The best afternoon tea in Toronto serves towers of finger sandwiches, scones with Devonshire clotted cream and, of course, plenty of tea blends. Prepare to visit some of the city’s most lavish hotels for this midday ritual.
LessIt doesn’t get more traditional than the ornate teapots at Yorkville’s neo-gothic hotel in Yorkville. On the weekends, guests dine on assorted Petit Fours for $75 a person inside the Parisian lobby room, where high tea’s been served since the 1920s.
Built in 1903, this King East lodging was Toronto’s first luxury hotel so the tea service here is predictably fancy. Indulge in tiers of Wellington finger sandwiches, Sultana Scones and 24 different types of tea.
If you’re looking for something more contemporary, the stylish lobby of this high-end University Avenue hotel runs an afternoon service with certified tea specialists on hand. They have a whopping selection of 68 teas that range from $7.50 all the way up to $70 per pot.
Take a jaunt along the Humber River and finish off at this old-timey inn that feels like a cottage in the woods. The afternoon tea menu includes scones, house-made pastries and a spread of finger sandwiches. It’s affordable compared to other options on the list at $30.95 per person.
This internationally renowned French patisserie chain has multiple tea salons offering the high tea experience, which naturally leans more towards the sweet side than the savoury. You get an assortment of mini choux, sandwiches and their famous macarons for $50 a head.
The swanky cafe inside Holt Renfrew’s location in Yorkdale Mall offers afternoon tea for $45 per person. What sets the Holt’s experience apart is the fact all honey served during the meal is sourced from their own apiary, located on Yorkdale’s roof.
Dundas West’s adorable cafe is one of the only spaces dedicated exclusively to afternoon tea—that’s not located inside a boujee hotel, anyway. It’s tiny but this precious space is a fan favourite thanks to its preserves and buttermilk scones, made in-house, and extremely affordable price of $28 per person.