tea menu

The Cranston family were at the forefront of the turn of the century temperance movement in Glasgow. When Stuart Cranston opened his tea shop in 1871 on Queen Street he took great care to educate his customers about his product. He began brewing the tea for his patrons to sample, then decided to bring in a seating area and charge a small fee for the pleasure. Thus, the concept of the tearoom began to take form in Glasgow. Just seven years later Kate Cranston opened her very first tearooms in a temperance hotel on Argyle Street. Miss Cranston’s tearooms were met with great popularity, so much so that she was able to open her second tearooms just eight years later. By the time Miss Cranston’s fourth tearooms (now known as Mackintosh at the Willow) was opened on Sauchiehall Street, Kate Cranston’s tearooms had a reputation for innovation, modern design and unique artistry, often due to hiring aspiring local artists, particularly Charles Rennie Mackintosh.

Over a hundred years after its initial opening in 1903, Mackintosh at the Willow continues to celebrate Miss Cranston’s legacy and passion for Glasgow, innovation and—you guessed it—tea!

Today, Mackintosh at the Willow also operates as a social enterprise creating training, learning, employment and other opportunities and support for young people and communities. We work in partnership with The Prince’s Trust and are proud to employ young Prince’s Trust trainees as part of our customer facing and kitchen teams. Through our Learning and Education activities we also work with local schools and community groups. So, when you visit us, you’re also contributing to creating positive change.

As well as our iconic tearooms we also have some modern meeting and events spaces, a creative learning and education department, an exciting exhibition and retail store, where you can buy most of our teas detailed in this menu. If you would like further information of all we have to offer, please ask any member of our team.

1903 blend bright leaves / floral / light £3.50

Crafted by hand exclusively for Mackintosh at the Willow by PekoeTea of Edinburgh, the 1903 Blend calls back to the history of the tea trade. Miss Cranston’s brother Stuart was a tea merchant who began trading in the 1870s, at a time when premium teas popular in Britain were still mainly from China. The 1903 Blend is a light afternoon tea containing teas from Sri Lanka and China and decorated with rose petals in a nod to the rose motif found in the works of Charles Rennie Mackintosh. This blend pays tribute to the original Willow Tea Rooms building (now Mackintosh at the Willow) which Miss Cranston opened in 1903.

breakfast blend bright leaves / malt / caramel £3.00

A carefully balanced blend of Assam and Darjeeling teas specially blended in Kolkata for PekoeTea of Edinburgh. This tea delivers a full, malty flavour as the ideal way to kick start the day. Takes milk well, sweeten to taste with sugar.

decaffeinated breakfast bright leaves/malt / caramel £3.25

A classic black tea from Sri Lanka offering the taste of tea but without the caffeine.

russian caravan smokey/peat / full-bodied £3.00

This smoky Lapsang blend evokes the historic caravan trails that would have brought tea from China to the European markets. Blended by hand by PekoeTea of Edinburgh, this tea combines Lapsang Souchong, Assam and China teas which come together in this recipe to give a full-flavoured experience. Rich and slightly smoky, goes well with a slice of lemon instead of milk.

duchess grey lively / floral / citrus £3.00

An Earl Grey tea with a touch of nobility, Duchess Grey adds a floral, citrus twist to the classic. Expect the traditional Chinese black tea with bergamot oil, enlivened with natural orange and lemon flavours.

french earl grey sweet / floral / citrus £3.00

This is Earl Grey reimagined with a dash of continental luxury. Rose petals and blue cornflowers enhance the aroma and sweet red fruits flavour takes the place of the classic citrus. Perfect on its own, enjoy it with lemon juice to taste the best of both sides of the Channel.

scottish chai warm / dark / spiced £3.00

Inspired by the traditional Indian chai spiced teas, this handcrafted blend brings a malty black tea together with warming spices to keep the chill at bay. Enjoy on its own, or add milk to mellow the taste.

congou black strong / chocolate / dark £4.00

Congou tea is the name given to a tea of a quality high enough to be used in the traditional Chinese gongfu tea ceremony. When the Willow Tea Rooms (now Mackintosh at the Willow) first opened in 1903, Miss Cranston offered ‘Mandarin Tea’ at a price of 2d, a congou black tea of the sort first imported into Scotland. This tea, from Qimun in China, is made in the same traditional way those congou teas would have been.

orange blossom oolong citrus / caramel / fragrant £3.50

A blend of dark Taiwanese oolong teas decorated with orange peel, offering an intense citrus aroma and a fruity, caramel flavour.

ceylon orange pekoe bright leaves / floral / light £3.00

A fine black tea from the Kenilworth Estate in Sri Lanka’s Nuwara Eliya district. Expect a refreshing flavour with a cooling menthol sensation and a hint of eucalyptus in the aftertaste.

assam strong / malty / dark £3.50

Single-estate Assam black tea with a perfectly balanced, malty flavour. This tea is from the world-famous Mokalbari East tea estate in the northern reaches of the Assam district.

