Le Cardinal

Delicious and amazing ambiance. The whole place feels warm and cozy, and smells of freshly baked scones. Perfect for a chilly overcast day

Came here by chance on a rainy day last Sunday and it was great. The scones were amazing and the sandwiches were great. The atmosphere was so nice and the service was friendly. What a nice place to hold a bridal shower or baby shower.

I would give a four star for this place. The ambience was real good. Love the china teapots, plates and dishes. There’s even a piano. But I have to say the food was not as good as I expected. There was no set menu, you need to order everything by yourself. My friend and I ordered at least 60 percent of the menu… But I would say umm… I like the smoked trout sandwich… I liked the muffin… I liked the Eccles cake… That’s it? The sausage was salty and not as savory… The scone… It’s average I guess… The place is worth coming definitely… But not for the food. For the good time that you sit here and catch up with your friends for the whole afternoon.

A tearoom, Mile End style. This isn’t an uppity afternoon tea, but a charming and cool experience instead. They have a mish mash of plates and teacups; old furniture; a piano; books and nooks and a selection of treats and teas. Stay here and linger for a while — we sure did.

I only can give 2 stars, all for the food. i think probably I had too high expectations on this tea house, that’s y make me upset about it. they have piano man playing the music, but u barely hear it cos too noisy. the tea wasn’t good at all (this is tea house), I couldn’t see the tea leafs and no taste. Thee food was tasty but the price is expensive. the service is bad, have no patience and rush order, slow service rush for the payment.

Free time is somewhat of a luxury for my girlfriend and I. Now… admittedly it is pretty much by choice as we like to keep ourselves busy but regardless, when we have some — especially on a gorgeous weekend like the one we had relatively recently — I quickly enter into date mode. We need to take advantage of the opportunity — and I need to win some brownie points with the lady of course! Prior to being completely embarrassed by my performance on the skating rink down in the old port later that afternoon, I figured this was a great chance to go visit a place I had on my lists for a while now, the Cardinal Tea Room.
Somewhat secretly located on the second floor of the Sparrow bar on St-​Laurent in Mile End, The Cardinal Tea Room is exactly that — a tea room in the typical British traditions, serving a variety of teas with sandwiches, pastry and salads to enjoy at the same time. Open from 11 to 7 only 4 days a week, it is not a place for a big hearty meal but for a nice relaxed light brunch, lunch or snack.
First thing, this tea room is certainly a looker. A beautiful open two floor space anchored by a huge glass chandelier in the middle, the room is flooded with sunlights from the large windows to give it a warm and cozy feel. The key to the space though is the attention to detail and the inclusion of so much decoration to really give it that tea room feel. The jazzy music. The use of bookshelves, racquets, artwork, all the way down to the china and the handwritten painted signs. The entire space really feels like a proper British tea room without the kitsch. A lovely space to enjoy a lazy weekend.
As we shared a tea kettle of Pai Mu Tan white tea, we decided to try a few items food wise. My girlfriend went for the open faced smoked trout sandwich. A generous portion of trout topped with some marinated onions and chives served over some cream cheese and some nice bread. A solid sandwich — light but still satisfying.
On my end, I wanted something a little hearty so I went for the Ploughman’s lunch — a plate of cured meats, campagnard pâté, sharp cheddar, a soft boiled egg, roasted beets, sliced apple and fruit chutney. Served with some bread, the plate was a nice mixture of items — individually solid but that really worked well together.
Still feeling a little hungry and of course having a sweet tooth, we were also in the mood for some dessert. There is a daily Cardinal cake which in this instance was a ground poppy seed cake topped with some cream cheese icing. Texturally, we were surprised but the moist and smooth consistency. The icing was a little too sweet however.
We also tried the Eccles cake — essentially a puff pastry stuffed with currants and served (if so desired) with some sharp cheddar. I really enjoyed this one — the puff pastry was nice and flaky and the currants added a nice sweet bite to the dessert.
It took too long to visit Cardinal Tea Room but I’m really happy we did. A super nice and relaxed spot where I can definitely see visiting for a regular tea. I liked the options food wise and was definitely happy with the quality of items. Mile End continues to be one of my favourites areas in town and Cardinal Tea Room just reinforces that opinion. Now go enjoy some sunday tea!
Cheers!

Great little place for afternoon tea, with snacks and a great ambiance.
Cardinal is located on the second story of the building, complete with an adorable little sign out front telling you so. It’s such a great space — while its filled with dark wood panelling and a really charming ambiance, it’s got a wall of nice bright windows letting in a lot of light.
The service here is wonderful, everything is tasty from the salads to the shortbread cookies. Tea is served by the pot full, and they’ve got a great selection.

Perfect place to warm up on a winters day. Leave all your troubles at the door, as you entered this lovely, quaint tea house.
A blend of English style high tea design accents and more eclectic hipster undertones, create a very unique and comfortable space. You can enjoy sitting back in a leather arm chair, couch or sharing a long wooden table as you overlook their stunning chandelier.
As for the tea, they provide a small but wonderful selection of British classic, accompanied by perfectly prepared blueberry scones and their clotted cream. You’ll also find other staples on the menu, such as cucumber sandwiches, quiche and a delicious beef curry pot pie.
My only comment would be, this place gets very crowded on Sunday’s, so you’ll need to either plan a short wait or try to come on another day.

