Three New Five-Star Afternoon Teas Worth Treating Yourself To

© Alice Casenave for Bvlgari Paris / © Emanuela Cino for the Ritz / © Charlotte Abbey for Park Hyatt Paris-Vendôme

Fancy swapping your usual matcha latte for an unforgettable five-star afternoon tea? Paris has a host of new afternoon tea experiences that are seriously tempting. From the Bvlgari Hotel to the Ritz, via the Park Hyatt Paris-Vendôme, these three new destinations turn an ordinary afternoon into a truly gourmet experience for anyone with a sweet tooth. The perfect treat to share with your best friend, your other half or your mum for a little moment of pure magic.

The setting: A taste of la dolce vita in Paris, with a seriously luxurious twist. In the Lounge at the Bvlgari Hotel on Avenue George V, afternoon tea takes on an Italian flavour, with just the right amount of chic and indulgence. Marble, contemporary furniture and beautiful materials create a refined setting where you’ll want to linger, from Friday to Sunday. The atmosphere is both intimate and welcoming, inviting you to switch off from the daily grind and savour an exceptional afternoon treat.

Tea time: Chef Niko Romito gives afternoon tea an Italian twist with a thoroughly tempting autumn menu. Start with scones, served with jam, mascarpone cream and honey, before moving on to savoury treats: lobster focaccia with courgette and mint, a delicious hot mushroom and black truffle pizzetta, or a tramezzino with ricotta, squash and olives. The sweet selection takes things up another notch: fig baba, Black Forest cake, a Mont Blanc tartlet with blackcurrant and a pecan maritozzo arrive at the table to a collective “wow”. And for the grand finale, a soufflé chocolate and olive oil tartlet is brought out—just the thing to make sure you won’t need dinner. Naturally, everything comes with tea, coffee or the seriously indulgent homemade hot chocolate with Madagascar vanilla. To take things even further, a Prestige option with a glass of Ferrari Trento DOC is also available.

Bvlgari Hotel Paris, 30 avenue George V, Paris 8th. 01 81 72 10 80. Afternoon tea served Friday to Sunday, from 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. €75 per person with a hot drink – €95 per person with a hot drink and a glass of champagne.

© Alice Casenave

The setting: Just to the right after the lobby, opposite Bar Vendôme, the Salon Proust at the Ritz Paris is bringing one of its most iconic rituals back into the spotlight with an afternoon tea created by its new head pastry chef, Olivier Lainé. Inspired by the art of the French déjeuner, this three-part tasting brings savoury and sweet creations together in a refined—and seriously indulgent—line-up. It pays tribute to the hotel’s legendary five o’clock tea, introduced when the Ritz first opened in 1898 and nicknamed “the magical hour” at the time. Far from sticking to traditional scones and pastries, the chef offers a contemporary take, playing with textures, contrasts and trompe-l’œil creations, all to be enjoyed by the fireplace in a cosy, softly lit atmosphere.

Tea time: The tasting begins with three savoury creations: a salmon tartlet lifted with horseradish and yuzu; a lobster roll made with soft pain perdu and lobster bisque; and a vegetable sauce made with seasonal roasted vegetables, served with focaccia. Next comes a surprising sweet-and-savoury creation: reimagined burrata served on a lemon shortbread, with diced poached pear and a delicate balsamic vinaigrette. The sweet chapter opens with a buckwheat baba, kiwi and fresh herbs—a nod to the chef’s Breton roots. Then comes a sunflower-shaped dessert made with a light Earl Grey tea and cardamom mousse, hiding a choux pastry biscuit and lemon-bergamot cream. To finish, a rich and generous all-chocolate charlotte rounds off this three-act afternoon tea. And for those who want to keep the pleasure going at home, Olivier Lainé has created a dark chocolate shell filled with roasted country-bread praline, available to take away.

French-Style Afternoon Tea by Chef Olivier Lainé at the Ritz Paris’s Salon Proust, 15 place Vendôme, Paris 1st. Served daily from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. €125 per person, including a glass of brut champagne or a non-alcoholic sparkling drink and a hot beverage.

© Emanuela Cino

The setting: From the moment you step inside, you’ll already be dreaming of spending the whole afternoon here. Nestled in the heart of the Park Hyatt Paris-Vendôme, Café Jeanne has a warm, intimate atmosphere, far removed from the hustle and bustle of Paris. Long, plush sofas and comfortable armchairs invite you to take your time, while the crackling fireplaces create the kind of cosy, softly lit atmosphere that makes all the difference. A welcoming setting where you come as much to catch up as to enjoy a proper gourmet break.

Tea time: Pastry chef Narae Kim presents a new edition of La Biscuiterie, and she’s going all out. We love its spectacular arrival on a trolley and its presentation in an elegant lacquered box, reminiscent of a jewellery case, complete with little drawers and designed to be shared by two. On the menu: the chef’s signature biscuits, alongside great French pastry classics with a creative twist. We’re tempted by the profiterole with vanilla ice cream and hot chocolate sauce, the vanilla flan, pear tart and Pims Rosaces in pistachio, corn and pecan flavours. Special mention goes to the citrus dessert with yoghurt and aloe vera, which brings a refreshing note to this avalanche of sweet treats.

Park Hyatt Paris-Vendôme, 5 rue de la Paix, Paris 2nd. Afternoon tea served daily from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. €65 per person with a hot drink – €90 per person with a glass of champagne.

© Charlotte Abbey