When I think of high tea I think of elegant china, petite fours and delicate cucumber sandwiches enjoyed in the mid-afternoon sunshine. What do you know, the British lexicon concerning tea time is far more complex than ours here in North America. It’s actually more akin to a hearty supper, but I think the notion of “fancy” tea time has become so steeped in our culture on this side of the pond that it stuck. That’s how my sister and I found ourselves enjoying exactly what we imagined when we though of high tea on Sunday.
The first thing you should know about ordering tea and pastries in Vancouver is that there are so many good spots to choose from, from high-end (à la Laduree Paris on Robson Street) to simple yet charming (Butter Baked Goods in Shaughnessy). My sister and I went to Patisserie Für Elise for the experience of a sit-down afternoon tea. It’s a quaint little tea salon in a Queen Anne-style Victorian heritage house in Yaletown only a block away from the Vancouver Library. The house, which was built in 1893, is at the heart of the city but once you step inside it seems a world away from the hustle and bustle of the downtown core.
The first floor is retail space, flush with white marble countertops and a bountiful display of pastel-coloured confections. Upstairs is the tea lounge! The entire space is creamy and beige with soft pink drapes that filter the afternoon sunlight. Plush, high-backed chairs with curlicue designs and tiered cake stands completed the look of the parlour.
Ordering Tea
After taking your seat, the first thing you do is order your tea, and they have quite a decent selection. Their special is a Taiwanese import—a honey black tea. They also have ceylon, jasmine, creamy vanilla, rooibos and an assortment of caffeine-free fruit infusions. I opted for a Peach Nectar Rooibos, which was deliciously fruity. My sister had a fruit blend with blueberry and hibiscus, which came in beautifully painted china cups.
After ordering your tea, your sweets and savouries come on a tiered stand. The butter croissants with brie, prosciutto and basil were my favourite, but they also had cucumber and mint finger sandwiches, smoked salmon and cream cheese brioche, quiche loraine and warm buttermilk scones with jam. The morsel-sized desserts were just as good. They served a mixed berry panacotta as well as an array of macarons and tangy lemon and orange blossom tarts. What a sweet treat this was!