Afternoon tea at the Waldorf Astoria is back after an eight-year hiatus

After years behind scaffolding and anticipation, the Waldorf Astoria New York is finally back—and it’s reviving one of its most beloved rituals at the same time. Afternoon tea has returned to the landmark hotel after an eight-year hiatus, reemerging not as a carbon copy of the past but as a thoroughly modern reinvention.

Instead of reviving the tradition exactly as it was, the Waldorf has handed the reins to Yoshoku, its intimate Japanese dining room, which has reimagined afternoon tea through a distinctly Tokyo-meets-Park Avenue lens. Service still feels luxe and leisurely, but trades stiff white-glove vibes for something more thoughtful, seasonal and quietly cool.

At $135 per person, the Japanese afternoon tea is a full production. Teas are sourced from Japan via Brooklyn-based specialist Kettl and options range from nutty genmaimatcha to deeply savory gyokuro that tastes a little like dashi in a teacup. The food offers Japanese precision, but with a playful flair: wagyu pastrami sandwiches with yuzu pickles and Havarti, tsukemono with whipped sudachi cream cheese and warm scones that swap the usual citrus for sudachi zest.

Then come the sweets. Highlights include matcha yuzu cake, soba-cha maple verrine and a houjicha hazelnut choux that feels destined for Instagram fame. There’s also an optional caviar add-on.

What makes the comeback feel especially right is the timing. The Waldorf Astoria New York has spent years in renovation mode, quietly plotting its return to the city’s social scene. Bringing back afternoon tea, once one of the hotel's defining rituals, is one more step in the hotel’s campaign to reclaim its place as a place people actually go, not just walk past.

Yoshoku’s version runs Tuesday through Saturday, with seatings late morning and early afternoon, making it ideal for a midweek treat-yourself moment.

In a city where new openings get all the hype, there’s something satisfying about an old favorite coming back smarter and fresher, with a side of matcha. After eight years away, the Waldorf’s afternoon tea isn’t just back—it’s having a glow-up.