Mad Hatter's Tea at Sanderson in City of London, Westminster

Such a lovely experience, can ask for halal version! Scones came warm, just delicious. My daughter & I loved it & the attention to detail was just amazing. Highly recommend!

Our kids loved this experience! A kid-friendly and fun/festive tea with the Alice and Wonderland theme and having each food and drink perfectly designed to match the theme was the perfect way to introduce our 10 and 8 year old boys to a London afternoon tea. The design of the food was incredibly impressive - huge compliments to the chef/bakery team.

It was a lovely afternoon tea today! Service was great and all of us enjoyed it very much!

Ambience was poor, nothing Alice in wonderland about it. Food was average. Wouldn’t recommend.

Nice place for Business Lunch. We were a team of four. The food was excellent and the service very efficient. Good value for money although a hotel restaurant. Will definitley return.

Nice experience overall but very mean with the clotted cream and scones. I was surprised given the price paid.

Beautiful Afternoon Tea, not only in characterisation but in flavour! Highly recommend!

Wasn’t wowed by the food or the place. A lot of the deserts were so sickly. The tea selection was good, and they were very tasty.

Overall great experience, there is a service charge of about 12% that, at least myself, did not know, the service was great as well as the food, you can refill some of the food and the tea as many times as you want.

Too expensive for what it is, especially for kids. The costumes were fun but the food was not great and the service was slow.. unfortunately would not come back!

My daughter (9) and I really enjoyed the Mad Hatter's Afternoon Tea. I pre requested a plainer sandwich for my daughter and she liked the food. The experience is enjoyable and nicely done and the service was good. I wish they could make it more of a spectacle by adding some fun like the white rabbit running through the restaurant or a Cheshire cat etc- I think that would add something special but overall I would recommend.

We enjoyed the Afternoon Tea very much. Everything was cute and very delicious

The service could of been better the welcome drinks were just put on the table without any explanations. The staff and decor didn't really create much of an Alice in Wonderland ambience. Even if the cutlery was had the Alice in wonderlsnd theme there could of been a bit more It was like the staff was just going through the motions. The sandwiches were very good, it would of been nice even if it is a set menu to have an option if you want more savoury or sweet cakes or less sweet cakes but more scones.

The food was so fun! Our kids really enjoyed it. We liked the food also. The environment was nice, but the bathrooms were not. The appearance and taste of the food were very good! It was cold even under the heat lamps. We were only offered more finger sandwiches after we were through our dessert round. And, it would have been nice to have more tea. For the price, it was ok. It is very expensive for the amount of food you receive. No one left hungry, but we may have left with a sugar high.

Ambiance and food was good. Service was subpar. Waitress brought tea and food, then never returned. I had to flag down another waitress to get our bill to pay. Would have given a better rating if service was better.

The Mad Hatter tea was fabulous we had a wonderful server he is relatively new employee so thoughtful and informed we loved the experience and the food was excellent the art work on the cookies was delightful..

Outstanding experience at the Sanderson hotel. Sandwiches were amazing and so were the cakes. Loved seating in the outside area under a heater and covered from the rain. Our server was so lovely didn’t catch his name but he was very attentive and explained all the different cakes / drinks etc. we were off to see an afternoon show so it was a bit rushed which was a shame as I feel you could have sat there for hours taking it all in. I’d recommend this experience to anyone!

Quite an experience. The kids loved it. Great selection of teas and cakes.

I did this 10 years ago and it was amazing, so much attention to detail, little riddles on the napkins, a „drink me“ beverage where every sip tasted different. Cakes that would play tricks on your mind. All those things made it a unique experience, unfortunately all of this is gone. The food was ok but nothing special, and not much magic left.

Magnifique expérience. Délicieuses mignardises, le serveur très attentionné et sympathique. Délicate attention à l’occasion de l’anniversaire de ma fille.

I brought my teenage niece here while visiting London and it was one of our favorite experiences of the trip. Everything was exceptional, we enjoyed the whole experience and I would highly recommend it!

Having been to this twice in the past and loved it (both times pre covid) I was excited to take my team there today. It was quite a disappointment - the food was no where near as good as it used to be (scones were good but sandwiches and cakes were a disappointment) Service was slow and not great despite the 13.5% service charge The venue looks tired and in need of a spruce/ update. Overall very expensive for a mediocre experience.

