London Fog Latte: The Earl Grey Vanilla Tea Latte

A London Fog latte is Earl Grey tea, steamed milk and vanilla, served in a big mug with a cap of foam. It’s soft, floral and lightly citrusy from the bergamot in the tea, and it’s one of the most popular non-coffee drinks on café menus. Despite the name, it almost certainly isn’t from London. The best-documented origin story points to Vancouver, Canada, in the 1990s.

Here’s how to make a London Fog latte at home that tastes better than most café versions (the secret is brewing the tea strong enough), plus the history, an iced version, dairy-free options and a “dirty” espresso variation.

Key takeaways

• A London Fog = strong Earl Grey + steamed milk + vanilla.
• Brew the tea at double strength in a small amount of water, or the milk will drown it.
• The most widely reported origin is a Vancouver café in the 1990s; Imbibe magazine notes that the drink’s history is still disputed.
• It contains caffeine from the black tea, generally less than a coffee latte.

In this article

1. Where the London Fog comes from
2. How to make a London Fog latte
3. Iced London Fog
4. Variations
5. FAQ

Where the London Fog comes from

The name sounds British, and Earl Grey is a British blend, but the drink itself is generally credited to Canada. In an interview reported by the Richmond News, Mary Loria described ordering it at the Buckwheat Café in Vancouver in the 1990s while pregnant. Morning sickness had put her off coffee, so she asked for Earl Grey made with steamed milk and added vanilla sugar herself. The café started making it for other customers, and the drink spread through the city’s cafés and across Canada.

Not everyone agrees on the details. In January 2026, Imbibe magazine ran a piece titled “The London Fog’s History Is Anything But Clear,” a reminder that café drinks rarely leave paper trails. What’s certain is that the drink became a West Coast staple before showing up on menus everywhere. The name likely comes from its foggy gray color and the British association of Earl Grey tea.

(For the bigger story of tea in Britain, see why Britain drinks tea.)

How to make a London Fog latte

Makes one 12 oz (350 ml) mug.

Ingredients

Steps

1. Brew strong tea. Pour ½ cup (120 ml) of water at about 195–205°F (90–96°C) over the Earl Grey and steep 4–5 minutes. You’re using roughly twice the usual leaf for half the usual water, so the tea can stand up to milk.
2. Strain into your mug and stir in the vanilla syrup (or extract and sweetener).
3. Steam or froth the milk to about 140–150°F (60–65°C). No steamer? Heat it in a saucepan and whisk hard, shake it in a sealed jar, or use a handheld frother.
4. Pour the milk into the tea, holding back the foam with a spoon, then spoon the foam on top.
5. Optional: dust with a pinch of crushed lavender or a few cornflower petals.

Why yours tastes weak (and how to fix it)

Iced London Fog

1. Brew the tea as above, using 3 heaped teaspoons (about 7 g) in ½ cup water, since ice dilutes it.
2. Stir in the vanilla syrup while it’s hot, then let it cool for a few minutes.
3. Fill a tall glass with ice, add ¾ cup (180 ml) cold milk, then pour over the tea.
4. Top with vanilla cold foam if you like: froth 3 tablespoons of cold heavy cream or barista oat milk with 1 teaspoon vanilla syrup.

For a batch, cold-steep 4 tablespoons (about 10 g) of Earl Grey in 2 cups (480 ml) water in the fridge for 8–12 hours, strain, and keep it for up to 3 days.

London Fog variations

• Dairy-free: oat milk is the closest match to dairy for body and foam; almond milk is lighter and lets the bergamot shine.
• Lavender Fog: steep a small pinch of culinary lavender with the tea. A little goes a long way. If you like floral drinks, try our honey lavender latte.
• Dirty London Fog: add a single shot of espresso to the finished drink. The idea is the same as a dirty chai latte; expect more caffeine.
• Caffeine-free “fog”: use a rooibos instead of Earl Grey. It won’t taste of bergamot, but the vanilla-milk combination still works.
• Honey Fog: swap vanilla syrup for honey and a drop of vanilla extract.

Which Earl Grey to use

Loose leaf makes a noticeably fuller London Fog than most tea bags, because you control the amount. Our Earl Grey is a blend of Ceylon black tea, bergamot essential oil and blue cornflowers, with orange, floral and malt notes and a high body that stands up well to milk. For a caffeine-free mug in the evening, Apple Cider Rooibos makes a cozy spiced “fog” with steamed milk. And if you like a stronger, maltier tea latte, English Breakfast, a blend of African and Indian black teas, is built for milk. Browse the full tea collection.

London Fog latte FAQ

What does a London Fog taste like?

Creamy and lightly sweet, with vanilla up front and the floral-citrus aroma of bergamot behind it. It’s gentler than a chai latte and less bitter than a coffee latte.

Does a London Fog have caffeine?

Yes. Earl Grey is a black tea, so a London Fog contains caffeine, generally less than a latte made with espresso. Make it with rooibos for a caffeine-free version.

Is a London Fog the same as an Earl Grey latte?

Essentially, yes. “Earl Grey latte” describes the ingredients; “London Fog” is the café name for the version with vanilla.

Why is it called a London Fog?

Nobody recorded the naming for certain. The usual explanation is the drink’s misty gray color plus the British connection of Earl Grey tea.

Can I use tea bags?

Yes. Use two bags for a 12 oz drink and steep them in half the usual water.

Sources

1. The London Fog was invented in Vancouver and we spoke to the woman who invented it, Richmond News
2. The London Fog’s History Is Anything But Clear, Jennifer Billock, Imbibe, 2026

Facts checked in October 2026.

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