The London Tea Room and London Tea Merchant
1900 Locust Street, St. Louis, MO 63103
314-241-6556
thelondontearoom.com, thelondonteamerchant.com
Deeply immersed in a wonderfully English universe of European furnishings and copious cups of tea, Jackie James has always had a penchant for lovely things. A British expat, Jackie grew up surrounded by the requisite beverage of England: tea. “When I was tiny, I remember drinking tea from my mum and dad’s cup at age three or four,” Jackie mentions. “In England, for anyone who grew up there, tea was just a staple. Usually, it was just black English Breakfast tea with milk and/or sugar. I always remember drinking tea.” The London Tea Room, a dream of Jackie’s parents, was established in 2007 as a neighboring business to the family’s furniture shop, which was full of beautiful pieces imported from Europe. In the approximately 17,000-square-foot space, the furniture store and tearoom coexisted next to one another. The tea side of the operation grew rapidly, while, unfortunately, the custom-made furniture side took a turn for the worse during the recession of 2008. That part of the store closed in 2012. After many moves over the years and with the tearoom continuing to flourish in different capacities, Jackie and her family concluded that people were seeking tea opportunities, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I don’t think that I had my first afternoon tea until my teens,” Jackie recalls. “It was a very posh hotel type of setting—three-tiered trays with delicacies on them. Desserts were the thing that always kind of wowed me. Afternoon tea is definitely a very special treat.”
The superb teas served at The London Tea Room come from the retail arm of the business, The London Tea Merchant. Some teas are sourced globally from different vendors while others are direct trade from a farm in Assam, India. The well-rounded purveyor sells more than 70 loose-leaf teas in the tearoom and on its website under categories like orthodox black teas, flavored black teas, decaf black teas, green and white teas, oolong and pu’er teas, herbal teas, and seasonal teas. The most beloved blends are “Naughty Vicar,” a comically named black tea with blackcurrants and vanilla, and “The London Tea Room Blend,” the brand’s signature take on English Breakfast. It is hard to go wrong with any tea, whether on a visit to the brick-and-mortar location or while perusing online.
If you are searching for an authentically British experience without the need to renew your passport, look no further than visiting The London Tea Room. Located in an attractive and expansive new space downtown, the alluring venue is a brilliant mix of elegance-meets-urban sophistication. The Hyde Park Room on the first floor, named after the famous park in London and the historic neighborhood in St. Louis, showcases walls adorned with blue-and-white wallpaper, dazzling chandeliers, plenty of tables for enjoying teatime, and a small section that hosts retail goods available for purchase. The second floor of the building comprises rooms available to rent for private events. At the tearoom, guests can choose from three menus, including “Afternoon Tea” ($37.95), “High Tea” ($27.95), and a kid-friendly “Wee Tea” ($32.95). Each service offers a splendid selection of savory foods (typically classic tea sandwiches), a scrumptious scone served with the appropriate condiments, and a pot of tea. A sumptuous medley of four desserts is added to create the Afternoon Tea and Wee Tea packages, while the High Tea package strictly focuses on savory foods—five light bites and a savory scone that change seasonally.
As if running a tearoom, an online tea business, and an event venue weren’t enough, Jackie regularly offers themed teas and fun events at The London Tea Room. Tea menus based on Jane Austen’s novels, Downton Abbey murder mystery parties, educational tea lectures, and Japanese tea ceremonies are only a glimpse at the happenings that occur at this busy, ever-evolving business. “A lot of the time our bookings are celebrations: birthday parties, showers, weddings, etc.,” Jackie notes. “I think we bring something that no one else brings.” Regardless of how seemingly big or little your celebration may be, The London Tea Room is here to greet you with a cup of tea and a cucumber sandwich and has been successfully doing so for 16 years.
The London Tea Room is open on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. (last seating at 2:30 p.m.), and Friday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (last seating at 3:30 p.m.). If there is room, walk-ins are accepted Wednesday through Friday, but reservations are highly recommended for the weekends.