This is the third time we have been, and have loved it every time. My son has additional needs and they are patient and great with him. The food is wonderful and tasty, and is served with care and a smile, they also change the menu up, so always something delicious and different to try.Will definitely be booking again

The theme was wonderfully present in every aspect from the food to the decor to the tea selection. The Queen of Hearts tea was absolutely divine. Everything on the menu was yummy. My waiter did a great job going through everything on the tiers and made it very enjoyable. Plus it seemed like everyone around me was receiving an equally great service. Overall just a great experience.

We had a great experience! it was absolutely delicious and the service was very attentive.

We waited a long time and no waiter showed up even tho they saw us.

My daughter and I had the best time. Weloved the service, the presentation, the food , the tea, the ambience, everything!

We waited for ages and no one came to serve us. We only were shown a table and were told that someone would come to us soon. That never happened. The place didn’t seem busy at all. No one apologized for the wait. We just left.

We waited for too long and no one came to serve us.

Went with my wife had a lovely afternoon tea. Food, Tea and cakes were all delicious. The only negative is that you can’t buy the tea that they serve, as it is blended on site. Believe me I did ask.

Truly phenomenal experience- amazing food, amazing service. We will be back again!

All in all it was fine. The tea was good, the service was wonderful and the food looked very cute. The scones weren’t really my cup of tea and the sweet stuff was a little too surgery for me. The ambient was horrendous. The music was awfully loud and kinda strange, the tables were super close to each other, which felt awkward and I personally felt a little too much like people were watching constantly. Would I do it again? Probably, but not for that much money.

The service: awesome. The food: impeccable. The atmosphere: simply mad! We had such a wonderful time.

Lovely presentation but overpriced for food received

This was such a horrible overpriced experience! Finding the location was a major challenge as NO where does it state this location is inside the sanderson hotel. The food was awful and terribly overpriced. I’m still burping up the sandwiches. I literally felt as if I was living an episode of the twilight zone. The only two good things were the sweet waitress and the dishes were darling. Do not waste your time or money here.

This is the third time I have experienced the Mad Hatters tea at the Sanderson. The other two times (last one 6 years ago) were brilliant experiences. I am afraid to say I was really disappointed this time. There was only a choice of two sandwich flavours. The chicken one was tasteless and on very dry bread. Previously the cakes were really imaginatively done with little lady birds and caterpillars with detailed icing faces, plus a pot of "soil" with carrot cakes "growing " in it. This time the cakes seemed to lack this artistic flair. The "drink me" potion was very sweet and not that pleasant. The candy floss, although looking good was just another sugar overload which we couldn't manage. However the scones were delicious and were were given more jam and cream on request-so that was good. The staff were helpful. I am sorry to say this about the tea because what I had before was so different and unique and now it seems to have lost its "specialness".

Ambiance was only disturbed by rain which the hotel cannot control but they did. Great job navigating for the impacted guests.

I recently enjoyed an afternoon tea at Mad Hatters Sanderson with friends, and it was a truly a nice experience. From the moment we arrived, the welcoming atmosphere set the tone for a lovely visit. The staff were exceptional, taking the time to explain the menu and ensure that any food allergies were catered for. The Alice in Wonderland theme was delightful, and the courtyard had a nice and relaxing setting for our tea. The selection of teas was impressive, and the food was delicious, with the added bonus of being able to top up on sandwiches and tea. Although it’s on the pricier side, the value and quality make it well worth it. Overall, it was a fantastic afternoon tea with excellent service. Highly recommended!

The experience was quite disappointing. We arrived at 1:03pm. Ordered after about 10 mins and didn’t receive anything till after 13:40. I had to prompt the manager before being served sandwiches. I asked for the tea to be strong but it was weak. So not only did we wait ages for our order when it did arrive it was disappointing. There were some Alice in Wonderland themed teas and a drink which changes colour. There was no real ambience in the room. Generic music, fountain water - not refined, no Alice in wonderland theme…would not recommend.

Sanderson puts its heart into differentiating this afternoon tea by going all-in on the Alice in Wonderland theme. We arrived early and were seated anyway with no comment. The server was personable but not intrusive, and knowledgeable. Some savory flavors in the sandwiches were a little odd to my taste but that's better than boring. The optional Perrier Jouet Brut is fresh and light on the palate. Outdoor courtyard seating keeps the noise level down and there are space heaters when needed. Not the most elegant tea experience in London but surely the most fun!

