Top London Tea Rooms

*Featured image credit: SurangaSL / Shutterstock.com

Afternoon tea is a British tradition that has not only lasted throughout the years, but is now making quite the comeback. This has enabled a large number of new tea rooms to open up around the country, with some of the best being located in London. OROGOLD takes a look at the top London tea rooms.

The Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon, Fortnum & Mason, Piccadilly
The elegant Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon was actually opened  by The Queen herself, to mark her diamond jubilee. A sanctuary from the bustle of Piccadilly, the tea room features pretty chandeliers, crisp white linen, blue china and impeccable décor. The sandwiches served are British classics but with high-end ingredients, such as the rare breed hen egg with cress, and the rare roast beef with Cafe de Paris butter, making it the ideal spot for a special afternoon tea. There are so many other delicious food options, from the thick slices soft smoked salmon to the lemon and dill scones to the fresh raspberry jam, that OROGOLD couldn’t possibly choose a favorite.

Loose Tea Bar, Twinings, The Strand
Twinings, one of the most popular tea companies in the world, was founded at this very site in 1706, making it a must-visit for any tea enthusiast. To begin with, OROGOLD recommends touring the small museum in the premises, showcasing old tea objects as well as historical photos of the Twining family. Then, settle down at the Loose Tea Bar for a fantastic tea experience. The tea bar features sampling dishes, which you can use to pick up the different loose teas before smelling and tasting them. Twinings also recently installed a Sampling Counter featuring their wet teas, and OROGOLD highly recommends tasting some of the delicious ranges on offer.

Urban Tea Rooms, Soho
Urban Tea Rooms, tucked away in a corner of Soho, is one of the trendiest tea rooms that you will find in London. There is a delicious range of loose leaf teas to choose from, with the venue making their own tea sacks that you can use if you want to take some home with you. They also offer an innovative range of tea-infused cocktails, with nine different tea-infused martinis and ten different tea-infused long cocktails. When it comes to the food served, Urban Tea Rooms is all about Great British Produce, with all ingredients being local, free range and organic whenever possible. OROGOLD highly recommends ordering a cake to go along with your tea, as these are absolutely delicious and are baked and delivered fresh each day by artisan bakers around the city.

The ritual of afternoon tea in England can be traced all the way back to the early 1800s, where two meals a day was the norm. In order to stave off hunger pangs, afternoon tea began to increase in popularity, and is one of those British traditions that has truly been modernized in recent years. From tea-infused cocktails to a tea tasting bar, these are some of London’s top tea rooms that OROGOLD highly recommends you visit.