Soft neutrals, vintage décor and more tea than you can sample: the Yumchaa in Parkway is the largest, and arguably the best. Sit down for a completely new spin on afternoon tea.

The Venue
Camden and tea isn’t a likely association: the bustle of goths, punks and teenage tourists clashes with the relaxed nature of afternoon tea. However, Yumchaa has found its niche with the locals and has quickly attracted tourists and townies alike, adding a quaint and quiet element to its outlandish surroundings. The venue welcomes you with the frontage of the old pet shop that used to be here. Inside, the space has been stripped to its bones: the wood polish has been removed - not only from the period floor but also from the chairs and tables - and the bricks are exposed. Other walls are covered with different floral wallpapers and the furniture is a successful mix and match of rescued pieces, decked out (like everything else) in soft neutrals.

The Atmosphere
Cool and approachably elegant, Yumchaa is the stylish younger sister of the traditional English tearoom. The atmosphere is informal and the occasion casual (with cakes and paninis having taken the place of scones and clotted cream) but the indulgence of the ritual remains. The appeal is broader than imaginable: chic twenty-something and leftfield intellectuals are good guesses, but tourists with rucksacks, older couples and non-descriptive groups of friends are also present. And one of the waitresses has multi-colour hair so Goths and punks are not that far away either…

The Food
The cakes (£1.90-£2.40), lined up on the table leading to the till, are traditional lemon slices, fruit cakes, muffins, chocolate brownies, scones (for the purists) and more - all tempting sidekicks to a pot of loose tea (the mandatory order here). The sandwiches (£3.50) are particularly attractive; the bagel with ham and cheese can only be defined as 'proper', with thick-cut ham and cheese generously stuffed in between the bread. The falafel pita is just as good-looking, with plenty of vegetables, but the large ciabatta with tomato, mozzarella and basil steals the show with its large chunks of creamy cheese.

The Drink
Tea (£2.10-£2.30) is loose and there is more choice than you can possibly shake a stick at - at a glance, at least sixty. All are house blends that you can also buy for home (although recreating the smooth interior and buzzy atmosphere will be hard), the base is always black, green, white or red tea, with a mesmerising selection of spices added. Chai Red (roiboos, aniseed, ginger, black pepper, cardamom seed, cinnamon and cloves) is a great spin on the traditional roiboos, while the Ginseng Guardian Blend (sencha green tea, ginseng root, lemongrass, lemon fruit granulate, sunflower blossoms, freeze dried yoghurt and vanilla) is original to say the least. Unblended, traceable varieties like Assam, Jasmine and Lapsang Souchong are also available, as are the usual coffees, but it would be remiss to miss out on such exoticism.

The Last Word
Tea has been released from the confines of home to reach new heights of glamour, and Yumchaa is one of the best places in London in which to sip it slowly.

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