Tea in Rome: where to find a nice cup of tea in Rome + two fantastic addresses for high tea in the Eternal City.
Rome is known for coffee, more than tea. However, the city has a lot to offer to tea lovers.
From delightful tea houses serving afternoon tea in Rome to welcoming tea rooms for a warm cuppa and even bubble tea shops, drinking tea in Rome is easy and satisfying.
This is my selection of the best places to find tea in Rome and some helpful, practical tips to know what to expect and place the perfect order.
Tea in Rome: what you need to know
In Italian, we call the tea = The or Te’ (two possible spellings), pronounced t-eh.
How to order a hot tea in Rome
To order a cup of tea, you can say:
- Un the, per favore ( a tea, please)
- Una tazza di the, per favore (a cup of tea please)
Tea in Rome is hot and black: it usually comes in a teapot or cup with hot water and a teabag and slice of lemon on the side.
If you do not specify what type of tea you want, you will be served black tea; however, it is common for a waiter to ask for your tea preference and offer options, often including green tea as well as varieties of black tea such as English breakfast tea or earl grey.
If you want your tea served with milk, you can ask:
Un te’ con latte per favore – a tea with milk, please
You can add it to your already served tea saying: mi porta un po’ di latte per favore: may I have some milk too, please.
How to oder ice tea in Rome
If you want to order iced tea in Italian, we call it: the freddo (the= tea, freddo=cold).
The freddo in Rome and Italy, in general, comes in two varieties: lemon and peach both, usually, very sweet.
The freddo al limone – lemon flavoured ice tea
The freddo alla pesca – peach flavoured ice tea
Ice tea in Rome is usually served in tall glasses, not take-out cups and it is popular in summer.
Depending on the place, iced tea can be homemade or packaged. In summer, several places make their own (you can ask if it is home made asking: e’ vostro? = Is it yours? Or: E’ della Casa? Is it homemade?
Where to get a cup of tea in Rome
You can order a cup of tea in any Rome cafe (bar). Since the start of the restrictions, most cafes added outdoors table and sitting down for a drink has become easier than ever.
In a standard cafe, however, the choice of tea is usually not vast and. To find a proper tea menu, you need to go to specialises shops or larger establishments.
A tea house in Italian is called: Sala da the.
If you are looking for a full-on, English afternoon tea experience in Rome, then there are two addresses for you: Babingtons tea house and the Grand Hotel St Regis.
Below, I will share my top picks for tea houses in Rome. I hope you enjoy them!
Babingtons’ tea house – best afternoon tea in Rome, English style
Babington’s tea house is Rome’s first and original English tea room.
Located beside the Spanish Steps, on Piazza di Spagna, it is a beautiful place for tea lovers: here, you can have your tea or a proper high tea experience, complete with tiered trays with sandwiches and pastry, as well as a good tea menu.
The tea room has a going history.
Its story starts on the year of its foundation 1893.
That year, Isabel Cargill and Anna Maria Babington identified a need for a tea house in Rome and opened the first incarnation of the tearoom in central Via due Macelli.
Tea wasn’t typical in Rome at the time, but the significant presence of English visitors on the grand tour quickly put the place on the map, and it turned into the tea institution it still is.
The first tea room promptly moved to the prestigious address in Piazza di Spagna where we still see it now.
Babingtons is open from 11 am to 8 pm every day except Tuesday.
Their menu has an impressive list of teas, ranging from traditional English black tea to oolong, jasmine tea and several herbal varieties and a great food selection, including anything from traditional Scottish scones to eggs on toast and cakes for all tastes.
Booking is highly recommended.
Top tip for families: Babingtons is lovely for kids too and caters to them with a dedicated children’s menu.
Address: Piazza di Spagna, 23, 00187 Rome
What to see nearby: Spanish Steps, Trevi, Via dei condotti, Piazza del Popolo – this is a very central location close to most of Rome’s main attractions.
Afternoon tea in Rome’s Grand Hotel Rome St Regis – perfect upscale experience
Another fabulous location for an upscale afternoon tea in Rome is the St Regis Grand hotel.
The St Regis hotel is a stunning 5-star hotel in Rome city center with an elegant bar called Lumen.
In the afternoon, you can book afternoon tea and partake in their ‘time for tea’ experience, which consists of a selection of sandwiches, pastry and tea selection.
Afternoon tea at St Regis hotel happens every day from 4 pm to 6 pm and it is an excellent excuse to relax in the fabulous surroundings of this beautiful hotel.
Address: Via Vittorio E. Orlando, 3, 00185 Rome Web: click to open official site.
