If you've ever ordered a London Fog at a coffee shop, you already know the appeal: something warm and lightly sweet, with that unmistakable bergamot citrus from Earl Grey, softened by steamed milk and a hint of vanilla. What you might not know is how easy it is to make one at home, and how much better it tastes when you start with a quality loose leaf tea instead of a teabag. This is our version, built around Raven Earl Grey Tea, our small-batch Earl Grey blended with organic lavender and natural bergamot oil here in Owings Mills. It takes about seven minutes. It tastes like something you'd pay five dollars for, and it's better.
What Is a London Fog?
A London Fog is an Earl Grey tea latte: strong-brewed Earl Grey tea, steamed milk, vanilla extract, and a touch of sweetener. It originated in Vancouver in the 1990s, not London, despite the name — and spread because it fills a gap for people who want something café-worthy but coffee-free. The bergamot oil in Earl Grey tea gives the London Fog its distinctive citrus-floral character, and when it hits warm steamed milk, it softens into something genuinely luxurious.
The classic formula is three parts: a strong tea base, frothed milk, and vanilla. Honey stands in beautifully as the sweetener, it adds a floral depth that plain sugar doesn't, and if your Earl Grey already contains lavender, like Raven does, those two flavors play together in a way that elevates the whole drink without making it taste complicated.
Why Raven Tea Makes the Best London Fog
Most London Fog recipes call for any Earl Grey you have on hand, and while the drink is forgiving, the tea still determines the ceiling. Raven is a loose leaf blend with three ingredients: black tea, organic lavender, and natural bergamot oil. No artificial flavors, no dye, nothing added for shelf appeal. The bergamot is natural oil — the kind that reads bright and clean in the cup, not sharp or perfumed the way synthetic bergamot can. The lavender is subtle, a finishing note that rounds out the sip. When you build a London Fog on that base, the bergamot comes through the milk the way it should, and the lavender adds a quiet floral thread that you'd otherwise need to add separately.
For this recipe, you'll brew double-strength: two teaspoons of loose leaf tea per six ounces of water instead of the usual one. That concentration is what lets the flavor hold up once you add the milk. If you brew at normal strength, the tea gets lost.
What You Need
The ingredient list is short. Two teaspoons of Raven Earl Grey Tea, six ounces of filtered water heated to 180–185°F, half a cup of oat milk (or whole milk, or any milk you prefer), a quarter teaspoon of vanilla extract, and one teaspoon of honey. For the honey, our Spring Honey works beautifully here, it's floral and bright with lavender notes from the farm, which mirror the lavender already in the tea. That said, any raw varietal honey from our pantry will add its own character: a wildflower honey for something more complex, a lighter alfalfa for a cleaner sweetness.
For equipment, you'll need something to hold the tea while it steeps, a tea infuser ball or a small mesh strainer works fine, and something to heat and froth the milk. A handheld milk frother gives the best texture. If you don't have one, options are below.
How to Froth Milk Without a Frother
A handheld frother is the simplest tool for this, but it is not required. You have a few solid options. A French press works well: heat the milk on the stovetop or in the microwave, fill the French press about halfway, then pump the plunger rapidly for 30 to 45 seconds until the milk doubles in volume and develops foam. A small jar with a tight lid also works: heat the milk, pour it in, seal the lid, and shake vigorously for 30 to 45 seconds. The foam won't be quite as airy as a frother produces, but it gets the job done. If you're not concerned about foam and just want warm, creamy milk, heating it gently in a saucepan or microwave, whisking once to help it along, is perfectly fine. The drink will still taste like a London Fog; it just won't have the café-style top layer.
How to Make a London Fog
Step 1: Heat the water. Bring water to 180–185°F. If you don't have a thermometer, bring it to a full boil and let it sit off the heat for 60 to 90 seconds. That drops the temperature to roughly the right range. Using water that's too hot makes black tea bitter, the tannins over-extract and the flavor turns sharp. At the right temperature, you get body and depth without any harshness.
Step 2: Steep the tea. Add two teaspoons of Raven to your infuser and pour six ounces of hot water over it. Cover the cup to trap the aromatics and steep for five minutes. This is slightly longer than you'd steep a standard cup because you're brewing for concentration, not for drinking straight. Remove the infuser promptly at five minutes. Leaving loose leaf tea in the water past the steep time will continue extracting and tip the flavor toward astringency.
Step 3: Froth the milk. While the tea steeps, heat your milk until it's hot but not boiling, somewhere around 150–155°F. Froth it using whatever method you have available until it's creamy and has some foam on top.
Step 4: Build the drink. Add the vanilla extract and honey directly to your mug and stir briefly to combine. Pour in the steeped tea and stir once more so the honey dissolves. Then pour in the frothed milk slowly, holding back the foam with a spoon, and spoon the foam on top. The vanilla and honey go in first so they have a moment to disperse before the milk dilutes everything.
Tips for the Best London Fog
Temperature matters more than most recipes admit. If you brew too hot, the bergamot in Raven can turn slightly sharp. If the milk is lukewarm, the whole drink feels flat. Getting both components to the right temperature before combining them is the single biggest thing that separates a good London Fog from a great one.
