Travel writing based on first-hand experience
Whether you like the cozy comfort of traditional warm scones with cream, jam, and tea, or prefer something more luxurious and indulgent, here are the 12 best spots to enjoy afternoon tea in Dubai.
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Table of Contents
Best Spots For Afternoon Tea In Dubai
1. The Grey
The Grey does afternoon tea with the kind of polished, minimalist cool Dubai does so well when it is trying not to look like it is trying. Their Tea Ritual takes place inside the cafe’s stylish bungalow, where we sink into those ridiculously comfortable chairs and pretend we are not already planning what to order next.
The menu keeps things sweet, neat, and dangerously snackable, with treats like hazelnut bonbons and tiramisu. Tea lovers get eight blends to choose from, including gentle, fragrant options like ginger breeze and rose white. And because this is The Grey, the coffee is not an afterthought either. Their specialty coffees are excellent, which makes this a clever pick if your group is split between “tea ceremony energy” and “I need caffeine or I become a decorative object.”
Best for: design lovers, coffee people, stylish catch-ups, and anyone who wants a quieter afternoon tea in Dubai without the full hotel-lobby opera.
Click for location | the-grey.co/
2. The Royal Tearoom
If we are talking fancy afternoon tea in Dubai, The Royal Tearoom does not exactly whisper. It arrives dressed beautifully, carrying a silver tray, and looking like it has never once checked the price of anything. Set inside Atlantis The Royal, this is one of those places where the surroundings are part of the whole performance.
The menu is creative and globally inspired, but still uses local ingredients where it can. Expect finger sandwiches, delicate pastries, savory scones, strawberry jam, and clotted cream — the classics, but polished until they sparkle. If you want something more rooted in the region, try the Emirati afternoon tea, which brings in homemade Arabic sweets and local flavors.
Best for: luxury hotel lovers, special occasions, elegant birthdays, and anyone who wants afternoon tea to feel like a full Dubai production.
Click for location | atlantis.com/dubai/dining/the-royal-tearoom
3. The Lobby Lounge
The Lobby Lounge at The Ritz-Carlton Dubai is the classic version of afternoon tea: chandeliers, polished service, dainty bites, and a setting that makes you sit slightly straighter without knowing why. Inside, it feels grand and traditional. Outside, the terrace gives you resort gardens and sea views, because apparently tea tastes better when the background looks like a screensaver.
The nice thing here is choice. You are not boxed into one “this is tea, accept your destiny” menu. The Lobby Lounge offers several afternoon tea options, from traditional pastries and scones to Arabic-inspired bites and a kids’ version for smaller guests with very serious opinions about chocolate.
You have several afternoon tea menus here:
- The Traditional Treat (190 AED): A classic spread of sandwiches, pastries, and two freshly baked scones, served with your choice of loose-leaf tea or a specialty hot drink.
- The Royal Treat (330 AED): The Traditional Treat, but dressed up with a glass of Champagne. Ideal if the day needs bubbles. Some days do.
- The Arabic Treat (170 AED): A more local twist with mezze, kibbeh tarts, falafel, scones, homemade preserves, clotted cream, and locally flavored drinks.
- The Gentlemen Treat (295 AED): A more savory, grown-up option with bites like beef tartare and a wagyu slider, plus a tasting of three single-malt scotch drinks.
- The Kids Treat (90 AED): A sweet little spread for children, including cute savories, handcrafted chocolate lollipops, and homemade hot chocolate.
Best for: families, classic hotel afternoon tea, sea-view terraces, and groups where everyone wants a slightly different version of the same lovely plan.
Click for location | ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels
4. Fouquet’s
At the Dubai outpost of the famous Parisian name, Fouquet’s serves afternoon tea at Le Fouquet’s Cafe. It has that polished French-brasserie confidence: dramatic setting, beautiful presentation, and desserts that look like they have their own lighting team.
The atmosphere is sleek, the views are impressive, and the food leans properly indulgent. The small desserts are the real scene-stealers here: macarons, hazelnut fudge, chocolate, caramel, and lemon meringue tarts. It is the sort of afternoon tea where we start with “just one sweet thing” and then somehow develop a very scholarly interest in the full pastry selection.
Best for: French-style elegance, dessert lovers, downtown views, and anyone who wants afternoon tea with a little Paris-in-Dubai drama.
Click for location | hotelsbarriere.com
5. Josette’s
Josette is not subtle, and thank goodness for that. It is romantic, theatrical, rosy, and very pleased with itself — in the best possible way. The room smells faintly of fresh flowers, the decor is unapologetically pretty, and yes, there is a Champagne button. Because Dubai looked at normal service and said, “Cute, but what if guests could summon bubbles like royalty?”
Afternoon tea is served in Le Moulin Rose, a dreamy setting for freshly baked scones, homemade croissants, and the signature Croque Josette. The sweets are where things get properly glamorous: a Josette cheesecake with blueberry caviar, chocolate madeleines, and macarons that are almost too pretty to eat. Almost. We are still eating them.
Drinks include the special Josette herbal tea, along with a choice of coffees if you want to keep things more caffeinated than ceremonial.
Best for: romantic dates, girls’ afternoons, birthdays, pretty interiors, and anyone who believes a Champagne button is not a gimmick but a basic human right.
Click for location | josette.com/
6. Tandoor Tina
Tandoor Tina is what happens when afternoon tea stops pretending to be prim and starts having fun. Chef Trisha Singh Henault brings a bold, modern twist to Indian food, and the restaurant’s colorful interiors match the mood perfectly.
