Dim Sum Afternoon Tea £25

If you're after a cheap date that feels properly posh without the Chinatown crowds, Dim Sum Library's afternoon tea is it. £25 gets you unlimited tea and a birdcage of high-end dim sum, think shrimp dumplings that beat the £6 for three you'll pay elsewhere.

What you get

£25 per person for the "Birdcage" Dim Sum Afternoon Tea set. That's refined HK-style dim sum like shrimp dumplings, siu mai, and pastries, plus unlimited tea. Minimum 2 people, Monday-Friday 2pm-5pm at Dim Sum Library, Covent Garden (part of Aqua Restaurant Group, right by Covent Garden tube).

Better quality than the usual Chinatown spots where you're paying similar per-item prices.

How to get it

1. Head to opentable.com/r/dim-sum-library or dimsumlibrary.co.uk, reservations required, no walk-ins. 2. Pick a Monday-Friday slot between 2pm-5pm for 2+ people. 3. Book and show up on time, they've got a no-show policy. 4. Order the Tea Tales Afternoon Tea when you arrive. Tea refills are unlimited, so top up as you go.

What the TikTok didn't mention

• Go early, like 2pm, to avoid the post-work rush, tables fill up by 3:30pm.
• Order extra shrimp dumplings and siu mai, they're the stars, miles better than Chinatown versions. Skip the pastries if you're picky.
• Pair it with a Too Good To Go bag from a nearby Gail's for breakfast, walkable from Covent Garden tube, keeps the day under £30 total.
• The tea's proper HK-style, jasmine or pu'er that actually tastes fresh, not like bag-from-Tesco.

The catch

Items often come out lukewarm, especially the pastries, they've sat a bit before serving.

£25 for this quality in Covent Garden, Monday to Friday 2pm-5pm, reservations required.