The Tea Emporium

I’ve been going to the Tea Emporium for years. They are the ones who introduced me to tea in fact :) The quality and the selection of teas here are just spectacular both for flavoured and non-​flavoured teas. This is a place for a real tea connoisseur — David’s tea is a fun place but the quality of the tea here is simply better. The flavoured teas have better ingredients and the taste is not as chemical and in your face as David’s tea (don’t get me wrong I actually like David’s tea for some teas but as a rule Tea Emporium has a lot more of really spectacular teas). For non flavoured teas this shop wins hands down.

As another recent tea convert, trying to break my afternoon coffee habit. An afternoon pot of their «Royal Earl Grey» made in a cheap and cheerful infuser from a local kitchen shop, and the world honestly comes more alive. It has got to be the most delicate and perfectly blended tea I have ever had.
They also have a ‘creamed’ Earl Grey, which I have yet to try, but I am working my way through their Chai teas one by one.
Something nobody noticed to say, is their actual tea. After the pot is done, I am always amazed at the complexities of the actual tea, once it is plumped back up. It’s a virtual garden in most of them, and from what they said, they blend most of their teas themselves, by hand.
Their craftsmanship shows.

These people know there stuff! They are not herbalists, but rather tea connoisseurs. If you can find something the staff can not answer, They will ether try and find out for you or direct you to where you can find the info yourself. I admire this as I’m a no BS type of person. They were very helpful and friendly.
The store it’s self looks cozy and inviting. It smells amazing as soon as you step in the door. I’ll be returning soon. :)

Yes another tea place with a zillion varieties of loose leaf tea.
I love the concept, don’t get me wrong, but I just can’t justify giving any of these place ridiculously high ratings because they are just all so similar and thus only A-​OK in my books.
The Tea Emporium is a bit more old fashioned and kitschy looking, when compared to say, the David’s Tea chain. They had lots of tea but not quite as many tea «accessories».
You can order single takeaway cups for $ 2.05. I tried an apple tea variety and it was ok. There’s not really any seating inside so you’ll have to get your tea to go.

Having recently discovered the joy of drinking a delicious tea on a chilly day, stepping into this place early last night, on my way to dinner with a bunch of Unilocalers, was in a word fantastic.
Tea Emporium has an amazing selection of teas on the menu to enjoy freshly brewed on the spot, or take out… or you can buy their loose leaf teas to take home and enjoy. Their menu of tea offerings seemed endless and believe me, I wanted to try them all.
During my visit there last night, I ordered the Rooibos Vanilla and it was quite possibly the most delcious tea I’ve ever had… however, I also spotted another tea, African Queen, which I cannot wait to try next time I stop in. It’s more the likely to rival the one I had last night… can’t wait!
The store itself is small, but very welcoming and nicely decorated. They have a few seats for folks to sit and enjoy their tea, but I can’t imagine it woudl accommodate more than 2 or 3 people comfortably. The girl who served us was really nice and the ambiance was quite pleasant.
If their selection of teas isn’t enough to make you a fan then you will certainly appreciate the beautiful tea cups and teapots they also have on offer.

I’m a tea freak. I’ve got about 40 or 50 canisters/​packages of tea. Bagged tea/​loose leaf. I’ve got tea accessories. I’ve got books about tea. I dream of doing a tea tour of Holland and Russia. I like tea.
I’ve been used to going to Chinatown 3 and Kensington and St. Lawrence Market for my tea hits. Or NYC, but that’s a bit of a trip when what I want is a new tea.
Found this location of the Tea Emporium when a friend and I were looking for a beverage before dance class. My friend was looking for a tea to make her MIL happy during their next visit. I just needed tea to drink right then.
The lovely lovely woman running the shop that night directed me to the Swiss Schoko — chocolate, almonds and calendula on a black tea base. Terrific with honey. I started savouring while the staffer led my friend through variations of first flush Darjeeling (ranging in cost from about $ 15 — ⁵⁰⁄₁₀₀ gms — at the high end, they will sell 10 gms). Terrific service and advice.
I’ll be back at least once a week for a tea — and an occasional top up of a tea canister or two.

My new ritual is drinking tea every night after dinner, rather than just in the morning. I’d never really found a good decaffinated tea that I liked; they all seemed so processed and gross. Until I ran across the Tea Emporium, that is.
I was ambling along the Danforth and passed the Tea Emporium’s newest storefront. The store is small, but very pleasant. As you’d imagine, it has a good selection of teapots and teacups for sale, as well as other tea-​related accoutrements.
Their tea selection is outstanding. Also outstanding is the sweet employee who took a ton of time trying to understand what kind of teas I like and what time of day I wanted to drink said teas. She proceeded to open about 574 canisters so I could smell each and every one, and offered little commentaries on each one. I settled on a Rooibos herbal tea called «Rooibos Province Organic», a South African red bush tree blended with lavender, rose petals, black and red currants, raisins, and rosehip. It smelled divine and I can’t wait to try it.
The teas are priced around $ 10.50-$ 12.00 for 100 grams; the minimum they’ll sell is 50mg, so you do the math. I also purchased a handle-​free tea cup for $ 7, which is important so you don’t burn your mouth. Like Teavana, they also make all kinds of teas there for you, as well, from tea lattes to (real) iced tea. :-)