Christoph Davids

At Christoph Davids, everything revolves around the Queen, the British royal family and tea

The Queen with a waving arm, a picture of the Queen on the wall, the British crown, porcelain with Tower Bridge, a mini Big Ben - Christoph Davids' tea room is "very British". For over 30 years, the Lüdinghausen native's heart has been beating for the British royal family. Especially for Queen Elizabeth. "She is such a dignified woman, so consistent. And she reigns with bravura!" Christoph Davids goes into raptures when he talks about the Queen. He is always there when she comes to Germany.

Christoph Davids welcomes me in proper style with a vest and apron and leads me into the tearoom. Together with his wife Susan, he has set up a little hideaway here. Susan Davids serves scones with jam or the typical English sandwiches with the absolutely fresh and delicious tea - here you drink it from tea bowls, just like in England. Heavenly! And Christoph Davids shares anecdotes about the royal family. "The five o'clock tea only exists because the Duchess of Bedford, lady-in-waiting at Queen Victoria's court, found the time between lunch and dinner too long," he explains. A curiosity: the British drink 238 liters of tea a year, the East Frisians even drink 288.

Countless English roses turn the garden into a sea of flowers. "Princess Anne" is in bloom, as are "William and Kate" and "Lady Di". The newly installed "Royal Pavilion" completes the picture. "We love the British royal family and the British, somewhat quirky tea culture. We simply enjoy it," says Christoph Davids, explaining his passion. Which, by the way, is not his only passion. Davids often takes on the role of presenter when an event takes place in Lüdinghausen. He is also a night watchman.

In summer, the Davids open their small tea garden to the public every Sunday from 2 to 6 pm. Groups can make reservations all year round. Also on the program: teatasting or tea garden on tour. Guests love the ambience and the warm atmosphere. Some even drive up in style in a vintage car.

"Here in Germany, drinking tea is unfortunately often associated with being ill," says Davids. "That's a shame. Because tea tastes so delicious." His wife Susan brought her passion for tea into the family, her father is Persian. Davids also tells us that tea has its origins in China. According to Chinese legend, it all began on a spring evening in the year 2737 BC. On this particular evening, the Chinese emperor Shen Nung, "the son of heaven", was boiling water under a tree to quench his thirst after a long journey when a light wind blew a few leaves into the water. The water turned bright green and a pleasant aroma rose from the steaming kettle. The emperor tasted the drink, found it delicious and felt refreshed and revitalized by this strange mixture. The tree was a wild tea tree, and so the tea was discovered.

Christoph Davids still has lots of ideas. He would like to take a look at a tea plantation. He could also imagine a "cocktail bar". After all, tea can also be enjoyed cold, with rose syrup, as iced tea and much more. "We only live once," he says. "And we have fun with it." Nadine Wenge

For your information: The small tea garden is no longer open. You can still book a stay as a group.