Considering the amount of time that I spend in cafes, it is inconceivable to think that for a large proportion of my 29 and 11 months spent so far on this planet, I did not like hot drinks. Inconceivable because I am now on nodding terms with so many staff in coffee shops that if I was ever to go on Mastermind, cafes in Bristol and the coffees they serve would be my specialist subject.
Notice I say coffee, because so far during my time spent chugging down hot drinks, it is coffee that has always come to the fore. Mine’s a macchiato in Munch Munch, or a mocha in Me Me Chocolat.
My love affair with coffee, however, took a battering this weekend with the opening of Lahloo Pantry in Clifton Village, a tea emporium so magnificent that I may soon be swapping my flat white for a flavoursome tea.
The Lahloo Tea story is an intriguing one. Kate Gover’s love of tea began with the taste of a single cup of artisan Japanese green tea, which set her on a journey.
This led to the founding of her company, selling a collection of loose-leaf tea and named after a 19th century tea clipper which her great-great grandfather sailed aboard.
The latest chapter of the Lahloo Tea story is the opening of Lahloo Pantry, on King’s Road just off Boyce’s Avenue, an emporium of tea-based delights.
Even better, it’s not just tea here but also some wonderful food, all cooked on the premises by a team of two, one of whom used to be a solicitor until a fortnight ago, the other who has come to Lahloo Pantry from Papadeli. The only food not made in-house is the pastries which come from Cotham’s fabulous Hart’s Bakery.
The kitchen is downstairs at Lahloo Pantry, which is spread across four levels and which also has a small outside area of decking overlooked by the back of the Clifton Arcade.
Upstairs on the floor level with the main entrance is the counter, with some of the food on display – tarts, salads and cakes – and a colourful illustration by Ginger Monkey, aka Tom Lane, of Kate’s great-great-grandad’s boat.
Up a few steps is where all of Lahloo’s tea is on display, with a sturdy wooden table in the centre of the room surrounded by stools. Downstairs where I chose to sit has a very funky feel, silver and red metal chairs contrasted with boxes of wooden crates used as storage and lit by strips of hidden LED lights.
I sampled a Bristol Brew and then tucked into a tart accompanied by four different salads, simple, healthy, absolutely divine, made even better when Rambling Man by Lemon Jelly appeared on the stereo, a resolutely not lift-music soundtrack personally chosen by Kate.
The closest thing to Lahloo Pantry in Bristol is Attic on Coldharbour Road, another business who take tea very seriously indeed. But Lahloo takes this love into a different dimension, and even if tea is not your thing, and if it’s not then Kate will be having words, the wonderful food served here is reason alone to visit.
Coffee still wins out for me over tea, but with Lahloo Pantry serving more varieties of tea than you knew existed, I look forward to introducing my palate to some new hot drinks.
Lahloo Pantry, 12 King’s Road, Clifton, Bristol.
Just to confirm all that was written above. Great ambience! Although it’s fairly small there’s a definite feeling of luxury – somehow just that bit extra that you didn’t expect. Even a shelf of books. Interesting clientele too. We met someone doing a PhD on Charles Dickens and were able to share our experience of just having visited the Dickens exhibition in London. So we’re definitely fans of Lahloo!