What to see nearby: the hotel is close to them Baths of Diocletian and Palazzo Massimo, The church of Santa Maria della Vittoria with the Exstasis of St. Therese by Bernini, Via Nazionale, Via Veneto and Termini station.
Christmas Chocolate Afternoon Tea in Rome Hotel Plaza
A lovely afternoon tea experience in Rome is also offered by hotel plaza, which designed a delightful tea and chocolate afternoon experience.
The afternoon tea here doesn’t come with multi-tiered trays and sandwiches.
Still, it offers tea, cake and a try of chocolate as well as a glass of Passito Moscato IGP Elogio del Mediterraneo.
The tea is served in their excellent bar and is served every day from 3 to 6 pm. It includes a choice, three pieces of chocolate, dessert of your choice and a glass of wine.
Address: Via del Corso 126, 00186 Rome Web: click here for official site
What to see nearby: Piazza di Spagna, Piazza Venezia, Piazza del Popolo, Augustus Mausoleum, Ara Pacis. This is a very central location close to many of Rome’s main attractions.
Makasar Bistrot – Rome tea house near the Vatican
Makasar Bistrot defines itself as an Enotheca Libreria, a play-of-words between the Italian for wine bar (enoteca ) and tea (the).
The Bistrot is in Borgo Pio, between the Vatican and Castel Sant’Angelo and has a welcoming, cozy atmosphere.
Here, you can choose between over 200 types of tea from all over the world, herbal teas and others in your party can opt for a glass of wine too.
The menu includes savory dishes, including salads and platters and a selection of desserts that changes daily.
Address: Via Plauto, 33-33 A, 00189 Rome Web: click here for official site.
Il sogno nel cassetto
Il Sogno del cassetto (lit: the dream in the drawer, an Italian idiom to say ‘my secret wish, or my secret dream) is a lively tea house in a residential area of Rome North, close to Villa Ada and the Catacombs of Priscilla.
The tea house offers a great selection of tea from different parts of the world, including black tea, green tea, white tea, aromatic teas, rooibos and herbal teas, and coffee, hot chocolate, and other cafes staples.
The atmosphere is intimate and welcoming: the tea house also has a lovely shop section with tea-inspired gifts.
Address: Largo di Villa Bianca, 8, 00199 Rome Web: click here for official site.
What is nearby: Villa Ada (park), Priscillas’ Catacombs.
The British Corner Rome tea house in Pigneto
As the name suggests, British corner Rome is a British-inspired tea house. You find it in the hip Pigneto area of Rome.
The place is welcoming and peculiar as the decor is all made of British knick-nacks: dishes with the portrait of the Queen, pottery, mugs with lady Diana… it is the opposite of minimal, and this is part of the fun!
In terms of tea, they have a good selection of tea bags and loose tea and a delicious menu of cakes, sweets and savory dishes. Craft beer and wine are also available.
Address: Via del Pigneto, 112, 00176 Roma Web: click for their Facebook page here
What to see nearby: Pigneto is a hip neighbourhood with a nice feel and some interesting street art.
Other places for a cup of tea in Rome:
Arthe tea house – Viale Pasteur, 45, 00144 Rome – Facebook Page
Fior di te’ – Via Tuscolana, 30, 00183 Rome – Facebook Page
Vivi Bistrot – several locations, including central Piazza Navona and children favorite Villa Doria Pamphili. Click here for website.
Cannoleria Siciliana – several locations, you can order tea and cannoli or other Sicilian specialties. Click here for official site.
Where to find bubble tea in Rome
If you love bubble tea, then you will be delighted to hear that Rome has several boba tea shops!
Some you can enjoy are:
Te’ Amo: located in Rome city center, close to the Pantheon and Largo Argentina area, The Amo has a good selection of bubble tea flavors, including tropical flavors and matcha.
Address: Via di Torre Argentina, 7, 00186 Rome
Youyou tea, which you find in several locations around the city.
Their selection of bubble tea is vast and they also have milkshakes and their luscious mocha coffee, which is a triumph of indulgent, whipped cream.
Address: several locations, check official site here.
Other addresses you may like are:
Black Sugar Bubble Tea – Via Appia Nuova, 204, 00183 Rome
Bad Monkey Bubble Tea – Via Tuscolana, 1108, 00174 Rome
The one bubble tea – Via Genzano, 75A, 00179 Rome
I hope you found this overview of my favorite places for tea in Rome helpful and you find your perfect cuppa! Enjoy Rome!
The best tea rooms in Rome – pin this!