Loved this inviting and cozy tea room on the 2^nd floor from the moment I walked in (easy to miss it from street level). Antique furniture, a piano in the corner, pretty mismatched floral china, and a large tea menu — this place is a great place to spend a lazy afternoon. They have baked goods, snacks, and bigger items if you are hungry. I had their blueberry scone which was fresh out of the oven warm and just the right texture (crispy outside, a little bit fluffy inside, not too dense/​dough-​y) and the london fog.

Totally obsessed by this tea place! Amazing homemade dessert. Try the lemon loaf with lavender earl grey tea. Harry Potter ambiance. Perfect to cosy up on a rainy afternoon. For Nostalgics of the 1800’s. Dreamer hangout. Come early. If only they would be open later and Tuesday or Wednesdays. That’s all you need to know.

Beautiful tea room feels like you re in 1920’s, very old world a bit in the likes of Dominion square tavern. The scones where great, ambiance even better, service prompt and prof. Ideal for long conversations unhinged by technology.

Great place for a scone and tea. BTW the food is great. Enjoyed the spicy chicken pot pie, it was spicy!

Rien à dire de négatif sur le Cardinal! Amateurs de salons de thé, courez-​y si ce n’est pas déjà fait! Un réel coup de cœur! Le décor est vraiment mignon et typiquement anglais! La vaisselle est juste trop jolie! Nous étions 4 (2 gars et 2 filles) et tout le monde a remarqué le décor et la vaisselle. Les thés étaient très bons, tout comme les scones aux bleuets, le carré au citron et la sandwich. Pour 4 petites théières, 2 scones avec clotted cream, 1 carré au citron et 1 sandwich, nous avons payé 41 $ (+ tip). Je considère que c’est peu cher payé pour un si bon moment! A essayer pour le affernoon tea!

LOVE LOVE LOVE! Perfect place to catch up with an old friend over a pot of tea and cucumber sandwiches.
We came on a chilly Saturday afternoon and walked into a beautiful room filled with warmth, light, books, laughing people and the strains of a grand piano.
We were seated on the upper level which offers great people watching and my smile grew wider with every gorgeous piece of vintage flower-​patterned china that was placed on my table.
Lovely selection of tea and sweet and savoury menu options — yes to the sausage rolls, cucumber sandwiches, lemon bar and lemon cake!
The atmosphere is unpretentious and relaxed… a perfectly lovely way to spend an afternoon.

What a gem! The décor consists of vintage portraits/​wallpaper/​lamps/​books/​teacups/​music. There’s even a large chandelier that greets you as you walk in… A very pretty sight.
I ordered the London Fog with soy milk and a cucumber sandwich served with cream cheese and dill on milk bread.
It was superb; a good snack or a light meal. The tea was smooth and light with the right amount of foam, and the milk bread was just delicious. The cucumber and cheese tastes refreshing and it was a good combination.
The seating arrangements are intimate for parties of 2, 3 or 4, and the staff is pleasant.
Overall, a quaint and beautiful place to go to for a first date or to re-​connect with an old girl friend :). The noise level on a Friday afternoon was minimal.

I would say this place is not ideal if you’re coming with a group. There was 7 of us on Saturday and while we did get a place I think that they can’t really accommodate many groups like that at once. The location is very charming, they have 2 floors so they can take in a lot of people, which is good because lots of folks wanted to drink tea on this lovely Saturday afternoon. The noise level is low but there is a lot of movement so I wouldn’t say it’s extremely quiet, but it’s great to study or have conversations. Fresh flowers on the tables and live piano added to the pleasant atmosphere.
When I think Afternoon Tea I think black tea and I was really pleased with their selection. Among other choices they had English Breakfast, Irish Breakfast and Norfolk Breakfast. I ended up ordering their refreshing homemade iced tea, but I had a few sips of my friends’ teas and they were good too (Oolong and Irish Breakfast). The cucumber sandwiches were a hit. Thin slices of cucumber with herb cream cheese on delicious lightly toasted milk bread. Lemon squares were good with a strong sour taste. You’ll want to have some tea to wash it off!

Debating between giving this place 3 stars or 4 stars but I ended up just going with 4 stars because the scones were really just that good. However, the service was slow and they forgot about me and my friends. It could just be because we were sitting on the second floor, so I would recommend sitting on the first floor instead!

Am I in a dream? No, I am writing on Unilocal wishing I was in the dreamy, scone-​scented tea room that is Cardinal. The feeling you have when you’re here is the best part. You are swept away into another universe if only for a cup of tea or two or three. the décor is unlike any spot in the city. A bit Wes Anderson storybook-​ish. The space is two levels of eye candy with the best spot on the upper deck if I do say so myself. Prime people watching down below.
If you’re expecting high tea, jump off of that high horse. You won’t find this kind of service here. Expect a nice tea selection spanning the staples along with a menu of sweets (might I suggest the Cardinal cake) and a small menu of sandwiches. I believe there may or may not have been a charcuterie board as well.
This a special place that deserves to be visited with someone special or simply with the most special person in your life, you.
Enjoy.

