Five places to eat tea and cake

Is there anything more quintissentially British than a spot of afternoon tea accompanied by an indulgent slice of cake (or two)? It's time to ditch the coffee shops in favour of a little English heritage - and here's the best places in the capital to do it.

High Tea of Highgate
50 Highgate High Street, N6 (020 8348 3162, highteaofhighgate.co.uk)
Not so long ago, every high street had a tea shop, and homemade cakes were the rule not the exception. By turning the clock back to somewhere in the 1930s, High Tea of Highgate has built up a loyal following with its delicious homemade cakes.

Belle Epoque
37 Newington Green, N16 (020 7249 2222, belleepoque.co.uk)
A small and busy French patisserie. The cakes are notably self-indulgent and while the garden is probably getting a bit too chilly now, the tea-room behind the shop is a good option for tea and cake.

Betty Blythe
73 Blythe Road, W14 (020 7602 1177, bettyblythe.co.uk)
Named after a Hollywood vamp who made her debut in 1918, this tea room with attitude offers finger sandwiches, scones and cakes and, although purists would say they were not "proper" cakes, the brownies are very popular.

Vintage Emporium Cafe
14 Bacon Street, E1 (020 7739 0799, vintageemporiumcafe.com)Masquerading as a Victorian Tea Room, this café serves tea and cake to customers drawn by a huge stock of vintage clothing (from Victoriana through to the Fifties).

Tangerine Dream Cafeat Chelsea Physic Garden, 66 Royal Hospital Road, SW3 (020 7352 5646, chelseaphysicgarden.co.uk)
Unusual opening hours and the fast- approaching end of the season (the Physic Garden closes October 31) make this something of a wild card. It is still worth noting due to the excellence of the cakes which range from the exotic "Orange and polenta cake" to the classic "Sacher Barron Torte". Open 12.30-4.45pm Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays.