Our Pick: Twinings
Check price →How to Make a London Fog Latte (Better Than the Coffee Shop)
A foolproof recipe for the Earl Grey vanilla latte — exact ratios, milk-frothing tips, and the teas that actually make a difference.
By The Best Tea Bags Desk · 9 min read · 2026-06-14
Our top picks
The everyday, easy-to-find pick
Twinings Earl Grey Tea BagsTwinings
The reliable grocery-store Earl Grey that makes a genuinely good London Fog without hunting for anything exotic.
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Check price →Read review ↓A richer, more aromatic upgrade
Harney & Sons Earl Grey Supreme TeaHarney & Sons
A black-and-silver-tip Earl Grey with deep, real bergamot that turns a London Fog into something genuinely special.
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Check price →Read review ↓An evening or low-caffeine London Fog
Stash Tea Decaf Earl Grey Black TeaStash Tea
A decaffeinated Earl Grey that lets you enjoy a London Fog after dinner without the caffeine hit.
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Check price →Read review ↓The London Fog is the rare coffee-shop drink that is genuinely better at home — and cheaper by an order of magnitude. At its core it is just three things: strong Earl Grey tea, steamed milk, and a whisper of vanilla. The bottom line: brew two Earl Grey tea bags (or 4 grams of loose leaf) in 4 ounces of just-under-boiling water for 5 minutes, stir in 1 to 2 teaspoons of vanilla syrup, then top with 6 to 8 ounces of steamed, frothed milk. That ratio — roughly a 1:2 tea-to-milk pour — is the whole secret, and it is the same one most cafes use behind the counter.
What separates a great London Fog from a watery, perfumey one is almost entirely the tea. A cheap Earl Grey made with low-grade black tea and synthetic bergamot flavoring tastes thin and soapy under milk. A well-made Earl Grey — built on a real black tea base with cold-pressed bergamot oil — holds its citrus and tannin even after you flood it with dairy. That is why this guide leads with tea selection: it is the one variable that the coffee shop cannot out-engineer you on, because you can buy better tea than most of them stock.
Below you will find the exact recipe, a ratio table you can scale up or down, the three milk-frothing methods ranked by how little gear they require, and our picks for the best Earl Grey teas to build the drink on. None of this is paid placement. We recommend teas a buyer can actually find and purchase, and we tell you honestly where the trade-offs are.
The short version
- The master ratio is 1 part strong Earl Grey to 2 parts steamed milk, plus 1–2 tsp vanilla syrup per 12 oz drink — double the tea you would use for a plain cup so it survives the milk.
- Tea quality matters more than milk or syrup: a real-bergamot Earl Grey on a quality black base is the single biggest upgrade over a cafe version.
- Steep hot and strong (water just off the boil, 4–5 minutes) — under-steeping is the most common reason a homemade London Fog tastes weak and milky.
- You do not need an espresso machine. A handheld milk frother (about $10–15) or a sealed jar shaken and microwaved gets you 90% of the way to cafe foam.
- Vanilla syrup is the classic, but real vanilla extract plus a little honey or sugar works fine — and lets you control sweetness far better than a sugary cafe pump.
| Tea | Form | Bergamot intensity | Best for | Steep for a Fog |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Twinings Earl Grey | Tea bags | Bright, floral | Everyday value | 2 bags / 4–5 min |
| Harney & Sons Earl Grey Supreme | Loose or sachet | Deep, real oil | Best-tasting upgrade | 4 g / 5 min |
| Stash Decaf Earl Grey | Tea bags | Moderate | Evening / low-caffeine | 2 bags / 5–6 min |
How the three Earl Greys compare for building a London Fog latte.
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Question 1 of 6
What do you want your tea to do for you?
01 · The everyday, easy-to-find pick
Best Overall ValueTwinings Earl Grey Tea Bags
The reliable grocery-store Earl Grey that makes a genuinely good London Fog without hunting for anything exotic.
