The elegant Scottish restaurant with stunning castle views named best in country for afternoon tea

The best places in the UK to enjoy an afternoon tea have been named in the Afternoon Tea Awards 2025, sponsored by AfternoonTea.co.uk

This annual event was held at The Georgian, Harrods, London with the award of excellence given to venues across the country.

While the top three categories - Best Contemporary Afternoon Tea, Best Traditional Afternoon Tea and Best Themed Afternoon Tea - all went to London venues, two in Scotland scooped the award of excellence, and both have stunning castle views.

Twenty, located inside Hotel Indigo Edinburgh on Princes Street, has been awarded an award of excellence for the second year in a row in the Afternoon Tea Awards 2025.

The awards, held in partnership with Afternoontea.co.uk, honour venues across the UK for their exceptional Afternoon Tea offering, with judging criteria covering the delicious selection of food, service, atmosphere, and overall experience.

Twenty, located inside Hotel Indigo Edinburgh in Princes Street, has been awarded an Award of Excellence for the second year in a row in the Afternoon Tea Awards | Hotel Indigo

Since first picking up an Award of Excellence last year, Twenty has continuously introduced new themes to delight customers who have called the venue “elegant.”

This includes its new Strawberries and Steam Afternoon Tea, which includes a refreshing mix of Edinburgh Gin, coquelicot liqueur, strawberry liqueur, lemon, sugar, and cranberry juice as a classic summer twist on the afternoon tea experience.

The afternoon tea offering received praise from judges for its comfortable and ambient setting alongside its presentation and taste, with judges citing its fun and modern take on traditional afternoon tea.

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Leigh Ellis, director of sales and marketing at Hotel Indigo Princes Street said: “We are thrilled to be recognised in the annual Afternoon Tea awards.

“We pride ourselves on providing our guests with an afternoon tea experience that can’t be found anywhere else in Scotland, and being one of the only venues in the region awarded with an ‘Award of Excellence’ really cements our position and is a testament to the fantastic team at Twenty.”

Keith Newton, Managing director of AfternoonTea.co.uk, added: “I was delighted that our judges think that all our award winners offer good value for money.

“That value isn’t just about the food on offer, but also the service and all the elements that go into making afternoon tea such a wonderful experience.”

The other Edinburgh winner was One Square at The Sheraton Grand. The afternoon tea here is priced from £59 per person and they’re currently offering a 40th anniversary afternoon tea.

Afternoon Tea at Twenty Princes Street starts at £35 per person and is available to book directly on the hotel’s venue website.