Reviews

Best for homely atmosphere: The Tea Rooms

The Tea Rooms in Stoke Newington is a delightful venue for a homely afternoon tea. Bedecked with bunting, vintage china and knitted knick knacks, you’re instantly transported from the hustle and bustle of London life to somewhere else, a quaint village perhaps where the WI would provide the condiments. The staff is charming, the tea list is extensive and the vast array of cakes on offer is enough to tempt any dieter off the straight and narrow. For just £15, their afternoon tea is more than a bargain, and I challenge anyone to get more baked goods for their buck anywhere else in London. The finger sandwiches were more rustic than dainty, but no less tasty, and the miniature cakes and pastries were not only exquisitely presented but scrumptious to boot. The tour de force, however, was the light and fruity scones. I’m still thinking about them now, and how I wished I’d brought some home with me. Next time.
Top treat: Their fresh, homemade raspberry jam for the scones is quite possbly the finest jam in London, a fact affirmed by my fellow tea-tasting buddy, a self-proclaimed condiment connoisseur who was somewhat crestfallen when she discovered they’d run out of jars to take home.

Address: 153-155 Stoke Newington Church Street, London, N16 0UH.
Days and times: Mon-Fri 11am-6pm; Sat-Sun 11am – 6.30pm
Cost: £15 or £17 including a glass of prosecco. A special Mother’s Day tea costs £20

Claire Travers Smith

The Telegraph

The Tea Rooms run by the new generation of cake lovers are a whole new experience.

They are no longer somewhere to just drink tea and eat cake, they are at the heart of the community and blend old fashioned values with modern technology. You can book online, become a friend of Facebook, follow their up and coming events on Twitter and then enjoy a face to face conversation over afternoon tea, served in vintage china, on an embroidered table cloth.

The Tea Rooms in Stoke Newington is one of these local gems and gets so packed at weekends, if there are a few of you planning to meet, it’s best to book. A lovely big space with an outside terrace in the summer, The Tea Rooms offer craft and exercise classes, children’s workshops and a venue for community events and special occasions, as well as tea and delicious home made cakes.

They also sell their own produce, hampers and vintage crockery and baking equipment and are holding a bar boot sale on Thursday to celebrate their new license.

Jane

The Women’s Room

Till 2007 the English Tea Room had been sadly under represented in the area.

However the deficiency was happily remedied by the ingenuity of Isabelle Allfrey, who bravely opened the first.

Stoke Newington’s first proper tea shop, The Church St Tea Rooms expanded a year ago to its’ present double fronted shop in the middle stretch of the street. Now an established meeting place and a hive of activity, with varied events and classes to accompany a thirst quenching cup of tea.

Meeting a friend, newspaper in arm, I entered a lively Sunday afternoon tea room, dragged unashamedly into the 21st century; white walls and a chic bareness played stage to beautiful vintage crockery and cake stands filled with traditional English scones. The gushing of tea-pots pouring an array of world teas complementing the effervescent Stokey atmosphere.

We ordered a moist cherry and almond tart, carrot cake, a macaroon (apparently in vogue at the moment), as well as scones and two pots of tea, all for under £14. The scones were delectably light, and came with plenty of jam and lush clotted cream. The green tea was also very good and much fresher than your ordinary home-brand.

This should definitely emerge as a great Summer hot spot; a couple of minutes from Clissold Park and the perfect destination for a Stokey ramble.

The Tea Rooms also sells cake making equipment and has a collection of some lovely old crockery for sale; a good place to find an unusual present.

Charlie Clarke

Live At Your Local