Forget your double decaff or skinny latte, Tea’s the new hip beverage and nowhere more so than in London’s top tea-rooms. Bethan Ryder quenches her thirst.
The ubiquitous coffee shops on every corner are tempting for a shot of caffeine and energy burst, but the true national drink of Britain is far more refined and relaxing than something you buy in a paper cup. In recent years designers FrostFrench (Sadie and Jemima) have held tea parties rather than fashion shows, ditto Alexander McQueen and even pop stars are eschewing the hard stuff for a refreshing cuppa. Teetotaller Moby has opened a tea shop on Manhattan’s lower east side (www.teany.com) and disco queen Madonna says she loves a cup of cha.
The British are a nation of tea lovers, on average drinking over three cups per head, per day and they’ve been drinking it for around 350 years. The Japanese, Indians and Chinese all lay claim to first discovering the drink but the most popular story is that it originated in China, around 2737 BC. Chinese Emperor Shen Nung was about to drink some boiled water when leaves from the tree he was sitting beneath drifted down into his cup, he decided to drink the infusion and tea was born!
The Europeans were slow to catch on, but during the late 16th century it was transported to Holland by Dutch and Portuguese traders and by the mid-17th century it was the drink du jour among the British upper and middle classes.
It was during the early 1800s that it became more than just a drink and developed into an afternoon meal in itself. Anna Maria, the 7th Duchess of Bedford of Woburn Abbey retired to her boudoir at 5pm and ordered her servants to bring her tea accompanied by a slice of bread and butter, to stop that “sinking feeling” between lunch and dinner, (dinner was served around 8.30-9pm). Her habit caught on among high society and soon all the hostesses were offering their guests Afternoon Tea.
As for Afternoon Tea, you no longer have to get dressed up to visit the grand old hotels, like the Ritz, to experience this great British tradition. To enjoy finger sarnies, scones and pastries with expertly brewed tea there are a whole host of new venues across town that are offering Afternoon Teas in hipper surroundings.
—Inn the Park
St. James’s Park, SW1.
Tel. +44 (0)20 7451 9999, www.innthepark.com Where better to enjoy afternoon cha than leafy St James’s Park (near to the changing of the Guards) with a view of duck’s bobbing about the ponds. Inn the Park has won architecture awards because of how seamlessly it blends in with the park landscape. They serve cream and afternoon tea 3pm-6pm for £15. Grab a terrace table to really enjoy the view.
—The Parlour at Sketch
9 Conduit Street, W1.
Tel. +44 0870 777 4488, www.sketch.uk.com Fashionistas and musos love this multi-faceted establishment. For afternoon tea addicts there’s the Parlour, which is possibly one of the grooviest places to take tea in town. Sink into jewel-hued armchairs and watch the action. Manager Denise Tse runs the show: cream tea (£7.25) and afternoon tea (£16) is served from 3pm, and it’s an affordable way of tasting Gagnaire’s incredible flavour combos.
—The Tea Palace
175 Westbourne Grove, W11.
Tel. +44 (0)20 7727 2600, www.teapalace.co.uk For boho ladies taking a tea break from the retail therapy of Notting Hill, this elegant tea room—frequented by the likes of Kate Moss and Stella Mac C—is perfect. They stock 150 varieties of tea—The Palace Tea is served from 3pm-7pm (£12) and the Champagne Tea includes a glass of Rosé champagne (£18). If you like a particular tea or infusion you can buy it at the teashop counter, where royal purple Tea Palace caddies line the walls.
—The National Dining Rooms
Salibury Wing, The National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, WC2.
Tel. +44 (0)20 7747 2525, www.thenationaldiningrooms.co.uk This new addition to the National Gallery on Trafalgar Square is all about the Best of British produce. The dining rooms were designed by top UK designer David Collins and they serve elevenses, lunch and afternoon tea (from 3pm, £18) and there are 24 varieties of teas divided into six types: Black Tea, Oolong (half-green, half black), Green Tea, White, Herbal and Fruit infusions and Flavoured Blacks. Soak up the tea with freshly made quiche and potted mackerel toasts followed by fruit and scones with clotted creams.
—Ladurée
Harrods, 87-135 Brompton Road, SW1.
Tel. +44 (0)20 3155 0111, www.laduree.com The first branch of this legendary chic Parisian salon du thé outside the city is in Harrods. This exquisite tearoom dates back to 1862, and is most famous for inventing the colourful Macaroons, now available in over twenty flavours, from vanilla to liquorice. The decadent two-floored establishment comprises several salons; Neo-Etruscan, Orange and the Black Salon.
—Yauatcha
15-17 Broadwick Street, W1.
Tel. +44 (0)20 7494 8888 In the heart of Soho, this Alan “Hakkasan” Yau owned tea house and dim sum restaurant attracts a discerning media and foodie crowd. Not forgetting models like Erin O’Connor and cosmopolitan tourists. Tea is a soothing, stylish affair that feels both Parisian and Oriental. Tea mistresses sporting chic lime-green, raw silk blouses glide around serving guests a dizzying 150 varieties of tea, in teacups chosen by Taipei tea mistress, Hsieh Chih Chang. Afternoon tea is served from 12.30pm-6pm and costs £19 (with a glass of champagne its £26.50). Buy a beautifully wrapped box of homemade macaroons (£5.60), in flavours like kumquat, vanilla sesame and lychee raspberry as a souvenir.
—The Wolseley
160 Piccadilly, W1. Tel. (0)20 7499 6996, www.thewolseley.com Step back in time at this stunning establishment near the Royal Academy, to enjoy tea in boho-opulent surroundings, modelled on the grand cafés of Vienna and Paris. Originally the Wolseley car showroom, this imposing 1920s building (by the same architect as The Dorchester Hotel) was transformed by the former proprietors of the legendary The Ivy and J Sheekey’s restaurants so you’re bound to spot numerous stars of stage and screen. Open from 7am, their All Day Menu includes assorted Viennoiserie, beautifully displayed on silver cake stands. Cream Tea or Afternoon Tea is served 3pm-5.30pm (3.30pm-6pm weekends), the latter comprising sarnies, scones and pastries for £18.50.
—Mô
23 Heddon Street, W1.
Tel. +44 (0)20 7734 3999 More a North African Aladdin’s Cave in feel than a café, this bijou tea shop is owned by the energetic Mourad Mazouz, aka Momo, who owns the eponymous, Moroccan themed joint next door.
It’s an exquisite little gem with an authentic bazaar feel evoked by a tiled floor, low seating and brass topped tables, books and jewellery on display for sale and colourful lanterns sourced from souks and price-tagged for sale. Traditional and herbal tea is sold by the £2.50 pot, but for the true Mô experience, opt for mint tea with cinnamon and sample a hookah pipe.
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