Happy Tea For Two Tuesday! For the British, who drink up to 165 million cups of tea every day, this annual celebration in March dedicated to enjoying a cuppa with your bestea sounds like a dream come true. And you need to look no further than Islington for teas ranging from matchas and fruit infusions to the classic English Breakfast.
Here are 5 of the best tea rooms and cafes to sit back, relax and have a brew.
Kastute100
Based in Camden Passage, this Japanese tea room offers loose-leaf and matcha teas with fruit infusions that combines Japanese culture with English tradition. Sencha tea, popular with green tea lovers, makes up most of the menu, with citrus, berry and other fruit infusions to choose from.
Be sure to try one of their cakes while you’re there — the tea room offers popular treats like the Strawberry Shortcake and Montblanc Tart, but also Japanese delicacies like the Nerikiri (known in Japan as “edible art”).
No time to sit in? Katsute100 also offers both a takeaway service and the chance to buy their teas for brewing at home.
Highness Cafe
This cafe and tea room based at Highbury Barn offers a more traditional English tea, served in traditional English china. Hot chocolate, iced coffee and a selection of herbal teas are also available for those who want to try something different.
Enjoy your tea with the cafe’s brunch, sandwiches and cakes that have been attracting locals since it opened in 2011.
Yumchaa
Not only does this King’s Cross cafe serve locally roasted coffees, tea, chai and matcha lattes, but it also runs masterclasses in tea blending and tea testing on Thursdays and Fridays. What better way to continue the Tea For Two celebrations?
You can find a variety of loose-leaf fruity teas, and even a caffeine-free blue tea that has been popular on Instagram as looking like a “mermaid” tea. There are also plenty of tea packages that you can buy to brew for yourself at home.
Drink, Shop & Do
“Cafe by day, bar by night, fun things to do” is what this bath house turned cafe on Caledonian Road has to offer. They cater for vegetarians, vegans and dairy-free customers, so nobody misses out on a cuppa! Their afternoon tea runs every Saturday and Sunday, served with sandwiches, scones and miniature cakes, costing £26 per person.
In the evenings, the cafe runs arts and craft events, including a glitter typography workshop and a Card B dance class.
Good, Proper Tea
From a mobile tea bar in a 1974 Citroën-H van to setting up its flagship store on Leather Lane, Clerkenwell, this cafe has come a long way in its mission to serve the best tea in London. You can sit in and enjoy black and green teas, as well as oolong and other herbal teas, all made with loose leaves. Or have them delivered to you with tips on home brewing. Perfect for a post-Tea For Tuesday slump!
Don’t worry if all the choice leaves you unsure, as the cafe also offers tea samples to try, and help you find your new favourites.
