Afternoon tea was introduced into society by Anna, the 7th Duchess of Bedford, in England in the 1840s. But it's a phenomenon that has spread around the globe and, as we'll show you, there are plenty of places now serving some very unique takes on the tradition.

Who says board games aren’t popular anymore? We think indulging in this afternoon tea might just reignite your love for them. And with a mouth-watering selection of cakes, sandwiches and scones designed by Executive Head Chef William Drabble of the hotel’s in-house Michelin-starred restaurant Seven Park Place, playtime has never been so tasty.

The theme is based around original board games, including traditional favourites like Snakes & Ladders, backgammon, chess, Monopoly, Scrabble, dominoes and Ludo (and you and the family can enjoy playing the real-life games too). Tea items worth highlighting include delicious cake dice, edible Scrabble letters, chocolate chess pieces (pictured), shortbread dominoes and chocolate Monopoly hats (pictured).

This afternoon tea can be enjoyed by kids and adults alike, and should bring out the inner child in all.

Afternoon tea with Basque cuisine inspirations? Yes please. And with Michelin-starred chef Sergi Sanz as the creator, we can’t think of anything better. Just look at the delicious tapas.

The tapas, or ‘pinxos’, you'll enjoy include a traditional basque skewer, spider crab tempura, Iberico ham and manchego cheese pillow, pork croquette and a piquillo pepper and avocado sandwich.

Or for those of you with a sweet palate, you can enjoy a lime custard and banana tartlet, charred sweets, elderflower trifle, Catalan cream with cinnamon, chocolate with churros and sangria and passion fruit with lemon sorbet. It’ll be a fiesta in your mouth.

At At.Mosphere Burj Khalifa, luxury knows no bounds. You can choose from three exquisite options, because who needs just one?

Depending on your fancy, you could sample sweet flavours like berries and cream, or mull over the savoury selection of fine roasts with seasonal vegetables.

A classic experience with a haute twist, prepare for palate-pleasing plates from star chef Wolfgang Puck at the equally-famous Hotel Bel-Air. You could try a Maryland blue crab “roll” with herb remoulade, or amp up your regular cheese sandwich to a sourdough “grilled cheese” sandwich with gruyere.

But if you've come for the sweets you won’t be sorry either. How about a pistachio financier? Or a huckleberry cheesecake? Or a chocolate-dipped cream puff? We're just waiting on our invitation...

Here we have the most lavish afternoon tea in the Irish capital. But your experience is not all about the food; it also involves a slice or two of art history being served to you on fine china.

While you could indulge in some sandwiches, including cornfed chicken with truffle mayonnaise on sunflower bread or duck egg mayonnaise in a brioche bun, we think you’ll stay for the cakes. The mini sweet creations take inspiration from the works of William Scott, J.B. Yeats, Louis Le Brocquy and many others. This raspberry and passion fruit tart is based on John Boyd's painting Futile Defense (Fabricated Evidence).

You’ll enjoy three pastries based on or inspired by artworks, which could include: Farm Buildings, Stephen McKenna, which is a hazelnut gateau with a coffee bavarois; Shut Eye with Acolyte (Praxis), John Boyd, which is a teardrop of pistachio and white chocolate mousse (pictured); and Madonna and Child, Mainie Jellet, which is a passion fruit and orange cheesecake. High tea and high art combine beautifully.

For a more British take on teatime, you could enjoy a Prince of Wales selection at the Baccarat Hotel in New York. Delicacies include lobster “Waldorf” with pickled red grapes on bib lettuce, or house smoked duck pastrami with plum purée on parker house roll.

But where would fine dining be without some added sparkle and caviar with your High Tea? At the Baccarat, when you choose the Tsar Nicholas II (pictured) for your dining pleasure, you'll be treated to Tsar Imperial Ossetra caviar, plus blinis and more.

Prêt-à-Portea is inspired by the themes and designs of the fashion world and pastry chef Mourad Khiat has brought this season's vibrant colours, graphic lines and ruffles to life.

Enjoy Balenciaga's perspective on street style as a raspberry bavarois and blueberry compote, topped with a pointed stiletto biscuit (pictured), or Miu Miu's retro bikini lime biscuit – the must-have swimwear making a splash on the beach this summer (pictured).

This creation is for all the girls who like to make a statement with their footwear. Charlotte Olympia’s high-kicking ‘Chiquita’ banana pump biscuits will channel your inner Carmen Miranda.

The “floating” dinner table concept has made its way across the globe. As the name suggests, you really are dining in the sky. And when you pay for afternoon tea with a view, only the best will do.

The table is raised and lowered using a crane. Once you're airborne you can enjoy the stunning views of Dubai marina and the city’s skyline.

