For over a month since its "soft opening," The Lanes Cafe Tea Room has consistently attracted visitors who leave with many positive reviews. What is it about this tea shop that has captivated customers? Perhaps it's the stories of England, told through cups of tea, slices of cake, picture frames, or music. It was precisely this subtle hint of "England" in this tea shop that led Travellive to explore the story of the two owners.

England, over 10 years ago

The city of Brighton welcomed two Vietnamese exchange students. There, in the characteristic chill of the foggy land, the two young women were introduced to the British afternoon tea culture.

Afternoon tea is a daily habit for every family in England, "like the culture of drinking iced tea (or hot tea) in Vietnam." Simply because the weather in England is cold, people need to drink tea and eat sweet pastries, very sweet ones, to quickly warm their bodies.

"When I was in England, I didn't find afternoon tea culture particularly special. But after returning to Vietnam, a cup of tea suddenly became something familiar. Whether it was a little or a lot, anyone who has experienced it will surely remember it."

MissTherefore, from the end of 2013, after returning to Vietnam, the two girls began to nurture the idea of ​​opening an English-style tea and pastry shop in Hanoi.

Hanoi, 10 years later

“Eight years have passed since we said goodbye to Brighton, and we miss Brighton and England so much. We cherish the dream of a place where we can find familiar things and feelings, a place that truly is.”café tea room"It's like being in England. A place with coffee, fragrant tea, and even simple, unattractive English pastries..."

In late 2021, the two girls were busy with everything from renting a space to designing and renovating it. One searched for tea sources, the other tried baking, and they worked tirelessly until they had the most suitable products.

The Lanes Café Tea Room officially opened in February 2022.

"Rachel" and "Hanky" - the two owners of The Lanes Café Tea Room, are also close friends who studied abroad in Brighton years ago. As one of the rare English-style tea rooms in Hanoi, The Lanes is unlike most other "fancy" English tea rooms today - which usually serve in a classic style, with tea served at low tables.low teaand has a slightly flamboyant decorative style.

"Actually, English afternoon tea isn't as 'fancy' as people often think."High tea"Essentially, it's about sitting at a high table in a cozy, relaxed space, chatting about everyday things over a cup of tea and a plate of pastries. English pastries are also very basic, not overly focused on presentation, and certainly not as elaborate as French pastries," shared Rachel, one of the two owners of The Lanes.

Without attempting to create a luxurious, "aristocratic" atmosphere, The Lanes Café Tea Room offers a truly authentic experience.conceptIt's an English-style tea house. From the outside, it looks like a house.townhouseCharacterized by its misty atmosphere, the cafe features arched doorways, paneed windows, and hanging flower arrangements. Inside, the two girls strive to infuse the space with the essence of England—especially Brighton, the city where they once lived—through every material, wood color, table arrangement, decor, and detail.

All the photos hanging on the walls were taken by their friend during his years living in England – mostly in Brighton, and a few in London. The teacups were bought in England and shipped back, and many of the decorations in the cafe are also souvenirs from their time in England, each item having a story waiting to be told.

“Our aim in creating The Lanes is that, for those who have lived in and love England, The Lanes will be a warm place to evoke memories. And for those who haven't, it will be a new experience to learn more about the culture of the foggy country.”

When asked about the meaning of the name The Lanes Café Tea Room, Rachel explained that Brighton has a famous old neighborhood called The Lanes, which is home to many restaurants, tea houses, and bakeries. Wanting to evoke memories, both the name and logo bear the imprint of Brighton. The drawing on the menu cover also recreates The Lanes neighborhood of yesteryear, subtly including an image of the pho restaurant where they used to work.

To fully recreate the spirit of an English tea house, all the pastries at The Lanes Cafe Tea Room are handmade by Hanky ​​himself. Therefore, the cafe always features the signature and familiar pastries often enjoyed during English afternoon tea:sconeServed with ice cream and jam.sponge cakegoodbrownie- All have been reduced in sweetness to better suit the Vietnamese palate.

As its name, The Lanes Cafe Tea Room, suggests, the cafe offers both tea and coffee. While not focusing too much on coffee, the coffee menu is designed to evoke a sense of familiarity and closeness for Vietnamese people. The star of The Lanes, of course, is tea.

All the hot and cold teas at the shop use tea leaves from the renowned British brand, Camellia's Tea House, with ingredients sourced naturally and organically. Rachel shared that everyone who comes to The Lanes is satisfied with the tea. However, a couple of customers have commented that they would like the tea to be a little stronger in flavor.

The shop owner explained: "Vietnamese people tend to drink strong-flavored tea, but in England, tea is usually milder, mainly for enjoying the aroma, and is only brewed for about 2-3 minutes. Furthermore, tea in England – although imported from many countries like Vietnam, India, and China – has its own unique flavoring technique; even after being infused 4-5 times, it retains its original flavor."

Because afternoon tea in England is traditionally served to people on cold days, this model, when brought to Hanoi, seems most suitable for the winter and spring months. Rachel said that in the summer, the shop will add a few types of fruit teas and iced teas to suit the hot season and diversify the drinks.

"I still want the menu to have more pages, so I can tell my story in it. That's a long road ahead."

"It's the culture, the atmosphere, the memories—it's a combination of many things that blend together to create a tea house like this," Rachel continued. "Other tea houses could sell the exact same teas as The Lanes, but perhaps the difference lies in everything used here."

Everything is used here.That is, images – moments that can't be found anywhere else; photos of the cat they used to own in England, photos of the sky over Brighton on a gray day; or a "portrait" of a... pear – the fruit Rachel once thought was "the most delicious in the world," simply because it was the first time she had eaten a European pear, given to her by her friend Hanky ​​on her first day in the country...

Would The Lanes feel confident if an Englishman walked into the café?

"Yes," the owner replied emphatically to Travellive's final question. "Just the other day, an elderly British customer visited The Lanes. Coincidentally, he used to live in Brighton. After having tea and pastries, he came over to chat and thank the cafe, saying he felt like he was home."

Perhaps some people will come to the cafe and find that this isn't the British culture, not the British tea and pastries they're familiar with. But, stepping into The Lanes is like stepping into a unique region of England, viewing England through a unique lens, and listening to stories about England through a completely unique experience.

Of course, that experience was fragrant, delicious, and gentle.