Swan London in Southwark

Absolutely amazing place that will become a regular place. Went there for drinks 🍸 on new year eve and end up having a wonderful party Brendon and his team worked hard to keep everyone happy and make a fantastic job to have one the most relaxed and welcoming nights in london Well done 👏

Peleamy, not even an expensive dinner for a family of 2 + children for PLN 160. At the very top you can drink cherbay and enjoy the beautiful views.

Really nice place, good service

We went for a snack after our tour of the Globe theatre. The Swan is very nice, we were given a table and menus immediately. There is a good ambiance in the Swan, food is very reasonably priced and service was very good. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit and we would definitely go back. Highly recommended.

We were seated next to the window and had a great river view. I chose this place because they also have a savoury afternoon tea option, aka the Gentlemen's Tea. Our table of 5 ordered 2 Afternoon Tea sets and 2 Gentlemen's Tea sets, and we were so full after. We loved 90% of the food items, and the tea was wonderful, too. Order the spiced chai - it was excellent. I would return for the customer service, which was excellent. The Indian gentleman who served us was very helpful and attentive. He engaged with us authentically and also made my kid smile with his jokes. There are a lot of cubicles for the restrooms, too. The price for this afternoon tea is affordable enough since prices can be quite high in other parts of London. We will return if we're in town again. Highly recommended.

A nice place and a good views towards St Paul. The Aternoon Tea was good but it felt like a rip off. There should have been 30 % more food to justify the price. I am a Londner and I understand that people expierience such a Afternoon Tea are furious about London!

We had a wonderful Christmas eve :) Thank you very much!

Lovely restaurant and delicious food! The waitstaff are so friendly.

A lovely dinner right next to the river, with St Paul's cathedral across. Don't forget to make a reservation and to visit Shakespeare's Globe theatre

Great efficient service. Very concerned with patron’s food restrictions. Outstanding view for high tea. Portions sized right and filling

Lovely relaxed resturant with good service. Exceptional view across the Thames. Especially liked the risotto.

Enjoyed stunning views of the Thames from their terrace. I've added it to my barguide.london site too!

I took my daughter for an early evening dinner on a festive visit to London last week. I can’t remember a better meal, in a nicer location, or more flawless service. Every dish we had was exquisite, and the service we had from Riyas was just perfect: he was warm and friendly, and nothing was too much trouble. (Give that man a Christmas bonus!) The menu offered a fantastic selection for my gluten-free, pescatarian diet, and we both appreciated the selection of alcohol free fizz, wine, mocktails and juices. The bar and restaurant were decorated with sumptuous trees and twinkling lights, and our window table had the perfect view over the river and St Paul’s Cathedral. I can’t imagine anywhere nicer to eat at Christmas. 10/10. Can’t wait to return.

The first time in London so of course I needed to do one afternoon tea experience. We came here last week. After researching multiple places, Swan london was the place I wanted to go. The best part of this place is that it accommodated my whole family's wishes. I came here with my husband and 2 kids (8 and 10). Since we booked a reservation from 12 to 2 pm, my family had the option of doing an afternoon tea or lunch menu (we told them in advance). This is the best idea ever. I have been to many afternoon tea in the US and couple in Europe and every other place I have been to, we all had to do afternoon tea which wasn't always great because kids can't normally appreciate the whole experience. Location: at the Shakespeare globe (in the same facility- upper level). This is the main reason I wanted to book an afternoon tea here. I loved the idea that it's in the same facility or area as the globe. So historical! The restaurant is at the corner and we were at the upper level. The room was so pretty, clean, and looked fancy. Loved all the Christmas decor. Service: absolutely phenomenal! Our waiter Riyas was so great!! Checked on us all the time. Got all our orders right. Made sure we were OK. My kids have nut allergy so he also made sure our kids were OK and provided us nut free macaroons. He was so attentive, informative, knowledge, friendly, and polite. Loved all his recommendations too. He was the main reason we had such a lovely experience. Although the theaters were all closed, he showed us the direction of the theaters. He was amazing in every way. Thank you Riyas!! Food: We ordered the Hansel and Gretal theme afternoon tea and 2 kids food. The food was wow! For the kids food, the price was great! The portion too was bigger than any kids food. We were impressed. For the afternoon tea set, Loved every tier! The savory food was so good that we got more. The biscuits were delicious. The dessert tier was also good. Loved the winter them decor on the food. I especially loved c the savory tier the best!. Overall, I would totally recommend this place. The price is just right and the food is amazing. The service is the best service i have ever had in any afternoon tea I have ever experienced. Thank you Riyas and team!

