Brigit’s Bakery Afternoon Tea Bus Tour

There are few things more quintessential when visiting London, or the UK in general, than an afternoon tea. Across the UK hundreds of hotels, restaurants, cafes and other eating establishments put on great selections. But, there is another option – an afternoon tea bus tour.

Tickets for the Brigit’s Bakery Afternoon Tea Bus Tour start from £45 per person, making it really reasonably priced when compared to the prices of many hotel and restaurant. And, unlike the table service hotels and restaurants, you’re also getting the novelty and experience of a bus tour around central London.

So what’s included in the afternoon tea and what should I expect on the tour?

Brigit’s Bakery: Afternoon Tea & London Bus Tour

Scrummy Food

The afternoon tea on the bus tour is presented on a double-level platter, with a range of sweet and savoury delights. From the stereotypical (but really really good) sandwiches to macaroons and other cakes and pastries, there’s sure to be something you’ll love and devour.

All the sandwiches and cakes are super fresh, light and not too filling; meaning guests are able to savour every flavour available and not feel too full over the course of the hour and a half tour. The platter alone is exquisite but about halfway through the tour, you get offered warm and fresh scones, with clotted cream and jam – something I can rarely turn down, so I hope you don’t either!

Something that was really good to see when chatting to the team and on the Brigit’s Bakery website is that, for those of you with dietary requirements, the bus tour is able to cater to gluten, vegan, veggie and halal requirements. However, I’d still suggest checking their website for the full list of dietary requirements they can and can’t cater to, as these could change on certain days and tours. Also, worth noting, vegan and gluten-free afternoon teas are £3 extra.

On The Bus Beverages

As much as the nibbles in an afternoon tea are a showpiece, the drinks are just important. Thankfully, the drinks and the tea selections are just as high quality and extensive as the food. 

Every afternoon tea offering includes a selection if ten types of tea and three coffee choices, such as English Breakfast, Earl Grey, Darjeeling teas in addition to Americano and Cappuccino coffees. Hot chocolates, bottled water and some other soft drinks are also available as standard.

If you’re in the mood for something a bit stronger or with a bit of fizz, the Brigit’s Bakery bus offers a range of sparkling wines, prosecco and Champagne as an extra. These can be pre-booked when booking or bought on the bus – which is good as it can be pretty easy to get through a bottle when shared among a few of you.

Prices for the wines and bubbles start from £8 per glass of Prosecco up to £275 for a bottle of Louis Roederer Vintage. Yes, they’re not the cheapest glasses or bottle but, as treat and when split among two or more people, are a fantastic way to add little bit more fizz to your tour.

On my tour, we tried the Prosecco Zia. On the wines list this is cheapest, however, I don’t think anyone really noticed. It’s light, pretty tasty and was generally went really well with the flavours of the sweet and savoury treats on offer.

All Aboard The London Bus Tour

The London bus tour takes around an hour and half (1.5 hours). The tour takes you past and through many of famous streets, attractions and sight of London. So, if you’re looking to see a few of London’s sights in one go, it’s really unique way to get around London.

A vintage Routemaster, the bus has two levels or table, each seating 2 people with comfort and 4 with a bit more of a squeeze. Being an older model of bus, the suspension isn’t the most comfortable when going over Londons many infamous potholes. Basically, what I mean, is the ride can be a bit bumpy, so make sure to keep hold of your drinks or put them in one of the drink holders on your table.

Despite the bumps and the slightly cramped seats, the ride and bus as a whole is actually pretty comfy over the course of the 1.5 hours.

What will you see on the bus tour route?

There are two routes of the bus tour you can take with Brigit’s Bakery, a “standard” route and an “evening” route. These are some of the sights you’ll see on each route:

Unfortunately, you don’t get to get off the bus the visit the actual attractions. However, the bus comes with a recorded guide-commentary (although on some routes they do have an in-person guide) and the staff on the bus are really good at helping point out things and answer any questions.

Like with any bus tour, you’re not guaranteed the best views or picture opportunities 100% of the time, especially when the bus is full. Some attractions might be on the left side when you sit on the right (or vice versa) or another double-decker might pull up next to the bus. In short, you’ll might need to climb over others on the bus (please don’t!) or you’ll have to ask them to take a picture for you.

Where to Book Brigit’s Bakery Afternoon Tea Bus Tour

Hopefully, this has got you looking to plan your next afternoon tea – with a difference. If so, head over to the Brigit’s Bakery Plan Your Tour page for more info and a link to main booking page.

Things To Note

I’ve already touched on a few of the “issues” on the bus (bumpy roads, you might not be able to see everything, dietary requirement costs) but there are a few more bits I think are worth knowing:

• Access – Old Routemasters aren’t the most accessible to those with mobility problems. While there is a downstairs offering, this a bit of a squeeze and not the most convenient.
• Toilets – There are no toilets aboard the bus. Make sure you got to the loo before getting on board, the bus doesn’t stop for a loo breaks either.
• Keep hold of your drinks – Bumps and drinks never end too well and it’s really easy to end up covered in yours or someone else’s drink when on the bus. 

Key points when booking:

Cost: 

From £45 per person, although for the best views and experience I’d recommend looking at the top deck £55+ options.

You can book via the Brigit’s bakery website or Get Your Guide.

Pick up: 

Tours start from a few locations – so be sure to check which is your starting point. 

The pick-up points for the bus tours are:

• Trafalgar Square (8 Northumberland Avenue, WC2N 5BY)
• London Victoria Coach Station (164 Buckingham Palace Road, SW1W 9TP)
• Somerset House (Victoria Embankment (A3211), by Somerset House)

Tour departure times:

Departure times for the bus tours differ for each pick-up point. However, on the whole, tours generally depart at 12pm, 12:30pm, 2:30pm, 3pm and 5pm most days. There are also additional tour times at 1pm and 3:30pm on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, while evening tours times leave around 6pm.

Hopefully, this review has inspired you to book Brigit’s Bakery bus tour of London and sample their yummy afternoon tea. If you have any questions or would like some further information, please feel free to comment below and I’ll try my best to help.

Whilst you’re here, you might like to read more of my London blogs or hear about the best pubs in Clerkenwell and Farringdon (according to me).

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