David's Tea
I like tea. A lot. It's awesome with my Saturday morning chocolate chip pancakes, and it even makes my Monday morning toast taste better. This is why I was so excited to visit David's Tea.
Dara and I wander into the Queen Street West store, stopping to giggle at the 'David's Tea girls have gone wild (for the new spring collection)!' sign on the sidewalk.
Dara first notices the design of the store. It is bold and eye-catching with a relaxed vibe. She also mentions the flowers on the front window match the flowers on the spring collection tins.
Kim, who is very friendly and knowledgeable, is working when we arrive, and is handing out samples to customers as they browse the shop. She offers us a sample of the tea of the day - caramel pear. It doesn't taste much like caramel, but it's still really good - like fresh pear juice has been squeezed into my tiny porcelain cup.
As I sip, my eyes wander about the store. There are so many loose-tea-filled silver tins lining one side of the store that it's a bit overwhelming. I ask Kim what she likes and she brings over Exotica, Read My Lips, Vanilla Oolong and Kenya Silverback White.
One sniff of Exotica later, I am in love. Seriously. It is made with lemongrass, red pepper, cinnamon, pineapple and orange peel and reminds me of sitting on a patio in the middle of summer. A few more sniffs and I realize it also smells like my grandmother's sponge cake.
Read My Lips seems like it should be featured for Valentine's Day, but it's actually part of the spring collection. A black tea, the chocolate pieces, peppermint and red candy lips make it not only great to smell but also really fun to look at. We continue exploring.
There's a small counter at the front of the store that seats five or so, for those who'd like to have a cup of tea ($2.50) instead of getting it to go. Buying en masse does seem to be the way to go, though (and the better value - starting at $5.50 for 50 grams, which makes about 25 cups), so that's what we do. After smelling almost half the teas, I buy a small tin of Exotica. Dara goes with Read My Lips and at the last minute throws in a turquoise mug to brew the tea in ($18.50).
Only after we purchase our teas do I notice the cupcakes. No idea why I didn't see them right away - if there's one thing I love more than tea, its cupcakes. They look absolutely incredible, and Kim tells us they are made by a local baker. Guess I'll have to get one next time.
Writing by Laura Stricker, photos by Dara Skolnick.
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I went into David's Tea a few months back and wasn't particularly fond of the service. The staff were very aggressive about making sales, which wasn't the type of experience I was looking for from a tea shop. I haven't been back since.
Having tried quite a few loose tea vendors over the last few years, there is absolutely something different about David's Tea. I've never had tea that tasted as good as ALL the blends I've tried (and I try on average 5 new teas each trip). The sales staff, in my experience, are lovely and one in particular remembered me after my first visit, as well as what I'd bought. I've been recommending David's to everyone who asks about what I'm drinking.
I'm going to have to disagree with Webeh on this one. My experiences at David's Tea have always been a delight! The staff is friendly, enthusiastic, and know a ton about the teas... oh, the teas! I must have tried 25, and still have at least another 100 to go... Thank you, David, for making tea fun again.
Love the place! I've been buying tea there and giving to family as a lil' gift.
Physically, store looks good. But the staff has mediocre knowledge about tea, and that's exactly what I came there for. It was not so busy when I went in, but I felt rushed to purchase something. Strike one.
When asked whether the tea was from Assam, they merely replied "it's orange pekoe". Strike two. Enough said.
Not a reputable tea store.
Davids Tea is an amazing experience. I didn't feel rushed to make any purchases- and that's pretty great because I went in really not knowing what I wanted to buy. but I ended up getting an amazing Oolong tea, and will be coming back again. Cheers
i suspect some of these posts are from either the owner or staff @ David's Tea.
if i am wrong, i apologize, but overly positive (or overly negative) reviews are suspicious.
To the reviewer: It's a super common mistake, so don't feel bad, but: Those are macarons, not macaroons. :)
I am not a fan of being approached or sold to when I'm shopping in a store, but my experience at David's was something much different. I had questions about all the different teas and left with several sample packages of tea and was given some real insight into the world of tea. It was a very pleasurable experience and I left with a huge smile on my face. I think when retailers in head offices talk about positive customer experiences they are trying to manufacture exactly what I had.
I see they took the paragraph about them out. Aww! Has anyone tried the macarons from here? Are they good? And does anyone know who their supplier is?
I haven't been in Toronto long enough to know who has good macarons and who doesn't, but I'm curious about the ones here, since David's tea is a place I pass fairly regularly.
Yeah me too. It seems like all the restaurant reviews have some comments that acts like the restaurant is the best thing since sliced bread.
Also to the photographer, THANKS for the WIDE ANGLE shots of the entire place. I was getting claustrophobic of how there were microscopic shots of only the food in every other review.
How did the tea taste after you 'cooked' it?
Also since we are in the discussion of Teas, Twinings makes some really good flavored teas. Its all over in London, but haven't seen them around in TO.