The afternoon tea arrives in a pink suitcase-style box, inspired by slow train journeys through northern India. So instead of the usual cucumber sandwich parade, you get things like smoked salmon rolls, samosa bites, excellent scones, tarts, and playful sweets. Drinks include different teas, masala chai, mocktails, and creative cocktails.
This is one of the best choices if you want afternoon tea in Dubai but not the predictable version. It is bright, spiced, lively, and very hard to leave hungry.
Best for: Indian flavors, colorful interiors, adventurous eaters, and anyone bored of the standard tiny-sandwich routine.
Click for location | tandoortina.com/
7. Peacock Alley
Peacock Alley brings a calm, polished lounge atmosphere to the afternoon tea scene. It feels elegant without being painfully formal, which is always a win when we want good tea but do not want to behave like we are auditioning for a period drama.
The food and drinks are beautifully done, and the staff are a major part of the experience: attentive, smooth, and quietly professional. The afternoon Avantcha tea is a highlight, paired with a lovely selection of pastries. Do not skip the pistachio opera cake or the scones with strawberry jam, unless you enjoy making poor life decisions.
Best for: elegant lounge tea, DIFC meet-ups, pastry lovers, and a relaxed but polished afternoon in the city.
Click for location | peacockalleydifc.com/
8. Shai Salon Terrace
At Four Seasons Resort Dubai, afternoon tea belongs to Shai Salon Terrace, and it feels exactly as polished as that address suggests. This is a refined, resort-style tea experience, where everything arrives looking considered, elegant, and very aware that it is being photographed.
The sweet selection goes beyond the usual suspects, with creations like a pistachio and yuzu flower pastry. On the savory side, the cucumber roll is fresh, light, and neatly balanced. Tea is brewed carefully and poured from fine bone china, because yes, the cup matters when we are doing afternoon tea properly.
Best for: refined resort vibes, Four Seasons fans, elegant terrace tea, and a calm afternoon near the beach.
Click for location | fourseasons.com/dubaijb/dining/
9. Sahn Eddar
Sahn Eddar is afternoon tea with full Burj Al Arab theatre. Set on the hotel’s first floor, the restaurant sits inside a dramatic Arabian-style atrium decorated with marble, mosaics, and the kind of luxury details that make “just tea” feel deeply inaccurate.
The experience captures exactly what the Burj Al Arab is famous for: polished service, grand surroundings, and a menu of delicate sandwiches, pastries, and cakes. The setting is the headline, yes, but the food holds its own. This is a strong pick if you want a classic Dubai bucket-list afternoon tea without going subtle. Subtle packed its bags and left the building.
Best for: first-time Dubai visitors, Burj Al Arab fans, special occasions, and anyone who wants the city’s big-luxury fantasy in tea form.
Click for location | jumeirah.com/en/dine/dubai/burj-al-arab-sahn-eddar
10. Al Fayrooz Lounge
At the grand Al Qasr resort, Al Fayrooz Lounge turns traditional English afternoon tea into something more scenic. The setting is half the appeal: views of the Burj Al Arab, Madinat Jumeirah’s waterways, and that polished resort atmosphere where every corner looks ready for a postcard.
The menu gives you a mix of savory and sweet treats, with options like mini crab buns with creamy paprika sauce and a pear and dark chocolate tart. It is elegant, calm, and especially good if you want your afternoon tea to come with proper Dubai views instead of just a nice sofa.
Best for: Burj Al Arab views, resort atmosphere, Madinat Jumeirah wandering, and a classic afternoon tea with a very Dubai backdrop.
Click for location | jumeirah.com/en/dine/dubai/al-qasr-al-fayrooz-lounge
11. Raffles Salon
Raffles Salon, set beside WAFI Mall, is one of the prettiest afternoon tea options in Dubai if you like your pastries elegant and your presentation slightly theatrical. The signature Floral Afternoon Tea takes the British tradition and gives it a fragrant, botanical twist.
Expect rose petal scones, strawberry jam infused with rosewater, hibiscus-cured salmon, and jasmine-flavored chocolate ganache. It is delicate, artistic, and just floral enough without making you feel like you are eating a bouquet. The service is smooth, the presentation is timeless, and the whole thing is made for a long, slow afternoon.
Children are not forgotten either. Raffles also offers a special children’s afternoon tea with savory and sweet treats, including beef sliders, cakes, and creamy hot chocolate.
Best for: floral desserts, elegant presentation, families with children, and anyone who wants a softer, more romantic take on afternoon tea.
Click for location | raffles.com/dubai/dining/raffles-salon/
12. Observatory Bar & Grill
If your idea of afternoon tea is “yes, but can we do it from the 52nd floor?”, Observatory Bar & Grill is your answer. Set inside Dubai Marriott Harbour Hotel & Suites, this sky-high tea experience pairs dainty bites with big views, which is always a solid Dubai move.
Available from 12:30 pm to 5 pm, the afternoon tea includes savory bites like salmon tartare on black crostini with olive oil pearls, egg and truffle sandwiches, and Parisian buns filled with veal ham and mustard. On the sweet side, expect gold berry tartlets, French macarons, and basil strawberry cheesecake.
Best for: skyline views, Dubai Marina stays, good-value hotel tea, and anyone who wants their scones with a side of “look how high we are.”
Click for location | marriott.com/en-us/hotels/dxbhr-dubai-marriott-harbour-hotel
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