I worried this place might suffer as it became more popular, but I’m glad to see its still exactly the same. Montréal does have a habit of turning anything new and interesting into a «scene», but thankfully there are no hour-​long waits to be seated here (yet).
The Norfolk Breakfast tea was fantastic, as was the Branston pickle and cheese sandwich. The space retains its airy, luxurious feel, and if it’s possible, the staff are even friendlier now.
Groups here continue to be small and rather quiet, which helps retain the intimate feel of the place. I’m pretty sure it’s still a no wi-​fi zone.
Definitely a place to visit more often as the weather starts to improve.

Excellente expérience dans un décor authentiquement magique, nous faisant revivre la vie du 19ème siècle et les saveurs du high Tea Victorien.
A né pas manquer.

Location: On the main, right next to Sparrow. Street parking available [metered] and the closest subway is probably Laurier or Mont-​Royal. Alternatively, you can hop a bus from downtown — I think the 55 (or maybe it’s the 51) that runs the length of St. Laurent.
The place: Location on the 2^nd floor of the building, Cardinal actually has two levels so be prepared to climb some stairs. I loved the space and the old-​school décor — it’s the perfect place to cozy up with a book while enjoying tea and scones.
The goods: I defeated the purpose of visiting a ‘tea’ room by ordering the lemonade + the egg & cress sandwich. After walking around most of the day, I was feeling too warm for something hot SO I guess I’ll just have to go back! The lemonade was very good and definitely tasted home-​made. It was very tart with a hit of sweetness — just the way I like it. The egg & cress was served on a thick slab of bread and topped with arugula. I’m not super crazy about egg sandwiches but they were out of the avocado toast and this was my back-​up. Quite surprisingly, the egg salad was delicious, as was the bread. For me, it was the perfect size because the bread itself was quite filling.
Service: Good. We were seated immediately and the hostess let us pick our table. There was a bit of a mix-​up when it came to the bills, but this was sorted out right away.
Price point: About $ 10 for the lemonade and sandiwich.

Beautiful room with lovely tea and sweet and savoury baked goods by the amazing and amazingly hard working Kathy D. It’s so wonderful to see this lovely upstairs space so full of warm light and people enjoying themselves.
It’s not a traditional fancy tea service, just cozy pots of fresh home brews, a delicious house chai and lots of super temping menu items that I’ll be back for often. The room is full of wood, a chandelier, piano, small chairs around the balcony and comfy couches on the floor, an incredibly inviting space that I highly recommend!

Ayant entendu de nombreuses critiques positives, je n’ai pas été déçu effectivement. Thés, tisanes. sandwiches, viennoiseries, le tout très abordables et délicieux (exemples; sandwich concombre/​fromage à la crème; 5.50 $ /​/​/​Scone aux bleuets; 4 $ /​/​/​Biscuit sablé; 2 $ /​/​/​Thé noir, ”English breakfast” petit format 1 personne; 4.50 $ /​/​/​Tisane, Camomille, moyen format, 2 personnes; 6.50 $ /​/​/​Thé Oolong, grand format ¾ personnes, 8.50 $), la décoration magnifique surtout avec le gros chandelier et la tapisserie anglaise, le patron est venu nous causer pour savoir nos impressions, rien à redire. J’y retourne dès que j’en ai l’occasion. Parfait pour parler entre amis, amener une ”date” ou encore sa mère. Wifi gratuit pour travailler.

La porte d’entrée se trouve un peu en retrait de la façade de l’immeuble et ce qui la rend très facile à manquer. À l’heure où j’y suis allé, nous avons dû attendre une vingtaine de minutes avant d’avoir une place. Les serveurs né placent pas les clients et vous devez surveiller qu’une place se libère. À noter, vous devez commander au bar et vous serez servi à votre table. Fait important, il faut payer avec des billets de banque et de la monnaie. Comme l’endroit est réparti sur deux étages, il faut être attentif. L’endroit est charmant. Le menu varié. Le service est bon et la nourriture excellente.

Salon de thé juste au dessus du Sparrow avec un décort incroyable et authentique, très chaleureux dans tous les sens du mots. A savoir avant d’y aller: argent comptant seulement, avec un guichet payant. Tu dois trouver une place pour t’asseoir et aller au comptoir commander et payer.
Le thé n’était pas à la hauteur de mes attentes, mais il était bon et bien infusé. Le scone était très bon, bien croustillant à l’extérieur et fondant à l’interieur avec du beurre et de la confiture à la rhubarbe. Puis le carré au citron qui était très intense en citron: à prendre seulement si vous êtes amateur de sensation forte. En plus, c’est un carré minuscule! Il y avait plusieurs assiètes salées qui avaient l’air succulante! A suivre…