The Red Tea Box

Super delicious food. I love their sandwiches specially (really healthy and tasty, IAsian fusion style), though I’m not a fan of their pastries. Have been here several times and it never disappoints. Make sure you check their schedule before heading there, they are open and closed at some strange times. The service is pretty good too!

CLOSED. Oh man was I excited to try this place. But it’s closed! :(
I was looking forward to the bento box… The note on the door says they’re closed because of a family issue.

I really like this place. It’s cozy and intimate, the service is great, and the food comes in this little bento box with a bit of everything. I can’t wait to come back.

I used to come here once and awhile with my mom and we’d always have one of the tea bento boxes in the room in the back and yesterday I decided to go for the first time in years with a friend. The back room was just as whimsical as I remember with a slight Alice In Wonderland feel to it. I had the eggplant three taste, and 2 out of 3 of the little dishes were very good! The third had a strange taste to it that I really didn’t enjoy. My friend had a roasted vegetable sandwich which she said was very good. For dessert we shared a brown butter brown sugar gingerbread cake which was quite yummy and made me think of Christmastime :) The woman in the front who seated us was so friendly but we were both a bit put off by our server. Neither of us were particularly in the mood for tea, we just wanted some food yet the server kept pushing us on tea. She didn’t seem willing to take no for answer which was quite irritating. I am a tea lover but I didn’t feel like paying close to 5 $ for a cup of tea when I just wasn’t in the mood. Other than that little annoyance everything else was lovely :) I’ve always had consistently good experiences there, I think the best choice is always to be seated in the back and spend awhile enjoying some tea and a bento box.

I was very excited to try the Red Tea Box. I live just round’ the corner so I was excited at the prospect of having a local proper tea shop to escape to and have lovely teas with friends.
The décor is so beautiful, very adorable miniature cakes in glass display cases encircled with tiny cookies. The walls are covered in adorable tea pots and teas wrapped in gorgeous packages. There is a subtle Asian theme to the tea room that meshes well with the more traditional British tea shop.
I ordered a half Indian Chicken sandwich with a soup because I knew I’d want to try one of their beautiful cakes.
The portion for the half sandwich soup combo was reasonable and the quality of the food was fair but not spectacular. I’m not sure what makes the Indian chicken Indian as the flavours were very simple and the tomato basil soup did taste smokey but it was quite thin.
After eating, I settled on a cup of chai with a Rose Petal Buttercream Vanilla cake for my desert. The cake was nicely decorated in a British style (not extra fancy French style à la Nadège). The chai was nice and spicy but once again thin almost as if they add water to everything. The cake was extremely rich and was a good vanilla buttercream. I had been warned that the rose petal flavour was very subtle and well it was so subtle it was hard to taste. I continued to work away at my miniature cake but with each bite the sweetness became increasingly more sickly sweet. I ended up having to take half to go.
The service was lovely unlike many of the reviews I have read about this place. My waitress was friendly and informative and seemed to really love her job.
I will say, however, that the layout of the tea shop ruins the serenity that I think they are hoping to create. The waitresses hang out in between the two main rooms chatting and it’s hard to block out their conversations when you are trying to quietly enjoy your mail and read the paper. This probably wouldn’t bother you as much in a group but on your own or on a quiet outing it’s annoying.
Another downside of the in between room is that this is where they prepare the food which includes a lot of microwave warming up. Beeping and doors opening and shutting on microwaves does not make me feel like I’m eating fresh food. I don’t even own a microwave.
Finally, the bill arrived and I have to say that this sealed the deal for me. I was charged $ 15 for my cake! That is not a fair price for the quality of the cake I ate. That’s the equivalent of two nice Nadège pâtisseries that exceed the quality ten fold. If it was $ 10-​$ 11 it probably wouldn’t have phased me so much but $ 15 is the cost of a small cake at Dufflet’s that is just as good in quality and could feed 6 people.
In brief, if you are into ambiance and don’t know or care too much about food and have a shameful amount of money this place is for you.
If you are a foodie who knows what good quality food is and what the going prices are for that good high quality food in the city, you will probably be disappointed in this place. I know I was.

The bento boxes at Red Tea Box are an original take on afternoon tea. You get a pot of tea (your choice of flavor) and an assortment of sweet and savory foods. All the food is absolutely delicious.
Most people are seated in a quirky back room that has mismatched tables, chairs, and adornments, which gives you the feeling that you’re in someone’s living room.
I’ve never experienced anything but good service at Red Tea Box.
The front of the store has an assortment of gifts for tea lovers.

I love going to high tea and have been to high tea at a dozen different establishments in New York City. When I came to Toronto I really wanted to check out Red Tea Box and I’m so glad I did. Really great décor, very inexpensive prices, and a really great menu. I had an «omg» moment every time I took a bite of my bento box. The Mad Hatters bento was absolutely delicious with great presentation and a LOT of food. They don’t take reservations. There are seating options in the front, outside (towards the back) and a back area with more inside seating. I highly recommend this place.

