To most, making a cup of tea is more of a habit than something that gets the cogs turning.
Select your favourite mug – if this is from the draining board, wipe off the suds – and pop in a tea bag.
Add boiling water, then take a spoon and ram the teabag against the side of the mug within an inch of its life, because who has time to wait for it to brew?
Add a splash of milk – cow, oat, almond, whatever tickles your fancy – and sugar if you so please, then it’s done.
There are of course heated debates surrounding the order and amounts, but all in all, the process rarely differs.
But for the team at Cup in Aberdeen, the creation of a brew is more of an art – one they have been perfecting for an entire decade.
Cup helping customers discover their perfect brew for 10 years
Angela Bradbrook opened Cup on Little Belmont Street back in 2013.
“I was doing home baking and providing for other cafes, but I saw a niche in the market for afternoon tea,” she said.
“That was my thing to start off with because no one was doing it at that point. I wanted to provide that but with lots of teas rather than focusing only on the coffee side of it.”
Nearly 10 years on, there are more than 40 teas on offer. The flavours are fit for your wildest dreams, and for the Alice in Wonderland theme of the cafe.
From rhubarb and custard to strawberry champagne or sangria, there really is something for everyone.
“A lot of people are drawn to the names, like Bears Like Marmalade, Love Potion or Bonfire Toffee,” said Angela.
To push the boat out even further, Cup also serves up a range of signature tea lattes in vivid pinks, yellows and blues – coloured and flavoured with the likes of beetroot and turmeric.
Tea novices who don’t think much further than what is on offer at the supermarket needn’t worry as the team of 12 at Cup can help them find their perfect brew.
“We really know our teas, and we can take teas over to tables and let people smell them to see what they’re like,” said Angela.
Working with the Aberdonian palate
While tea was a focus from the start for Angela, she learnt that the best way to stay successful was to work with her customers.
“What I quickly realised was that the public really dictate what they want,” she said.
“We had brunch on the menu but not a lot, then that became our biggest thing.
“I’ve always been hands-on in the business and for me it has always been about offering an experience rather than just a cafe, about doing that little bit more.”
The brunch menu at Cup is bursting with “Instagrammable” dishes from their much-loved black pudding breakfast to their new all American one, featuring bacon, eggs, toast, pancakes and a healthy drizzling of maple syrup.
Angela is always trying new things, even if she’s not sure how well they will work on the sometimes hesitant palate of the Granite City.
“You can put something too obscure on the menu, at the moment we have a waffle burger for example,” she said.
“But you have just got to put these things out there, sometimes you’ve got to not play it too safe.
“Aberdonians don’t like things to be too weird, some of them do but overall they play it safer, so you have to be able to offer the staples as well as the more fancy stuff.”
Welcome to Wonderland
Lewis Carroll’s famous tale was a perfect fit for Cup from its inception.
“We wanted to go down the tea route and the afternoon tea so there was that instant link to Alice in Wonderland,” said Angela.
“I also liked it because it’s quite quirky and that allows you to get away with a lot. Even with our food, we have pink rolls and rainbow bagels, things that are a bit wacky that you might not expect to see.”
To “move the business forward again” on its 10th birthday, Cup has had a full refurbishment complete with a new kitchen and funky murals.
You can now enjoy your afternoon tea while basking in the glory of a themed mural by Aberdeen-born artist Leanne of Natural Quirks. Even a trip to the bathroom is a whimsical one, with two team members trusted to give them a makeover.
New look aside, the cafe is still quintessentially Cup, which is something Angela knows is its strength.
“You’ve got to be careful that you don’t change too much,” she said.
“There are other people who do other things better than me and that’s their thing, but you have to stay true to yourself and focus on what’s right for you.”
‘Keep supporting local’
It’s safe to say Cup is one of Aberdeen’s most beloved brew spots.
Tea enthusiasts mix with Alice in Wonderland fans, social media stars looking to take advantage of the flower wall sit with those just on the hunt for a tasty treat.
“We have people who have come here since the day we opened nearly a decade ago,” said Angela.
“Our Thursday boys come in weekly, so do our Tuesday ladies who come in after their swimming class.
“People are still really excited to see what we’re up to.”
Angela doesn’t take her loyal customer base for granted and feels for new cafes in the ever-evolving Aberdeen food and drink scene trying to find their feet.
Every customer who steps through our door, they have no idea the difference they are making to us. I hope people never underestimate that power and keep supporting local.”
“There were only a few independent cafes when we started which is so interesting for me because there are now so many,” she said.
“Every time I see another cafe opening I feel what I did back then, it’s so difficult to find your niche in the market, being different is hard.
“Every customer who steps through our door, they have no idea the difference they are making to us. I hope people never underestimate that power and keep supporting local.”
A round of questions with Cup’s Angela Bradbrook…
Favourite drink on the menu?
A flat white, always. If I was to have a tea I’d have an African Solstice, it’s a Thai tea.
Favourite food on the menu?
Breakfast sliders – mini bacon, mini sausage and mini poached egg. I like little bits like that.
Which character would you be in Alice in Wonderland?
The Mad Hatter.
Favourite spot in Aberdeen other than Cup?
Cafe Harmony. I like it because they’re similar to us, they work hard, what they offer is fresh, I just love going there.
Best thing about being a business in Aberdeen?
I think Aberdeen needs things like us – small independent places that offer different things. I think we need it more than the big chains. Also the customers, who I think are really supporting more since Covid.
Favourite memory from a decade of Cup?
We had a fifth birthday party and I asked any staff who had been there in that five-year period to come along. So many of them turned up and we had a party in Cup, for me that was a really significant moment because they were my friends and I just thought ‘you know, we’ve done good’.
Least favourite drink?
Anything that’s got tequila in it, I can’t stand.
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