The London Cuppa, Steeped in Tradition

Last fall as I prepared for a trip to London, happily pondering afternoon tea options, I happened upon some bloggers' comments that made me wonder whether this most English of pastimes had turned totally tourist instead. I was hoping to savor my scones and jam surrounded by Brits, not tour-bus evacuees. Did the English still indulge in afternoon tea? Well, as I found out, of course they do. At these three venues, you can sit among locals enjoying a quintessential English experience:

High-Fashion Tea

Name a swank hotel -- the Ritz, Brown's, the Dorchester -- and you can count on finding a lavish tea. But for my money, and we are talking major money at top hotel teas, the Berkeley's "Pret-a-Portea, a fashionista's afternoon tea," wins hands down.

At 4:15 on a drizzly fall Monday in the Knightsbridge area, the Berkeley's Caramel Room is full. A lively group of business-suited men and women appears to be enjoying an early escape from the office; two elegant men to my right, in seamless succession, turn first to each other, then to their PDAs, then to their teacups. My window-front seat overlooks the driveway, where doormen in bowler hats gracefully open the doors of arriving Jaguars.

In my cup is a most delicious sip of pear-caramel tea. The waiter presents a tier of tiny canapes, identifying each: crust-less sandwiches of ham, cheese and cucumber; cherry tomatoes stuffed with couscous; salmon in a snaillike curl. Finally, the waiter offers what I'm here for: a fanciful array of cakes and sweets, whose colors and shapes replicate the creations of top fashion designers for the season. Framed photos display each item's inspiration. The pink-iced, chocolate-sashed cookie-dress is a Michael Kors; the sky-blue-iced, lemon-sponge, handbag-shaped concoction, an Anya Hindmarch; in all, nine delectable works of art. And truly, the sight of my proper Englishman at the next table biting into a pastry shaped like a Manolo Blahnik stiletto is quite worth the price of the tea on its own.

The Berkeley (Wilton Place, Knightsbridge, http://www.the-berkeley.co.uk). Pret-a-Portea daily 1-6 p.m., about $60. Reservations recommended.

Tea in the Garden

At the other end of the kettle from fancy is the tea at the Chelsea Physic Garden's Tangerine Dream Cafe. The cafe's vaguely hallucinogenic-sounding name hints at the original and continuing purpose of the garden, which was founded in 1673 by the Society of Apothecaries of London: to grow and study medicinal plants. Situated near the Thames in the quiet back streets of Chelsea, these wall-enclosed 3.8 acres are home to 5,000 plants and flowering shrubs carefully labeled by name and botanic purpose, such as the Aloysia triphylla (lemon verbena) used in aromatherapy.

On a warmish early autumn afternoon, most people are here for the garden. A tour is in progress, gathered around the statue of Sir Hans Sloane, whose intercession in 1712 ensured the garden's survival. I'm no gardener, but I know what I like, and I like sitting on the terrace, sipping my Earl Grey tea, slathering my lavender scone with clotted cream and jam, admiring the taste of the Tunisian citrus almond cake and casually observing other visitors. At a nearby table, I overhear women my own age discuss a fashion trend among teenage girls, tights with minuscule shorts. "It's a rather curious look, and I'll be glad when it's past," muses one of the mums.

You order inside, in the church-basement-like tearoom (you can also dine there, but you won't want to, unless it's raining), and carry your meal out to the terrace. Everything is made on the premises, and you can tell -- in a good way. The menu is a la carte and presents savory choices, such as crostini of buffalo mozzarella and tapenade, and sweet choices, including scones, cakes and tarts.

Tangerine Dream Cafe (Chelsea Physic Garden, 66 Royal Hospital Rd., Chelsea, http://www.chelseaphysicgarden.co.uk). Open mid-March through Oct. 31, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday 12:30-5 p.m. Admission to the garden is about $12; cake and tea about $9 more.

English Tea With a French Accent

It should come as no surprise that Harrods serves afternoon tea. In fact, it serves several versions, in two locations. Best known is the tea served in the sprawling Georgian Restaurant on the fourth floor. Friendly waiters and replenishable servings recommend the elegant restaurant, but it's a fact that the Georgian caters to tourists. I prefer Laduree.

Situated at street level, Laduree has its own side entrance on Hans Road, as well as a macaroon boutique, which makes the tearoom a perfect spot for watching Londoners from the neighborhood pop in for a fix of the pretty pastel-colored, variously flavored confections for which Paris-based Laduree is so famous. A double-decker seating area overlooks the macaroon counter, and though the view is better downstairs, I settle into the cozy red-velvet loft.

Up in my aerie, I sip tea and linger over smoked salmon finger sandwiches, a raisin croissant, a pistachio "religieuse" (custard-filled puff pastry) and a raspberry tart. All around me on the plump red chairs are female tea-takers, sitting alone or in gossip-girl klatches, inclining over their tea and pastries to share a giggle. At the counter below, I see a stunning older couple delighting in the selection of their colorful macaroon purchases. All in all, Laduree is just the ticket for this out-of-towner seeking a spot of tea and a slice of London life in late afternoon.

Laduree Tearoom at Harrods (87 Brompton Rd., Knightsbridge, http://www.laduree.com). Afternoon tea daily 3:30-6 p.m., about $37.

-- Elise Hartman Ford