Our tea salon has been a great many things for over 313 years it began as an apartment for the fortnum family then became an interior decorating department in the 1920s and 1930s and later an antiques department and a restaurant known as st jamess since 2012 it has paid homage to the timeless tradition of afternoon tea. Teas after more than three centuries of selling tea at fortnum mason we consider ourselves something of an expert in the area we travel the globe to find the best ingredients for our exclusive blends. Tea after more than three centuries of selling tea at fortnum mason we consider ourselves something of an expert in the area we travel the globe to find the best ingredients for our exclusive blends. The internationally renowned fortnum mason store in piccadilly london is synonymous with style elegance english charm and above all that most traditional of pastimes tea drinking celebrating the long standing british institution this beautiful pocket book covers everything on the art of taking tea from the history of afternoon tea drinking to fortnums relationship with tea