Nice experience. Food was good and staff were too. Drinks were very expensive if you wanted a tipple outside of the package

Great themed high tea to help any celebration. Something a little different and special. Food was great, great Selection of tea. Beautiful surroundings and the clothes rail and egg swing was an added bonus for pictures. Staff were excellent and couldn't do enough to accommodate us. All round lovely afternoon and would highly recommend. Caroline, Daniel and Pearl ♥️

Great location. Plenty of food and the staff were very attentive without being too intrusive.

We thoroughly enjoyed the Mad Hatter’s Afternoon Tea at Sanderson. We wanted something quality but more casual and this fit the bill for us! After a tour of Buckingham Palace we took the bus to where the Sanderson is located. The staff were very very nice explaining everything to us Americans and you will definitely not go away hungry. You may want to skip breakfast the day you do this tea or you will walk away with a lovely take out box of sweets. We sat in the garden atrium and had a casual but great afternoon tea.

It was good overall. The courtyard is amazing, the Alice themed teas are a great touch but would help if they had descriptions in the menu...

A lovely afternoon tea that caters for all dietary needs. The vegetarian menu was amazing as was the non alcoholic champagne. Fantastic!

My sister and I took our four children and they really enjoyed it! It was quite lovely. The ambiance, food, and service were all quite wonderful. It was admittedly pricey but we spent hours there and the kids found it entertaining. Wonderful experience!

Really good value afternoon tea and service was excellent

Tea and food were both delicious. Staff was excellent, even catching that what was delivered to me as a Gluten Free offering actually wasn't before I could even touch anything. A little expensive, but worth it!

It was everything we could have imagined and more. The staff was so friendly and helpful. The service was outstanding. The tea and food were exquisite. The ambiance and attention to detail were divine!

Great experience and service from Lay was exceptional. Also they served the best gluten free scones that I have ever had!

Great food and lovely service . Would def go again

The service was impeccable & they catered to all my allergies, which was amazing as I got to try a lot of pastries I’d never had before

Overall, not worth the money. Decor was cute, but service was lacking. Everything seemed to take forever. Had to flag someone down for the check. Food was good. Tea was good. Just not $75 per person good. Expected superior service, just didn't get that. As our first "afternoon tea" experience, we weren't impressed.

This what absolutely not worth the money that we paid myself and three children was £180. That included one tea pot of tea two hot chocolates that came just warm I understand they have to be cool for children but even so they were practically cold. The sandwiches weren’t all that great and particularly for children the bread was just the right side of stale. In terms of staff on arrival we found what I can only presume a manger speaking to a waitress like she was thick in front of us the waitress was clearly asking for help with something and she spoke to her like she was well beneath her. The same manger woman later came into the area where we was eating and was clearly openly having a go to other staff members in front of everyone eating. She wasn’t loud but the intention was clear by her actions and demeanour. The desert options were nice the presentation of it was also nice However the staff who came to us spoke little English and so it wasn’t clear exactly what are options were In terms of ordering as we couldn’t understand clearly what they were saying. We just sent along with what she was saying which I believe was three children’s and one adult however they came on two matching stands and operated to be the same so unsure what I paid for extra with the adult one. On arrival of the afternoon tea we were told to wait and some one would explain how it worked? She also mentioned about missing something and bringing it back but never saw her again, I was thinking there was more to come so we waited ten mins however no one came so we just started eating. It certainly didn’t feel like it was worth the money paid and we all came away quite disappointed in it all

Lacks atmosphere. Not particularly good cakes or scones. Expensive for what it is and cannot be compared with other London hotel teas

We went for my mum’s birthday and thought it was excellent-we wish we could have eaten more! It was very kind to let us bring home a doggy bag and the cekiac/gluten free service was outstanding, there were no issues and everything was handled so professionally, my parents could barely taste the difference between the gf/regular afternoon tea that’s how good the gf options were! We absolutely loved it and had a great time-great service and fabulous food!

It was like a children’s playground and most disappointed with the ambience

Cute idea but overpriced especially once you have to pay 13.5% service charge on top. We felt there were too many sweet treats and not enough savoury. Also felt the the setting didn’t suit the theme.

