Soho's Secret Tea Room - An Oasis of Radical Gentility

A nice cup of Rosie Lee in the heart of London's Soho district

The family Tweed were on a mission. We assembled in Old Compton Street in Soho, London in our search for the Soho's Secret Team Room.

Through the hordes of nice young men we made our way to the famous Coach and Horses pub. The Coach and Horses is of course, famous for its association with Spectator writer Jeffrey Bernard and with Private Eye writers. Soho's Secret Tea Room is upstairs. You need to ask at the bar and they'll let you through - if room - to access the tea room via some rickety stairs. It felt like we were part of some underground tea-drinking resistance movement. If you consider Starbucks as the opposition, then it's probably not far off. 

Once inside, it all turns winningly genteel. We noticed the traditional cakes laid out and the vintage china ware. Soothing, original gramophone records played in the background. The hustle and bustle of outside seemed another world.

A young man dressed in a vintage blouse took our order. We ordered two afternoon teas, plus extra sandwiches, and two pots of tea - a rose tea and an Earl Grey. Real loose leaf tea, wonder of wonders. It's a crying shame that it's so difficult it is to get a decent cuppa in the UK nowadays. A very pleasant excursion and diversion.