The Definitive Guide to Afternoon Tea in Paris
I’ve watched countless visitors arrive in Paris clutching the same dream: that perfect, cinematic teatime moment. After nearly two decades living here, I can tell you the fantasy is real for afternoon tea in Paris, but it exists in far more delicious variety than most guidebooks admit. Forget the single “best” spot. Paris offers an entire universe of teatime experiences, from hushed palace rituals to minimalist Japanese ceremonies, Belle Époque extravaganzas to cozy neighborhood pâtisseries where locals still argue about which cake reigns supreme.
The secret? Matching the venue to your mood, not your itinerary. Here’s how to find your perfect Paris teatime.
First, there are the grand hotels or “palaces,” as we call them in French, known for their very fancy afternoon high teas. These are the places you go for special occasions: a once-a-year mother–daughter tradition, a best-friend treat, or an anniversary celebration where you dress up a little and really savour the moment.
Second, there are the prestige tea houses, often Japanese-run or deeply rooted in French heritage, tucked into chic neighborhoods and beloved by locals who know where to look.
Third, there are the classic French tea salons and pâtisseries with excellent tea selections, cakes, and pastries , perfect for a relaxed afternoon after a museum visit, or simply to catch up with friends over a sweet rendezvous.
Fourth, there are the places that are not exactly tea houses or luxury hotels, but are housed in magnificent, heart-stirring buildings where the setting itself becomes part of the experience.
Remember there is a map of all the Paris Tea locations at the end!
Palace Hotels: Where Every Detail Is a Performance
Le Bristol Paris – Café Antonia
112 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, 75008
Le Bristol delivers palace-level luxury without the intimidation factor. Café Antonia glows with soft light and old-world elegance,the kind of space where conversations automatically soften and time stretches. The seasonal pastry selection changes like a fashion collection: delicate fruit tartlets in spring, richer comforting flavors when winter arrives. Each piece looks hand-painted.
This is palace tea with a pulse. Perfect for mother-daughter celebrations, post-shopping rewards, or those “because we’re in Paris” splurges that need no other justification. Refined, beautiful, surprisingly warm.
Know Before You Go: Reservations essential, especially weekends. €68-85 per person. Dress code is smart casual,no sneakers.
Ritz Paris – Salon Proust
15 Place Vendôme, 75001
The Ritz isn’t just afternoon tea in Paris,it’s theater, pilgrimage, fantasy made flesh. Salon Proust wraps you in wood paneling, leather-bound books, plush armchairs, and that particular golden glow the Ritz has perfected over a century. Tea unfolds rather than arrives: perfect madeleines, airy cakes, scones with proper clotted cream, an impressive loose-leaf selection.
You’ll feel the weight of everyone who’s sat in these chairs before you,Hemingway, Chanel, Proust himself. It’s indulgent, yes, but also surprisingly intimate. Add champagne for birthdays or Paris milestones; this is the “pinch me” moment you’ll recount for years.
Know Before You Go: Book 2-3 weeks ahead for weekend slots. €75-95 per person, €120+ with champagne. Jacket required for men after 6pm.
Hôtel de Crillon – Jardin d’Hiver
10 Place de la Concorde, 75008
Steps from Place de la Concorde, yet the Jardin d’Hiver feels like a secret cocoon. Soft armchairs, marble details, and an atmosphere so serene you’ll forget the city exists beyond those doors. The pastries are exquisitely crafted without ever crossing into fussy,each one a small architectural achievement.
This is where deep conversations happen over afternoon tea in Paris. Where winter afternoons disappear. Where dates become core memories. Come mid-afternoon for traditional service, or slip in later for candlelit cake and wine. The Crillon has mastered elegance with a soft heart.
Know Before You Go: Flexible hours (3pm-7pm). €65-80 per person. Walk-ins sometimes possible on weekdays.