Chefs from the Ritz-Carlton Hotel whip up treats such as smoked salmon sandwiches with cream cheese or herb-marinated aubergine and goat’s cheese sandwiches. And to curb your sugar cravings there is chocolate truffle cake with lime marmalade or a gianduja chocolate tart. A feast for all the senses.

If tea and scones aren’t really your thing, why not give cocktails and cakes a try instead? If that's you, the Not Afternoon Tea at Oxo Tower will not disappoint.

You can choose from delicious plates like the ‘Rum Plate’, where you enjoy rum babas with vanilla ice cream, coconut panna cotta and gingerbread with passion fruit curd. Or perhaps ‘London Markets’ will tickle your fancy with its chocolate and rose tart with candied flowers, salted peanut caramel ganache with petticoat tails and white chocolate ice cream with spiced chocolate crumble and 'punk' chocolate shards.

The St. Regis San Francisco is known for valuing tradition as well as the finer things in life. Their afternoon tea offers a distinct, modern and innovative take on the British classic.

Savoury indulgences include carrot foam accompanied by golden raisin chutney or duck confit quiche. But if you go for the sweet treats we think you’ll be pleasantly surprised. The St. Regis offers lemon and raspberry macarons, passion fruit and white chocolate mousse and, for a spin on a classic, crispy carrot and cinnamon scones with a decadent Vahlrona dark chocolate glaze.

Ladies who lunch, girly girls and make-up lovers alike, this is the afternoon tea of your dreams. Your cake selections will take on life-like forms inspired by the detailed make-up containers of Bobbi Brown. You could enjoy a Balthazar ‘Hollywood Red Lip Gloss’ Kiss, or a rhubarb and ginger ‘Shimmer Brick’. Don’t they look so lifelike?

Here we have the coco-citrus ‘EXTRA Balm Rinse’ cheesecake alongside the real deal. Could you tell the difference? At Balthazar, the cakes are the showstoppers, and they look so good it’d be rude to say no.

Where are our chicken lovers at? At Ma’Plucker, you can enjoy a classic English tea with an American Deep South twist, and by this we mean lots and lots o’ chicken.

Why have dainty finger sandwiches and scones, when you can have scoffles and brioche buns stuffed with pulled chicken, or buttermilk-dipped chicken with crispy-coated halloumi? And there are no cakes here for you. Instead, you’ll be chowing down on a mini sundae with vanilla ice cream with chocolate eggs, or a mini doughnut stick with a salted caramel sauce. It’s the American Dream with a British twist.

Because who said afternoon tea had to be dainty all the time? For those who enjoy something a bit meatier, this is the tea for you. You could enjoy a chorizo Scotch egg with Bloody Mary mayonnaise, or seared Welsh sirloin steak, caramelised red onions and garlic mushrooms on toasted ciabatta or even a mini Brecon venison burger with juniper berry and redcurrant mayonnaise.

For a sweet finish, you can also choose from a warm chocolate fondant with clotted cream or rum baba filled with Chantilly cream and raspberries.

You're cordially invited to tumble down the rabbit hole and experience a tea party fit for the Mad Hatter and friends.

The menus are hidden inside vintage books and teapots. There are delicious savoury bites available, from smoked salmon quail's egg with caviar and cream cheese to melt-in-your-mouth King of Hearts parmesan croque-monsieur stacks. You’ll be graced with scones and Tweedle Dee’s lemon curd financier. And time may just stop once you taste a Mad March Hare vanilla pocket watch macaroon the White Rabbit would be proud to wear.

And let’s not forget the cocktails. Will you follow in Alice's footsteps and drink the magic potions?

Roald Dhal couldn’t have described this afternoon tea better than simply ‘Scrumdidilyumptious’. The Charlie and the Chocolate Factory afternoon tea promises ‘tremendous things in store for you!’

You’ll enjoy candy floss, gingerbread and orange cake pops and decadent chocolate golden eggs filled with vanilla cheesecake and mango. There's also chocolate caramel milk, a black forest gateau, seasonal sandwiches and treats like turkey and cranberry on rye, leek, walnut and Montgomery cheddar quiche and cinnamon and chestnut brioche.

Scientists young and old are invited to explore an out-of-this-world science-inspired afternoon tea at the Drawing Rooms at the Ampersand Hotel. This tea is inspired by its famous neighbour, London's Science Museum.

It boasts a super-galactic menu where guests will sample a delicious selection of themed treats, including a mint and chocolate mousse with spaceman. Budding scientists can excavate a collection of shortbread dinosaurs, or can try their hand at test tube work by sprinkling toppings on homemade plain and white chocolate scones. It’s a sensory extravaganza with a side of education.