Critic's choice: Best tea houses

Nothing beats a good cuppa. Charles Campion goes in search of the perfect brew and discovers a very chic tea room with a tea sommelier and a Palace dedicated to the nation's favourite drink...

Tea Palace
175 Westbourne Grove, W11
Pretty much a Palace and pretty much dedicated to tea. The long list of varied and increasingly exotic teas has something for everyone. The "Palace" tea is a more trad all-inclusive meal. Tea and cake comes to around £8. (020 7727 2600).

Yauatcha
15 Broadwick Street, W1
Very chic ground-floor tea rooms where the equivalent of a tea sommelier is on hand to guide you through the choices. Interesting Paris-meets-the-Orient fusion patisserie makes jewel-like cakes. Tea and cake around £8. (020 7494 8888).

Tea Smith
8 Lamb Street, E1
Slick new establishment with an amazing range of different teas (some of which can reach amazing prices). Open from 11.30am to 5.30pm. To have your fill of tea and cake costs around £7. (020 7247 1333).