Emma WhiteWhen the afternoon sun casts a warm glow over the charming streets of Ottawa, there’s no better way to relax than with a delightful high tea experience. Thankfully, the city has an active high tea scene that offers an escape from your troubles.
With its elegant restaurants and chic cafes, the city invites you to step into a world of tasty sandwiches, delicious scones, and fragrant teas. Now let’s explore the best places in Ottawa where you can get an immaculate high tea experience.
The Vanitea Room
Website: https://thevanitearoomteasalon.com/
Address: 551 Somerset St W, Ottawa, ON K1R 5J9, Canada
Contact details: +1 613-695-8832
Operating hours: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM (TUES – SUN)
Price (for reference, $ is $30 and below, $$ is $31 to 60, and $$$ is $61 and up): $$
To begin, let’s go check out The Vanitea Room, a lovely tea salon located on Somerset Street. Founded in 2015 by best friends Hind and Chanel, this salon was intended to introduce Ottawans to the wonderful tradition of afternoon tea.
Here, you can enjoy an immersive experience thanks to the salon’s refined atmosphere that emulates those found in Europe. Furthermore, there is a wide selection of tea leaves to be found here that are imported from all around the world.
For a classic tea time with your friends, make sure to order their Afternoon Tea experience. For only $50 per person, it includes a pot of relaxing Sloane Fine Tea of your choice and a large plate of sweets and savoury foods you can share together.
| Pro tip: Are you interested in trying out some of their fine teas in your home? Don’t worry because The Vanitea Room has a tea store where you can get the same delicious teas they offer to their customers. Check out the store here. They also sell their pastries if you want to take a box with you home. |
ZOE’S
Website: https://www.zoesottawa.com/
Address: 1 Rideau St, Ottawa, ON K1N 8S7, Canada
Contact details: +1 613-241-1414
Operating hours:
11:00 AM – 11:00 PM (SUN – THURS)
11:00 AM – 12:00 AM (FRI – SAT)
Price: $$$
Zoe’s, located on Rideau Street, weaves history, elegance, and culinary delights into a captivating experience. Named after Lady Zoe, the former PM Sir Wilfrid Laurier’s wife, it began as a concert hall before it became the chic restaurant we know today.
What makes this place so perfect for high tea gatherings is its relaxing ambiance that exudes charm and comfort. It’s also worth mentioning that their afternoon tea menu boasts craft cocktails, light bites, and a modern twist on jasmine tea.
While they offer various tea drinks, my personal favourite is their Greenskeeper drink. Made with jasmine tea, elderflower, and citrus, this drink is guaranteed to give you a soothing sensation that’s complemented nicely by its tangy taste.
| Pro tip: Zoe’s has a loyalty rewards program that you can participate in to receive cool perks like exclusive discounts and promotions every time you have a drink or meal in their establishment or in one of their affiliate restaurants. You can become a member by signing up here. |
Quelque Chose
Website: https://quelque-chose.ca/
Address: 379 Richmond Rd, Ottawa, ON K2A 0E7, Canada
Contact details: +1 613-728-4562
Operating hours:
11:00 AM – 5:00 PM (TUES – FRI)
10:00 AM – 5:00 PM (SAT – SUN)
Price: $$
For a delightful high tea experience, visit Quelque Chose, a pastry shop located on Richmond Road. Their founders, David Seba and Julia Dahdah, started this business to share their love of pastries with their fellow Ottawans.
Here, you can choose whether you’ll go with black, white, green, or herbal tea to enjoy the rest of the afternoon. Furthermore, you can pick from over 20 flavours of delicate French macaroons to elevate your high tea experience.
And that’s not all! Aside from macaroons, Quelque Chose also has other desserts on offer, like scones and croissants. They even have vegetarian and non-gluten options available, so there’s always something here that anyone can enjoy!
| Pro tip: There’s always something new on offer at Quelque Chose, so it’s best that you stay in the loop about their new products! You can do that by signing up for their newsletter, which you can do through this link. What’s also great is that by signing up for their newsletter, you’ll also get exclusive access to their promotions and discounts. |
The SconeWitch
Website: https://sconewitch.ca/
Address: 150 Elgin St, Ottawa, ON K2P 1L4, Canada
Contact details: +1 613-232-2173
Operating hours: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM (MON – SUN)
Price: $
Are you a huge fan of scones? Then you won’t regret visiting The SconeWitch, a bakery founded in 2004.
This charming establishment, initially housed in a small brick house on Albert Street, has since expanded to three more locations in Ottawa.
As their name suggests, their scones are quite heavenly as they are hand-rolled and come in a rich variety of flavours, including sweet ones like vanilla, lemon, date, and cranberry, and savoury ones like cheddar and feta.
