Eight places for afternoon tea in Chester with prices, hours and booking rules, from Oddfellows in the city to Rowton Hall at £23. Checked October 2026.
For afternoon tea in Chester, most people now land on Oddfellows on Lower Bridge Street, with its Alice in Wonderland parlour; ABode on Grosvenor Road, which serves it on the fifth floor every day; and the country hotels just outside the city, Rowton Hall (the cheapest here at £23) and Grosvenor Pulford.
The name missing from that list is the Chester Grosvenor, which first served afternoon tea in 1882 and was for years the answer to this question. The hotel closed on 30 September 2026. Bespoke Hotels stopped running it after RAAC concrete was found in the building, and Grosvenor says Martin Property Group will lead a refurbishment expected to take around two years once work starts. The hotel’s website still lists afternoon tea prices; do not book from it.
Most of these venues switch to a Christmas menu in late November, so check before you book.
In the city
Oddfellows, Lower Bridge Street
Oddfellows is a boutique hotel in Oddfellows Hall on Lower Bridge Street, and its afternoon tea is served in Alice’s Parlour, a room themed on Alice in Wonderland. The Wonderland Afternoon Tea is finger sandwiches, warm scones with jam and clotted cream, Wonderland-themed cakes and what the hotel calls “theatrical ‘Eat Me’ and ‘Drink Me’ surprises”, at £35 an adult and £15 a child. A glass of bubbly adds £8, or bottomless drinks £30. Until Sunday 1 November the menu is a Halloween version at the same price, and the Dickensian Festive Afternoon Tea follows at £39 an adult and £19.50 a child. Tea is served Wednesday to Sunday, 12pm to 5pm. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free versions must be asked for when you book. Call 01244 345454. Hygiene rating 5 (FSA, 5 February 2026). 20 Lower Bridge Street, CH1 1RS. Our listing.
ABode Chester, Grosvenor Road
ABode is the hotel on Grosvenor Road beside the racecourse, and afternoon tea is served in Brasserie Abode on the fifth floor, which the hotel says looks out “over the Welsh hills and beyond”. The Full Afternoon Tea is £26 a head: finger sandwiches, cakes and scones with Newby teas or a pot of coffee. The Champagne Afternoon Tea, with a glass of Laurent-Perrier La Cuvée, is £38.50. It is served Monday to Sunday, 12pm to 5pm, and the hotel says the menu is a sample that changes with the seasons. There is a separate children’s afternoon tea menu. Book through the hotel’s website. Hygiene rating 5 (FSA, 28 April 2026). Grosvenor Road, CH1 2DJ.
The Reserve at Chester Zoo, Upton
The Reserve is Chester Zoo’s lodge hotel, and its Tsavo Lounge serves afternoon tea to residents and non-residents, Wednesday to Saturday, 12pm to 4pm. The zoo describes “handcrafted savouries, freshly baked scones, and exquisite patisserie”, served with tea or coffee. Its two pages disagree on price. The dining page lists the Savannah Afternoon Tea at £34, with Sparkling and Cocktail versions at £40. The what’s on page gives £30, £36 and £38. Confirm the price when you book. The Reserve’s voucher terms say non-residents cannot reach it through the zoo itself, and ask diners to park in the main zoo car park at the end nearest the Reserve. Hygiene rating 5 (FSA, 2 September 2026). Moston Road, Upton, CH2 1GA.
Country hotels near Chester
Rowton Hall, Rowton
Rowton Hall is a hotel and spa about three miles south-east of the city centre. Its afternoon tea page offers seats in the Thyme at Rowton restaurant, the bar lounge or on the spa terrace. Rowton’s Afternoon Tea is £23 a head, the lowest price in this guide: finger sandwiches on white or brown bloomer (roast ham, Belton cheddar with red onion chutney, Loch Duart smoked salmon, egg mayonnaise), a warm fruit scone with Cornish clotted cream, and homemade cakes. A glass of Prosecco adds £7.50, or Crémant de Limoux £9.50. The children’s afternoon tea is £14.25. Served daily from 12pm to 4pm, with vegan and gluten-free alternatives. The hotel also has a festive afternoon tea menu. Hygiene rating 5 (FSA, 22 January 2026). Rowton Lane, Rowton, CH3 6AD.
Grosvenor Pulford Hotel, Pulford
The Grosvenor Pulford is on the Wrexham road, south of the city by the Welsh border, and serves afternoon tea in Palm Court, its garden room restaurant. On the May 2026 menu, the Traditional Afternoon Tea is £29.95 a head, with sandwiches including coronation chicken and Collier’s cheddar, plain or raisin scones and cakes such as sticky toffee slice. Sparkling or G&T versions are £38, one with a house cocktail is £40, and Champagne is £44. A cream tea is £8.95. Served Monday to Saturday, 12pm to 4pm, with gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan options. Booking is recommended: call 01244 570560. Hygiene rating 5 (FSA, 29 January 2026). Wrexham Road, Pulford, CH4 9DG.
