London Review Cake Shop

Books and tea are a winning combination. Our latest find is London Review Cake Shop, a tiny café part of the London Review Bookshop. It is just a stone's throw from the British Museum and is the perfect spot for a cuppa and a browse after visiting the museum.

This chic café takes tea ever so seriously and offers an extensive selection. I ordered the white peony tea with rose buds served on a gong fu tea set. I have to admit that I am not familiar with gong fu but from what I gather, gong fu is a Chinese tea ceremony which translates as 'the art of doing something well'. This means that the tea making process cannot be rushed in order to brew the perfect tea.

The tea set was a thing of beauty - a glass teapot, jug and cup served on a bamboo box. There were quite a few steps to follow, firstly I poured hot water into the teapot with the tea leaves and waited for the tea to infuse. The scent of the rose buds was divine. I then poured the tea into the glass jug to remove the tea leaves and finally I poured the finished into my cup. While it is an elaborate process, I thoroughly recommend it made me consume the tea more carefully and pay more attention to the taste. I often bolt my tea when in a hurry so it was a treat to slow down and fully appreciate this drink.The cake was also fantastic. I adored the Masala Chai cake which had the perfect blend of spices with a cream cheese icing.

I spent a happy afternoon reading and sipping tea. The bookshop has many interesting books and many well known authors had signed their books. The London Review Cake Shop is the ideal place to find some peace from the hustle and bustle of London.

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