Afternoon Tea at the Fairmont Royal York

Going for tea is one of my favourite pastimes. I wish I could do it more. I was really pleased to be able to visit the Fairmont Royal York (check out my brunch review too!)  this weekend to partake in their Afternoon Tea service.

Tea is served in the stylish Library bar. The wing backed chairs, dark bookcases and heavy drapes will make you feel very elegant. We had the Traditional Afternoon Tea for $35.

For my tea I had the Montebello Apple Spice, a herbal tea with a fresh apple flavour and a warm spice. My friend had the Kyoto Cherry Rose which she really enjoyed.

First up was a crumpet drizzled in honey and served with seasonal berries. This was delicious! I haven’t had a crumpet in forever.  It was soft and sweet. The fruit was nicely sweetened with the honey (that came from their own bees on the rooftop of the Royal York!).

Next were the savory sandwiches.

PEI Lobster and Mango Salad with tomato carpaccio, celery cress, saffron brandy aioli

Nova Scotia Smoked Salmon red onion, arugula cress, dill caper creme fraiche

Smoked Turkey Breast white cheddar, sliced cucumber, bing cherry, niagara ice wine preserve

Champagne Goat Cheese baby watercress, strawberries

The PEI Lobster and Mango Salad was surprisingly my favourite. It was really refreshing and had tender morsels of lobster. I didn’t like the Champagne Goat Cheese sandwich, I found it tasteless. Not enough cheese! The other two sandwiches were okay!

Finally it was time for dessert! The cranberry scones were warm and light, served with cream from Harmony Dairies (just outside of Toronto). It was excellent.

The scones are kept warm and fresh inside of the “turtle”, an antique serving dish.

The honey madelines were dipped in dark chocolate. The Lemon Financiers were a big hit with my friend and I. The lemon curd was tangy and had a nice sweetness to it. Sometimes I can find the curd too sour, but not in this case! Mmm.

We were essentially stuffed, but managed to finish the top tier (berry clafouti tarts & pastry swans filled with cream.) Going for tea is super fun and relaxing. Do it! Don’t forget to book in advance. I once made the mistake of calling the day before and they told me that they had been booked for weeks!

Tea is served on Saturday & Sunday: 12:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Fairmont Royal York Hotel, 100 Front Street West  Toronto, ON M5J 1E3