Hi guys,
I'll be in London for 3 days and it'd be great if anyone could hmu with some tea rooms or retailers to check out? My hotel is at green park but I don't mind travelling out of zone 1 I guess.
So far I've got on my list postcard teas mayfair and tea palace at covent garden.
Thanks
Erika
Re: Tea rooms/shops in London?
Not to be a downer – but don’t expect too much of the tea in London…
Despite its global reputation for tea, there is not much to be found for real tea enthousiasts, unless you like Builder’s tea (Brick-red, strong, sugary tea with milk) or the posh version (very light, greyish). I myself fancy a cup of builders tea from time to time for sentimental reasons, but it is definitely not easy on the stomach!
I would advise to avoid Twinings. At least buying tea there, although an old name, it has become very commercial tea, quality is not very good. They smell nice, but flavours all dissapear once brewed. The original location is interesting though, it is the first teashop in London, and has a tiny museum attached.
Fortnum & Masons tea collection is slightly better (and pricier), but still not much to be had for real enthousiasts.
And then you have some chinese tea shops in Chinatown, which mostly sell standard teas from China. There is one large Tea/Chinese medicine shop at the Corner to Shaftsbury avenue, but they are known to rip people off, I would not advise to buy there.
Despite its global reputation for tea, there is not much to be found for real tea enthousiasts, unless you like Builder’s tea (Brick-red, strong, sugary tea with milk) or the posh version (very light, greyish). I myself fancy a cup of builders tea from time to time for sentimental reasons, but it is definitely not easy on the stomach!
I would advise to avoid Twinings. At least buying tea there, although an old name, it has become very commercial tea, quality is not very good. They smell nice, but flavours all dissapear once brewed. The original location is interesting though, it is the first teashop in London, and has a tiny museum attached.
Fortnum & Masons tea collection is slightly better (and pricier), but still not much to be had for real enthousiasts.
And then you have some chinese tea shops in Chinatown, which mostly sell standard teas from China. There is one large Tea/Chinese medicine shop at the Corner to Shaftsbury avenue, but they are known to rip people off, I would not advise to buy there.
Re: Tea rooms/shops in London?
One thing you might want to try is have an 'Afternoon Tea' in one of London hotels. A bit of Google search for London Afternoon Tea will come up with some hotel names and then it is a question of choosing one amongst them depending on what each hotel offers and the price.
This is probably the closest one gets to a London tearoom.
Otherwise if you pop into Camden Market there is ChinaLife which also has a small tea room and you can even have a Gong Fu style tea. I have been there twice and it is good fun. Just search for ChinaLife for address details. Actually their website is http://chinalifeweb.com/.
Enjoy London.
This is probably the closest one gets to a London tearoom.
Otherwise if you pop into Camden Market there is ChinaLife which also has a small tea room and you can even have a Gong Fu style tea. I have been there twice and it is good fun. Just search for ChinaLife for address details. Actually their website is http://chinalifeweb.com/.
Enjoy London.
Re: Tea rooms/shops in London?
Thanks guys! I have one more day left and I'll try and hit up some more spots before flying off.
Anyway, some photos from postcard teas at mayfair. The teas are kinda overpriced but I couldn't resist buying a few because of how cute their canisters look Also, they had a tea tasting bar and I tried about 6 different kinds and tea and decided to buy Yame Green, Beijing Breakfast, and Supernatural Black. There was a lotus tea that really intrigued me but they sold it in 10g increments instead of 50g and I doubt that they would have let me tasted it..... Any suggestions on cheaper alternatives elsewhere?
Anyway, some photos from postcard teas at mayfair. The teas are kinda overpriced but I couldn't resist buying a few because of how cute their canisters look Also, they had a tea tasting bar and I tried about 6 different kinds and tea and decided to buy Yame Green, Beijing Breakfast, and Supernatural Black. There was a lotus tea that really intrigued me but they sold it in 10g increments instead of 50g and I doubt that they would have let me tasted it..... Any suggestions on cheaper alternatives elsewhere?
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Re: Tea rooms/shops in London?
some more photos
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Re: Tea rooms/shops in London?
In regards to afternoon tea, the best is Claridges, but almost impossible to book, especially short-term.
Not bad is the Wolseley on Piccadily.
https://www.thewolseley.com/
Not bad is the Wolseley on Piccadily.
https://www.thewolseley.com/
Re: Tea rooms/shops in London?
wow thanks i'll keep these in mind the next time i'm back, they are really near my hotel at park lane i was thinking of going to sketch but never got around to making a reservation...Bok wrote:In regards to afternoon tea, the best is Claridges, but almost impossible to book, especially short-term.
Not bad is the Wolseley on Piccadily.
https://www.thewolseley.com/
Re: Tea rooms/shops in London?
Although I have never tried the Wolseley I have been to The Rosebery Tea Lounge, at the London Manadarin Oriental, which I would recommend to anyone who visits London as they have a wide variety of teas to choose from and their food is out of this world.purringtons wrote:wow thanks i'll keep these in mind the next time i'm back, they are really near my hotel at park lane i was thinking of going to sketch but never got around to making a reservation...Bok wrote:In regards to afternoon tea, the best is Claridges, but almost impossible to book, especially short-term.
Not bad is the Wolseley on Piccadily.
https://www.thewolseley.com/
The tea master, Mr. Ludovic Coco, is fantastic and we have even exchanged ideas about different teas applicable to different food. Next time we go there I'll be taking him a sample of 1990's Yi Wu raw pu'er as a thank you for the service we received.
Re: Tea rooms/shops in London?
I was thinking to mention Sketch, but decided against it: The location itself is pretty amazing, they have loads of different rooms, each in a different style and the most surreal toilets I’ve ever been to…purringtons wrote:Bok wrote: i was thinking of going to sketch but never got around to making a reservation...
But – the food is only about average and for that it is overpriced.
They had their afternoon tea in a Alice in Wonderland kind of room, but apparently they’ve moved it to a less interesting room…