Great! Loved the themed tea. Would definitely recommend.

I had very high hopes for this experience. Upon arrival, our waiter was rude when we asked a few nice and friendly questions. After not being helped with our questions, our waiter shushed me on multiple occasions and then wasn’t attentive and bring us our bill on a timely manner.

We stopped in as a family of four with young children to enjoy this lovely afternoon tea at the Sanderson. Everything was absolutely delightful, both visually and taste-wise. We definitely did not leave hungry! The staff was friendly and helpful, and they even made my son's birthday feel a special. :) The outdoor seating was a delight. I highly recommend this experience.

The waiting staff were friendly but their spoken English was not very good and it felt a little awkward when trying to order drinks and understand what they were saying to us. The food overall looked lovely, but certainly was not as good as it was a few years ago. I really missed the “Down the rabbit hole” cocktail! The experience some how lacked the “wow” factor. I am not sure if scones were included in the package , as it was listed on the menu, but they were not served to us.The whole experience no longer feels luxurious, but cheapened!

Overall servers was really lovely however service was really really slow. Food was okay, not my taste, I just expected better for the value. However concept is really cool and the teas were lovely. Whist I will not be attending again as I just didn’t enjoy my overall experience I would say a cool concept to try and if you’re into Alice and wonderland.

Thanks for all the team for the great moment! We enjoyed!

Fabulous themed food, dinnerware, and bubbly champagne.

Great food,staff fantastic would definitely recommend

Great for kids, taking every opportunity to show Alice in Wonderland theme. Food is not of great quality, too sweet and far too much bread and too much in general, not delicate and luxurious. Service is very animated and mainly suitable for children.

Excelente experiencia!! Muy buena atención y el té fue espectacular!

To big sizes to be able to eat them all. Everything was fine, but the feeling was a bit like sittning in a facory : you sit close to other guests who eats the same and get the same presentation. The service was good but they were very stressed out.

Treated my 14yr old daughter, mum and step-mum to the Mad Hatters Tea while visiting London from Vancouver, Canada. We loved it! The Alice and Wonderland Theme was delightful and the food was amazing.

Great experience and so much food! My daughter thought it was one if her favorite events during our London trip!

An absolutely lovely afternoon. The Mad Hatter theme is adorable. Thanks for the memories!

The presentation and food were great. Everything was cleverly done with a fantastic attention to detail!

I have booked this as a birthday treat for my wife. I have requested a courtyard seating and confirmed that over the phone however upon arriving we were sat in a small garden in fron of the hotel (about 2m from a street). We were told that this small garden is classified by them as courtyard and they will not sit is in the proper courtyard as its for bigger tables. Half of the tables were empty in there so it was dissapoing to get that treatment. the savoury part of the afternoon tea was just stale, like it would have been on a counter for a good few hours. Both my wife and my laughed that a meal deal sandwich would have been better. The scones were good although at this price point I would expect them to be warm. the sweet part was decent but nothing special. The tea itself was good. Serice was unfortunately lackluster. on more than few occasions we had to wait a noticable time to get anything refilled/ordered. the amount of cream / jam was barely enough for 2 scones and when we asked for a refil we got even less and it took way too long. I would not recomend this place at all, there are a lot of much better options for a nice afternoon team nearby.

Vegan sweets were not as tasty as we hoped. Normal ones were very hood instead.

Great food, pretty garden but service was lacking for what we paid. Definitely a premium priced experience but don’t expect the Ritz

We booked for 2 children and 2 adults. Everything including the sandwiches and cakes was explained clearly. Service was great. Everything is presented very well. Cakes, Sandwiches, scones and vol au vents were all made exceptionally well. Scones were so light and vol au vents were buttery/light/crumbly. Tea / Coofee / Juices were constantly refilled. We spent a full 2 hours here as we enjoyed our afternoon tea and ambience. Would definitely recommend.

