sweeping views of the Hamilton Harbor waterfront as well as the bustling street below. The ambience is absolutely relaxed in a very informal setting. The afternoon tea service includes a pot of tea in varied flavors along with a triple tiered server consisting of various finger foods such as sandwiches, scones, pastries, sweets, jams and butter. The Afternoon Tea For Two is available from about noon until 3pm from Monday through Saturday and is priced at around $25. Phone: +1 441-747-7777
2.
Rock Island (48 Reid St. Hamilton): Although this is a coffee shop, it serves nice tea as well.
Gluten-Free Afternoon Tea:
Jasmine Lounge at Fairmont Southampton and Heritage Court at Hamilton Princess can serve gluten free afternoon tea.
Places that once served great afternoon tea
(Category: $$$)
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Heritage Court is a restaurant located inside the luxury hotel Hamilton Princess in Hamilton City. It has received recognition from the New York Times for the elegant and elaborate afternoon tea that it serves between 2:30p.m to 5p.m. You will get sandwiches, scones with Devonshire clotted cream and sweet pastries with a pot of English tea.
From the British silver tea sets and Belgian fine china to Italian fine woven linens, sofas and wing-backed chairs, the afternoon tea here spells of elegance and luxury. Remember that this is part of a luxury hotel, so prices would be high. But this in my view is the best afternoon tea in Bermuda today.
(Category: $)
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This cafe is located at the Botanical Gardens inside Masterworks Museum of Art in Paget and provides an excellent relaxed ambience amongst the nature. During the summer months, you can have your afternoon tea in the open terrace area under the Lily Pergola.
A pathway leads to a lovely rose garden. The traditional afternoon tea is served on china tea pot and cups between 2pm to 4pm (reservation required). The afternoon tea here also entitles you to reduced entry fee for the adjacent Masterworks Art Museum and Gallery.
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Located at Elbow Beach Hotel in Paget Parish, you can get a great view of the south shore from the Veranda Lounge. They serve afternoon tea from 3pm to 5pm in a typical English style. It comes on a tiered tray complete with exquisite tea sandwiches and tea cakes. Update February 2014: They no longer serve afternoon tea.
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Located in Waterloo House Hotel, this restaurant has a wonderful view of the Hamilton Harbor. They serve afternoon tea here. So you get a great view as you have your tea.
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Located below the Gibbs Hill Lighthouse in Southampton Parish, this tea room has been our all time favorite for afternoon tea. They serve full English afternoon tea complete with Devonshire cream and homemade scones. The owner Heidi Cowen does all the baking.
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If you are at the dockyard in the afternoon, you can have tea at this small and casual restaurant located at the western end of Clocktower Mall.
By Raj Bhattacharya
Raj, a seasoned travel writer and Bermuda destination expert, has extensive global travel experience. This website reflects his profound insights, garnered over nearly two decades of dedicated findings and research on the island. Raj has assisted countless Bermuda-bound visitors by providing direct, personalized responses to their queries and imparting his wealth of knowledge through this platform. This site serves as an indispensable guide for those seeking informed and reliable insights into Bermuda's treasures.
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