Location-5 Staff-5 Drinks-5 View-5 Good was quite good. But I expected more interesting combinations. A bit overpriced (my opinion)

an Amazing Afternoon tea, also not expensive

Lovely Restaurant with Friendly Service.

Historic pub. Great atmosphere and location.

This place is fantastic. We were in London from out of town and the afternoon tea service was delightful! Just be advised there are two additional service charges included. They didn't bother us but it does add a significant chunk of change if you're travelling on a strict budget.

Had team lunch there last week, great friendly service, merry Christmasy atmosphere, great view and well cooked food. Absolutely value for Money. We all had a great time there. Amazing food. Quality ingredients cooked to perfection. The menu looks simple but so excellently executed. I am definitely coming back here. It’s a nice touch that children’s game is Shakespeare themed.

We - 2 kids two teens and 4 adults- paid (a lot) for post performance pre pizza express drinks after a performance at the Globe.. We sat down at an empty table, and were having our drinks. We were suddenly instructed by an officious member of staff that the table was reserved. We said we’d be a moment but were leaving anyway, and was told by the extremely rude staff member that I had a bad attitude because I asked if we could just finish the drinks we had paid for. She continued to argue with my sister while I finished the tiny amount of my drink I had left, and told me she refused to speak to me because I had told her I would move when I finished the tiny amount of drink I had left. We took less than 2 minutes finishing our drinks. This member of staff made me feel uncomfortable, touching me on the arm, and generally being unpleasant, as if I had sat on a reserved table on purpose- I had no idea the table was reserved and we were leaving anyway. This woman soured our experience, which is a shame, as this used to be my local when I worked in the area.

We had our annual girls Christmas lunch. We were served by Henry who was delightful very attentive and helpful. He suggested a Spanish wine which was delicious. We'll come again thanks

This is place has a great setting opposite St Paul’s. The food is always great- I’ve been going for years. Tonight was spectacular as usual the food and view brilliant- however this evening a step up on the service thanks Riyas our amazing waiter and the fabulous manager- whose name I forgot to get. I’m a Londoner- if your a local or visitor go here

What's not to love. A prime view of St Paul s as the Winter sun set on the London skyline. Reasonable prices and pleasant professional staff. It was a perfect afternoon. .

A good restaurant in London, without spending a lot of money.

Saw this on Food Insider and decided to try their Afternoon Tea. Our table got the classic and the gentleman's tea. Both varieties were quite tasty and our server kept bringing us extra sandwiches! For the tea, I ordered the White Pear & Ginger. It was subtle, but good. Tip: add 1-2 small spoonfuls of sugar for a more delicious tea Overall it was a great experience and I will definitely come back here the next time I'm in London!

I hope this review brings this jewel of a place to the five stars it well deserves. I had a splendid time from the moment I walked in. A warm welcome from the hostess who walked up with me to show me to my table and placed me in the hand of my server Elina who could not have been more competent and attentive. I started with a cocktail choosing the Gosnells "hazy nectar" mead, refreshing and given its low alcoholic content of 4%, the right choice not to doze off during the performance I was going to attend next door. The light and crispy endive, apple and walnut salad was a great way to start. Followed by the Fish of the Day, a luscious filet accompanied with Coco de Paimpol and parsley ragout. Which left enough room to end with the roast fig, goat's curd dessert. Oh and while feasting on the above I had a spectacular view of St. Pauls Cathedral, that warmed my heart and appetite on a chilly winter night. Whether you are attending a show at The Globe or not, this is the place to go for a memorable dinner. And please visit the bathroom, the color combinations are the best I have ever seen in a loo, anywhere.

