Places in Edmonton to sip a hot cuppa
Coffee may wake us up but more versatile tea can both rev up our engine or calm us down, depending on which type we drink and what we need from it. Whether you’re a fan of chai, rooibos or white tea, these Edmonton tea houses serve a mean cuppa.
Cha Island Tea Co
10332 81 Ave NW, Edmonton, AB T6E 1X2This summery café serves more than 100 loose leaf and herbal teas, including green, black and rooibos. They also make real iced tea from scratch, using natural syrups to add sweetness. The types of iced tea on offer change regularly, keeping customers intrigued. Loose leaf tea is available in small or large presses, and is also available for sale to bring home – so you never have to be without your favourite brew again.
Cally's Teas
10151 82 Ave NW, Edmonton, AB T6E 1Z5If you’re a fan of variety, then this is the tea house for you. They serve up more than 250 kinds of tea, including organic and fair trade products. Located on Whyte Avenue, it’s a popular hangout for students and just tea lovers in general. They are also known for their scones, which go quite well with a cup of Earl Grey.
Fairmont Hotel Macdonald
10065 100th Street, EDMONTON, AB T5J 0N6The Harvest Room hosts Royal Tea and Tour every Saturday and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. The weekly practice honours the British tradition of having afternoon tea and treats with friends. The hotel’s version includes a tour of the hotel, including the Queen Elizabeth II suite, at 4 p.m. Reservations are required; fascinators and white gloves are not.
Frida Antojitos Mexicanos
12411 Stony Plain Rd Nw, Edmonton, AB T5N 3N3This independent tea store used to be Steeps Old Glenora but rebranded in 2013 to become The Tea Girl. The owner is a certified tea sommelier (who knew there was such a thing?) and has taught at the college level. This tea boutique and café has 10 types of tea, including yellow, yerba mate and pu-erh. They sell their loose teas in three different sizes and will give you a discount if you bring in your tin to be refilled. Private tea lessons are also available.
Russian Tea Room
10312 Jasper Ave NW, Edmonton, AB T5J 1Y7It’s really more of a restaurant than a tea house, but the cool thing is they offer psychic readings! You can get your tea leaves read, in addition to tarot cards, palm readings and numerology. Drink some tea, find out what the future holds. What’s not to love?
The Tea Place Ltd
13671 St Albert Trail NW, Edmonton, AB T5L 5E7This pretty café and tea lounge has pyramids of tea stacked all over the place – there are more than 100 varieties from around the globe to drink or buy. There’s a sniffing bar (their name for it, not mine), where you can smell samples of loose tea to see if you fancy their fragrant aroma. Teas include everything from dandelion herb and root to iron Buddha (a kind of oolong).
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