After a walk on Hampstead Heath, what better way to refuel than with cake and a cuppa. Louis Patisserie is a Hungarian cafe, founded by immigrant Louis Permayer in 1963. And it hasn't really changed since. The patterned carpet, the panel walls, and the leather chairs take you back in time and to Eastern Europe, but with classically English teacups. With a range of tea, and an even bigger range of cakes and pastries, it's cosy and unique and the perfect spot to warm up after a wintery walk . . .
“Come on, vogue Let your body move to the music." Well I did do a little dance on my visit to the National Portrait Gallery. Why the boogie? Because the gift shop is now stocking Cuppa Coasters!! Well chuffed to be part of their tea theme at the same time the Vogue exhibition is on. (You can also buy them here!)
Not like any other tea I've tried...a totally new concept for a milky cuppa. At a Christmassy event at their Madd Hatter Cafe in the Arts Theatre near Leicester Square (note the theatre-style upholstered chairs), Hovig from Massis Tea was super passionate about his take on the nation's favourite drink. He has tried and tested many combos of loose leaf tea, resulting in a neat shot of Tey (tea), to which he then adds various flavours and steamed milk, creating a latte. It's a tea-lovers...
Finsbury Park in London is certainly changing. When I lived there in 2007 I would never have thought a lovely theatre would open up in the area. But the Park Theatre has, and with it a popular cafe/bar that gets so super busy before a show that I ended up sitting at the piano with my Teapigs Chai. I normally add milk to chai (India holiday nostalgia) but it wasn't offered to me so I gave it a go without and it was still delish. Think it says something about the tea when the barman says ‘wow...
Appropriately named Nanna's is a cosy cafe in North London, filled with green and orange vintage sofas, retro tables and chunky brown teacups. Basically like your Nanna's place! Inappropriately I was served Joe's Tea Company ‘Whiter than White' tea in a very dark cup which didn't make for a great photo! But the tea was tasty - even better on the second brew and weirdly left a delicious sweet aftertaste.
While Fernandez & Wells is mostly known for its coffee but they also stock a range of loose leaf teas. In need of a strong cuppa I went for Barry's Irish tea, a builders-type brew that went great with a slice of lemon tea bread.