In the summer of 2022, my family and I enjoyed a lovely tea service; and to this day, I still dream of the delectable desserts. 😋

Enjoyed a delicious meal at this divine restaurant last night. A must if in the area. A special thank you to Henry our waiter best service by far in many years and a big thank you also to the lovely lady at reception.

Lovely atmosphere,great service👍🏻

They have a lovely tea service and the staff were extremely kind and helpful. Kiera and Riyas were so friendly and really made our experience. 10/10 time!

The classic tea service was absolutely lovely. I enjoyed the selection of teas and felt I would have liked multiple. The food was fun and Hansel and Gretal themed. In particular I felt the scones were well baked (though I will say I am more used to American scones which seem dryer). With the theming, I felt the flavors were more interesting than typical. As such, I found the desserts to be a more of an engaging experience. However, I felt the best part was the ambiance and the friendly service. Our views overlooking the Thames and the ambiance of the decorations felt very cozy and classic. Both Riyas and Kiera were incredibly kind and attentive. Riyas offered to take a photo of my friends and I, going so far as to fully squish himself into the corner to try for a better photo. I can’t say I have much experience with full British high teas, but I do feel this was an excellent experience all around and would recommend to others.

CANNOT RECOMMEND THIS PLACE ENOUGH! We booked afternoon tea at Swan and left a note saying it was our friend’s first time abroad/having afternoon tea and the staff went beyond our expectations and provided extra treats! The decor for Christmas added to the beautiful ambiance and the view of the Thames and St Paul were stunning in the afternoon light. The food and tea were delicious and the Hansel and Gretal theme was absolutely delightful. Riyas and Kiera were exceptionally kind and thoughtful throughout—couldn’t have asked for a better experience!

Excellent service, excellent food. Very friendly staff. Foods are very good

Just popped in for a drink, but we had reservations elsewhere so we didn’t sample the food. I will definitely be back! Lovely welcome, friendly staff who couldn’t do enough for us. I can’t wait to go back and sample the food. Lovely atmosphere

Incompetent bar manager. I feel sorry for the staff. Lovely piss off the boat though

Absolutely incredible afternoon tea. Best I've ever had.

Great customer service and nice chat with Bart, great spot for fish and chips.

If you want a filling afternoon tea with spectacular views for a good price, look no further than Swan London! We came just in time for their holiday themed tea packages. I had the Classic tea and my partner had the Gentleman’s tea. Both had a fabulous mix of sweet and savory. My favorites were the eggnog and nutmeg cheesecake on a speculoos biscuit, and the scones with all the fixings. The tea was also lovely - I had the Earl Grey and my partner had the Pear and Ginger. Can’t recommend Swan London enough if you’re looking for fun, British tradition to partake in. You definitely won’t leave hungry or thirsty!

We have been meaning to try this for ages and today we were finally able to treat ourselves to an early festive treat by having the Hansel & Gretel afternoon tea. It was simply perfect! The savouries, sweet treats and wonderful scones with clotted cream and jam went done amazingly well with the lovely white mulled wine tea and the obligatory glass of fizz! Scarlett, our server was fabulous, very friendly and knowledgable of everything on the plate. We couldn’t eat it all, so got a few sweet bits to take home for the kids. HIGHLY RECOMMEND this place! The atmosphere was friendly, the food was delectable and the service was 5 Star! Thank you for a wonderful afternoon!

Beautiful view of Saint Paul Cathedral but high price

Most beautiful and Romantic restaurant in London!

poor service and food. forget about reservations.. it doesnt really work with them. very disapointed

Great food. But giving it 5 stars because of vlad. Funny cool guy. Sorry David no complaints this time.

