A good afternoon tea is one of Portsmouth’s quieter pleasures, and the city serves it in every register, from Edwardian hotel grandeur to a cosy seafront cafe. These are the six spots worth booking a table for, ranked.
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We have ranked our favourites, with what each one does well and where it falls short. Prices move around, so we have kept them general, and we would always book ahead for a weekend.
1. The Queens Hotel
If you want the full, old-fashioned ceremony, the Queens Hotel is hard to beat. This Grade II-listed Edwardian landmark on the edge of Southsea Common serves afternoon tea daily in grand surroundings, with sandwiches, warm scones, rarebit tarts and a run of desserts from the pastry team. Add a glass of Laurent-Perrier, and you can even arrive by hovercraft if you are coming from the island.
What’s great
- a grand, Grade II-listed Edwardian setting;
- served every day, not just at weekends;
- a proper spread from savouries to pastry-team desserts;
- a Champagne upgrade for a special occasion;
- a short walk from Southsea Common and the seafront.
What to know
- the priciest tea on the list;
- it books up fast for special occasions;
- the formality is not for everyone.
Our top pick for a classic, dress-up afternoon tea.
2. Spinnaker Tower
Nobody else on this list serves afternoon tea 105 metres above the harbour. Up in the Spinnaker Tower, the Clouds Cafe pairs sandwiches, quiches, lemon tarts, cupcakes and macarons with a view that stretches across the Solent, and you can add a glass of fizz. The tea is good; the setting is unforgettable.
What’s great
- a view from 105 metres up that nothing else can match;
- a full sweet and savoury spread;
- a glass of fizz to add;
- right at Gunwharf Quays for shopping afterwards.
What to know
- you are paying partly for the view;
- busy on clear-sky days;
- a tower visit on top of the tea adds up.
The one for a birthday or a visitor you want to impress.
3. The Chambers
The Chambers does something different, styling itself on an old gentlemen’s club with antique furniture, taxidermy on the walls and a long Champagne list. The tea keeps to the classics, with sandwiches, petit fours and homemade scones with cream and jam, all in a room that feels a world away from the high street.
What’s great
- a genuinely characterful, club-style room;
- homemade scones with cream and jam;
- a serious Champagne list;
- a distinctive alternative to a hotel tea.
What to know
- the quirky styling will not suit everyone;
- a smaller, more intimate space;
- limited seating at busy times.
The choice for character and a glass of something special.
4. The Tenth Hole
For afternoon tea without the hotel prices, the Tenth Hole is a local favourite. This cosy cafe sits beside a nine-hole seafront golf course on Eastern Parade, and its tea comes with mini scones, a mix of sweet and savoury bites and good Teapigs tea, all at a gentle price. It is the sort of unpretentious spot regulars quietly guard.
What’s great
- excellent value for a proper afternoon tea;
- a relaxed seafront setting on Eastern Parade;
- mini scones and good Teapigs tea;
- friendly and unfussy.
What to know
- simpler surroundings than a hotel;
- it is small and popular, so book ahead;
- limited parking nearby.
The best value tea in the city, and all the better for it.
5. The Parade Tea Rooms
Overlooking Southsea Common, the Parade Tea Rooms is a proper independent cafe that does a tidy, traditional tea. The tiered stand brings fruit scones, a choice of two sandwiches, the cake of the day and a pot of Whittard’s tea, with the green and the seafront just outside the window.
What’s great
- a lovely spot overlooking Southsea Common;
- a traditional tiered-stand tea;
- a choice of sandwiches and the cake of the day;
- good Whittard’s teas.
What to know
- a smaller independent, so weekends get busy;
- a simpler offering than the hotels;
- the menu rarely changes.
A dependable, traditional tea with a green-and-sea view.
6. Marjorie’s Tearooms and Bistro
Up in Cosham, Marjorie’s leans into the fun side of afternoon tea, with a pastel, floral room and a stand that mixes sandwiches, scones and petit fours with macarons and fruit and marshmallow kebabs. It is a cheerful, family-friendly choice away from the Southsea crowds.
What’s great
- a cheerful, pretty, family-friendly room;
- playful extras such as marshmallow kebabs;
- macarons and petit fours alongside the classics;
- handy for the north of the city.
What to know
- it is in Cosham, away from the seafront;
- the cute styling will not suit everyone;
- you pick one sandwich unless you pay to add more.
The fun, family-friendly option north of the city.
The scores, side by side (out of 10)
The full ranking in numbers
| Position | Name | Score (out of 10) | % (out of 100) |
| 1 | The Queens Hotel | 9.0 | 90% |
| 2 | Spinnaker Tower | 8.4 | 84% |
| 3 | The Chambers | 8.0 | 80% |
| 4 | The Tenth Hole | 7.4 | 74% |
| 5 | The Parade Tea Rooms | 6.9 | 69% |
| 6 | Marjorie’s | 6.5 | 65% |
What the ranking tells us
Southsea is again the centre of gravity, with the Queens Hotel, the Chambers, the Tenth Hole and the Parade Tea Rooms all within easy reach of the Common and seafront. Spinnaker trades on its view, while Marjorie’s offers a cheerful alternative up in Cosham.
How we scored them
We weighed the quality and spread of the food first, then the setting, the value and the overall experience. We leaned on our own visits and local favourites rather than one listings site, and we kept prices general because they change, so check the latest and book ahead.
Whether you want white-glove ceremony at the Queens, a view from the top of the Spinnaker or a quiet, well-priced pot at the Tenth Hole, Portsmouth has an afternoon tea to suit the occasion. Book ahead for the weekend, and come hungry.
