Westminster Abbey’s Cellarium Café unveils summer afternoon tea in historic medieval vaults

The historic café beneath one of London’s most visited landmarks has this week introduced a seasonal afternoon tea menu, available daily throughout the summer. Cellarium Café & Terrace at Westminster Abbey are serving the Abbey in Bloom Afternoon Tea every day from noon, offering an experience that is designed to reflect classic British flavours, seasonal ingredients and history. The eatery sits in the medieval Cellarium beneath the UNESCO World Heritage Site in central London, and all of its revenue goes to supporting the ongoing life and work of Westminster Abbey.

The Cellarium itself carries considerable historical weight. Originally part of the Abbey’s 14^th-century structure, the space served as a storage area for Benedictine monks before being repurposed as a café and terrace. Today, the venue is characterised by its soaring glass ceiling, ancient stonework and a setting that places diners directly inside one of Britain’s most architecturally significant religious buildings – one that has hosted every coronation since William the Conqueror in 1066.

The afternoon tea is priced at £38.00 per person and includes an unlimited selection of teas and coffees. The savoury selection counts in its number Cucumber with Feta Cream and Tomato Tapenade sandwiches, Truffle Free-range Egg Mayonnaise with Red Vein Sorrel in a brioche bridge roll, a Hot-smoked Trout with Creamed Horseradish and Baby Watercress puff pastry vol-au-vent and a Pea and Red Onion Tart with Lemon Ricotta and Pea Shoots.

Then there are the sweet treats. There’s Passion Fruit and Chocolate Tart, assorted macarons, Lemon Drizzle Cake with Lemon Curd and Lemon Balm, a White Chocolate and Pistachio Tart with Raspberry and Viola Flower and homemade scones served with Cornish clotted cream and Tiptree strawberry jam.

Guests wishing to accompany their afternoon tea with some bubbles may opt for a glass of Chapel Down Classic Brut – an English sparkling wine described as carrying notes of ripe red apple, peach and subtle brioche – priced at £11.00 per glass or £60.00 per bottle.

For those seeking a lighter option, a traditional cream tea is available at £10.00, comprising a pot of tea alongside two homemade scones, Cornish clotted cream and Tiptree strawberry jam. 

Beyond the afternoon tea service, the Cellarium Café & Terrace also operates an à la carte menu throughout the day, with breakfasts such as a Full English, Eggs Royale with Scottish smoked salmon, Coconut Porridge and homemade pancakes. From midday, a seasonal lunch menu is available, which has dishes like Hot-smoked Trout and Beetroot Salad, Pea and Shallot Tortelloni and a Minute Sirloin Steak with Green Chimichurri, alongside starters, sandwiches and desserts.

The café is operated by Benugo, a hospitality company founded in 1998 in Clerkenwell by brothers Ben and Hugo. The company manages food and beverage operations across a number of prominent cultural institutions in the UK, among them the Natural History Museum, the British Museum, the V&A, the Science Museum, BFI Southbank and more.

Westminster Abbey itself receives millions of visitors each year and holds a unique constitutional position within the Church of England. Classified as a Royal Peculiar since 1560, it falls outside the standard jurisdiction of bishops and archbishops, with the Dean and Chapter answerable directly to the Sovereign. The building, which was begun in its current form by Henry III in 1245, is widely regarded as one of the most important Gothic structures in the country.

Food Desk

The Abbey in Bloom Afternoon Tea is available throughout summer 2026 at The Cellarium Café and Terrace at Westminster Abbey, Dean’s Yard,  London SW1P 3PA. For further information or to book a table, visit the restaurant’s website here.