Award Winning Insomnia

Insomnia are one of the biggest coffee/cafe brands in Ireland with 60 units and they have just started franchising.  They seem to have cracked the tea drinkers as well.  Real leaf tea in biodegradable pouches - several UK chains could learn a lesson or two.

Established 1948 and Up to Date

Silvios has four different units and locations - three in EC2 - but has certainly moved with the times.  Decent tea in the ubiquitous Kilner jars, well presented sandwiches and appealing cake.  The chef came out on the street to promote his sandwiches and bread.  You can be well established and move with the times.

Everyday isn't Good Enough

Costa may make good coffee but they haven't woken up to the 'real tea' revolution that is sweeping artisan coffeeshops, quality cafes and the food shows.  Consumers are prepared to pay for a premium tea bag or loose leaf tea and tea powder just isn't it.  Powder tea bags is the new instant coffee powder; to be avoided.

Check out previous blog posts on Suki, Jing, Tregothnan and Tea Nation teas.

Bio Bags of Tea

There is no doubt that one of the next 'big things' in the world of cafes is higher quality tea, loose leaf and in teabags.  Customers like (and will increasingly demand) better quality tea and operators like being able to charge more for one of their best selling items.  Just make sure that the teabags are biodegradable - made from PLA and not nylon.  Tea Nation's teabags have cotton tags, no staples and promise that the tea bag will degrade in 90 days; oh and the tea is good too.

Loose Leaf or Tacky Teabag

Upscale Tea Palace in Covent Garden ready for the Jubilee

or tacky Royal tea bags from another store nearby

Will Stainless become trendy?

Great loose-leaf tea and old fashioned mis-matched china at Foxcroft & Ginger's cafe in Berwick Street - the cafe that uses pummel horses as tables.  I love the quirkiness of the place.  And yet the milk comes in a stainless steel jug!  They do say that every trend comes full circle.

Not Your Average Brew Up

Salt not only has good quality tea but tells you the temperature of the water and the brewing time.  Terrific detail for the increasing band of tea connoisseurs.

Hot Drink ideas at our Pinterest Board http://pinterest.com/turpinsmale/great-cafes-hot-drinks/

Suki Tea

Quality tea and attractive tea pots - Suki tea at Dobbies garden centre cafe, Ashford.  Are you still offering a cheap stainless steel dribbling teapot with no-name untagged teabag?

Jing Tea

Jing Tea have some great glass teapots as well as first rate tea

See http://jingtea.com/

Tea Selection

Fortnum & Mason's tea display is great - you can savour the smell of each type of (dried) tea by lifting the lid of the see-through tea pots.

A Sac, not a Bag

Paper T-Sacs allow you to offer loose leaf tea without the stigma of tea bags.  Benugo uses these to great effect at all its outlets.

Available from Jenier Teas.

Tea Witch

Stick it in the spout of a teapot and it stops the tea leaves (and calcium) coming out.  Tracked down from an initial sighting at St John Bread & Wine  and available from a rather good new outfit called Jenier Teas www.jenierteas.com

Loose leaf tea is not found very often - teabag tea is just so much less mess - but it carries a huge quality premium and cachet.



See post http://greatcafes.blogspot.com/2011/08/tea-pot-spouts-strainers.html