Afternoon tea still thrives in London, where tradition meets playful reinvention. From Brown’s virtuous Tea-Tox to Paramount’s sky-high slate tiers, Sanderson’s surreal Mad Hatter’s feast, Stoke Newington’s time-warp Tea Rooms and Teanamu’s meditative Asian rituals, the city serves scones, views and ceremony for every appetite, budget and whim.

Shanghai, tea-scented and ever-bustling, offers more than 3,000 teahouses: historic Mid-lake Pavilion, sociable Red & Black, art-filled luxurious Jingyuan, round-the-clock Yage Leisure, and British-inspired Rose House. From quiet reflection to lively gatherings, each promises a different ritual in the city where afternoons drift by, porcelain cup in hand.