Tea and a croissant - perfect on a lazy Sunday morning. Photograph courtesy of Sazzy & Fran

The best places to have a cuppa tea along Roman Road

Looking for a great cup of tea on The Roman? We round up some of the best brew spots near you.

With its frothy milk, earthy roast, and its Instagram X-factor, coffee gets a lot of airtime. But what about its caffeine cousin, tea? It was, after all, the nation’s first caffeine love. And there is a reason for this: sometimes nothing hits better than a comforting cuppa. So, we pick out the best spots for tea along The Roman.

Sazzy and Fran

Sazzy and Fran tea and croissant on a wooden bench
Tea and a croissant – perfect on a lazy Sunday morning. Photograph courtesy of Sazzy & Fran

A gem of a café in Globe Town, Sazzy & Fran serves a small but perfect selection of teas. Delivered from Scottish tea house Jenier, sip on an English Breakfast while enjoying peanut butter on toast with banana and maple syrup on a quiet Sunday morning. We also think that its jasmine tea is an ideal partner to the café’s acclaimed acai bowl, while sitting on a window barstool and surrounded by the calming effect of its plants. A blissful way to start any day.

Address: 33 Roman Road, London E2 0HU

Loafing

A cup of tea and a slice of red velvet cake at Loafing, Roman Road, Bow, East London.
Photograph courtesy of Loafing

Loafing’s quirky, homey feel with mismatched furniture, which includes rustic red and green chairs, and a mix of circular and square-topped tables, makes the cafe look elegant and spacious. Sit here with an aromatic Earl Grey or try a South African favourite, sweet Rooibos. There is also jasmine tea, peppermint, and a gorgeously sounding rose pomegranate white tea. Bring a friend or two and share a pot. Enjoy these with one of the cafés sweet or savoury crêpes, and watch a slice of the Roman Road life go.

Address: 407 Roman Road, London E3 5QS

Mae + Harvey

Loose tea from zigzag served at Mae + Harvey
Photograph courtesy of Mae +Harvey

Mae + Harvey carries on its tradition of carefully curating its produce through its colourful collection of teas. Its teas are from Zigzag, a British-founded tea company whose offices are based a couple of miles west in Whitechapel. Try their loose-leaf jasmine green tea, or the romantically sounding lavender rose and chamomile tea. Mae + Harvey’s owner, Natasha Sayliss, has also gone about creating her own aromatic in-house chai, with a blend of cardamom pods, star anise and fresh ginger peel. The café’s no laptops policy combined with a cosy atmosphere makes it ideal for a digital detox while enjoying your clean-living cup of tea.

Address: 414 Roman Road London E3 5LU 

Bubblin Café 

Five different coloured bubble teas from Bubblin Café, Roman Road, Bow, East London
Photograph courtesy of Bubblin’ Café

Ok, so this isn’t your traditional cup of tea but it absolutely needs a mention. Opened in July 2021, Bubblin Café brings a whole new meaning to a cup of tea. Yummy tapioca pearls that bounce joyfully at the bottom give bubble tea its ‘bubbles’. It offers a wide selection of over 50 bubble teas to choose from. We love their Brown Sugar Milk Tea; milky and malty Assam tea is drizzled with brown sugar and topped with crushed Oreos. For a refreshing summery taste, try its best-selling Passion Mango Fruit Tea. In addition to bubble tea, it also sells gyoza, rice bowls and bubble waffles.

Address: 521 Roman Road, London E3 5EL

Cafe Créme

A white cup of tea with blue saucer on a table in Cafe Creme, Roman Road, Bow, East London
Photograph courtesy of Café Creme

A Roman Road stalwart, Cafe Créme serves up sandwiches, soups, and fry-ups all day. But their tea, for a mere £1, will leave you warm and content. No frills nor froth, just a good old English brew. Sit in-house for a tea and a treat or, if you are in a hurry, get it to takeaway. A nice touch if you opt to takeaway: the servers add a little drop of cold water so you aren’t left with an angry tongue that has been scalded red hot. 

Address: 566 Roman Road, London E3 5ES

The Bakery Room

Scones, cream and jam with a pink teapot and a cup of tea, The Bakery Room, Roman Road, East London
The Bakery Room’s takeaway afternoon tea includes British classics and Italian dolci. Photography courtesy of The Bakery Room

The bright bubble-gum pink café that brightens up Roman Road Market is The Bakery Room. Alongside their delectable selection of pastries, the team recently launched afternoon tea. Yes, afternoon tea on The Roman! Expect a mouth-watering fusion of British, French, and Italian afternoon tea products, from the classic cream cheese and cucumber sandwiches to scones, and beignets filled with pistachio cream. And nothing goes better with afternoon tea than…. Well, tea. Pick from a dazzling choice: Earl Grey, peach tea, red berry and flowers, or lemongrass and ginger. 

Address: 577 Roman Road, London E3 5EL

If you enjoyed this read, then take a look at our best places for lunch along Roman Road.

Our local members


Subscribe to our weekly round up of news and events

* indicates required

Please support local journalism.

As a not-for-profit media organisation using constructive journalism to strengthen communities, we have not put our digital content behind a paywall or subscription fee as we think the benefits of an independent, local publication should be available to everyone living in our area.

We are powered by members. Hundreds of members have already joined. Become a member to donate as little as £3 per month to support constructive journalism and the local community.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.