Absolutely fantastic. A great selection of sandwiches and savouries. The service was just the best and i would highly recommend a visit. I would certainly return.

Best Fish and chips in town. We had it 2 years ago, but still remember. Hope it's the same chef still. Also a great view.

Ate upstairs in the fine dining room. Fine dining at its very best.

Definitely a tourist pub. Noisy. Food good.

This is a beautiful venue with a lively atmosphere. Excellent service but because I'm old now I prefer to sit outside! Inside is too hot and lively for me. Love coming here before I go to the Globe or the Wannamaker

Everything was perfect. Henry was a very attentive host. This place was a highlight of our trip to London. Thank you!

A superb pub, with friendly staff in a great location.

We were a big party of ten and the staff worked hard to accommodate us - we asked if we were able to rearrange the tables and they delivered and ensured that we were very happy! The food was outstanding and on a very busy Saturday, the team ran a very efficient and professional service! We all left having had a wonderful lunch and the staff were very kind with high spirits! Will come back again and recommend The Swan to others!

It was alright. Wasn’t really bad or good. I suppose it’s a good place for eating afternoon tea type food. But I didn’t really feel satisfied. Plus I ordered some herbal tea and there was no way to take it out after it was done steeping, so half of the tea became so bitter it was undrinkable.

Good food, service and lovely view over the Thames

Very tasty food with top service in a very nice setting. 🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞

Touristy but that's ok, shouldn't be as unwelcoming as its not always busy, staff very sniffy not welcoming. Only call in because of location.

Fantastic brunch here—kids menu is superb and the service is phenomenal. Full English was very hearty

It was better than we imagined. Our waiter Henry was so kind and attentive. The whole experience was lovely. Very lovely food as well which was plentiful and freshly prepared to perfection. Will be back!

As just passing by looking for dinner, this turned out to be a great choice. The menu offerings really caught my eye with a range of ingredients. Downstairs is more pub style food. The restaurant has a more advanced menu. Inside was a quiet respite for a delicious dinner from started to dessert. Our waiter was attentive and friendly.

Not recommended … This is a pub that serves afternoon tea so quite a unique set up, scones were heavenly and freshly baked but overall the afternoon tea was very average, there are far better places than the Swan for afternoon tea

As first timers experiencing afternoon tea, we couldn’t have asked for a better experience than at Swan London. Scenic views, charming ambience, and our server, Vlad, made the experience perfect! Vlad was very personable and highly attentive. We would definitely recommend Swan London for afternoon tea! :)

A great pub with amazing views of the Thames. Food is nice and drinks were reasonable

Tonight we had the set menu. The food was delicious and we was lucky enough to be served by a young lady called Scarlett. She was warm and friendly whilst remaining professional. We would definitely recommend eating here.

When trying to book a Sunday lunch with friends. The booking system reverts to afternoon tea. So had to call to book lunch. On arrival the table setting had to be changed as it was set for , yes you know afternoon tea. The rest of our party arrived. Starters were beautiful. We chose from the roast menu. Two pork, one chicken, one beef. On arrival the potatoes were hard. Yorkshire huge but tepid. The gravy was very dark . Asking the waiter what gravy was this he didn't know and went to get his boss . She told us that was the only gravy which was beef and didn't offer an alternative. So pork with beef gravy and chicken with beef gravy. Disappointing. I didn't use mine. Dessert very nice . But a bill over £300 . A couple of thing to note .

Friendly service, nice atmosphere and basic but alright food.

Went for Sunday roast and it was excellent. All aspects superb. And the English rosé was probably the best English wine I’ve ever had. Excellent service from Antonio and Nohana. We will be back!!

Perfect afternoon tea!! Gentlemen’s tea yum yum

Ideally located pub, friendly and quick service. Too loud for me personally (background music) corresponding noise level. . ...ok, I'm "old" too (64)

Good place to eat and take a drink. Very bad acoustics

Beautiful location and very nice service. Food portions were very good, but yorkshire pudding was burnt, hard and tasteless (we were the last sitting of the evening, so that might have been why) and the duck dish was a bit oversalted. Staff were lovely and kind.

