12 magical festive afternoon teas in Suffolk

Stoke by Nayland Hotel

A twinkling winter wonderland will greet you as you arrive at the hotel, where you can enjoy afternoon tea by the light of the applewood fire in the Orchard Lounge or restaurant from 12noon to 3pm, priced at £21.95 per person.

Included are sandwiches of smoked salmon and chive cream cheese mousse, roast Suffolk ham with Seville mustard marmalade, and East Anglian turkey with stuffing and cranberry mayonnaise, a festive falafel wrap, spiced fruit scone, Eliza’s Christmas pudding (based on Eliza Acton’s recipe), a chocolate schnapps pot, toffee apple choux bun, and a mince pie streusel.

Mama Bear's festive afternoon tea (Image: Mama Bear)

Mama Bear’s Cake Bar, Saxmundham

This pastel-shaded emporium of gorgeousness bursts with cute bakes throughout the week, and has a delectable tea available to order throughout December at £18 per person.

You’ll get your choice of tea or coffee (upgrade to prosecco for £4), festive finger sandwiches, freshly baked fruit scones with a festive twist, and signature sweet treats – a French-style strawberry macaron, mini candy cane cupcake, triple chocolate brownie, and Malteser reindeer rocky road.

A mini ‘baby bear’ version is available for £10. As an act of real kindness, the cake bar is opening its doors in December, offering a free hot drink and slice of cake to anyone who finds themself alone this Christmas.

Festive afternoon tea at The Swan in Lavenham (Image: The Swan Lavenham)

The Swan, Lavenham

This traditional, much-loved hotel in the beautiful medieval town of Lavenham is known for its afternoon teas – and has a stunning line-up for the winter months. Priced at £25 per person, The Swan’s festive tea includes smoked salmon and cream cheese sandwiches on granary bread, a turkey and cranberry wrap, a tomato, basil and mozzarella sandwich on herb bread, and an egg mayonnaise mini white roll. These are joined on the stand by a festive cranberry scone, Christmas fruit slice, chocolate orange cake, macaroon snowman, raspberry fool and mint chocolate torte. All served with your choice of Newby’s of London tea.

Applaud's festive afternoon tea (Image: Applaud)

Applaud, Ipswich

Afternoon tea at this multi award-winning café on St Peter’s Street is always a delight. There’s is available until December 23, from 2pm, Monday to Saturday, priced at £20 per person.

Nibble on mini turkey, stuffing and cranberry, and Wensleydale and rocket sandwiches, a festive sausage roll, mini mince pie, cranberry and orange scone, chocolate tiffin, vanilla chai cupcake, and a drink from the standard menu.

A festive treat for children at The Ickworth Hotel (Image: The Ickworth Hotel)

The Ickworth Hotel, Horringer

Ickworth looks absolutely glorious at this time of year – just driving through the parkland entrance and arriving feels really quite special in winter.

This year the chefs have conjured up wintery teas for adults and children priced at £27 or £15 respectively. The grown ups will enjoy sandwiches filled with chicken and cranberry mayonnaise, egg and cress, smoked salmon, dill and cream cheese, and honey glazed ham and grain mustard. Sweet and savoury delicacies include a wild mushroom and black garlic tartlet, ginger and passionfruit cake, chocolate, pear and hazelnut dome, clementine and white chocolate choux bun, homemade plain scones and homemade fruit scones.

For the little ones there’s ham and cheese, egg mayonnaise and tuna mayonnaise sandwiches, hummus with crudites, a gingerbread man, chocolate and clementine cupcake, jam tartlet and plain scone.

Honey + Harvey's festive afternoon tea takeaway box (Image: Honey + Harvey)

Honey + Harvey, Melton

Order a festive tea from the Honey + Harvey website and collect from the Melton café. These are priced at £35 for two people, £48 for three or £60 for four. And you really do get a lot of bang for your buck. The boxes are filled with brie and cranberry, turkey and stuffing, smoked salmon, cream cheese and cucumber sandwiches, miniature sausage rolls with red onion, cheese scones with butter and chilli jam, mince pies, dark chocolate orange brownies, cranberry Bakewell slice and clementine shortbread.

Nourish's festive picnic box (Image: Nourish)

Nourish, Newbourne

Book now for Nourish’s festive afternoon picnics, available with sittings at 1pm and 1.30pm Wednesday to Saturday, from December 1 to 18.

Priced at £22.50 per person, the experience is laden with focaccia sandwiches filled with Norfolk smoked dapple cheese, fig jam and smoked gammon, and turkey and cranberry sauce, cheese scones with chilli jam, buttermilk scones with clotted cream and morello cherry preserve, sausage rolls with red onion marmalade, vanilla cranberry and pistachio bundt cake, fruit cake, mince pies and gingerbread men – all served up with a large pot of tea. Spaces are limited. Takeaways are also available to book.

Peanut Parties' festive afternoon tea (Image: Peanut Parties)

The Santa Box from Peanut Parties (Image: Peanut Parties)

Peanut Parties, near Woodbridge

Book now for delivery in and around Woodbridge of the kitchen’s festive box (£12.50) and Santa box for children (£5). Available up until December 23 the festive selection includes a choice of three finger sandwiches, homemade mince pie, pig in blanket sausage roll, half a sage and onion Scotch egg, Baileys cheesecake, candied fruit cake, Black forest gateaux, and a Pukka teabag.

The Santa box is filled with a Christmas tree chocolate brownie, Santa’s vanilla cupcake, marshmallow chocolate trifle, gingerbread man and themed Christmas treats.

Orders are also being taken for the Christmas Eve platter (£19.50pp) to kick off your celebrations.

A personalised bauble from The Runaway Bakery (Image: The Runaway Bakery)

The Runaway Bakery, Bury St Edmunds

Baker Abbie has been hard at work creating not afternoon teas, but treat boxes perfect for giving (and enjoying yourself) at Christmas.

Available for local delivery or pre-arranged pick-up, the collection of cookies includes an elf biscuit set (£9), Santa and Rudolf (£8), a personalised snow globe (£3), pack of four personalised crackers (£8 for 8), and a Merry Christmas wreath (£6). Last orders need to be received by December 17.

Ravenwood Hall's wintery afternoon tea (Image: Ravenwood Hall)

Ravenwood Hall Hotel

Ravenwood’s halls will be decked for Christmas when you arrive for afternoon tea, priced at £20 per person and with prosecco and Champagne upgrades available.

Start with Suffolk smoked ham and wholegrain mustard, Snowdonia mature Cheddar and red onion marmalade, and Scottish smoked salmon and dill mayonnaise sandwiches. Move on to decadent sherry-drenched fruit and allspice scones, and a sweet selection of open mince pie topped with Italian meringue, authentic Milanese panettone, mini dark chocolate and Kirsch cherry trifle and your choice from a large range of artisanal teas and coffees. These will be available from 3pm, Monday to Friday throughout December.

Ufford Park Hotel, Melton

The hotel's festive treat is available from 2pm to 5pm, December 6 to January 2. Priced at £20 per person it includes three types of freshly made sandwich, a warm fruit scone with preserves and clotted cream, and a range of four delicious Christmas cakes and goodies.

The Orwell Hotel, Felixstowe

Festive afternoon teas here are £16 per person, with the option to upgrade with prosecco for £6.50. You’ll get freshly made finger sandwiches, a homemade sausage roll and fruit scones, and a selection of themed homemade cakes.