Origin & grade: Established blender since 1706; widely available and consistent batch to batch.
Twinings Earl Grey is the benchmark most people already know, and it earns its spot. The bergamot is on the brighter, more floral end rather than deep and oily, which actually suits a London Fog — it cuts through steamed milk instead of getting buried by it.
The black tea base is a blend designed for consistency rather than single-origin character, so you will not get the malty depth of a premium loose leaf. But it is dependable, it is everywhere, and it is inexpensive enough that experimenting with ratios costs you almost nothing.
- Form
- Tea bags
- Base tea
- Blended black tea
- Caffeine
- Caffeinated
- Count
- Commonly 20–100 ct boxes
What we like
- Available in nearly every grocery store
- Bright bergamot reads clearly through milk
- Very affordable per cup
- Consistent batch to batch
Worth noting
- Bagged base lacks loose-leaf depth
- Bergamot is lighter than premium blends
Who should buy it: Anyone who wants a great London Fog without a special trip — and anyone making the drink for the first time who does not want to over-invest before they know they like it.
What we don't like: The flavored Earl Grey uses standard bagged-tea fannings, so the base lacks the depth of a loose-leaf option. Bergamot leans floral rather than rich.
Bottom line: If you want to make a London Fog tonight with something you can buy almost anywhere, Twinings is the answer. The bergamot is bright and reads clearly through milk, and the black tea base has enough backbone that a two-bag steep does not collapse. It is not the most luxurious cup on this list, but for the price and availability it is the one we reach for most.
02 · A richer, more aromatic upgrade
Best UpgradeHarney & Sons Earl Grey Supreme Tea
A black-and-silver-tip Earl Grey with deep, real bergamot that turns a London Fog into something genuinely special.
Origin & grade: Family-run American tea company; Earl Grey Supreme blend uses real bergamot oil with silver-tip accents.
Harney & Sons Earl Grey Supreme is a step up in both leaf quality and aromatics. The bergamot is deeper and more lemon-oil-forward than Twinings, and there is a softness from the silver tips that makes the finished latte feel almost creamy before you even add the milk.
It costs more per cup than a grocery blend, but a London Fog uses double tea anyway, so the upgrade is where you will taste it most. If you make this drink regularly, this is the blend that makes staying home an easy decision.
- Form
- Sachets or loose leaf
- Base tea
- Black tea with silver tips
- Caffeine
- Caffeinated
- Bergamot
- Real bergamot oil
What we like
- Deep, real bergamot that survives milk
- Silver tips add softness and body
- Available loose or in sachets
- Cafe-beating aroma
Worth noting
- Pricier per cup
- Loose format needs an infuser
Who should buy it: Regular London Fog drinkers who want a noticeable jump in aroma and depth, and anyone giving the drink as a gift-worthy ritual.
What we don't like: Costs more than grocery Earl Grey, and the loose-leaf format requires an infuser or strainer. The deep bergamot can overwhelm if you under-pour the milk.
Bottom line: This is the blend we recommend when someone wants their London Fog to taste better than any cafe's. Earl Grey Supreme adds Chinese silver-tip leaves to a black tea base and uses generous, real bergamot. The result is richer and rounder than a standard Earl Grey, with a citrus note that survives a full pour of milk beautifully.
03 · An evening or low-caffeine London Fog
Best DecafStash Tea Decaf Earl Grey Black Tea
A decaffeinated Earl Grey that lets you enjoy a London Fog after dinner without the caffeine hit.
Origin & grade: CO2-decaffeinated black tea; Stash lists ingredients and sourcing on packaging.
Decaf Earl Grey is the obvious answer for an after-dinner London Fog, and Stash makes a dependable one. Because decaffeination mutes some of the tea's intensity, lean into a stronger steep.
It will not have quite the punch of a full-caffeine premium blend, but for an evening ritual that will not keep you up, it is exactly right. Stash is also widely available and reasonably priced.