Sweetener-to-vanilla ratio is personal. One teaspoon of honey and a quarter teaspoon of vanilla is a starting point, not a rule. If you prefer a less sweet drink, reduce the honey and let the bergamot do more of the work. If you want something closer to a vanilla latte with Earl Grey in the background, add a little more vanilla. Taste as you go.
Oat milk produces the most foam and has a neutral sweetness that lets the tea flavors show through. Whole milk is creamier and richer. Almond milk froths lightly and adds a subtle nuttiness. Any of them work; the choice comes down to what you want the final drink to emphasize.
Variations
Iced London Fog. Brew the tea double-strength as usual, but let it cool to room temperature before building the drink. Add the honey and vanilla to a glass, stir in the cooled tea until the honey dissolves, then fill with ice and pour cold milk over the top. Skip the frothing, the foam doesn't hold as well over ice, and the cold version doesn't need it. The result is something cleaner and brighter than the hot version, with the bergamot reading sharper against the cold.
Honey variation. Swapping the honey varietal changes the drink meaningfully. Spring Honey, with its floral and lavender-forward profile, leans into what Raven is already doing. Wildflower Honey adds more complexity and a slight amber depth. A lighter honey like alfalfa lets the bergamot stay front and center. Try the same recipe with two different honeys side by side to see the difference, it is noticeable.
Extra lavender. If you want the lavender note more pronounced, add a pinch of dried culinary lavender directly to the tea leaves before steeping and steep together. Remove with the tea. This amplifies the floral quality without changing the fundamental character of the drink.
What to Serve With a London Fog
A London Fog is a natural pairing with anything baked that has lemon, lavender, or vanilla in it. Our lavender honey lemon cake was practically designed for this drink, the bergamot in the tea echoes the lemon, and the lavender in the cake and the tea speak the same language. Our lavender scones are another natural match, and they're simple enough to make on the same morning you're putting together a London Fog. Shortbread, lemon bars, vanilla-forward pastries, anything in that flavor neighborhood works well.
If you want to explore more ways to use Raven Tea, our Earl Grey tea cocktail takes the same tea in a completely different direction: bergamot, lemon, honey syrup, and sparkling wine. And if you'd like to understand the tea itself more before you start brewing, our guide to what is Earl Grey tea covers everything from the history to how loose leaf compares to bags. You can find the full artisanal tea collection in our pantry.
London Fog FAQs
What is a London Fog drink?
A London Fog is an Earl Grey tea latte made with strong-brewed Earl Grey, steamed milk, vanilla extract, and a touch of sweetener. It originated in Vancouver, Canada in the 1990s. The bergamot oil in Earl Grey gives it a bright citrus-floral character that softens beautifully when combined with warm frothed milk. Despite the name, it has no particular connection to London.
Is a London Fog the same as an Earl Grey latte?
Essentially yes, a London Fog is an Earl Grey latte with vanilla added. Some recipes also include lavender. The key technique is brewing the tea at double strength so the bergamot flavor holds up once the milk is added. If you brew at normal strength, the tea flavor gets lost in the milk.
What is the best milk for a London Fog?
Oat milk is one of the most popular choices because it froths well and has a mild sweetness that lets the tea flavor come through. Whole milk produces a richer, creamier drink. Almond milk works and adds a slight nuttiness. The choice is personal, any milk that froths will give you a proper London Fog. For a dairy-free London Fog, oat milk is the most consistent performer.
Can I make a London Fog without a frother?
Yes. A French press works well: heat the milk, pour it in halfway, and pump the plunger rapidly for 30 to 45 seconds until the milk is foamy. A sealed jar shaken vigorously for about 30 seconds also produces foam. If you skip frothing entirely and just heat the milk, the drink tastes the same, it just won't have the foam layer on top. For the iced version, frothing isn't necessary at all.
How do I make an iced London Fog?
Brew the tea double-strength as usual and let it cool to room temperature. Dissolve the honey and vanilla in the cooled tea, then pour it over ice in a glass. Add cold milk and stir. The iced version skips frothing, cold foam doesn't hold as well, and the bergamot reads slightly brighter and sharper over ice, which makes for a different but equally appealing drink.
Why is my London Fog bitter?
The most common cause is water temperature. Black tea brewed at a full boil (212°F) will taste bitter because the tannins over-extract. For Earl Grey, use water at 180 to 185°F, just below boiling. If your water was the right temperature, check steep time: leaving the leaves in past five minutes also continues extraction and turns the tea astringent. Remove the infuser promptly when the steep is done.
Can I use honey instead of vanilla syrup in a London Fog?
Yes, and it's a good swap. Honey adds floral sweetness and its own character to the drink rather than just adding sugar. A light, floral honey like our Spring Honey pairs especially well with Earl Grey because it echoes the lavender and bergamot already in the blend. Start with one teaspoon and adjust to your taste. You can use honey alongside vanilla extract or in place of a simple syrup, it dissolves easily in hot tea.
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