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
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
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
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
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 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
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.