We monitor all our comments for suspected activity like this. I think your suspicions are certainly valid but the only way we can actually "catch" an owner or competitor in the act is when they do stuff like making multiple comments under different user names from the same IP address. Or perhaps write a positive comment on one place and then really negative comments on all the competitors' reviews. These are usually clear signs that someone is trying to "game the system".
I've got a bad craving for some tasty tea and a pink macaron now.
But I'll have to settle for a cup of Tetley and a Mars bar from the vending machine. :(
I was really excited about the David's tea opening last year, and I was hired on to work for them in the first few weeks. I was asked to do some research on local bakeries for them, I'm interested to know if they went with the ones I suggested...
But they dropped me before the store even opened, and I'm pretty sure I did nothing to deserve it! This kind of turned me OFF the whole "David's Tea" experience and I'm perfectly happy going Tealish for my tea, even though it's out of the way for me.
I was just in David's a few days ago. Staff was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic, a medium firm sell. I asked about the purveyors of the macarons and the cupcakes - two different independents without stores, but I of course can't remember the names, sorry.
Atelier Thuet has pretty good macarons (the caramel is mind blowing)
and in response to pwik tik nik
I wrote a good review for David's Tea but sorry, I don't work there, neither do I own the place or have any interest other than being a customer. Is it really that difficult to believe some people might like something enough not to complain? Sorry but as cynical as I often am, I gotta call you on yours.
Please tell me about the macarons.
Haven't found them here really (one lame-o one from Pusateri and okay ones from the frenchie place in Summerhill).
Really? I had just the opposite experience. I've been in a couple of times to try their North African teas. Not quite like the real thing but they're great. I found the staff really friendly and knowledgeable. I would give them another shot...
Also, they have these neat starter packages where you get 6 teas an a strainer ball. Great way to start out.
I found them on the net through sweetspot - truly a great find.
i really like the place but have to agree that the staff was a little too aggressive for my taste, although the more friendly sort of aggressive -- especially when they first opened. i've been a coupla times recently though, and they seem as though they have mellowed out considerably.
good tea. i also bought my mom a kickass teapot for christmas there.
the name "pwik tik nik " is also suspicious
I'm not going to claim to know anything about tea - but I'm well versed in customer service and I've always found these ladies great.
I've been treated with a lot of patience while making them drag down over 10 containers of tea, digging out gift wrapping or spare boxes during the holiday rush, and even when I ask stupid questions like "Do you have any tea, that's more like coffee in caffeine content - but tastes less harsh than your X blend?"
Seeing that people are suspicious of positive reviews convinced me to write my own. I had a great experience in the store because it really is a great store. It's very professionally designed and I immediately assumed that it was a big chain new to Toronto, but in fact the Queen St. location is the first (of more to come). I didn't feel pressured at all, but instead had all of my questions answered with enthusiasm and friendliness. I was there to buy a gift, and ended up choosing a few items including some beautiful glass mugs, but I didn't actually buy any tea so I can't rate it.
I did try the macaroons though, and they were delicious :)
Tealish is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay better.
They got a coconut-lime macaron in today and it was really good.
I went into DavidsTea for the first time a few days ago and was blown away not only by the product (awesome) but by the staff (even more awesome). A girl named Vicky was helping me and she was very friendly and patient and answered my million questions with a smile! I hadn't intended on buying anything but came home with two tins of tea: green and fruity (roobios with mangoes) and Earls Garden (earl grey with raspberries). Both are delicious. I would recommend this place to anyone.
I tried David's tea and am not that fond of it. The staff was rude. Since I'm a busy gal, I do recommend boho tea (www.bohotea.com). It's a cute online store that has only organic teas. Their online staff was quick to answer my questions and the delivery was pretty smooth.
i love davids tea. its an amazing place.
i live in the other end of town, yet i find myself making
weekly trips there
a few people said they try to push sales, i totally disagree
i think it's that the employees are just enthusiastic
the only problem i have come across, is when it gets busy they
tend to just focus on a few customers and ignore the rest
oh well, the tea is totally worth it ..i have yet to try one
i didnt like
and for some reason i never noticed the cupcakes either !! lol
i guess i just get wrapped up in all the tea :D
I second the first comment, very aggressive staff!, At tealish however, they are very relaxed and let you wander and look without making me feel uncomfortable, and were sooo sooo very helpful when I asked for help. Also I think some of their teas are better priced, and they have a wider collection of flavoured green tea.
I visited David's Tea yesterday {the yonge and eglinton location} and really enjoyed my experience. I had been up late working the night before with the help of some kicking horse and just wanted to get the jitter inducing caffeine out of my system. The Staff had the perfect remedy and promptly recommended the helpful pu'erh ginger. My colleague and I stayed for 2 hours, shamelessly engaged in a business meeting on our original cups of tea and were left uninterrupted. The place was immaculate, bright and airy. I will be returning there for my tea whenever necessary. No, I don't work there or know anyone that does, I just found it lovely and thought I should say so.
Hey, Im down with the new Matcha craze lately, great lattes, but recently I found an awesome Matcha cookie at Yonge and Eglinton, check it out..... I go in pretty often and Ive never noticed it before so it must be new