- Form
- Tea bags
- Base tea
- Decaffeinated black tea
- Caffeine
- Decaffeinated
- Decaf method
- CO2 process
What we like
- Lets you enjoy a London Fog at night
- Bergamot survives despite decaf process
- Widely available and affordable
- Good for caffeine-sensitive drinkers
Worth noting
- Slightly muted body vs. caffeinated
- Needs a longer steep to hold up
Who should buy it: Anyone who loves the London Fog as a nighttime or wind-down drink, and people sensitive to caffeine who still want the full ritual.
What we don't like: Decaffeination softens the black tea, so it is a touch less bold than caffeinated options even with a longer steep.
Bottom line: A London Fog is a comforting, dessert-adjacent drink, which means a lot of people want one at night. Stash Decaf Earl Grey makes that possible. The decaffeination softens the black tea slightly, so we steep it a touch longer and stronger — but the bergamot comes through and the finished latte is cozy and convincing.
Key terms
- Bergamot
- A fragrant citrus fruit whose oil flavors Earl Grey tea. Real cold-pressed bergamot oil tastes brighter and rounder than synthetic flavoring, and holds up better under milk.
- London Fog
- An Earl Grey tea latte: strong Earl Grey, steamed milk, and vanilla. Said to have originated in Vancouver in the 1990s.
- Microfoam
- Fine, velvety milk foam with tiny uniform bubbles, as opposed to the large airy bubbles of poorly steamed milk. The goal for a smooth latte texture.
- Vanilla syrup
- A sweetened vanilla-flavored simple syrup used to sweeten and flavor the drink. Can be store-bought or substituted with vanilla extract plus a sweetener.
Questions, answered
What is a London Fog made of?
A London Fog is made of strong Earl Grey tea, steamed and frothed milk, and vanilla (usually vanilla syrup, sometimes vanilla extract with honey or sugar). The standard build is about 4 oz of concentrated Earl Grey, 1–2 tsp vanilla syrup, and 6–8 oz of steamed milk for a 12 oz drink.
What is the best tea for a London Fog?
Earl Grey is the defining tea, and a blend made with real bergamot oil on a quality black base performs best because it holds its citrus and tannin under milk. Twinings is the best widely available value pick; Harney & Sons Earl Grey Supreme is a richer upgrade; and a decaf Earl Grey like Stash works for an evening version. Whatever you choose, use double the tea you would for a plain cup.
Can I make a London Fog without an espresso machine?
Yes — no espresso is involved at all, since a London Fog is tea-based. You only need to steam and froth milk, which you can do with a $10–15 handheld frother, a sealed jar shaken and then microwaved, or a French press. None of these require an espresso machine.
How much caffeine is in a London Fog?
It depends on the tea. A London Fog made with two black Earl Grey tea bags contains roughly the caffeine of a strong cup of black tea — generally less than a cup of brewed coffee. If you want a caffeine-free version, use a decaf Earl Grey such as Stash Decaf Earl Grey and steep it a little longer to keep the flavor strong.
What kind of milk is best for a London Fog?
Whole milk froths the richest and carries the vanilla and bergamot flavors best. For non-dairy, barista-formulated oat milk is the top performer because its sugars and fats create stable foam. Almond and soy work but produce thinner foam; look for barista editions if you want better texture.
Why does my London Fog taste soapy or perfumey?
That usually comes from either a cheap Earl Grey made with synthetic bergamot flavoring, or from over-doing an add-in like lavender. Switch to a blend with real bergamot oil, and if you are adding lavender, use only a tiny pinch — culinary lavender turns soapy fast in excess.
Can I make an iced London Fog?
Yes. Brew the Earl Grey extra strong (it will be diluted by melting ice), stir in vanilla syrup while it is still warm so it dissolves, then chill it. Pour over ice and top with cold milk or cold foam. Brewing at double strength is the key to keeping it from tasting watery.
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