Other Palace Options Worth Your Time:
- Four Seasons George V (31 Av. George V, 75008) – For over-the-top floral arrangements
- Plaza Athénée (25 Av. Montaigne, 75008) – When you want to see and be seen
- Le Meurice (228 Rue de Rivoli, 75001) – Philippe Starck design meets Versailles opulence
- The Peninsula Paris (19 Av. Kléber, 75116) – Rooftop option with Eiffel Tower views
- Prince de Galles, a Luxury Collection Hotel (33 Av. George V, 75008 Paris) – a new tea time
Classic French Tea Houses: Where Tradition Lives
Mariage Frères
30 Rue du Bourg-Tibourg, 75004 (Marais flagship)
Mariage Frères is the temple. Dark wood shelves tower with iconic black tea canisters, the air thick with bergamot and jasmine. The staff are tea sommeliers,genuinely knowledgeable, happy to guide you through their vast collection based on whether you’re craving floral, smoky, spicy, or fruity notes.
The tearoom itself invites lingering. Cakes and desserts incorporate their signature blends,tea isn’t just a drink here, it’s cuisine. Perfect for genuine tea obsessives who want to discover something they’ll never find anywhere else.
Know Before You Go: Multiple locations across Paris. €8-15 for tea, €15-25 with pastries. Can get crowded 3-5pm weekends.
Verlet
256 Rue Saint-Honoré, 75001
Verlet is where Parisians go when they actually want a perfect cup of tea. Historic, understated, deeply authentic. The room is warm and intimate, lined with tea tins and single-origin coffee beans, attracting a mix of artists, writers, and people who simply recognize quality over hype.
No flashiness. No Instagram moments. Just beautifully sourced teas with real character and pastries that taste homemade in the best way,generous, sincere, unfussy. This is the afternoon tea in Paris that exists quietly for those who know where to look.
Know Before You Go: Cash preferred. €6-12 for tea and pastry. Closes by 6pm. Can be packed during lunch rush.
Bontemps
57 Rue de Bretagne, 75003
Famous for sablé biscuits and impossibly layered cream cakes, Bontemps is pure pâtisserie joy. The décor is charming and feminine without tipping into precious,soft colors, natural light, an atmosphere of gentle celebration. You’ll see a pastry float past and immediately order it.
Teatime here is about happiness rather than ceremony. Ideal for friend catch-ups, slow Sundays, post-Marais shopping rewards. The desserts balance delicate technique with comforting generosity, featuring seasonal fruits and just enough nostalgia to make you sigh.
Know Before You Go: €5-9 for pastries, €4-7 for tea. Weekend brunch gets slammed,arrive before 11am or after 3pm.
Also Exceptional:
- Sébastien Gaudard (Multiple locations) – Former Fauchon pastry chef, perfectionist approach
- Angelina (226 Rue de Rivoli, 75001) – Iconic, touristy, but that hot chocolate is genuinely legendary
- Carette (25 Pl. des Vosges, 75003) – Avoid the Trocadéro location; the Place des Vosges terrace is magic
- Ladurée (Multiple locations) – Yes, it’s everywhere. Yes, the macarons are still excellent.
Japanese Tea Houses: Ceremony Meets Paris
Ogata
16 Rue Debelleyme, 75003
Ogata isn’t afternoon tea,it’s a meditation. The space is minimalist, architectural, almost spiritual. Tea is prepared with ceremony and intention; you taste that care in every sip. Expect matcha, roasted teas, and wagashi sweets that look like tiny sculptures.
The sense of calm is profound. Come when you need teatime to feel spiritual as well as delicious,a moment of silence, contemplation, beauty. Perfect for solo visits, reflective dates, or anyone who appreciates the poetry of simplicity.
Know Before You Go: Book ahead. €15-30 depending on ceremony level. Shoes off inside. Silence is part of the experience.
Boutique Yam’Tcha
4 Rue du Cardinal Lemoine, 75005
Yam’Tcha blends French creativity with Chinese and Japanese tea traditions in ways that feel like discovery rather than fusion. Known for bao buns and thoughtful tea pairings, it offers a contemporary teatime that’s playful yet deeply respectful of its cultural roots. Flavors surprise you,not because they’re shocking, but because they’re perfectly balanced.
The space is intimate, the service unhurried. Everything unfolds gently, inviting you to taste slowly and stay curious. If you love discovering new flavor combinations, Yam’Tcha feels like finding treasure.
Know Before You Go: Reservations recommended. €12-25 for tea and bao. Lunch service can overlap,best to visit 3-5pm.
