With the possible exception of the Queen, the double-decker buses, and Harry Potter, there is nothing more British than a decent cup of tea. In England, tea is more than a drink: it is a social lubricant, a defense against the cold and a cure for almost any type of emotional distress. If you’re planning a trip to London, immerse yourself in this tea-loving culture by visiting one of the capital’s many tea vendors. Whether you’re looking for a craft beer to enjoy during your stay or a memorable souvenir to take home, you’ll find what you’re looking for in these quintessential British shops.
This article was updated and rewritten in part by Jessica Macdonald on June 19, 2018.
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teanamu, shepherd’s bush
Direction
4 Melina Rd, London W12 9HZ, UKGet directions
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teanamu is a small independent tea supplier led by Pei Wang, a Chinese tea and culture expert. She has tea appreciation classes and hosts free tastings at Chaya Teahouse in the Shepherd’s Bush district. Afternoon tea is available by reservation only. Alternatively, you can browse teanamu products online, with a page dedicated especially to rare and aged teas.
Address: 4 Melina Road, Shepherd’s Bush, London W12 9HZ
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East India Company, Mayfair
Direction
7-8 Conduit St, London W1S 2XF, UKGet directions
Telephone
+44 20 3205 3394
Web
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The East India Company was established 400 years ago during the Elizabethan era. Its English merchants traveled to India, Burma, Malaya, Java, Indochina, and beyond to bring in new food and drink, including fine teas and tea-making accessories. Today, The East India Company has 13 stores across London, including a flagship store in Mayfair.
Address: 7-8 Conduit Street, London W1S 2XF
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Good and proper tea, Clerkenwell
Direction
96 Leather Ln, London EC1N 7TX, UKGet directions
Telephone
+44 20 8088 2740
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Good & Proper Tea’s flagship store on Leather Lane is an exquisite space with hardwood floors and exposed brick arches. From tea bags to loose teas, herbal teas, green teas, and black teas, the store is a veritable cornucopia of different beers. Iced tea bags are a specialty, with flavors including rooibos with orange; and hibiscus with rose hip and ginger.
Address: 96A Leather Lane, London EC1N 7TX
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Twinings, The Strand
Direction
216 Strand, London WC2R 1AP, UKGet directions
Telephone
+44 20 7353 3511
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Twinings has had a tea shop on The Strand in London since 1717. It has a wide range of specialty teas, as well as fruit and herbal teas, iced teas and coffee blends. There is a wide variety of gifts including teapots, mugs, cookies, and chocolates. There is also a small museum that tells the story of the Twinings family, along with artifacts and unusual items from the world of tea.
Address: 216 The Strand, London WC2R 1AP
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Postal Tees, Mayfair
Direction
9 Dering St, London W1S 1AG, UKGet directions
Telephone
+44 20 7629 3654
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The English, Japanese and Chinese owners of Postcard Teas have spent 20 years traveling everywhere in search of the best teas. They exclusively sell tea from small producers with farms of 15 acres or less and are passionate about provenance. Each of the 60 teas sold at the company’s charming store (near Oxford Street) proudly displays the name and location of the manufacturer.
Address: 9 Dering St., Mayfair, London W1S 1AG
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Tiosk, Hackney
Operating out of an Instagram-worthy store on Broadway Market, Tiosk is a hipster haven specializing in premium loose leaf teas and tea pyramids. From Kenyan orange pekoe to milk oolong, there is a flavor to suit every palette. Tiosk also sells tea-related lifestyle products, including matcha smoothies and Japanese clay teapots. Gift sets are the perfect keepsake for friends back home.
Address: 33 Broadway Market, London E8 4PH
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The tea house, Covent Garden
Direction
15 Neal St, London WC2H 9PU, UKGet directions
Telephone
+44 20 7240 7539
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The Teahouse on Neal Street in Covent Garden is a well-known local landmark. It sells more than 100 varieties of tea from around the world, as well as associated tea paraphernalia. The novel teapots, the matching tea sets and the strange infusers are the perfect accompaniment to the different varieties of tea. These include matcha, spice, oolong, and whole fruit teas.