I really adore this little hide-​away amidst the hustle of Queen Street – to me, it’s an oasis – it’s a nice place to enjoy alone or with one friend for a leisurely chat, especially in the winter. The décor of the restaurant coach house is so sweet and quite comfortable – kind of a shabby chic with an Asian twist. I’d have loved to treat my grandmother to lunch here as I think she would have really enjoyed it. Also this would be a lovely spot for a mother/​daughter date!
The food is consistently good and quite unique – Fusion Asian meets British High Tea meets Alice in Wonderland.
I’ve always had pleasant and knowledgeable service, but I’ve heard a few negative things which hopefully have been ironed out – it’s located on in one of the busiest shopping areas in Toronto so I can imagine that some of the patrons could be partly to blame for notions of «poor service». For the area, I find the pricing to be quite reasonable.
Sometimes the service can be slow, which I think is fair enough as I have never felt rushed or pressured, and it is obvious that a lot of time and effort goes into both the preparation and presentation of the food and desserts. Sit back and enjoy a wonderful pot of tea!
I definitely look forward to returning many times again.

I took my friend to the Red Tea Box for a quaint going away lunch. A big fan of high tea we wanted to check this place out. Tea was okay, the food was also, just okay. We didn’t have any desserts but over all I left a little unsatisfied with a big hole in my wallet. Prices are expensive for the food and service you receive, but the space is pretty adorable.

I come to the Red Tea Box every now and then, usually with a girl friend to chat for hours over good quality tea. It is pricey, but the ambiance is one of a kind and it is definitely a novelty kind of place so it is not like you’d come here too often. The sweets are better than their savouries, and their teas are best of all.

Perhaps the best cake I have ever devoured. Besides being an adorable and whimsical tea house that also serves a delicious lunch (we had the bento special), the cake and tea selection makes one feel like they are part of a fairy tale tea party.
The décor appeared to be a mix of English, Asian, and Indian with an indoor and outdoor seating option. This is not a place for a fast lunch, but why would you want to rush it, really? Spend some time and linger. Also, the bakery up front has some nice selections.

This is my favorite restaurants in the world. It may not suit every situation, but when you have the chance to go I highly recommend that you do.
I get one of their delicious sandwiches, or the occasional salad. The cakes are little bit too sweet for me, and the Bento boxes are way out of my budget, so I can’t say I recommend either of those options.
Honestly, I go for the atmosphere. It such a beautiful and warm enviroment, it is hard not to fall in love.

Cute little photos on Unilocal and some great reviews. So, I had high hopes for this place. Unfortunately, I was disappointed.
The place has a cute vintage vibe to it. I just didn’t like the musty and stuffiness of the atmosphere inside. Service was subpar as the waitress clearly wasn’t trained properly in what was served in their foods. No knowledge of which teas should be paired or what each desserts contained. When you say something like, this tart is made with «some kind of» custard. Umm… not very professional, I can say.
We ordered the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party — $ 27 & Dessert Bento Boxes — $ 30. Mad Hatter’s Tea Party served with mediocre cold chicken breast and «out-​of-​air» bread. Gross! Overtly processed sugary pastries and scones that didn’t even looked like scones. Anyhow, totally disappointed. I guarantee you, a dessert connoisseur myself, they were definitely «NOT» served fresh. When we cannot break part the tarts, fondant hard as a rock, and chocolate cake just crumbled apart in your mouth (no moisture, whatsoever), you start to wonder, how long did they leave this in their fridge for?! This was their Dessert Bento — absolutely horrid for $ 30, you get 8 mini pastries and a couple of sesami mochi balls? Overprice and over-​rated!
Essentially, I give 0 stars for the food, 1 star for the service, and 1 star for the ambiance.
«Red» Tea box? More like «Black» Tea box — definitely no «love» from me!

This is one of my havens in Toronto. I have been many times over the years with special people who I know would love it as much as I do (namely my mother, my little cousin, my psych soulmate, my oldest friend and a couple others). The conversations I’ve had and the time I’ve spent here has been memorable. It is a very calm place that also feels magical.
There is a front room, a back coach house and outdoor garden patio in between the two. Everything (from the cantaloupe-​infused table water to the seasonal soup sampler to the eye-​pleasing + delicious tea cakes) is delightful!
The combination of intriguing tastes + smells, eclectic culinary influences, whimsical surroundings and enchanting presentation + style deem this place a true gem in both my head and heart!