It was an opportunity to try an Afternoon Tea and the experience was a great success. The booking and email contact were very good. The service, care and location live up to expectations for a special moment. The portions are well calculated and there is no fear of going hungry at the end.

Very nice place to grab a drink, you can see St. Paul’s cathedral and the millennium bridge right out of the windows. Really great for tourists

An atmospheric restaurant right next to the Globe Theater. The food was well prepared and elegantly presented, but the portions were very small. Both appetizers and main courses are served at the same time - which I didn't expect from a European restaurant. For the above reasons, it resembles a tapas bar. The service is nice.

Blegh. Deeply mediocre service and mediocre over salted food. The carrot and coriander soup was inedibly salty, while the fish of the day (hake) had sauce was merely too salty but could mainly be avoided. The soup honestly tasted like something Campbells would make. Seriously, I can’t imagine why the chef thinks he needs to salt things like he’s trying to preserve meat in medieval times. The drink was also very slow, and wasn’t out in time for my appetizer. The service was also not that great, the server wasn’t that chatty or welcoming and didn’t proactively offer information about the fish of the day. As I had told the front desk staff I was going to see a show, I would have imagined a little more promptness in the service than I actually got. The bread at least, mercifully, was not overly salted. Honestly you’d be better off getting something from a local Sainsburys than eating here. It’s only not 1 star because the main course was edible and the overall food price wasn’t that high.

Lovely venue with fabulous views and food. Service always good. Thank you.

Had a lovely afternoon tea with old friends. The gentleman's tea was a but different with more savouries which we enjoyed and a very good cuppa too! Plenty of food and we were offered more which we didn't need. I would recommend the afternoon tea for sure.

Only ate at bar great atmosphere great service and food and right next to Globe

Really nice place with spectacular view

Very nice restaurant, very friendly waiter, recommend on the banks of the Thames and next to London Bridge. Thanks to YESWIN.

Brilliant atmosphere and top notch service

We only ordered two cocktails which were not very tasty, moreover the place was crowded and it was almost impossible to have a proper conversation inside, and staff was insisting too much by keep asking us if we wanted to order food as well (despite we told them no).

Only person waiting to be served female staff member failed to spot me. Had to call to her for service.

We reserved a spot for Afternoon Tea on a Sunday and it was incredible. The restaurant is bright and cozy, we sat by a window overlooking the Thames, and enjoyed a delicious selection of tea, sandwiches, scones, and picky bits. Plus, you're right next to The Globe!! Great spot to stop as you tour a bit of the area. Highly recommend.

Great menu with food vegetarian options, attentive service and lovely view over the Thames.

It was our first afternoon tea experience and we were not disappointed. The food selection was delicious and so was the vast choice of teas. We had an amazing service from Riyas and from the restaurant manager and we left full and very satisfied. The price is reasonable considering London prices and the very central location.

Such a great place to go post show at the Globe theater! I loved my beef pie and my partner really enjoyed the fish and chips!

I recently had the pleasure of experiencing afternoon tea at The Swan, London, and it was nothing short of exceptional. From the moment we arrived, the staff made my wife's birthday celebration truly special. The stunning views of the Thames and Shakespeare’s Globe added to the charm of the occasion. However, what truly made the experience unforgettable was our waitress, Scarlet. She was amazing—attentive, warm, and ensured every detail was perfect. From helping us choose from their exquisite tea selection to making sure my wife felt celebrated, Scarlet went above and beyond to make our day memorable. The food was delightful—perfectly crafted finger sandwiches, freshly baked scones, and delectable pastries that tasted as good as they looked. They even surprised my wife with a special birthday treat, making the whole afternoon feel even more personal and thoughtful. Overall, The Swan exceeded all our expectations, and I couldn't recommend it enough for anyone looking for a special afternoon in London.

