High tea isn’t just for the holidays. These posh afternoon ceremonies featuring tiered trays filled with warm scones and pots that keep getting topped up are trending in Toronto right now. The current mix includes everything from heritage-hotel tea rooms and rooftop rituals to a cinematic Chinese high tea experience downtown and even a one-night Filipino-fusion after-hours event in Scarborough, with a few road-trip-worthy options in Caledon, Waterdown, Elora and Collingwood.
1. Afternoon tea at Lai Wah Heen
Lai Wah Heen offers a more refined, Cantonese-leaning take on high tea, served weekdays from 2 to 5 p.m. Instead of the usual scones-and-sandwiches format, the high tea menu focuses on dim sum-style platters ranging from Five Delights ($42) to Nine Delights ($68), with each one including the restaurant’s signature swan pastry filled with sweet lotus paste! Guests can munch on bites like roasted duck spring rolls, lychee shrimp balls, chicken mushroom dumplings, charcoal lava buns and fresh milk tarts, then pair them with teas like shou pu-erh, special grade jasmine, Tieguanyin, jin jun mei, black goji berry tea, snow Tibetan chrysanthemum tea, Ontario-grown organic fig leaf tea or Da Hong Pao. It’s one of the most distinctive high tea experiences in Toronto right now and perfect if you’re looking for a more elegant downtown tasting menu rather than a traditional tearoom. DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Toronto Downtown, 108 Chestnut St.
2. Midnight Merienda: High Tea after dark at LAKAY Kusina
Scarborough has one of the most playful concepts on this list with Midnight Merienda, a late-night tea event at LAKAY Kusina that swaps the usual afternoon ritual for something moodier (but still fun). The one-night experience transforms the classic tea tradition into a vibrant evening of Filipino fusion, nostalgic desserts and bold tea-inspired drinks. Runs April 24 from 9 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Tickets: $65.68+. LAKAY Kusina, 80 Ellesmere Road, #4.
3. Afternoon tea at Butter & Cup Café & Tea House, Caledon
Butter & Cup is a small Caledon café with a sort of countryside feel for anyone who wants a more intimate tea date rather than the big-city hotel scene! The café offers two distinct high tea experiences: Its weekday Spill The Tea service is $42 per person and includes a choice of tea (or coffee) from the house collection, as well as mini scones with jams and butter, along with petite cucumber sandwiches, caramelized onion sandwiches, brownies and tarts! On weekends, the café offers a more elaborate Anytime Is Tea Time set at $75 per person, which starts with tea and a coffee or an espresso-based drink, then moves through mini scones with jam, butter and clotted cream, the café’s London Tower Quiche, petite cucumber and roasted pepper sandwiches, spinach rolls, chicken-stuffed petite croissants and a warm brownie kissed by vanilla gelato. It’s a perfect hidden gem to visit on your next vacation. 218 Dougall Ave, Caledon.
4. Sunday afternoon tea at the Concord Café
Elevate your Sunday afternoon with a visit to the Concord Café. Concord’s Sunday tea service is hosted at its North York Presentation Centre as part of a sales appointment for King’s Landing; so perhaps it’s part high tea–part lifestyle pitch! Still, it’s an elegant ritual with curated premium teas served in Tiffany & Co. teaware, and it’s all designed to help you slow down and savour the moment. Concord North York Presentation Centre, 1001 Sheppard Ave E.
5. Afternoon high tea at the Windsor Arms Hotel
Windsor Arms remains one of Toronto’s classic afternoon tea addresses for a reason. Its afternoon tea service includes hand-crafted pastries, traditional tea sandwiches, English scones and house preserves, with gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian menus available (just give 24 hours notice). Guests can graze on plain and blueberry scones with lemon glaze, salmon blinis with crème fraîche and black herring caviar, roast beef and brie with red onion jam, and a tea list that stretches from Magnolia Oolong and Milk Oolong to Yuzu Grey, Cream of Earl Grey, Jasmine Green and Gen Mai Cha. The experience is such a tea-room fantasy that influencers have called it the “most romantic afternoon tea in Toronto.”
Tea is served Monday to Thursday from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m., while Friday to Sunday seatings are offered at 12 p.m., 12:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m., 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. Prices starts at $70 per person from Monday to Thursday and $85 per person from Friday to Sunday, although rates can change on holidays and at certain times of the year. 18 St Thomas St.
6. Afternoon tea at The Writers Room Bar
This elevated afternoon tea experience is more intimate and ritual-driven! It’s priced at $65 per person and includes hot towel service, a welcome beverage, sweet and savoury bites and a selection of delicious loose-leaf Sloane teas, with black teas like Park Hyatt #4, Darjeeling, Earl Grey and Masala Chai, green teas like Jasmine Snow Dragon, Sencha and Oolong Crème, as well as herbal options like Marrakesh Mint, Citron Calm and Ginger Twist. The First Steep involves a bright mix of hibiscus tea, yuzu and berry shrub, followed by savoury bites like cucumber rosettes with labneh, pickled onion and mint, tea sausage rolls with fennel and thyme, and tasty scones like buttermilk and zucchini-feta. On the sweet side, there’s a black sesame parfait with matcha, white chocolate and yuzu, Bailey’s cheesecake, and a pecan tartelette with maple, caramel and pear. Guests can enhance their experience with tea-infused cocktail pairings inspired by the Writers Room Bar. The Writers Room Bar, 18th floor of the Park Hyatt Hotel, 4 Avenue Rd.
7. World-class afternoon tea at The Wild Tart, Elora
8. Afternoon tea at The White House, Waterdown
This may not be the big house in Washington, but it makes for a more charming alternative! Expect traditional tearoom elegance in The White House tearoom, with over 250 varieties of loose-leaf tea, as well as sweet scones with English cream and house-made jam. The experience runs Thursday through Sunday at 11:30 a.m., 12 p.m., 2 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. The standout order is the White House Tea experience, which bundles sandwiches, scones, sweets and a pot of tea for $47 per person, although there are lighter options too, like the $17 Cream Tea, and extras like the cheese plate, British cheese bake and takeaway scones. 35 Main St N #1, Waterdown.
9. Afternoon tea at Katherine’s Chateau, Collingwood
Afternoon tea at Katherine’s Chateau is a popular Collingwood ritual. The tea lineup runs through Sloane blends like Heavenly Cream, Masala Chai, Signature Black, Classic Green, Jasmine Mist, Peaches & Cream and Celebration Medley, alongside a classic spread of finger sandwiches, deviled eggs, lobster puffs, chicken salad crostini, raspberry chocolate tarts, chocolate éclairs, macarons, madeleines and more! Before you head out, check their website for updated pricing. 243 Ste Marie St, Collingwood.
