Kensington Palace in London. Nestled within its vast gardens stands an elegant cafe-restaurant sharing the same exterior design as the palace itself. It’s a true hidden gem, and breakfast when it’s especially quiet is the perfect time to visit.
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The short version
The food is ordinary. The room plus the service are exceptional. Go anyway.
- Afternoon tea: from about £55 per adult, roughly a 90-minute sitting
- A la carte: my breakfast for two came to about £50
- Dress code: none that is strict. Smart-casual is the norm
- Best time: breakfast at 10 a.m. opening — only two other tables were occupied
- Booking: I reserved three months ahead. Walk-ins are usually fine for coffee or a light plate
My eggs Benedict were decent rather than memorable. What I remember is the soaring white ceilings, the garden framed in the tall windows, plus staff who were genuinely warm — they even offered to take photos of us at the table. In fairness, we were there around 10:30 a.m. with only two other tables occupied, so the staff had time for us. A busy afternoon-tea sitting may well feel different.
- The cafe at the exit of the Kensington Palace gift shop
- A little-known spot: The Orangery in Kensington Gardens
- A restaurant as graceful as an art gallery
- When to book, the best reservation time slots
- Food, prices, taste, service
📑 Contents
Kensington Palace Cafe: The Terrace by the Gift Shop
Right next to Kensington Palace there’s a gift shop, which requires a security check to enter. The gift shop has a cafe-restaurant attached to it. The indoor cafe is a fairly standard spot with nothing particularly special. The open-air terrace cafe (shown in the photo above) is quiet first thing in the morning when it opens at 10 a.m., and you can use it without going through the security check, making it a great morning option.
The Orangery, London: A Hidden Spot in Kensington Gardens
Just a three-to-four-minute walk from the gift shop cafe, you’ll find a building (shown above) that mirrors the same exterior design as Kensington Palace. This is The Orangery, a cafe-restaurant that’s remarkable both inside and out.
As Graceful as an Art Gallery: Dining Inside Kensington Gardens
Brilliant white soaring ceilings, fine reliefs visible in the arches, ornate stonework (shown above) give the space the feel of a grand museum hall. Tall windows frame the lush greenery of Kensington Palace gardens, making every visit genuinely elegant. Enjoying tea or a meal here feels truly special.
Afternoon Tea at Kensington Palace: When to Book
We booked a breakfast reservation for opening time at 10 a.m., making our reservation about three months in advance.
The restaurant had been closed for renovations for quite some time, so it isn’t widely known yet. A staff member mentioned that breakfast is particularly quiet. When we visited there were only two other tables occupied. A true hidden gem.
Food, Prices, Taste, Service
We enjoyed Eggs Benedict with Americano coffee in a refined setting. The total for two came to around 50 pounds, not particularly expensive by London standards where prices are generally high. The Eggs Benedict was decent rather than extraordinary, but the ambiance with attentive service more than made up for it. Highly recommended.
They also offer afternoon tea, which makes the visit even more special.
The service is the part I remember most. Several staff members were Japanese, everyone was warm plus genuinely welcoming — unhurried, attentive without hovering. They even offered to take photos of us at the table, which is not something I expected in a setting this grand. One staff member mentioned that Japanese visitors are a rarity here, sometimes just one group per day. It is worth saying that we arrived around 10:30 a.m. with only two other tables occupied — the staff simply had time for us. A packed afternoon-tea sitting may feel quite different.
How Much Is Afternoon Tea at the Orangery? (2026 Prices)
Afternoon tea at the Orangery is listed from around £55 per adult for a sitting of roughly 90 minutes. A “royal” upgrade adds Pimm’s or English sparkling wine.
| What | Price (guide) |
|---|---|
| Afternoon tea, adult | from £55 |
| Afternoon tea, child | about £29 |
| Royal upgrade (Pimm’s / sparkling) | supplement on top |
| A la carte breakfast for two (what I ordered) | about £50 |
These figures come from third-party booking sites rather than the official Historic Royal Palaces page, so please treat them as a guide only. For reference, my own visit — two breakfast dishes with coffee — came to about £50 for two, which is not expensive by central London standards.
Is There a Dress Code at the Orangery?
There is no strict formal dress code. Smart-casual is the norm, which suits the elegant pavilion setting.
Because the Orangery sits inside Kensington Gardens, most guests arrive part-way through a walk, so comfortable daytime clothing is perfectly fine. If you are booking the full afternoon tea rather than a light plate, it is worth checking any specific requirement on the official Historic Royal Palaces website.
💡 Visiting the palace itself as well? See my Kensington Palace visit guide for tickets, timed entry, plus how long to allow.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need to book the Orangery in advance?
For the full three-tier afternoon tea, pre-booking is strongly recommended: each sitting runs about 90 minutes and walk-in spaces can be limited at peak times. If you only want coffee, breakfast or a light plate (as I did, with eggs Benedict and an Americano), you can usually walk in, and early mornings are by far the quietest. The exact same-day walk-in policy for the formal afternoon tea is best confirmed on the official Historic Royal Palaces website.
How much is afternoon tea at the Orangery? (2026 prices)
Afternoon tea is listed from around £55 per adult and about £29 per child for a roughly 90-minute sitting, with a “royal” upgrade that adds Pimm’s or English sparkling wine. These figures come from third-party booking sites rather than the official Historic Royal Palaces page, so please treat them as a guide only; for current prices, please check the official Historic Royal Palaces website. For reference, my own a la carte visit (two breakfast dishes with coffee) came to about £50 for two.
Is there a dress code at the Orangery?
There is no strict formal dress code; smart-casual is the norm and complements the elegant pavilion setting. Because the Orangery sits inside Kensington Gardens, comfortable daytime clothing is perfectly fine. Any specific requirement for the afternoon-tea service itself is worth checking on the official Historic Royal Palaces website.
Can you visit the Orangery without a Kensington Palace ticket?
Yes. The Orangery stands in Kensington Gardens, a public royal park, so you can visit the cafe and its terrace without buying a Kensington Palace admission ticket. I went in for breakfast without entering the palace itself. Touring the palace interior is a separate paid ticket.
Planning the full palace visit? See my complete guide: Kensington Palace Visit Guide: Tickets, Highlights & Tips for Solo Travelers (2026).
Planning Your London Trip
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🫖 Comparing options? See my guide to afternoon tea in London, palaces to country houses — with the prices I actually paid.
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