Best of Toronto
The Best Tea in Toronto
Tea people are just nice people. They're as knowledgeable and passionate about their product as coffee people, only slightly less keyed up and twitchy.
And, let's just get it out of the way, when we're talking about tea, we're talking places that specialize in looseleaf tea (one exception to be spotted below). Most prepacked bagged tea is made with the bits and pieces left over after sorting out the tea leaves. They take the sweepings, the tea "dust", the remnants of real tea, then they bag them, and we drink it. You deserve better than bagged floor scrapings.
Looseleaf tea requires a bit of equipment and know-how. But you can become a tea person just by stopping whatever you're doing at 3:30pm and taking a tea break. Ease your way in with an orange pekoe and a cookie. And work your way up to the hard stuff. The lapsang souchongs and the yerba mates. Soon you'll be one of us nutters with our timers and our thermometers, and you'll be loving it.
Tea shops pictured above (from left to right): Pippins, Tealish, & House of Tea. Photograph of Pippins courtesy of Patrick Smith.
House of Tea
In business for 11 years, going on 12, and House of Tea is still simply the best looseleaf tea shop in Toronto. Co-owner and "Tea Consultant" Marisha Golla knows tea. And she'll get to know you. What you like now, and what you might like later. She does, after all, have 280 kinds of tea from around the world in her store. You're bound to like something. All teas are proudly free of anything artificial. More »
Tealish
Tealish gets a lot of points for style. They have a modern tea boutique decor, but they also go the furthest in tea-as-narrative. The teas have lusciously evocative names (Apple Orchard, Deep Green Embrace, Russian Caravan) and each label is printed with both brewing instructions and colour-text. Take 'Patisserie' -- "A sinfully aromatic blend which captivates the senses... Like walking in to a bakery in Paris". Pina Colada herbal tea pictured above. More »
Say Tea
Entering its 28th year in business, Say Tea straddles the west end and midtown -- with a location near Bloor & Jane, and one just north of Young & Eligible. They have a cozy selection of tea paraphernalia, and traditional nibbles to go with your brew. A bit like going to someone's Nanna's house. More »
TenRen's Tea
TenRen's Tea has a location in Chinatown, one store in the world's largest Asian tea company. Based in Taiwan, their specialty Taiwanese teas are particularly recommended. They're also my one concession to bagged tea. TenRen's Plum tea (pictured above), made from dried plums, black tea, peppermint, and other natural herbs is one of the most intense fruit teas I've ever tried. More »
The Red Tea Box
Featuring "premium single-estate biodynamic teas from around the world", The Red Tea Box's current tea feature is a Twin Dragon Oolong -- "an artisan oolang from Mr. Wu's farm in Nanton county". In addition to selling and serving looseleaf teas, they're famous for their elaborate, vivid, diorama-esque desserts (see 'bird in a cage' above) and also have one of the most serene secret courtyards of downtown Toronto. More »
Moonbean Cafe
Kensington's Moonbean is known for their coffee, but it's also one-stop shopping if you enjoy (gasp) both coffee and tea. A good place to pick up your green tea staples like Sencha and Genmaicha (popcorn tea), they have more than 30 looseleaf teas to choose from, either to buy for your home stash, or to have prepared into a cuppa for you onsite. More »
Niche Coffee & Tea Company
Niche had to win over a lot of broken hearts when they took over from the Vienna Home Bakery. But bit by bit they're doing it. Partly with their very presentable selection of "wild-grown" teas. Available for sniff sampling by the cash, they're labeled with "what you'll taste" notes. Like the Niche Green tea, which promises green tea, coconut, pineapple, cornflower, and rose blossoms. More »
Golden Mint Coffee & Tea Co.
On an enthusiastic recommendation by Danielle, I overlooked Golden Mint's lack of interest in "promotion" and tried their Mint Chocolate Rooibos (organic and pictured above). Add a bit of (condensed) milk, and it's crisp and creamy. Like a liquid After Eight. Sublime. I guess we'll have to forgive them their camera-phobia. Just this once. More »
The Tea Emporium
The Tea Emporium distinguishes themselves by having a "School of Tea". Sign up for a seminar on the "Delicate Flavours of Green and White Tea". Feeling seasonal, I picked up their Spring Blend ("layered with fragrant strawberries, lemon and berries", pictured above) and as a complete impulse buy, a sugary powder-mix for Green Tea Passionfruit Latte. We don't all have to be purists all the time... More »
Pippins Tea Company
Pippins has over 130 teas (counting both looseleaf and packaged in that total). They also have a huge selection of tea cups, pots, cozies and lots of tchotchkes. On the atmosphere scale, they tend towards the fussy British end (more floral print mugs, less zen sleekness). If you haven't been able to find a teapot-shaped nightlight, you haven't looked here yet. More »
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Nice to have a listing but I'm not too worried about "best" - we've lived with tepid Orange Pekoe all these years....just seeing loose leaf in so many shops is a step in the right direction for all...
My name is Guadalupe and i will be staying in London for six months from August till December. I was wondering if I could find some tea course or any place where to study all about tea and blending in London. I would appreciate if you could help me with some information.
