#EyeLoveLondon - London for Coffee and Tea Lovers

Monday April 16^th 2018
Food and Drink

Inspiring perspectives of London Monday 16th - Sunday 22nd April 2018

A nation of tea lovers, or are we? Outside our homes we actually drink double the cups of coffee than tea. It’s hardly any surprise with all the flavoured frappuccinos, skinny flat whites and iced mocha latte options available. So what’s it to be for you - tea or coffee? Luckily this week you don’t have to choose as it’s #NationalTeaDay and #UKCoffeeWeek! We’ve got info about both events and designed a little walking tour of London for hot drinks fans to take in all the major tea and coffee hotspots.

UK COFFEE WEEK 16th - 22nd April

It was kicked off by the London Coffee Festival at Truman Brewery this weekend. UK Coffee Week sees the industry and its customers raising money for Project Waterfall by drinking a brew.

NATIONAL TEA DAY 21st - 22nd April

It’s tea time! And it’s tea for two as National Tea Day now lasts for a whole weekend. Chiswick House and Gardens host a family friendly Fes-Tea-Val across the two days with tea bars, tea dances, tea cakes and teaware. Time to par-tea!

THE TEA AND COFFEE WALKING TOUR OF LONDON

Tea lovers and coffee connoisseurs must visit these London places famous for a great cuppa. We’ve put them in order and included how long it takes to walk from one to the other so that you can spend the day doing the whole tour. Get ready for a caffeine overload!

1. Fortnum and Mason, 181 Piccadilly

Fortnum’s famous tea and hampers make the perfect gifts and their Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon has been serving tea since 1926.

(Walk 14 minutes)

2. Monmouth Coffee, Monmouth Street, Seven Dials

Arrive here early to get your mitts on some of this famous coffee (in bean, ground or brewed form) or you’ll be queuing down the street.

(Walk 3 minutes)

3. Bubble tea, Chinatown

The best place to try one of these Taiwanese bubbley based tea drinks is Chinatown. We recommend Cuppacha or Happy Lemon in Newport Court.

They’re served hot or cold, milk or fruit flavoured and contain chewy tapioca balls that you suck up through a big fat straw.

(Walk 10 minutes)

4. B Bakery Afternoon Tea Bus Tours, departing from 8 Northumberland Avenue

Take afternoon tea on a London Routemaster bus with teas, cakes, pastries and sandwiches while you take in the city’s culture and history from the comfort of your seat.

(Walk 16 minutes)

5. Twinings, 216 The Strand

This store has been standing as long as Twinings has been doing tea - over 300 years! You can shop all their blends, sample new flavours and sip away at their Loose Tea Bar.

(Walk 27 minutes)

6. Jamaica Wine House, St Michael’s Alley, Cornhill

Known locally as the “jampot”, this was London’s first ever coffee house, visited by Samuel Pepys in 1660. Walk past or stop for a pint in this now pub and see the plaque commemorating the coffee house.

(Walk 24 minutes)

7. AIDA, 133 Shoreditch High Street

Think pink for the most Instagrammable rose lattes served at AIDA Scandi clothes and homeware store.

(Walk 21 minutes)

8. Clerkenwell Grind, 2-4 Old Street

At the end of a long tea and coffee filled day, there’s only one thing to do and that’s to have one of London’s best espresso martinis poured for you.

(Total approximately two hours walking time with eight stops.)