I first came across the wonderfully quirky work by London-based jewellery designer Buddug Humphreys at the market stall she shares with Jessie Chorley at Broadway Market. It’s difficult to resist the charms of her teapot and teacup enamel jewellery range, which were inspired by her grandmother’s tea set. They’re also available to purchase online from her website or from Lapin and Me.
With a reputation for displaying cakes “like jewels” (The Goddess Guide by Gisele Scanlon), it didn’t take long for me to sniff out The Parlour at Sketch when I first arrived in London.
Located across the road from Vivienne Westwood on Conduit Street, it offers an avant-garde setting for taking tea. Think traditional private men’s club complete with dark-wood panelling meets edgy gallery with odd-matching furniture and a chandelier fashioned out of Angelpoise lamps. It’s the sort of place where a live bird in a Victorian wire cage is replaced by a mini LCD screen playing looping clips of the real thing. And the toilets? Let’s just say that Kubrick wouldn’t be disappointed.
I was delighted to discover that said cakes were, in fact, exquisitely displayed in a carefully lighted glass showcase, and considering the location and setting, a reasonably-priced menu. Here, a delicious cream tea (fruit scones served with jam and clotted cream with a choice of tea) is £7.75 per person, compared to £10.75 at Liberty. Afternoon tea is also competitively-priced at £18.50 for the traditional line-up of assorted finger sandwiches, fruit scones served with jam and clotted cream, a selection of pastries and choice of teas.
The tea menu offers an excellent range catering for all tastes, with traditional blends and herbal infusions starting at £3. My pick is the deliciously-fragrant Jasmine Silver Fur for £4. There’s also a rather handy free Wi-Fi service, which I noticed quite a few people taking advantage of on both occasions I visited.
Just keep in mind that despite the fabulous cakes and edgy gallery setting, the service is notoriously snail-paced. But what does that matter if you’ve got all the time in the world (or a few emails to write). And did I mention the toilets?
Sketch
9 Conduit Street
London W1S 2XG
Tel. 020 765 94500
Nearest tube: Oxford Circus
Click here for a Wee Birdy map.
Drip Teas teacup and saucer, £21.50, Hidden Art Shop.
Lip Tease teacup and saucer, £21.50, Hidden Art Shop.
In her stunning Drip Teas and Lip Tease ceramics collection, British designer Reiko Kaneko playfully renders the stains and marks we leave behind in 24 carat gold. They’re individually packaged in a black box, making them gorgeous Christmas gifts. Available from Hidden Art Shop.
Willow Black and Yellow Cake Stand, £30, by W2.
Willow Black and Yellow small tea pot, £20, by W2.
Willow Black and Yellow tea cups, £35, by W2.
Loving this modern take on the traditional Willow tea set by London-based design company W2, the same people behind the popular Pantone mug range. Available to purchase online or from their flagship shop on South Bank.
W2 shop
1.22 Oxo Tower Wharf
Barge House Street
London SE1 9PH
Tel. 020 7922 1444
Nearest tubes: Waterloo and Southwark
Click here for a Wee Birdy map.
Opening hours:
Monday to Saturday 10am - 6pm
Thank You For Being You Hand Printed and Fired Tile, US$26, from Reap What is Sew’s Etsy shop.
'It's Nice To Be Nice' Handprinted Tile, US$26, from Reap What Is Sew’s Etsy shop.
I love these tea-themed handprinted tiles by London designer Hazel Nicholls. A graduate of Camberwell College of Art, the themes of “love, loss and fame” are recurrent in Hazel’s work. Keep up to date with Hazel’s amazing work on her blog.
'More Tea Vicar?' extra large teapot, £32, from the V&A Shop.
'Not For All The Tea In China' jar, £20, and 'Storm in a Teacup' cup and saucer, £10, from the V&A shop.
'I'm a little teapot' small teapot, £20, from the V&A Shop.
The award-winning English Eccentrics ceramics range by UK-based Big Tomato Company features a tea set with wit and smart-arsed slogans. Naturally, I love them. For the best prices around, head to the V&A shop.
The V&A Museum
Cromwell Road
London SW7 2RL
Tel. 020 7942 2966
Forever cupcake, US$12.50, from Small Stump’s Etsy shop.
I love the all-white glossiness of these ceramic cupckes, which are all hand "frosted" so each one is unique. It's amazing what you can find on Etsy, isn't it?
(By the way, I love a wee cupcake with a cup of tea!)
“I believe that it is customary in good society to take some light refreshment at five o’clock.”
- Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest
Tea at Liberty is of one the little places I like to keep up my sleeve whenever I want to treat myself and escape the maddening crowds of Oxford and Regent Streets. Situated on the ground floor of Liberty, right next to the all-too tempting handbag department, the tea shop is an elegant indulgence in all manner of tea and cake goodies. Tea is taken very seriously here at Liberty, with a menu packed with over 30 different blends and a range of fruit tisanes.