Beautiful restaurant with proper high tea that feels luxurious. Our server was friendly and tried to make us feel comfortable. Beautiful view of the Thames. Though it doesn’t feel very ‘London’. But overall it was a great experience and would recommend.

Great view of the Millennium Bridge and St. Paul's Cathedral.

I was brought here for my birthday afternoon tea and had a lovely time. The room is beautiful and we luckily got a seat beside the window so had a gorgeous view of the river. The food itself was nice, not amazing but I’m not expecting that from an afternoon tea, the experience as a whole was really nice, lovely to escape busy life for a couple of hours. Go hungry, you’ll leave rolling out of there! The scones with the ham and clotted cream were a particular highlight!

Deservedly popular. Really nice food and good service. Recommended.

Absolutely wonderful. Went here after very little sleep on the flight over. Riyas was our server and was very understandable and kindly ignored our sleepiness. We got an afternoon tea and a gentleman’s tea, enjoyed everything, the scones, clotted cream, and mushy peas. The tea flavored ice cream was delightful.

Our first ever afternoon tea experience and it was a decent one 🫖 Made a reservation for 2 on a Monday at 3:30pm and came a little early but the table was ready 👍🏻 🫖 Ordered 2 classic sets, alongside an English tea and an Earl grey tea - both were decent and wasn’t dry as we feared some teas were. Food was good in general, loved that the scones were warmed up, and was great with the butter and jam. I did mark the service at 2 stars as we weren’t asked if we needed water, nor if we wanted a refill of food or tea during our 90 minutes there, while we see other tables being looked after and getting refills - totally overlooked our table for one reason or another although we did order 2 sets unlike some who had 1 set across 2 diners. Good food and ambience in general, but just note their service may waver from table to table.

Dropped by the Swan for afternoon tea and scones. The atmosphere was eclectic and cozy with great views. The scones were fresh baked and soft. The jam was fantastic even if the Devonshire cream was a bit cold (hard to spread). Would absolutely stop by again for an actual meal.

Beautiful views, exquisite food and service. Elegant but not overly stuffy.

Thanks to Bart, his knowledge and involvement it’s perfect. Thanks for beautiful experience

Had a Virgin Experience afternoon tea for two. What excellent value for money. The food was incredible, I recommend the Gentleman's Afternoon Tea, it's literally like a tasting menu, different textures, tastes and presented absolutely beautifully. The staff was wonderful, pleasant, friendly and everything is immaculately clean. The views over the Thames are brilliant, I very much recommend this experience and will definitely do this again. A fantastic afternoon, comfortable, great atmosphere, welcoming. ☺️

It was a very lovely meal in a great location.

Had afternoon tea here. Was as good as Fortnum & Mason, though maybe less elegant. View of River Thames was good.

I had the afternoon tea yesterday on Tuesday, just shortly after noon. I was told the only room available was at the bar. The bar is an awkward spot to have tea. I was directly across from a kitchen staff rattling and banging dishes. Other staff were doing meal prep. It felt more like sitting in a kitchen pass than the bar. I looked around the room while I was there. There were at least five empty tables during my visit. When I left, there was still at least one empty table, so I don't understand why I had to sit at the bar. The food is certainly nothing special. The plain scone was absolutely tough and dry. The clotted cream was disgusting, as about half of it was the crust. This resulted in a gross, large amount of lumpy cream. The red choux pastry tasted so off, that I didn't finish it. The five desserts were so small and unforgettable. I would have preferred to have fewer desserts of better quality that were slightly larger in size. Also, all desserts were stuck to the plate using a sugar paste, so that they stay put. This was completely unnecessary. It made a mess and the desserts were difficult to remove. The service was lacking. No one asked me if I wanted my tea refreshed until I was nearly done. As a result, I couldn't drink much tea, as it had gotten too cold and strong. Honestly, I cannot recommend this place, especially if they will discriminate against single people. There are much better places to have afternoon tea. This is not worth the time or money.