There are few things more synonymous with London than a cherry red double-decker bus. The popular Routemaster buses are an essential part to London life, loved by locals and tourists alike.
Every day, thousands of double-deckers ply the city streets, covering hundreds of routes and carrying out some five million journeys daily but only a handful of them offer that other quintessentially British experience, afternoon tea.
We jumped on board a revamped traditional red Routemaster bus to sample the B Bakery Afternoon Tea Bus Tour and discovered that sightseeing and scones are a match made in heaven.
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The British obsession with Afternoon Tea
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The very British tradition of afternoon tea dates back to 1840 when, feeling peckish one afternoon, the Duchess of Bedford asked that a tray of tea, bread and butter be brought to her room.
This mid-afternoon snack quickly became a daily habit and a social one too; the Duchess regularly invited friends to join her and soon high society ladies would change into their best gowns, gloves and hats to enjoy afternoon tea.
These days, afternoon tea usually involves a quick cuppa and possibly a biscuit but if you want to treat yourself then there are lots of places where you can enjoy afternoon tea in London.
All about Brigit’s Bakery
The B Bakery Afternoon Tea Bus Tour is the brainchild of Brigit’s Bakery, a French Salon de Thé that first opened in 2010. Founded by a French family, the Blochs, looking to bring French patisseries to London, the cafe quickly became a hit.
Two years later, the family opened a second outpost, this time in Covent Garden and, two years later, they bought their first classic Routemaster bus and the idea of the B Bakery Afternoon Tea Bus Tour was born.
Today the company have a handful of original refurbished Routemaster buses and offer a number of themed tea bus tours including Peppa Pig and Paddington Bear tours that are ideal for families with young children.
They also run tours tied to holidays such as their Grinchmas and Christmas Lights tours (the best way to enjoy London at Christmas) and a Valentine’s Afternoon Tea.
However, my fourteen-year-old daughter and I decided to be purists and opted for the Classic Afternoon Tea Bus Tour (if you’re looking for something fun to do with teens in London then this is a great idea!) and met our driver and crew on a rainy January afternoon near Trafalgar Square.
On board the B Bakery Afternoon Tea Bus Tour
B’s Bakery runs afternoon tea tours throughout the year with multiple tours per day, simply head to the website, choose your dates and time and make a booking. Departure points vary; we left from Northumberland Avenue near Trafalgar Square but some tours depart from Victoria Coach Station at Victoria Station.
The original Routemasters have been refurbished and now come with tables that can seat four. If you can, opt for a table on the top deck that offer the best views; the two tables at the front of the bus on the upper deck can seat two people only.
The afternoon tea bus tour route
If you’re looking to see London’s main sights in one quick tour then this is the perfect way to do it. The 90-minute tour takes in almost all of the most famous landmarks in central London and you get to eat while ticking them off your list!
Setting off from Northumberland Avenue, we passed Trafalgar Square and Nelson’s Column before carrying on past Downing Street and towards the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben.
There’s supposed to be an automated commentary running throughout the tour regaling passengers with fun facts and interesting historical tidbits however, ours only started working half-way through the tour which, I was told, was not usual.
Instead we had a cheery medley of Christmas tunes to keep us entertained! If the commentary is not working when you step on board, make sure to tell one of the members of staff and they will sort it out for you.
Next on our tour was Westminster Abbey before the bus headed to Knightsbridge where we sailed past the bright lights of Harrods.
There were a few comical moments when, stopped at a red traffic light, a regular double decker bus pulled up alongside ours and we could see neighbouring passengers ogling our sandwiches and cakes.
From Knightsbridge the route wound its way towards the Royal Albert Hall, around Hyde Park and past Marble Arch, which was designed by the favoured architect of King George IV, John Nash.
Buckingham Palace was our next stop on our afternoon tea tour before we circled back around Trafalgar Square and to our original departure point.
The tour last around 1hr. 30 minutes but the timing depends on the London traffic so it may take longer.
The B Bakery afternoon tea menu
Sights are all well and good but scones are better according to my daughter so we were delighted to discover that these formed part of the afternoon tea menu on board the B Bakery afternoon tea bus London tour.
B Bakery can cater for a wide range of dietary requirements and offer a range of menus including Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten Free, Pescatarian, and Halal.
We opted for the traditional afternoon tea menu which comes with a selection of finger sandwiches and sweet treats served on a traditional tiered plate stand.
Our savoury sandwiches selection featured ham and cheese, smoked salmon and cream cheese (my personal favourite), and cucumber and cream cheese. Our savoury options also included a mini savoury muffin and mini quiches.
On the top tier was a selection of homemade cakes including a lemon meringue and a chocolate mini cupcake. Half-way through, one of the team came round with warm scones and small pots of jam and clotted cream.
It is a very generous afternoon tea spread but don’t worry if you can’t finish it all, the B Bakery team hand out containers at the end in case you want to take any leftovers home with you.
Drinks on board the B Bakery tea bus tour
Given that you’re on board a moving bus all drinks are served in a B Bakery themed travel cup to avoid any unnecessary spillages. These cups are yours to take away at the end of the tour.
Tradition dictates that hot tea should be served during afternoon tea and the B Bakery Menu offers a range to choose from including English Breakfast, Earl Grey, Chai Tea, Green Tea and Jasmine Tea. There is a decaf tea option too.
If tea is not your thing then other hot drink options are hot chocolate, a selection of herbal teas and coffee. For any special occasions (or simply because) then a glass of Prosecco is also an option.
Our final thoughts on the B Bakery Tea Bus Tour
Overall we really enjoyed our B Bakery Bus Tour experience. It’s a great way to explore the heart of the city while enjoying afternoon tea at the same time.
For younger children, I would recommend trying the Paddington Bear or Peppa Pig themed bus tours but if you’re visiting London with teens then the Classic Afternoon Tea Bus tour is a lot of fun and even the most irascible of teens are guaranteed a great time.