Yours sincerely
Guadalupe
http://www.greatcooks.ca/our_t_spot.html
Located in the basement (lower level) of the Bay at Queen and Yonge, behind some kitchen appliances, this T Spot (not affiliated with the Bay) is worth the trek. They also have a cafe, within the same Bay store, on the 8th floor. Tea drinkers will not be disapointed with all the wonderous loose leaf offerings. My pick: Tibetan Tiger.
Great selection of authentic Chinese teas, tea pots and tea cups.
Owners will also let you sample the tea before buying.
Highly recommended!
Two locations:
Raymond Wong & Tea
416-335-0741
850 Tapscott Road (north of Finch)
Scarborough, ON
Raymond Wong & Tea First Markham Place
905-305-6878
3255 Hwy 7 (near Woodbine),
Markham, ON
Cheers!
Dan
Anyone know where I can get tea lattes?
The unique thing about this company is the owner goes to their Chinese suppliers in person, and checks the tea gardens and tea factories and makes sure the quality of the tea.
Secondly, they sell in wholesale prices to customers. So we can enjoy the true premium tea with very modest cost.
You can check it out at www.prestigeteas.com.
I would recommend that you avoid The Tea Leaf in the Bayview Mall. I experienced the worst service ever. They might as well have accused me of shoplifting.
I visited The Tea Leaf today in the Bayview Mall in Toronto/North York/Willowdale. The service was initially friendly and then quickly turned into the worst tea experience I have ever had. I was given a menu of teas to look at it. It was a big menu with many items, so I started to write down some items I wanted, otherwise I'd forget them. I was planned to buy about 4 or 5 different teas that I didn't have. As I finished writing down the 3rd tea (a common one) the owner approached me and accused me of writing down prices. She said that she didn't anyone coming and writing down her prices. I had only written names of teas and how much of each I wanted (100g each). I said I was making an order. This is the point where someone who cares about service and their business would realize they had made a mistake. Sadly the presumable owner of this establishment lacked this decency and common sense. She pulled the menu away as I was reading it. I was going to spend at least $50 at her shop and she assaults my sensibility in this manner?
I snapped, this was wrong and poor service and I could not justify spending any money at an establishment that has mistreated me so. I said "What the hell is wrong with you! I am just making an order!". I then left as I was angered by the insolence of this anti-service anti-customer presumable owner.
Summary of my mistreatment: I was accused of stealing proprietary "prices" by writing down an order for tea I wanted, then menu was taken away from me as I was trying to order tea. The presumable owner was exceptionally rude and showed no foresight or business-sense in terms of service. I was insulted, embarrassed, and eventually enraged by this affront.
Just wondering if anyone knows where you can buy the T-Sac bags for the loose tea???
Best Tea, Tea Ware and Best Prices in Toronto.
http://www.prestigeteas.com/
The business is on liquidation due to owner's physical condition. All the products are selling at or below the cost.
The owner went to tea gardens and tea manufacturers in person to check the growing and processing environment to make sure the quality of tea.
You won't be disappointed.
All the green tea, especially oolong has the function of loss weight by many searchers. I carry best quality whole leaf loose tea including green tea and oolong tea. And my business is on liquidation due to my physical condition. My tea is 60-90% discounted compare to current market prices for the similar quality tea. You may visit my web site at www.prestigeteas.com and have a look. Regards.
The Taro Bubble tea and greentea cookies were my favor.
Guys Don't miss it !
http://www.deal999.com/en/
Best Tea in Toronto(GTA). The owner went to tea gardens and tea manufacturers in person to check the growing and processing environment to make sure the quality of tea.
You won't be disappointed.
We go all the time.
The service is always pleasant and the staff is able discuss the various ways to brew and serve. Most important is that the teas are truly of the highest quality.
Food service is a on the light side but wonderful scones (with real devon cream and jam) and an assortment of desserts and quiches.
FYI: It does get busy on the weekend but you can almost always get a table. And the tea is worth the wait.
I got hooked and sponsoring Art Of Tea event with food & tea and special guests Jane Pettigrew -Queen of Tea from Britain and Merrill Fernando, estate tea owner Sri Lanka. Funds from event will be donated to women with cancer in Sri Lanka in memory of my last wish to Hema Abeygunawardena. $60 pp at St Lawrence Town Hall June 18th 2011 11:30 -3 pm
Limited tickets
arsnovaarts@gmail.com
www.prestigeteas.com
HAVE A NICE DAY! :-)
if you are looking for really hight quality and rare tea, contact me! I have the two leafs one bud BiLuoCun collected directly from the farmer first hand. I also carry the ancient tree PuEr tea which we collect in YunNan,the Origin of World's Tea ... my PuEr Teas are collected from the 200+ yr old tea trees wild grown at the latitude over 2000 meter above sea level. . I even carry the tea buds from the thousand year old tea trees in the primordial mountains. Interesting enough ?
I will send you some tea :) I live in toronto . cheers to all the tea lovers !