Our story
The Hamilton family, and a proper cup of tea
A place we'd want to visit ourselves, where great food, great drinks and great service are delivered with pride, passion and a sense of fun.
What is Hamilton's?
No rules, no fuss, just tea and a treat
As a family, we love finding new places for afternoon tea. But it always annoyed us how the "rules" got in the way: pre-book only, nothing before 3pm, and heaven forbid you ask for Earl Grey with milk instead of lemon.
So we built the opposite. A place where what you want matters more than what the rules say you can have: the feel of a friendly village corner shop, with the attention to detail of a Savoy butler.
It's the service
The food and drink is great, but it's the team and the welcome that make the difference. If you're not looking after a guest, you'd better be looking after someone who is.
Made fresh, made local
Homemade baked treats, frosted cinnamon rolls and scones baked fresh every day, built around the quality of local produce and supply partners.
A sense of fun
Over 35 loose-leaf teas, the best hot chocolate, and an amazing selection of martinis and cocktails thrown into the mix. Rules optional.
Our history
Steve, Stephanie & Freya
The Hamiltons moved to Farnham in 2019 and fell in love with the town, its people and everything it has to offer, straight away.
A career spanning the Barbican, wine and beer museums, castles and country estates gave us a collective 60 years of catering, hospitality and venue experience. In 2020 we took the plunge and opened the first Hamilton's Tea House on Downing Street.
Using local suppliers, employing local people and serving local customers lets us put something back into the community that gave us this opportunity.
"Happiness is… finding two olives in your martini when you are hungry."
Steve Hamilton