LEAF started off as a tiny tea shop in Static Gallery and over the years has evolved into a community of like minded people that appreciate good quality food and drink in an imaginative environment.
Offering over 40 loose leaf teas, it answered consumers’ calls for a space to enjoy the nation’s favourite drink. The eye is immediately drawn to the unusual seating arrangements: large benches are juxtaposed against more intimate two seat tables, with the addition of the odd Victorian couch and armchair: this is a space that welcomes a variety of people, and the diversity of the seating exemplifies this. LEAF is the sort of place that you can bring your parents to in the morning for brunch, your colleagues in the afternoon for a business lunch and your lover at 2am for casual, yet refined, drinks. The philosophy behind this day to night space is simple: to create a rule-free, creative, flexible space for people from every walk of life to enjoy, when they want to enjoy it. And how does one nurture creativity to harness it to its full potential? Good, hearty, locally sourced food that caters to the needs of even the most complicated customer (vegans are well looked after, as are the gluten-free among us).
The selection of fresh cakes every day brings back that intimate café feeling to the whole concept, as what is tea without a good slice of cake? However, last year alone the pastry chef made around 100,000 slices of cake. Intimate, no, but impressive, yes. It bypasses the typical imagining of an antiquated tea shop: the majority of staff are local, in a bid to provide employment for local workers and to put back into the local economy and encourage a new generation to feel a passion for tea. It is unique in this sense, as no other venue in the city was created primarily for the distribution and promotion of the humble tea leaf.
There is a strong emphasis on music at LEAF: the open mic on Tuesdays has been a regular installment for a good few years now, as has ‘Spotify Wednesday’, which gives complete musical control to the customers, to create a truly tailored vibe. Moreover, the upstairs section is used frequently for performances and private events: the high ceilings and opulent décor has provided the perfect location for the alternative hen do, receptions and even the odd wedding. A vintage fair can be found on the last Sunday of every month: the venue provides the perfect space for Pillbox Vintage, another local venture: this is the first instance of a vintage market being held in a social space. They also hold monthly pudding clubs where you can expect five different courses of dessert. Only the strongest of sweet tooth can handle that much cake but either way it is so worth it. Going to LEAF is like a right of passage in Liverpool and there’s good reason why you’ll struggle to find a seat at near enough all times throughout the day. That is why we’re extremely pleased to announce cardholders can take a little bit of LEAF home with them as it is 10% off all retail purchases made in-store when buying loose leaf tea, tea pots or strainers.
