My Tea Guide to Edinburgh

Edinburgh, UK



Before we begin, I wanted to get the most controversial statement out of the way first “I don’t drink coffee”, which is usually met by a flurry of responses like “Why?” and “How did you survive university?”. But, by no means do I hate coffee, in fact, I really love the smell of it, unfortunately, I don’t seem to deal well with caffeine (you’ll notice that most of my ‘go-to’ teas below tend to be herbal teas for this very reason). Thankfully, Edinburgh is blessed with a range of brilliant cafes who serve up wonderful loose-leaf tea. Over the years, I've enjoyed making my way around them, and I thought it'd be fun to put together "My Tea Guide to Edinburgh" for all my fellow tea-drinkers out there! So, in no particular order, let's begin!

PS If you feel like I've left your favourite out, please do leave it in the comments! I love trying new places.

My Tea Guide to Edinburgh

 

Rosevear Tea

  • Where: 100 Bruntsfield Place, 71 Broughton Street, 17 Clerk Street (all dog-friendly)
  • Tea by: Rosevear Tea
If you haven’t heard of Rosevear Tea, it's a brilliant tea shop started by husband and wife duo, Isabelle and Adam Rosevear. The couple are extremely passionate about tea and have carefully curated an excellent range of over 140 different teas! I had the loveliest introduction to Rosevear Tea a few years ago. I vividly remember feeling rather cold, miserable (thanks, Scottish weather) and since I had some time before I met my friend, I decided to pop into Rosevear Tea for the first time. I ended up spending a good while chatting away to Adam over a cup of Honeybush tea and was so impressed by the tea and the wonderful welcome to the store, that I even wrote a blog post about it. Since then, I’ve become good friends with the Rosevears and always look forward to popping into any one of their stores and browsing their extensive tea collection! If you’re looking to sit in and enjoy a cuppa, there small sitting areas in both their Bruntsfield and Clerk Street stores.

Go-to tea: My recent favourites are Green Chai and Orange Pistachio Rooibos, but my all-time favourite is Honeybush. 


Strumpets

  • Where: 35 William Street (dog-friendly)
  • Tea supplied by: Tchai Ovna

You’ll find Strumpets tucked away on the ever-so-charming William Street amongst a host of other wonderful independent stores. I'm forever grateful to my Instagram friend @ajmerron_writes for introducing me to this gem of a cafe. I can't put my finger on what exactly makes Strumpets so special but it's definitely a concoction of its delightful owner Ingrida's hospitality and witty banter, how the cafe manages to feel cosy in the winter while light and breezy in the summer, its range of delicious cakes, and its excellent selection of hot drinks! With regards to tea, Strumpets are the only cafe in Edinburgh (as far as I know) that serves up Glasgow tea house Tchai Ovna's teas - which are simply divine!

Go-to tea: I tend to choose something different every time I go, but I currently would order the Genmai Cha.


Lowdown Coffee

  • Where: 40 George Street
  • Tea supplied by: Postcard Teas
Lowdown Coffee is a stylish and contemporary coffee shop tucked away under George Street. Its location makes it easily overlooked if you’re not actively looking for it but I think that makes it all the more of a hidden gem. As well as serving up wonderful speciality coffee (from what I’ve heard), I'm delighted to announce it also takes very good care of its tea drinkers by serving up Postcard Teas. For those of you who haven't heard of Postcard Teas, the tea house is based in London and carefully sources tea from small farms dotted around the globe.

Go-to tea: Tricolore


The Pastry Section

  • Where: 86 Raeburn Place (dog-friendly)
  • Tea supplied by: Shibui Tea
From incredibly friendly staff to scrumptious bakes, the Pastry Section is a sweet treat haven in Stockbridge! Those of you who follow me on Instagram or who have read my book will know that ever since I tried one of Lesley’s raspberry and white chocolate tarts, I’ve had a huge soft spot for the Pastry Section. With regards to their tea, they have recently switched suppliers to Edinburgh tea specialists, Shibui Tea which I was excited about as I hadn’t had the opportunity to try their tea before.

