Anteaques - Edinburgh, City of

Amazing selection of teas, teastfull scones and sweets!! We try different teas every single time!!!! The antiques inside make you feel like you are in a different time! Lovely people runing it!!! You have to book a table!!!

I wouldn't have found this place myself, it's off my usual beat in Edinburgh, but a visiting friend booked us in. It's outside the city centre in a very mixed shopping area (quirky and quite studenty) on a busy bus route, and the frontage is blink and you miss it tiny. There are two little rooms, the front one with the counter, lots of tea containers and two tables at which five people would be the absolute maximum. The back room has seating for up to another five, crammed in between the antiques they have for sale furniture, china and curios. The menu is an awesome list of rare and lovely teas, extending to several pages with full descriptions, and there is a hilarious insert sheet with a few lines mentioning cakes and scones. No prizes for guessing the main focus of this place! But when my friend booked she requested a gluten free cake and one was put aside for her, a chocolate orange tart which she pronounced absolutely delicious. I had a scone served with proper clotted cream and a choice of jams the raspberry jam I chose had two whole raspberries in it so was clearly top notch. After consulting with the waitress we couldn't decide which to have, so we had three different teas between us. They arrived in very large glass teapots with separate infusers and cut glass bowls to put them in when brewed. Tea cups and saucers were antique china, of course. All the teas were for sale and I took home small packets of the two I had drunk there. They also sold lovely looking chocolates, and of course antiques. The music was mellow jazz and there was no customer bathroom facility, please note! After all that tea, you need to have a plan B so that where you go next have a loo!

This is a singularly different little tea room. It is actually an antique shop and tea emporium which has a very limited capacity for guests, so booking is advisable. Off the main drag of Princes Street and Royal Mile, but well worth the effort if you like tea. The choice of tea runs into pages, accompanied by a history of tea and advisory tit-bits. The choice of tea foods is limited to scones and a cake, with a special tart at the weekend.It is made up for by the quality of the cake, the delightful presentation using vintage cloth and crockery and the well informed service. The Dundee cake was a generous individual cake and the scones were freshly baked. The piece de resistance for me was the accompaniment of French made rose jam which tasted amazing. The proprietor, Cedric then offered a taste of violet petal jam, also French made from the perfume making areas of the south. Needless to say it tempted us into purchasing jam, loose tea and trying some chocolates.One draw back is the lack of bathroom facilities and limited space, but offset by the experience. Not one for parents with young children if you want to enjoy the experience.

Found this tea shop by accident. There's a large variety of teas to choose from to drink in or to buy and take home. Everything is so magical and special about this shop! Would definitely recommend visiting even if you just want to buy tea to take home! The staff were so friendly as were the other customers very relaxed atmosphere, I will definitely visit again.

One of Edinburgh's hidden gems. Divine tea served in an antique shop. Perfect host with an unrivalled knowledge and enthusiasm for tea. Loose teas and antiques also available to purchase. Book in advance to avoid disappointment.