Chakaiseki Akiyoshi
11 Rue de Louvois, 75002
This is the Japanese tea ceremony as art form. More than a café, it’s a place where ritual, gesture, and atmosphere merge into experience. Matcha is prepared with precision and grace; kaiseki-inspired bites arrive in beautifully balanced sequences.
You’ll leave calmer than you arrived, as if your nervous system just took a micro-vacation. Wonderful for people who love culture as much as flavor, or anyone seeking something meaningful and serene in the midst of Paris chaos.
Know Before You Go: Book days ahead. €25-45 for full ceremony. Limited English spoken,embrace the immersion.
Also Worth Discovering:
- La Maison du Mochi (39 Rue du Cherche-Midi, 75006) – For authentic Japanese sweets
- Umami Matcha Café (5 Rue Pierre Demours, 75017) – Casual matcha lattes and wagashi
Historic Settings: When Décor Is Half the Reason
Le Grand Café – Rotonde Clémenceau
1 Pl. Clemenceau, 75008
Pure Belle Époque theater. Gilded mirrors, soaring ceilings, vintage postcard perfection. Simply sitting down here feels indulgent before your tea arrives. This is about atmosphere over haute pâtisserie,watching the room is half the pleasure.
Perfect for visitors who want to feel swept up in Paris fantasy, or locals celebrating life’s small victories. Order tea, maybe dessert, and let yourself bask in the décor. Sometimes that’s enough.
Know Before You Go: Walk-ins usually fine. €8-15 for afternoon tea in Paris and pastry. Open late,great for post-theater.
Café Lapérouse (Hôtel de la Marine)
2 Pl. de la Concorde, 75008
Housed inside the gorgeously restored Hôtel de la Marine, simply entering the building feels like time travel. The rooms are richly decorated, romantic, softly lit,cinematic in the best sense. Teatime here is as much about surroundings as menu.
For people who love romance and architecture as deeply as food. Wander Place de la Concorde afterward, watch the changing light on the monuments, and feel steeped in Parisian history. These moments linger long after the teacups are cleared.
Know Before You Go: €12-18 for tea service. Museum access separate. Best in late afternoon when light is golden.
The Hot Chocolate Situation (We Need to Talk About This)
Yes, the legends are true,Angelina’s chocolat chaud is thick, velvety, basically dessert in liquid form. And yes, the lines can be absolutely heinous.
Local Secret: Get Angelina’s exact hot chocolate without the chaos at Hôtel Maison Proust (26 Rue de Picardie, 75003). Same incredible chocolate, far calmer setting. Truly magical.
If You Want the Bucket-List Experience: Go to Carette at Place des Vosges (25 Pl. des Vosges, 75003). Not the Trocadéro location,that one’s overcrowded with recent reviews that make me cringe. The Place des Vosges terrace is the fantasy version, and it delivers.
A few pointers from a Local who’s seen it all
Want More Paris Secrets Like These?
After nearly two decades exploring every arrondissement, hidden courtyard, and neighborhood gem, I’ve got stories and recommendations that never make it into guidebooks.
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Get My Book, Local Paris: I’ve poured twenty years of Paris secrets into this guide—the bakeries worth crossing town for, the museums without crowds, the parks where Parisians actually picnic, and yes, even more teatime spots. It’s the Paris guide I wish I’d had when I first arrived. [Order Local Paris]
After nearly twenty years leading people through this city, I’ve learned that the “best” teatime in Paris doesn’t exist. What exists is the perfect teatime for this afternoon, this mood, this moment in your Paris story.
Celebrating? Go palace. Seeking calm? Choose Japanese ceremony. Craving authenticity? Find a neighborhood pâtisserie where locals still debate which tart is superior. Want to feel like you’ve stepped into a painting? Belle Époque cafés are waiting.
My only rule: choose the experience that matches how you feel, not just where you’re standing on a map. And for the love of all that’s delicious, linger. That’s the real Parisian secret,not rushing, not optimizing, just sitting with your tea and letting Paris happen around you.
Bon appétit, and send me your favorites for an afternoon tea in Paris. After twenty years, I’m still discovering new ones.
Have questions about booking, timing, or which spot suits your Paris dreams? Drop them in the comments,I read every single one.