Carden Park, near Malpas
Carden Park is a golf and spa resort south of Chester, towards Malpas. Its afternoon tea is served in Goldie’s Lounge or Morgan’s Bar, Thursday to Sunday, 12pm to 5pm. The Traditional is £35 a head: finger sandwiches, cakes by the pastry chef, scones with clotted cream and preserves, and tea or coffee. The Gin version, with Warner’s gin, is £42.50; Sparkling is £44 and Bollinger £48. Vegan, halal and gluten-free options need notice. Carden Park says it cannot promise a table on the day without a booking, and it charges £15 a head if you do not turn up or cancel within 72 hours. A festive afternoon tea runs from 26 November to 30 December 2026. Call 01829 731000. Hygiene rating 5 (FSA, 4 February 2026). Carden Park Hotel, Clutton, CH3 9DQ.
Tearooms further out
Dormouse Haven, near Northwich
Dormouse Haven is an Alice in Wonderland-themed restaurant and tearoom on Bridge Farm, off the Warrington Road outside Northwich. Its website says it was opened in 2024 by Petra, after more than 30 years as a head chef, and promises afternoon tea “in a delightfully unorthodox style”. There are three teas, the Alice, Cheshire Cat and Mad Hatter. Each starts with soup of the day and a savoury biscuit before the sandwiches and cakes. The Mad Hatter adds sausage roll, pork pie, pigs in blankets, pâté and a mini seasonal pie. Prices are not on the website. Children under 10 are welcome if you say so in the booking notes, but they cannot sit in the main Alice area and there are no high chairs. Open Monday to Wednesday 10am to 5pm, Thursday to Saturday 12pm to 8pm, and Sunday 12pm to 6pm. Call 01606 853241. Hygiene rating 5 (FSA, 27 May 2026). Bridge Farm, Warrington Road, CW8 4QU. Our listing.
Ginger and Pickles, Tarporley
Ginger and Pickles is a tearoom and bakery group with branches in Byley, Nantwich and Tarporley, and its afternoon tea page pitches the Tarporley tearoom to Chester visitors as “just 20 minutes from Chester city centre by car”. It serves traditional afternoon tea with Prosecco, children’s and savoury versions, and will pack any of them into takeaway boxes. Most tables are first come, first served, but afternoon tea can be reserved, paid in advance. The eat-in price is not published on the tearoom pages. There is a gentle slope to the door and no steps inside. Open Monday to Thursday 9am to 4pm, Friday and Saturday 9am to 5pm, and Sunday 10am to 4pm. Call 01829 863549. Hygiene rating 5 (FSA, 22 May 2026). 6 Chestnut Terrace, Tarporley, CW6 0UW.
How we chose
Every venue here serves a full afternoon tea, sandwiches, scones and cakes, and holds a food hygiene rating of 5. Cafes that do the occasional scone but no proper afternoon tea are left out. Prices and menus change with the seasons, so confirm with the venue when you book.
Run a place that should be here, or spot something that has changed? Email newsdesk@chesteronline.co.uk.
For more to do locally, see things to do in Chester and what’s on in Chester this month. Our other guides cover Chester cafes, Chester restaurants, Chester pubs, Sunday roasts, playgrounds and walks near Chester. Cafes and tearooms are in our Chester business directory.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Chester Grosvenor still serving afternoon tea?
No. The Chester Grosvenor closed on 30 September 2026 after RAAC concrete was found in the building, and Grosvenor says the refurbishment is expected to take around two years once work starts. Its website still shows afternoon tea prices, but the hotel is shut. Oddfellows on Lower Bridge Street and ABode on Grosvenor Road are the city-centre alternatives in this guide.
How much is afternoon tea in Chester?
On the venues’ own sites: Rowton Hall £23 a head, ABode Chester £26, Grosvenor Pulford £29.95, the Reserve at Chester Zoo from £30 to £34 for the standard tea (its two pages give different prices), Carden Park £35 and Oddfellows £35, rising to £39 for its festive tea. Drinks upgrades add roughly £7.50 to £14.
Where can children have afternoon tea in Chester?
Oddfellows charges £15 for a child (£19.50 for the festive tea). Rowton Hall has a children’s afternoon tea at £14.25, and ABode Chester publishes a children’s afternoon tea menu. Dormouse Haven near Northwich welcomes children under 10 if you say so when booking, but they cannot sit in the main Alice area and there are no high chairs.
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