Tika Tea House is an artisanal tea shop housed in the beautiful old Postal Station F building built way back in 1906. 

The space is bright, elegant and spacious, making it a good spot to gather for group study sessions or meetings.

Tika uses only 100% natural whole leaf teas for their drinks, and actually features something I've never seen before: milk teas on tap.

According to Tika, this tea storage method seals in subtle flavour nuances longer than traditional containers.

All teas in their macchiato series comes in a choice of classic cream or sweet cream.

The Four Season Spring Tea Macchiato (with jasmine green tea - $5.39) is topped with their rich sweet cream which is less salty than most of the cheese foams you see in other tea shops. With real Canadian cheese and a pinch of sea salt, it's absolutely delicious.

The wide spinnable lid on the cup also helps in getting the most out of that foam, which is often tricky to consume with the more traditional cups found in many other tea places.

If you're on the go, they have a selection of cold-brewed teas in convenient bottles that are equal parts cute and practical.

The Tika Signature Fruit Tea ($6.79) is hands-down one of the most fully-decked out teas you can find.

Using your choice of any type of green tea, cut fruits are added until it's so chock-full that you'll need a fork to scoop up the fruits once the tea is finished.

The Red Dragonfruit Tea ($5.99) made with amber oolong and freshly cut dragonfruit is beautiful in colour and equal parts refreshing and Instagrammable.

Tika also features a selection of classic teas, in line with their aim to preserve traditional tea culture. The Formosa Mist ($5.29) is clear and sharp, exactly what an honest-to-goodness old-school tea is supposed to be.

As befitting the store's aim to be the premier tea house, there's hard-to-find tea varieties here, such as the Imperial Gyokuro ($4.99): one of the highest-grade Japanese teas on the market today. 

And what's a tea house without some classic bubble milk tea? The Oolong Pearl Milk Tea ($4.89) is a must-order for bubble tea fans like me. The oolong tea here has pronounced floral undertones that sets it apart from many of its competitors out there.The take-out containers are unique. Made out of recyclable material, I have never before seen its kind in any Canadian store.

I sheepishly admit that the process of putting a cup inside one of these intricate sleeves entertained me more than I am willing to admit. And hey, less plastic is always a plus.