Brew Babu

I’m shocked that Oundle didn’t have a dedicated tea room before Brew Babu opened, and its apparent success proves it filled a gap in a town otherwise consumed by an abundance of coffee shops and hairdressers. They have a large variety of house blends, or I think you can make your own blend. I don’t know anything about tea, but they seem to take it pretty seriously, as its served with your own tea timer to let you know when to pour. Of course, you have the option for stronger tea and are free to ignore the timer. I’ve had the Citrus Earl Grey, which was soft and delicate, and complemented a slice of gluten-​free carrot cake very nicely. They also have a large selection of herbal infusions, of which I enjoyed the moroccan mint.
They also have a surprisingly large selection of food served throughout the day. I’ve had the ham and cheese croissant, which was extremely good, as well as gluten-​free carrot cake, and hummus and pita. For me, the hummus was a bit unbalanced, with a very strong lemon flavor, but it was still tasty and the accompanying pita was perfectly toasted.
The interior feels like a Pottery Barn catalog (do they have that in the UK?) or otherwise the epitome of the term shabby chic, following the current trend to mismatch chairs at tables and such. It’s a place that will appeal to Oundle’s unique clientele of posh-​students-​who-​wish-​they-​could-​be-​hipsters, and pensioners looking for a fresh cuppa.