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darjeeling 2nd flush delicate / floral/ muscatel £3.50

From the Gopaldhara Estate, this tea carries a floral aroma and a classic malty taste alongside the characteristic Darjeeling muscatel flavour. This tea is a high-grade broken leaf Darjeeling, which means it infuses strongly enough to take milk well, but not so strongly that it can’t be enjoyed black.

chamomile floral/ herbal / light £3.00

A relaxing floral infusion, Chamomile carries a natural apple blossom aroma and a sweet, slightly fruity flavour. Chamomile can be enjoyed at any time, but it is especially popular as a relaxing drink at the end of a long day.

scottish summer fruits sweet / fruity / floral £3.50

This blend of sencha green tea, fruit and flowers is handcrafted by PekoeTea of Edinburgh to offer a taste of summer that can be enjoyed all year round. Inspired by the soft fruits that grow wild across Scotland, the taste is sweet and juicy and the aroma is enchanting.

peppermint fresh / sweet / light £3.50

A naturally sweet, refreshing mint infusion. Peppermint is ideal as an after dinner digestive or just as a relaxing, uplifting mid-day drink. Try peppermint with a small amount of honey to bring the natural sweetness to the fore.

lemongrass and ginger warm / soothing / light spice £3.00

Blended by PekoeTea of Edinburgh, this herbal infusion combines two famous medicinal and cooking herbs to create a warm, soothing drink that is refreshing and caffeine free.

cloud catcher bright / fruity/ vibrant £3.50

A delightful blend of apple, kiwi and coconut that will banish the clouds and let the sunshine in. Sweet, fruity and vibrant, this fruit infusion is also naturally caffeine free.

rooibos honey / malt / herbacious £3.00

Rooibos is a herb that grows in the Cedarburg region of South Africa where it has been cultivated as an alternative to tea. Rooibos is well known for its honey flavour, and is naturally caffeine free.

highland rooibos fresh / honey / light £3.50

A blend of Rooibos by PekoeTea of Edinburgh, this tea combines flavours picked from Scotland’s last wilderness. Fruits and herbs together with South African Rooibos create a refreshing drink that calls to mind a crisp Highland morning shrouded in mist.

earl grey rooibos honey / citrus / mellow £3.50

For a caffeine-free alternative to the traditional classic blend, this tea combines South African Rooibos with bergamot oil, complementing the natural honey flavour of the Rooibos while recreating the classic citrus Earl Grey taste.

moonlight white fresh/ sweet / fruity £4.00

An exquisite white tea from Yunnan Province in China, Moonlight White is named because the tea leaves are withered before processing at night, under the light of the moon. The result is a light, sweet tea with a hint of stone fruits to the flavour.

pai mu dan fresh/ sweet / crisp £4.00

A classic white tea from Fujian Province in China, Pai Mu Dan is a refreshing, fruity tea with notes of peach and melon to the flavour. This is one of the least processed forms of tea, with the leaves withered under sunlight for only a few hours before steaming, drying and packing.

jade tips fresh/ sweet / crisp £3.00

A classic green tea from China’s Henan Province, Jade Tips is an ideal first taste of green tea, with no astringency and a smooth, well-balanced flavour. Expect a natural sweetness and a crisp, refreshing taste.

jasmine dragon pearl light / fragrant / floral £3.00

Hand-rolled using carefully selected tender green buds, this delicious calming jasmine tea is made in the traditional way. Tea leaves are laid over jasmine petals and left to slowly absorb the scent naturally.

peach sencha smooth / sweet / nutty £3.50

Crafted by PekoeTea of Edinburgh to bring the taste of ripe sweet peaches together with a nutty, smooth sencha green tea.

We are proud to partner with PekoeTea of Edinburgh, to exclusively blend and supply our amazing tea selection. PekoeTea have discovered a world of flavours and aromas bringing some of the finest teas from around the world to their base in Scotland. They partner directly with growers to create a vibrant range of small-batch single-estate and flavoured teas. Their passion for tea has led them to visit tea-growing areas around the world including China, India, Sri Lanka and Kenya. Combining some of the finest teas and their expertise in blending, they hand-craft their teas in their factory near the Leith docks in Edinburgh. All their teas are traded ethically, and they are members of the Ethical Tea Partnership.

Want to learn more about the history of tea, the Cranston family and Charles Rennie Mackintosh? Visit our immersive and interactive exhibition!

Explore our exhibition and learn more about the vibrant city of Glasgow in the late 1890s and early 1900s, a time of exciting change and innovation. Learn about the growth of the tea rooms and hear the story of successful and forward thinking local entrepreneur Miss Kate Cranston and her unique collaboration with Charles Rennie Mackintosh and his wife Margaret Macdonald. With interactive, audio and visual displays there’s plenty to get involved with. The Exhibition is located in our retail section, where you can also purchase your entry tickets. Open Monday to Saturday from 10am, last entry 4pm and Sundays from 10am, last entry 3.45pm.