I had previous been to the Sanderson for dinner before covid and stopped by to have a great experience. Walking through the door, it was noticeable that the management had changed. There was a lot of staff around but lack the customer service to acknowledge customers. I walked in and had to stand around waiting to be acknowledged by any staff. After being taken to a table, we ordered food and drinks. The food was ok but the experience afterwards soured the whole experience. After finishing our food, we waited close to 15 minutes for someone to clear our table. I finally got the attention of the waiting staff, asked for the plates to be cleared, and asked for water and the bill. I repeated this request three times, and the staff walked away without removing the plates. Then someone returned with the bill. I then pointed out I asked for the plates to be removed, asked for water and then the bill. Took another member of staff to action this. This honesty felt like faulty towers. Due to this experience, I asked for the service charge to be removed from the bill. First time I had ever done this. This restaurant has all the trappings to be brilliant but the staff need more training on etiquette and customer service.

Really wonderful service and so lovely to my 6yr old daughter too. Nothing was too much for the staff and they were more than happy to offer extra sandwiches or cakes. A lovely treat and special afternoon

Fabulous experience at The Sanderson. Perfect place to bring visitors.

We did not get refills of tea or sandwiches and items we requested we often had to request twice. They seemed understaffed.

Amazing afternoon tea. The food is excellent and massive ! The staff is very nice and taking a very good care. Excellent experience !! Special thank you to Mehdi and Zanzibar who made our experience unique ;-)

Our experience was quite unexpected. Prior to our booking, we had a discussion with the staff regarding our dietary requirements, and they assured us that they could accommodate them. However, on the day of our visit, the manager assured us that we could have a menu without dairy, not the vegan option, but we ended up receiving the vegan menu instead. Subsequently, the manager disappeared without taking any responsibility. The individuals in charge lack proper hospitality skills and should improve their manners and sense of accountability. If something cannot be fulfilled, it should be communicated to the customer from the outset; we are not ignorant. We believe that we should not have been charged a service fee, but we hope that the staff will use that money for training to enhance their ability to address customer complaints effectively.

I strongly discourage booking this place. The restaurant under Sushant’s management is chaotic and the standards are very low. The gentleman is very rude. I strongly discourage dining there.

I took my niece and her friends for afternoon tea. They absolutely loved it. The service was great. Staff very friendly. The only thing that was disappointing was the non alcoholic drinks - they were very expensive for what they were.

We had an amazing experience at the Mad Hatter Tea. Excellent service, great food, fabulous ambience. Would definitely recommend.

The food was good. The presentation was creative. The service was terrible. After we got our tea and food we never saw our server again and I had to track down someone to get our check. We would have gotten more tea had we been checked on

Absolutely Exquisite. Quality was just way above expectations

We Liked it! Great experience overall. Will definitely recommend!

Great tea for kids. We had a great time! The service was excellent from the waiter to the manager.

Absolutely loved the Mad Hatter's Afternoon Tea. Delicious food, lovely service and all in all a fab experience. The child's portion was perfect. Highly recommend!

In a word: GIMMICK! They have a few, very few, costumes for kids to wear. Customers get a cloying sweet beverage to mimic the “drink me” portions of the story. Tea itself is boring and typical of a lot of teas, only without the quality. If you’re going to have a Mad Hatters Tea, put servers in costumes and character. Have the greeter be the hare, complaining about latenesses, but enthusiastically thanking parties that arrive on time. . Deputize the kids to serve as assistants to the queen, or at least Alice. And for gods sake get consistency enthusiastic servers. Some were great, some were dismal.

Coûteux pout la qualité. Mon mari n’a presque rien mangé.

I came here with my friends , the food and teas were amazing and service was 5 star , we even could put on mad hatter hats and take pictures , such a fun experience, I most definitely will be back !

Definitely worth it. It was the highlight of our day.

Unfortunately, service was a bit lacking. We felt it was hard to get the attention of the staff. They did not ask if everything was ok, and if we wanted more to drink. Other than that, food was good, and the outside garden was pretty.

We had a wonderful time at the Sanderson for the Mad Hatter’s Tea. It was our first afternoon tea experience & it was delightful. The service was excellent & the food divine! The desserts were especially memorable. Some of the best food we’ve ever had. Tea was delicious and was offered ice due to the heat, which was very nice. From the themed dishwater to our lovely server, we had a wonderful time. Will definitely reserve this again when in London again.

We had a very pleasant experience at the mad hatters afternoon tea. The service was great and the food was very nice! We left happy and more than full. This was our second time here and it was not the last time!

This was more than just a meal - it was a well thought out curated experience