There’s a fine selection of light meals (the Welsh rarebit is a tasty savoury affair) and sweet things (classic Victoria sponge cake, fruit loaf cake and meringue served with clotted cream and rose petal jam).
My favourite tea-time treat is a pot of freshly brewed English Breakfast (£2.95) with hot buttered crumpets and strawberry jam. Here, the crumpets come square, light and fluffy, the most perfect accompaniment to a lovely pot of tea. Liberty use traditional Burleigh earthenware in the classic Willow design to serve tea and cake. (And if you really like it, the entire Willow range is available to purchase upstairs in the kitchen and dining department.)
There’s also a cream tea for £10.75, which includes scones with jam and clotted cream, served with tea or coffee. And if you really wanted to splash out, there’s the Liberty Champagne Afternoon tea, including champagne, finger sandwiches, cakes, scones and tea or coffee for £25.75.
It’s difficult to avoid being seduced by the lyrical descriptions of the hand-tied flowering tea range, which will set you back by a rather hefty £6.95. But seduced, I was, by Flower Jewel, which was described as “tender hand-picked white tea crowned by a delicate and bright pink amaranth flower. The dancing petals blissfully open as sweet jasmine scents this captivating elixir. Tantalizing the palate with its vibrant freshness and clarity, surrender into this everlasting ambrosia.” See what I mean? It actually WAS the most delicious and beautifully fragrant blend I’ve ever tenderly sipped, but I was a little disappointed that the hot water was added before it reached my table. I really wanted to see the petals ‘magically’ open! You kinda want some sort of entertainment value for your £6.95, eh?
Tea at Liberty
Great Marlborough Street
London W1B 5AH
Tel. 0207 734 1234
Nearest tube: Oxford Circus
Click here for a Wee Birdy map.
Click
here for more shops in W1.
Love tea cosy, £65, from the V&A shop.
This super-deluxe tea cosy is
hand-embroidered by British fashion and interiors designer, Jan Constantine.
Keep an eye out for her gorgeous Union Jack designs as well.
Limited edition Lin Jing Keke jug, £60 and Limited edition Lin Jing Qiqi teapot, £145 from the V&A shop.
The fluid clean lines displayed in these stunning pieces by Lin Jing are perfect for those into minimalist design.
The V&A Museum
Cromwell Road
London SW7 2RL
Tel. 020 7942 2966
Fancy a brew tea towel, US$16, from Mr PS’s Etsy shop.
How cool are these screen-printed tea-towels by British designer Megan Price? Her Mr PS range is inspired by vintage signage from classic British caffs and seaside resorts.
One lump or two tea towel, and Full English Breakfast Tea Towel, both US$16, from Mr PS’s Etsy shop.
They actually remind me of some signs that caught my eye when when I was on holiday in Cornwall last year. These were taken in the fishing village of Polperro:
I’ve been collecting vintage English tea sets for over 10 years now, and I’m a big fan of pieces from Staffordshire potteries. So I was thrilled to discover Katy Potts Tea For Two. Her collection of English tea sets make for a perfectly mismatched afternoon tea (the very best kind, in my opinion!).
Available online and in-store at Liberty, the tea sets are beautifully presented in a rather smart black box, making them an excellent (and totally unique) gift. A tea set for one, comprising of a cup, saucer and plate, will set you back £45, while a tea set for two, comprising of two cups, two saucers and two plates, costs £75. A wonderful selection of vintage teapots are also available for £60.
Liberty
Great Marlborough Street
London W1B 5AH
Tel. 0207 734 1234
Nearest tube: Oxford Circus
Click here for a Wee Birdy map.
Click here for more shops in W1.
This traditional café-deli is one of my favourite places to relax with a good cuppa and a sandwich after hitting the shops on Marylebone Lane. The shop itself dates back to 1900, and it still retains that old-fashioned charm of the village grocer.
I really dig the old-school caff set-up inside, complete with ‘60s laminate tables and folding leatherette chairs. The place gets packed during lunch hours with local workers flocking for the daily fresh soup and line-up of delicious sandwiches (my pick is egg on rye, but the Austrian liptauer and kummelkase are legendary).
A good cuppa, egg sandwich and Time Out ... happy, happy.
The walls are stacked with jams, chutneys and relishes, but I’m here precisely because it’s the antithesis of your Prets, Starbucks, Café Neros, et al. You’ll always find Paul Rothe and son donning their traditional white deli coats behind the counter, and the tea is a straight-forward, no-frills, honest-to-goodness brew. I will never grow tired of this place, it’s an absolute London gem.
Paul Rothe & Son
35 Marylebone Lane
London, W1U 2NN
Tel. 020 7935 6783
Nearest tube: Bond Street
Click here for a Wee Birdy map.
Opening Hours:
Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm
Saturday 11:30am - 5:30pm Sat
Closed Sunday