Go-to tea: Rooibos  


PekoeTea

  • Where: 20 Leven Street
  • Tea by: PekoeTea
I was first introduced to Pekoetea through their Stockbridge store, which has unfortunately closed, for a pot of tea or a matcha latte. Never fear, PekoeTea still has their original store in Edinburgh and you can find it on Leven Street, just off Tollcross. The store’s walls are lined with various teas, and there are even a few tables that make up their tea bar! Just a reminder that their store is only open to the public from Thursday to Saturday, however, they supply various cafes around Edinburgh like 27 Elliotts, William & Johnson, and Loudons.

Go-to tea: Peach Sencha


Eteaket

  • Where: 41 Frederick Street
  • Tea by: Eteaket
I first encountered Eteaket several years ago while visiting Patisserie Maxim. While browsing their tea menu, I was intrigued by a tea called ‘Blooming Marvellous’ which turned out to be a lovely floral green tea by Eteaket. Since then, I’ve visited their Tea Room on Frederick Street several times and it’s even become a bit of a tradition between my friend and me to visit for high tea (which consists of a sandwich, scone, small sweet treat, and a pot of tea) whenever she’s in town. You can also try their tea at several independent Edinburgh businesses like LifeStory, Patisserie Maxim, LeftField, plus various others.

Go-to tea: Blooming Marvellous


The Chaumer

  • Where: 61 Queen Street
  • Tea by: The Wee Tea Company
Those of you familiar with Edinburgh may know of the long-established tailor Stewart and Christie on Queen Street. Last year, Stewart and Christie branched out and opened a tea house and wine bar. As soon as you step into it, you’ll notice the style and class Stewart and Christie are known for has been carried through to next door with touches like repurposed Singer sewing machines as tables, tasteful artwork, and décor which enhances the beautiful architectural details. With regards to tea, The Chaumer serve The Wee Tea Company who are based in Fife (just across the water from Edinburgh).

Go-to tea: The last time I was in I ordered a Rooibos but when looking over their online menu I noticed their Rhubard and Ginger tea which I plan to order next time I’m in!


The Travelling Basket

  • Where: 6 Roseneath Street
  • Tea by: The Travelling Basket, Edinburgh Tea & Coffee Company
The Travelling Basket is a lovely addition to Marchmont's growing independent scene! As soon as you walk through the door it's evident how much love and care has gone into designing and curating the beautiful store. At the front of their store is a cosy seating area where you can order various hot drinks and pastries. When I was last in, I asked who supplied their tea and was impressed to hear that other than their Lapsang Souchong which is supplied by the Edinburgh Tea & Coffee Company, they blend a most of the teas in-house using sustainable, organic herbs!

Go-to tea: Rose & Marigold

 

Door 127

  • Where: 127 George Street (dog-friendly)
  • Tea by: Lalani Tea
Entering Door 127 is like stepping into the pages of a glossy home decor magazine. The coffee shop resides in the lobby of Eden Locke’s aparthotel, but unless you spotted someone checking in, you’d be none the wiser. Door 127 serves Lalani Tea who are specialists in single-origin tea and whenever I'm in I like to treat myself to one of their matcha lattes!

Go-to tea: Matcha Latte


Fortitude Coffee

  • Where: 3c York Place & Hamilton Place (dog-friendly)
  • Tea supplied by: Good & Proper
I haven't had the chance to visit Fortitude Coffee as much as I'd like as they've become such a popular spot that it's often hard to find a free seat! However, I was very excited to hear they've recently opened a new cafe in Stockbridge and are now serving Good & Proper tea which I've yet to try!

Go-to tea: Now that they’ve opened their Stockbridge store, I plan to visit and try their Ruby Oolong tea!


The Garden in the Kimpton

  • Where: 38 Charlotte Square (dog-friendly)
  • Tea by: Rare Tea Co
Most of the places I’ve mentioned in my tea guide are independent businesses, however, there are several reasons why I wanted to include ‘The Garden’. First, I remember enjoying my drink so much that I made a point of asking a member of staff before I left who supplies their tea. Second, it’s a simply gorgeous, light and airy space, with plenty of seating. Thirdly, it’s the perfect place if you want to shelter indoors from bad weather for several hours (which I don’t feel comfortable doing in smaller cafes).

Go-to tea: Lemon Verbena







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