Address: 15 Neal Street, London WC2H 9PU
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Drury Tea & Coffee, Covent Garden
Direction
3 New Row, London WC2N 4LH, UKGet directions
Telephone
+44 20 7836 1960
Web
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Drury Tea & Coffee is a family business founded in 1936. Today they supply restaurants, hotels and coffee shops around the world with fine teas, including 30 Michelin star customers. The company also has its own facilities in Covent Garden. Here, you can choose from over 120 loose leaf teas and tea bags, all tested by professional Drury tea tasters.
Address: 3 New Row, Covent Garden, London WC2N 4LH
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Bird & Blend Tea Co., Angel & Borough
Direction
7 Park St, London SE1 9AB, United KingdomGet directions
Telephone
+44 1273 325523
Web
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Award-winning tea supplier Bird & Blend Tea Co. has several stores across the UK. In London, you’ll find one in Borough and one in Angel’s Camden Passage. Both stores sell an incredible variety of tea products, from Eton Mess flavored fruit infusions to ginger beer flavored rooibos. You can even have your favorite flavor crafted into a bespoke tea resin pendant.
Dirección: 7 Park St, London Borough, SE1 9AB, 26 Camden Passage, Islington, N1 8ED
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Tea2You, city market
Direction
Bedale St, London SE1 1TL, United KingdomGet directions
Telephone
+44 7910 809740
Web
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Borough Market on Southbank is home to Tea2You, a tea supplier specializing in Darjeeling varieties imported from the best farms in Darjeeling, Assam and Nepal. In the store, you can try mixes and flavors personally selected by the owner. Shop for your favorites to take home, then order supplies through the store’s website that now exports to the United States.
Registration address: Bedal Street, Borough Market, London SE1 1TL
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Whittard of Chelsea
Direction
9 The Marketplace, The Piazza, London WC2E 8RB, United KingdomGet directions
Telephone
+44 20 7836 7637
Web
Visit the website
Founded in 1886, Whittard of Chelsea now has many branches located in London and the UK. Stores stock fine tea, coffee, and cocoa from around the world, and while you can’t handle the tea before you buy it, prepackaged tea bags and loose teas make a wonderful gift. You can also buy beautiful teapots, strainers, travel mugs, and baskets.
Address: Use the store locator on the website to find your nearest store.
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TEAS, Spitalfields
Direction
40 Brushfield St, London E1 6AG, UKGet directions
Artisan supplier TEAS sells a wide range of loose leaf teas, tea bags and tea accessories online to addresses in Europe and the United States, but also has its own tea room in Spitalfields. Here, you can try before you buy from a carefully selected menu featuring the best teas and infusions in the store. The shop also serves Monmouth coffee and Artisan du Chocolat hot chocolate.
Address: 40 Brushfield Street, Spitalfields, London E1 6AG
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Fortnum & Mason, Piccadilly
Direction
181 Piccadilly , London W1A 1ER , United KingdomGet directions
Telephone
+44 20 7734 8040
Web
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The luxury department store Fortnum & Mason is London’s most famous luxury food purveyors. The historic flagship store on Piccadilly is a great place to stock up on beautifully packaged teas. Browse collections including rare teas, single origin teas, and Oddi teas. The latter features novelty tea bags in flavors like Bloody Mary or Chilli & Ginger.
Address: 181 Piccadilly, St. James’s, London W1A 1ER
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Camden Tea Shop, Camden
Direction
L7, Lower Dingwalls Gallery Camden Lock Market London, Londres NW1 8AH , Reino UnidoGet directions
Telephone
+44 20 7428 9211
Web
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Located in Camden’s The Stables Market, Camden Tea Shop sells every type of tea imaginable, from traditional black teas to Ayurvedic teas and premium imports. The Experience Japan collection is a particular highlight, featuring the best Sencha and Gyokuro blades, as well as the popular Samurai Matcha. The store also sells various accessories for making tea.
Dirección: 832, The Stables Market, Chalk Farm Rd NW1 8AH
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Harrods, Knightsbridge
Direction
87-135 Brompton Rd, London SW1X 7XL, UKGet directions
Telephone
+44 20 7730 1234
Web
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Probably the capital’s most iconic shopping destination, the luxury department store Harrods is said to sell just about anything, and that includes great teas. Buy souvenir cans of loose tea and packets of tea bags; Or splurge on a themed gift set instead. These range from matcha starter kits to a selection of Harrods heritage mixes in a keepsake box.
Address: 87-135 Brompton Road, Knightsbridge SW1X 7XL