And of course, let’s not forget their delicious tea drinks that pair perfectly with their scones. Here, you can enjoy various tea blends, like Earl Grey, Kenya, jasmine, peppermint, rooibos, and ginger chai.
| Pro tip: If you can’t make it to their establishment to enjoy high tea, you can instead ask them to deliver their delicious pastries and tea straight to your doorstep! You can check whether your address is within their delivery area by visiting this website. |
teastore
Website: https://www.teastore.ca/
Address: 53 York St, Ottawa, ON K1N 9B7, Canada
Contact details: +1 613-241-1291
Operating hours:
10:00 AM – 6:00 PM (MON – WED)
10:00 AM – 8:00 PM (THURS – SUN)
Price: $
Our next destination, teastore, is the ultimate haven for tea lovers in Ottawa. Founded in 1996, this establishment in the ByWard Market boasts an impressive collection of over 300 teas sourced from around the world.
A couple of highlights among their tea collection are Lady Grey, Scottish Breakfast Tea, and Moroccan Mint. They also have in-house special tea blends available, like London Fog, matcha latte, and maple chai.
For an amazing yet affordable high tea experience, you may choose to go for their tea and scones bundle, which already includes a pot of your preferred tea and three assorted scones for only $12.95.
| Pro tip: You can immediately buy any of their 300 tea blends from their online shop if you want to brew your own tea at home or if you want to give someone a gift. On most days, they can have your order ready for pickup on the same day you ordered it. However, make sure to give them a call first to confirm your order before visiting so they can have it ready upon your arrival. |
Carmelito Cafe
– Photo credit: queldommage
Website: https://carmelitocafe.com/
Address: 354 Preston St, Ottawa, ON K1S 4M7, Canada
Contact details: +1 613-234-5336
Operating hours:
9:00 AM – 9:00 PM (MON – SAT)
9:00 AM – 8:00 PM (SUN)
Price: $$
Carmelito Café, located in the Ottawa CBD and Barrhaven, combines artisanal drinks with Italian-inspired pastries and gourmet sandwiches.
I find it to be one of the best places to enjoy afternoon tea thanks to its cozy and relaxing ambience.
Furthermore, the menu is jam-packed with various light meals and drinks, so you’ll always have something new to try each time you visit. In fact, the staff can offer various tea drinks like black tea, tea latte, and assorted tea blends.
For high tea drinkers, you can avail of the afternoon tea service for $42.95 per person. It includes a pot of Sloane Tea Blend of your choice and a mix of pastries and finger foods like scones, biscottis, and cake slices.
| Pro tip: Please take note that Carmelito Café doesn’t accept reservations for their regular tables. For the best high tea experience, make sure to arrive before 4 PM so you can secure a good spot to enjoy your afternoon tea with friends and family! |
Amberwood Lounge & Eatery
– Photo credit: allylubits
Website: https://www.aleottawa.ca/
Address: 54 Springbrook Dr, Stittsville, ON K2S 1B9, Canada
Contact details: +1 613-831-2442
Operating hours:
4:00 PM – 9:00 PM (WED and THURS)
4:00 PM – 10:00 PM (FRI and SAT)
10:00 AM – 2:00 PM, 4:00 PM – 9:00 PM (SUN)
Price: $$
For a homely high tea experience, Amberwood Lounge & Eatery, an events venue in Stittsville, is ready to serve you! Nestled in a beautiful village, its timeless decor blends modern aesthetics with classic charm to create an enchanting atmosphere.
While they’re primarily known for their delicious dinner meals, they occasionally host high tea events from time to time. At these events, guests can indulge in freshly baked scones, delicate sandwiches, and premium loose-leaf teas.
What I love about them is that they expertly blend and brew their tea to produce a mix of aroma and taste that’ll leave you smiling. It’s also amazing that they give guests take-home tea pouches so they can try these special tea blends themselves.
| Pro tip: Amberwood Lounge & Eatery’s high tea events require guests to book a reservation before they can participate. Make sure to call their phone number at least 48 hours in advance so you can get the best seats for you and your friends! |
Tea & Cake
Website: http://www.teaandcake.ca/
Address: 19 Bridge St, Almonte, ON K0A 1A0, Canada
Contact details: +1 613-256-4830
Operating hours: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM (TUES-SUN)
Price: $
Distance from the Ottawa CBD: 40 minutes
Tea & Cake, located in the heritage town of Almonte, is a delightful British-themed tea house. Founded by Gwendolyn Neelin who is a former barista turned baker, this cozy spot offers a taste of tradition and warmth you should experience at least once.
Afternoon teas are exceptional here, as you can enjoy a wide range of tea blends, including my personal favourite, the Earl Grey cream tea. It’s made with premium loose-leaf Earl Grey tea infused with bergamot oil that releases a captivating aroma.
Also, Tea & Cake doesn’t disappoint when it comes to desserts, as Gwendolyn ensures that customers will always get delicious pastries straight from the oven. A couple of amazing pastries they have on offer are muffins, scones, and bagels.
| Pro tip: The high tea experience that Tea & Cake offers is so good, which is why you should help your friends and family try it! You can do so by purchasing one of their e-gift cards, which can contain custom amounts. You can buy them on this website. |
