Did somebody say it was International Tea Day on 21 May? Here’s a little place to bookmark and inspire your next afternoon tea break in Brighton. After all, what could be a more indulgent and English than sipping fragrant hot tea in fancy china and eating warm crumbly scones, slathered with Rodda’s clotted cream topped with drippy, sweet strawberry jam? Revisiting my cosy guide to tea rooms in Brighton for inspiration, I realised that this special little place I featured in Kemptown, deserves a blog post all of its own for reasons you’ll understand in a minute.
Welcome to Leman, a cute spot for tea hidden in plain sight on the corner of St James’s Street and Madeira Place in Kemptown, close to the seafront. The reason it’s special? With just three tables it could be Brighton’s – if not the world’s – smallest tea room, I think you’ll agree. Every time I’ve been here, I’ve had it all to myself. This part of Kemptown gets busy, so it’s worth bookmarking this place if you find yourself in the area and need a quiet escape hatch, a spot to ponder your day, recharge your batteries, and do some people watching.
Check out all the chintz! It wouldn’t be a proper tea room without the chintz, would it? It’s open for morning coffee, breakfast, lunch, and afternoon tea. Obviously, there are plenty of cakes on the menu, as well as homemade sandwiches which come with crisps on the side – nice touch – and beans on toast. If you want, you can even hire the whole place for your very own vintage-style birthday tea party!
Find Leman at 15a Madeira Place, Brighton BN2 1TN
New to Ellie & Co? Join lots more curious travellers and sign up for my monthly newsletter. Or follow my stories on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook.