Five of the best tea salons in the UK

In Asterix in Britain, our titular hero brews some ‘magical herbs’ for the locals, which gives the Brits the pluck to defeat the Roman invaders. Except (spoiler) it’s not magic potion at all: the real stuff sunk in the Thames. The name of these mystical leaves? Tea. 

But tea, rich in polyphenols, really is a health-giving wonder-drug. According to the Tea Advisory Panel, regular tea-drinking can help manage cholesterol, blood pressure, inflammation, and even reduce stroke and the risk of heart attacks… yet only a third of Brits are aware of this. And despite 99% of Brits drinking the beige stuff daily, most of us are still falling short: the sweet spot is actually around four cuppas a day. To help you get your brew on in style, here are five of the UK’s best tea rooms. Note: Withnail and I’s utterly fictional Penrith Tea Rooms is not among them.

Orange Pekoe Teas, Barnes, London

Founded in 2006 by Marianna Hadjigeorgiou out of frustration with the rubbish tea on offer at London coffee shops, Orange Pekoe has spent more than 17 years sourcing around 50 of the most exceptional, hand-picked loose-leaf teas from across the globe. From Assam Mokalbari to rare Darjeeling First Flush and Jasmine Phoenix Dragon Pearls, it’s all very far from just ‘a cup of builders.’ And if you’re overwhelmed, there’s a trained tea sommelier on hand to help you leaf through the options. Meanwhile caffeine-free options (for the likes of me) include Organic Chamomile, Moroccan Mint, and Rooibos. Be rooibos not to.

Find out more about Orange Pekoe Teas

Thomas Oken Tea Rooms, Warwick, Warwickshire

Housed in a 500-year-old building – and named after its 16^th century owner-benefactor who left his left his entire fortune to Warwick – this is a classically English affair, with cosy rooms and a terrace offering views of the castle walls. Here you can choose from more than 30 ethically sourced loose-leaf teas including jasmine, lemongrass, Japanese cherry, alongside locally roasted coffee, local ales and ciders, plus freshly baked scones with jam and clotted cream, generous homemade cakes, light lunches and Welsh rarebit and lamb hotpot. Vegan and gluten-free options are available too. One more thing: it’s purportedly the most haunted tearooms in England, with patrons describing ghostly footsteps, voices, chairs moving by themselves – and some even glimpsing the apparition of Oken himself. 

Find out more about Thomas Oken Tea Rooms

The Bridge Tea Rooms, Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire

Oh, hang on: here’s another tearoom plagued with ghosts. (Can they not just let British tea-drinkers sip their warm brown drinks in peace?) Still, the management were probably asking for it: this one’s housed in a 16^th-century blacksmith’s cottage (there’s a forge next door) – and the non-paying patrons apparently include a little old lady in crinoline flitting around the bone china. Or it could just be one of the staff, who are dressed like Victorians. Anyway, the menu includes a ‘Bridge Cream Tea’ with scones, jam, and clotted cream and an indulgent ‘Empire High Tea’ with finger sandwiches, scones, cakes, and loose-leaf tea. Described as ‘near perfect’ by the UK Tea Guild. So you really must chai it. 

Find out more about The Bridge Tea Rooms

Biscuit and Brew, Nottingham

Biscuit and Brew began in 2019 as a “side hustle” for Dee and Darren, a dance teacher and musician who began blending wild teas inspired by Darren’s music. What began as a playful way to pair songs with flavours (such as Harry Styles' Watermelon Sugar and the Beatles’ Strawberry Fields Forever) quickly turned into a passion for experimentation, with blends inspired by sweets, moods, books and even their wedding cake. After hosting “biscuit and brew” tasting sessions for friends, they realised they were really onto something. Fast-forward, and today, just a short walk from Old Market Square, their cosy tea house and café serves speciality and gleefully experimental loose‑leaf teas, personally blended by Darren and Dee in-house, including Caramel Apple Betty and Battenberg. They even keep scent bottles on their front counter, “so you can smell a blend before you try it”.

Find out more about Biscuit and Brew

Claremont Tea House, Newcastle upon Tyne

This Newcastle tea and coffee house offers the kind of exotic brews that make PG Tips look like stagnant pond water. We’re talking the likes of Ginger Peach, Bohemian Raspberry, Pineapple & Coconut. Things that sound like you could rub them into your face and hair, circa 1985. Opened in early 2023 in a beautiful Grade II-listed building near Newcastle University, it’s been lavished with praise for its extensive tea selection, specialty coffees and freshly made food served in a warm, inviting atmosphere.

Tea lovers can choose from a wide range of loose-leaf blends, from classic English breakfasts to herbal, oolong, and the aforementioned fruit teas, specially curated by Melanie Ieronymides from the local Love Leaf Tea company. And there’s a lower-ground micro-cinema (opening soon) for hire, too. Perhaps it’ll show 1999’s Tea with Mussolini starring Maggie Smith and Judi Dench.

Finds out more about Claremont Tea House

Ali Catterall is an award-winning writer, journalist and filmmaker whose writing has featured in the Guardian, Time Out, GQ, Film4, Word magazine and the Big Issue, among many others. Ali is also the writer and director of the 2023 film Scala!!!

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