Afternoon tea in Poole usually comes with a view, which is the main reason to have it here rather than anywhere else.
With a harbour view
The hotels around Sandbanks and the peninsula serve the full thing, sandwiches through to cakes, looking out over water. Book ahead, particularly at weekends. See hotels.
In a garden
Compton Acres has a tea room among its themed gardens, which turns tea into an afternoon rather than an hour. The better option if you want the setting to carry it.
In the villages
Canford Cliffs, Ashley Cross and the Old Town all have tea rooms and cafes doing scones properly.
The cream question
A cream tea is scones, clotted cream, jam and a pot of tea. Afternoon tea adds sandwiches and cakes. In Dorset the cream traditionally goes on first and the jam on top, which is the opposite of Cornwall and a conversation you can have with anyone here for as long as you like.
See afternoon tea for the full list.