So lovely! Last Sunday, gorgeous Unilocal babes Nicole H, Jamie F and I met here to check out Red Tea Box’s high tea offerings. The café was emptier than I’d expected for a Sunday around 12:30, but perhaps the drizzly weather was to blame.
We were whisked to the back tea room, which was decorated Victorian-​style with a definite Asian flair. I loved all the little details, from the peacock-​printed cake plates, to the comfy velveteen lounge couches. Service was pretty good, and they did all they could to accomodate friend’s vegan diet.
I ordered the Mad Hatter bento, which included an amazingly delicious curried chicken salad, chicken wellingtons (good, if slightly limp), and a selection of sweets: a spongy scone, truffly brownie, and a red velvet w/​caramel cake (very dry and slightly tough)
Loved the selection of teas, and the staff was patient and knowledgeable about the food selection. Price is a bit steep, but a decent value for all the food, high quality tea, and adorable atmosphere. Great place to bring friends for a catch-​up over tea. I’d definitely come back.

This is a little foolish, but I’m Unilocaling Red Tea Box solely based on one beverage… the insanely refreshing sparkling lemonade with mint.
A little background… I’m a former glucose/​fructose addict with a 3 cans of Orange Crush soda per day habit. That stuff was like cheap Meth bought from some guy named Daryl living in a trailer in the Ozarks compared to Red Tea Box’s AMAZING Lemonade, the «Cocaine of Lemonade» I’ll call it. Also I was brought here by a lovely friend as a reprieve while playing hookey from work so arguably any day off work counts as refreshing.
In all seriousness though it’s a charming little nook of a place outfitted like your Nana’s livingroom, featuring eclectic yet delish lunch items (Middle Eastern style bento box anyone?)
What’s more who wouldn’t enjoy looking at the adorable array of technicolor fondant cakes (which always looked like Play-​doh to me?)
All-​in-​all this place really cheered me up when I was having a shitty week, so I say Red Tea Box is a really capital place for noshing & superb lemonade.

This is definitely a special little place that I never would’ve thought to eat at except if other people planned it. The house/​restaurant is split up into the front which sells sweets, a few tables and the kitchen. You take a path out to the back of the property and walk into literally the mad hatter’s tea house. The decorations, tables, chairs setting were so cute and of course the boy in our group of 4 girls felt out of place :)
Everything seemed to take a long time, which is nice for conversations but not nice for appointments. The staff was all very friendly but they just never showed up very often to check on the back to take our orders or the bill. The food also came out very slowly, at its own pace which was not okay with my empty stomach.
The lavender earl grey tea that we shared was delicious! There wasn’t much choice on a saturday morning on what to order since the other lunch boxes were only available after 2pm. I ordered the daily bento box special which was fish, bok choy, rice, and a bit of salmon — I liked the flavouring of the rice but nothing else seemed special, just made me hungrier afterwards :) A friend got a soup and sandwich which seemed a lot more substantial and delicious than what I ordered.
So for actual food and service, I’d give this place 1 – 2 stars. I think if I wanted to meet someone for tea and conversations this cutesy place would be a 3 – 4 star. So I’ll leave it up to you!

The Red Tea Box, what a pleasant surprise!
Since I did not order the food in the restaurant, I will be writing this review based on the perspective of Red Tea Box as a retail store and a cake shop.
I have to say it is one of the cutest teashops I been to. The selections of tea are great and love that they have all of them in jars so you can really smell them all if you choose to before making the decisions.
OMG! Those cute fondant cakes! They look so amazing and pretty… just like a piece of art. The details are so amazing. I already know a few of my sweet crazy friends would have love to eat one of those! Me personally thinks fondant is too too sweet for my taste and I will appreciate the cakes as a piece of art or an photographic items!
Great place to go if you are shopping for gifts too. You will find some quite unique items for your hard to pleased love ones!
If you in the area, definitely dropby and browse around, you won’t be disappointed!

Great food at this restaurant — very delicately made and beautiful presentation. Yummy too! Portion sizes are very small and it is a tad pricey, if I recall correctly a «bento» was around $ 22. They also have great desserts here too, that are unique and delicious (i.e. chilli chocolate ganache)
I love the atmosphere of the coach house at the back of the restaurant, it’s peaceful and perfect to catch up with friends you haven’t seen in a long time.
Wait staff here can be variable. I’ve had some nice ones, and some that were somewhat angry to have customers.
Beware the lock in the bathroom, it can be confusing.

I want to like Red Tea Box more than I do.
I don’t know about paying $ 17 for a bento box that leaves you with a grumbling stomach. Talk about dainty chow for the delicate soul. However, the food is good: lemongrass poached veggies, tumeric rice, cod cakes with amazing chutney, cardamom & masala chai, curried salmon, dragonfruit, and the raise-​the-​roof sweet pea hummus… Slurpalicious.
BUT… drum roll, please. Though it’s a unique resto with a quaint seating arrangement in the back, it had kind of a «shh, this is a library!» aspect to it that ruined my experience and made me feel like I should’ve been sent to the kids table.
Nice place, but not the most comfortable or value-​rich eateries in the city. Maybe best to stick with an afternoon tea outing here.