London Fog Latte Recipe (Hot & Iced) — Earl Grey Tea Latte

A London Fog Latte is Earl Grey tea steeped strongly, sweetened with vanilla syrup, and finished with steamed milk and foam. It tastes like a tea-forward latte — floral, bergamot-bright, lightly sweet — with the creaminess of a café latte and about half the caffeine.

This is the drink to make when you want the ritual of a café latte without espresso. It’s been a Starbucks menu staple since 2012 and is one of the easiest tea lattes to replicate at home with better results than the café version.

What Is a London Fog Latte?

A London Fog Latte is an Earl Grey tea latte made with strongly brewed Earl Grey tea, vanilla syrup, and steamed milk. The drink originated in Vancouver, British Columbia in the 1990s — the “fog” is a nod to both the city’s famously overcast weather and the way steamed milk clouds the brewed tea.

The core components:

• Earl Grey tea — black tea scented with bergamot oil, giving the drink its signature citrusy floral note
• Vanilla syrup — balances the bitterness of tannins and the bitterness of bergamot
• Steamed milk — creates the latte-style body and foam
• Optional lavender — the Starbucks version adds lavender, which has become the standard expectation

The drink has no espresso. It’s a tea latte in the same family as chai lattes and matcha lattes. The caffeine comes from black tea, not coffee.

Ingredients

Vanilla simple syrup: Equal parts water and sugar simmered until dissolved, with 1 tsp pure vanilla extract added off heat. Keeps refrigerated for 2 weeks.

How to Make a London Fog Latte

Hot London Fog

1. Brew the tea. Steep 1 Earl Grey tea bag or 1 tsp loose leaf in 120ml of water just off the boil for 4–5 minutes. Don’t steep longer — over-steeped black tea turns bitter and astringent.
2. Sweeten. Add 1–2 tbsp vanilla syrup to the hot tea and stir to combine. Taste and adjust — London Fogs vary from lightly sweet to noticeably sweet depending on preference.
3. Steam the milk. Heat 240ml of milk to 65°C (150°F) using a steam wand. Aim for medium microfoam — more substantial than a flat white but not as dry as a cappuccino. No steam wand? Heat in a small saucepan and froth with a handheld battery frother.
4. Combine. Pour the sweetened tea into a warmed mug first. Then pour the steamed milk over it at an angle, holding back foam with a spoon. Spoon the remaining foam on top.
5. Garnish (optional). A pinch of dried culinary lavender, a twist of lemon peel, or a dusting of vanilla powder finishes the drink.

Iced London Fog

Fill a 16 oz glass with ice. Brew the Earl Grey double-strength (use 2 tea bags in 120ml of water, or steep for 6–7 minutes). Let cool for 3–5 minutes. Add vanilla syrup. Pour over ice. Top with cold milk — no frothing needed, though a layer of cold foam on top looks and tastes great.

Ratio for iced: Double-strength tea (120ml) + vanilla syrup + ice + 180ml cold milk = approximately 350ml total.

Starbucks London Fog Latte Copycat

Starbucks sells the London Fog Latte as a year-round menu item. Their version uses:

• Earl Grey tea bags (Teavana branded)
• Vanilla syrup (their proprietary blend with vanilla + lavender notes)
• 2% steamed milk with “light” foam

To make the Starbucks version at home: Use 2–3 pumps of vanilla syrup (about 1.5 tbsp per pump), steep 2 tea bags in 120ml water, and add light foam on top. Starbucks also has an iced version — the “Iced London Fog Tea Latte” — built the same way as the iced version above.

For the lavender version: Add 1–2 drops of food-grade lavender extract or steep a pinch of dried culinary lavender with the Earl Grey tea. This replicates the subtle floral note Starbucks builds into their vanilla syrup.

London Fog Latte Caffeine

A London Fog has roughly half the caffeine of an espresso-based latte, making it a popular afternoon or evening option for people who want a warm drink without the sleep disruption.

The caffeine comes entirely from the Earl Grey tea. A standard tea bag yields approximately 40–60mg per 8 oz steep depending on brand and steep time.

London Fog Latte Variations

Iced London Fog — Built over ice with cold milk. More refreshing, lower foam. Use double-strength tea to avoid dilution. 2.4K searches/month.

Lavender London Fog — Add dried culinary lavender to the tea during steeping. Intensifies the floral note. This is essentially the Starbucks version.

Honey London Fog — Replace vanilla syrup with raw honey or lavender honey. Honey’s floral bitterness pairs naturally with bergamot.

Vanilla Earl Grey Latte — A slightly more espresso-focused name for the same drink — some search for this term. Same recipe.

London Fog with Oat Milk — The most popular dairy-free version. Oat milk’s mild sweetness and foaming ability make it the best non-dairy choice. Barista oat milk froths similarly to whole milk.

Dirty London Fog — Add a single shot of espresso. Controversial in purist circles but genuinely delicious — the bergamot and espresso flavors complement each other. Adds ~70mg caffeine.

Earl Grey Tea — What You Need to Know

Not all Earl Grey is the same. The quality of your tea matters here because there’s no espresso to mask off-flavors.

Recommended brands: Harney & Sons Paris (bergamot-forward), Bigelow Constant Comment (accessible), TWG Singapore Earl Grey (premium), Twinings Earl Grey (widely available, consistent).

Loose leaf vs tea bags: Loose leaf Earl Grey from a specialty tea shop is noticeably more aromatic and complex than mass-market tea bags. The bergamot oil fades with age — fresh loose leaf in an airtight tin is the gold standard.

Milk Steaming Tips for Tea Lattes

Tea lattes are more forgiving than espresso drinks because there’s no crema to disrupt. You can use any milk:

Without a steam wand: Heat milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until steaming (not boiling). Pour into a French press and pump 15–20 times until doubled in volume, then pour. Alternatively, use a Nespresso Aeroccino or Breville Milk Café for automatic frothing.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a London Fog latte made of? A London Fog Latte contains Earl Grey tea, vanilla syrup, and steamed milk. The Starbucks version adds subtle lavender flavoring to the vanilla syrup. There is no espresso in a traditional London Fog — it’s a tea latte.

Is a London Fog latte caffeinated? Yes, but less than an espresso latte. A standard London Fog contains approximately 40–60mg of caffeine from Earl Grey tea, compared to 150mg in a double espresso latte. It’s a good lower-caffeine alternative for afternoon drinks.

What does a London Fog taste like? A London Fog tastes like a creamy, gently sweet tea latte with a floral citrus note. The bergamot in Earl Grey gives it a distinctive brightness — floral and slightly citrusy — that’s unlike any espresso drink. The vanilla syrup rounds the tannins.

Can you make a London Fog without a milk frother? Yes. Heat the milk in a saucepan and use a French press, handheld frother, or even a mason jar (shake vigorously) to create foam. The drink tastes the same without perfect microfoam — it just looks less café-style.

What’s the difference between a London Fog and a chai latte? Both are tea lattes. A chai latte uses spiced black tea (cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, cloves) with milk and usually a sweetener. A London Fog uses Earl Grey tea (bergamot-scented) with vanilla. Chai is spicy-warm; London Fog is floral-citrusy.

Related: Lavender Latte | Iced Matcha Latte | Chai Latte | Milk Steaming Guide