Traditional Afternoon Tea in Vancouver

A direct flight from Vancouver to London takes more than 9 hours. But there’s a foolproof way to transport yourself from Canada to England in just half an hour – stop in for a traditional “afternoon tea” at one of the city’s favorite restaurants.

Christmas Vacation. A weekday. Three o’clock in the afternoon… On the soft carpet we walked through the empty lobby of the Fairmont Hotel. Pleasant music was playing. A giant fir tree stood in the center of the room, and a crystal chandelier sparkled with all the colors of the rainbow. A man in a perfectly pressed suit met us at the entrance and took us to a table. The hall was buzzing with people of all ages. Many people were snacking on scones, some were tasting drinks. “Afternoon tea” was in full swing…

History of afternoon tea

The tradition of “afternoon tea” – began in 1840 in England, when Duchess Anne Russell Bedford, suddenly became hungry around 4 pm and ordered tea, light sandwiches and cakes to her room. She enjoyed the meal so much that soon the Duchess was inviting friends over for tea. By the end of the 19th century, the elegant afternoon snack had become fashionable throughout England.

Canada, as an English colony, actively picked up and adopted popular trends. In 1908, in Victoria the chic Empress Hotel opened, proudly offering its guests scones and upscale tea at 4 o’clock in the afternoon. Today, “afternoon tea” is served in many hotels and tea shops around the country.

READ MORE: Weekend in Victoria: What to see, where to eat, how to get there

Despite the incredible popularity of coffee, according to the Tea Association, Canadians drink about 10 billion cups of tea each year. Every year the numbers increase, as does the demand for “afternoon tea”. Analysts believe the tradition has gained popularity thanks to the British TV series “Downton Abbey,” where it played a significant role.

By the way, the Fairmont Empress is still one of the most popular places for afternoon tea. During the summer months they sell more “afternoon tea” here than most hotels in London!

Afternoon tea at the Fairmont YVR Hotel

We sat down at a table in the center of the room. The friendly waitress brought the menu and asked to choose two teas from the list: green, herbal, black and white – a total of 17 varieties on the menu. The appetizers and sweets were left to the chef’s discretion, the same for everyone. I leaned back in my chair and admired the fire in the fireplace to my left. The window across the street glowed with a pink sunset. It gets dark early in Vancouver during winter…

They brought teapots and a little round delicious snack platter. We made tea and waited for the rest of the food. Five minutes later, another waiter showed up with a bunch of scones, cakes, and sandwiches.

The traditional “afternoon tea” is served on a three-tiered plate: a layer with desserts, a layer with sandwiches, and a layer with Scottish scones (or cheese sticks). The etiquette is to eat the sandwiches first, then the scones and leave the sweets for the end.

We started with sandwiches, as instructed. After a few hearty mini sandwiches with egg, fish, and chicken, I felt like the sweets weren’t going to fit anymore. I moved on to desserts: tender pecan pie, sweet cinnamon apple crumble, melt-in-your-mouth macarons with a nice sour filling… Fireworks! I remembered about the tea: oolong is quite good! What about the buns? The buns looked like they had just come out of the oven. They smelled so tempting that I couldn’t help myself and ate half of them. From three plates of food I enjoyed almost everything.

And all in all, I was left delighted with the afternoon tea. Its beautiful presentation, the variety of flavors on the plates, the fragrant teas in the porcelain cups, the aristocratic atmosphere… Of course, this type of entertainment is not for every day, considering the average cost of 45-60 CAD/person. But it is definitely worth trying afternoon tea as an interesting way to join the tradition and spend time unconventionally.

Why “afternoon tea” is not “high tea”

Before going to “afternoon tea,” I read an interesting article. It popularly explained that afternoon tea should not be confused with high tea. I confess I used to think they were just different names for the same ceremony.

Turns out, there are significant differences:

• Afternoon tea is something the Duchess of Bedford came up with. An exquisite snack between lunch and dinner, hours 3-4 in the afternoon (today they often serve from 12 and 1pm). It accepts aristocratic gatherings, small snacks in beautiful dishes and delicious tea.
• High tea – got its name because of the high tables, at which the workers had dinner in the mines and fields after a hard day’s work. This usually happened at 6 or 7 p.m. with hearty meals: meat, fish, bread, and strong tea for a snack. High tea is now offered in some cafes from noon to evening, instead of lunch or a light dinner. The menu is more substantial than scones and afternoon tea canapés: meat sandwiches, croissants, small dishes of eggs and fish.

Honestly, even though everything at our “afternoon tea” was small in size, we ate like it was the real “high tea”, and we also took the Scottish scones home with us.

Where to go for afternoon tea in Vancouver

In addition to the well-known Fairmont restaurants (in Richmond, the Fairmont YVR, and in Downtown, the Fairmont Notch8), the following tea shops and cafes are worth looking into:

• Neverland Tea Room (W Broadway). This place specializes in teas and traditional “afternoon tea”. They offer several types, including those for children and people on special diets. Menus and prices are at the link.
• Adonia Tea House (W 41st Ave). A cozy tea house in the Kerrisdale area. Full menu options, half “afternoon tea,” and gluten/vegetarian and lactose-free snacks are available. Menus and prices are at the link.
• Secret Garden Tea Company (W 40th Ave). An atmospheric tea and pastry shop that is over 20 years old! Appetizers are made with seasonal ingredients. You can see the menu at the link.
• Patisserie Für Elise (Hamilton St.). Great afternoon tea in a Victorian house from 1893.
• Yandoux Patisserie (Manitoba St). An unusual place where afternoon tea is served with Japanese snacks and desserts. Menus, prices and reservations are at the link.
• H Tasting Lounge (Bayshore Drive). Another place to try a modern version of afternoon tea. Snacks here are placed in jewel boxes and on a gold Ferris wheel.

Enjoy everyone’s tea party like the Duchess of Bedford!