You can immerse yourself in the ambiance of royal gardens or leisure parks, indulge in tea and desserts, or sip coffee for a leisurely half-day. Here are four recommendations. Let's go enjoy afternoon tea in a warm day.

Yigongzi Cafe, located in the Yinjingxuan, is truly a delightful spot in the Summer Palace. The pastries are exquisitely made, and the cafe offers limited afternoon tea selections based on seasonal changes. If you visit on a weekday, you can enjoy a scenic view from the window seats.

The cafe is attractive enough for visitors to enjoy afternoon tea, nestled against artificial hills, facing lotus ponds, with elegant Chinese-style pavilions and corridors, and properly divided space within the courtyard.

Address: Inside the Xiequ Garden of the Summer Palace, Haidian District, Beijing.

In the Forbidden City, an afternoon tea house  with its unique imperial ambiance attracts many visitors. The food names contain auspicious meanings, such as "All Your Wishes Come True Cake" and "Eternal Blessing Latte". The food is served with antique tableware. You can't help taking a picture as the food and tableware look good.

Located at the Kunning East Courtyard, it offers a moderate price and a pleasant dining atmosphere. During summer, there might be long queues for afternoon tea. If you plan to visit the afternoon tea house, you should remember to queue in advance.

Eternal Blessing Afternoon Tea House (Forbidden City Branch)

Address: Palace Museum, Jingshanqian Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing.

Founded in 1915, Laijinyuxuan Tea House has a history of over a hundred years. The name of the tea house comes from a poem by Du Fu, hoping to gather friends together. The signature buns with preserved vegetables fillings weigh about 200 grams each, featuring a rare 26-fold high-piled birdcage shape that is not common in northern China. The buns have full fillings and lightly thick wrappers, offering a chewy feeling. Lu Xun dined here for sixty times, completing many of his works and translations here. He mentioned in Diary of Luxun, "The buns here are worth eating."

Additionally, the tea house offers other afternoon tea snacks. With many characteristics of the Republic of China, it provides a unique experience of dining.

Address: Outside Southeast Corner of the inner Altar in Zhongshan Park, Dongcheng District, Beijing.

Swanseen Cafe on the mid-lake island of Liuyin Park is definitely a popular choice for relaxation for many people. A flock of wild ducks is raised in the lake in front of the cafe. Simple wooden tables and chairs are arranged in the small brick-and-tile house. You can take a window seat to enjoy tea and the scenery.

The menu is not long, but the dishes are quite diverse, including coffee, desserts, tea drinks, and sandwiches. After strolling in the park, you can come here to have a rest, chat or just wait for the sunset.

Address: Liuyin Park, Huangsi Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing.