Something that has ticked my fancy recently is the new bespoke tea blending service, offered by Fortnum & Mason and I got to thinking about which tea blends would be my favourite. All that thinking was thirsty work, so I sat at home and dreamed about my favourite tea spots in London. Now, we are not talking afternoon tea here, just a regular cuppa, where you can relax and put the world to right.

Firsty, back to Fortnums….

I’m not going to hide it, my favourite tea for a special occasion is Royal Blend by Fortnum & Mason, a Pekoe / Assam blend. It’s not just my favourite though, I tread in hallowed footprints as it was first blended for none other than Edward VII in 1902, a man known for his good taste, among less salubrious things. But the thought of a tea, blended to my own preferences by the inhouse tearistas, with my name on the caddy, is a temptation that I simply cannot deny.

I am always flummoxed in Piccadilly, why so many people will fill the chain cafes and drink from disposable cups, when for just a pound more you can have your soul massaged by one of the finest pots of tea, poured into a porcelain work of art. The Parlour is generally my favourite spot, as bookings are not required and any small people with you can be treated to a mouth-watering hot chocolate or personalised sundae.

Top Picks

So where else would I recommend in central London? We are certainly spoilt for choice, but the below I hold close to my heart.

Tea for a Rainy Day

Simply the cosiest little Café in town is The English rose Café & Tea Shop. Squeezed between Buckingham Palace, Tourists shops and a Modern retail & restaurant development, is this little gem of a place. It is often overlooked by visitors, but loved by locals for its vintage feel, low lighting, mismatched tables and chairs and honest prices for honest fare. The traffic on the road outside fades in the interior, where you could easily believe to be in a small country village tea room. Incidentally it’s just round the corner from the Goring Hotel, where Prince Charles is partial to a tea and the Queen throws Christmas parties for her staff.

Tea with Friends

Tea with friends is always special, so why not combine with a venue that complements the occasion? You would be hard pushed to find somewhere more special that the Courtyard at the Wallace Collection. A former private residence, this bijou gallery contains one of London’s finest collections in a setting reminiscent of a royal palace. With free entry to the collection, for the price of a cup of tea, not only will you have tintillating conversation with friends, but can pop upstairs to see works by Canaletto, Titian and Van Dyck or stay downstairs and admire furniture and porcelain that adorned what was the greatest court in Europe, Versailles. Before leaving, do take a moment to see “The Laughing Cavalier” by Frans Hals, it will certainly put a smile on your face for the rest of the afternoon.

Tea on the Go

Can you still get a cup of tea in central London for just £1 you may ask? And the answer is a definite yes, if you know where to look. Outside Embankment station you will find the usual bland coffee chains, but head under the bridge and you will find a green wooden hut. Yes, he will do your fancy frothy coffees at the usual prices, but he is also happy to offer a very fine cup of tea for just £1. This is an infamous cabbie shelter, first opened in 1875 to give black-cab drivers (horse drawn cabs at the time) a place to stop and get a cheap non-alcoholic drink and bacon buttie at all hours of the day. Famously only black-cab axi drivers can sit inside the huts, but the public can now benefit from the very good value takeaway service. With only 13 left in the city, the purchase of a beverage from here is keeping a little bit of London history alive.

Tea on the Agenda

Just across the road from the cabbie shelter is the place where I go when meeting for a tea over business, the Corinthia hotel. Stepping into the airy atrium is like stepping into a top spa; it’s all hushed tones, relaxing atmosphere, and you know you are going to be looked after in the hands of the best. Yes the tea may be more expensive, but you get a vast array of choice, the chinaware is delightful, the staff are simply charming and there is always a supply of freshly baked biscuits on hand, which magically reappear when finished (they know how to hook me!). I’ve been known to while away many an hour over a pot and a plan, and that’s before I get distracted by the cocktail bar….

No fuss Tea

A good old-fashioned cuppa, served from an urn that has been brewing for hours, is the stuff reminiscent of childhood. Maria’s Market Café in Borough Market is a proper caff and the place to go for the very best traditional fried breakfasts, bubble n squeak and no frills fare. Maria’s parents started the café in 1961 and Maria has been working here since she was 7 years old and is now the market’s longest trader. This is a real slice of traditional England, just don’t ask if they have oat milk….

And finally, I am well known to be found in Ole & Steen in a morning before starting work, not just for the tea, but for the vast amount of free “tasters” on the counter. Their Cinnamon Social is a thing of the Gods, but pastries and cakes I’m afraid, are for another day….