Afternoon Tea was introduced in the UK sometime in the 1840s and quickly became the fashion for wealthy families. From England, this fad spread, and tea salons started opening around the world. For travelers to Vancouver, Canada there are some nice afternoon tea spots that are well worth a visit.
Neverland Tea Salon
The Mad Hatter in the Lewis Carrol novel, Alice in Wonderland loved having tea parties on his estate in Neverland. The Neverland Tea Salon got its name from the classic book, and in true Neverland fashion, the chefs prepare desserts that would make the Mad Hatter drool. This is where you go if you want to pretend as if you’ve stepped into a novel. You just need to follow the directions, “Eat me” and “Drink me” as Alice did.
Fairmont Hotel Vancouver
The Fairmont Hotel is a building steeped in history. It was built in 1928, and the quiet, yet decadent Notch8 private dining room is where you want to be. The Afternoon Tea is a traditional English one, and it features three-tiered cake platters with scones, small desserts, and finger sandwiches. There is plenty of strawberry jam and clotted cream, to go with the scones. It wouldn’t be an afternoon tea without it!
Ladurée
The only import on this list is the French chain Ladurée. Ladurée made its name in France as one of the finest macaron producers. Melt in your mouth macarons are not all that they serve, though—Afternoon Tea is offered at the Vancouver location, and yes, it does come with a selection of macarons. You won’t find any scones here, as they serve savory croissant sandwiches, slices of cake, and madeleines with chantilly cream instead.
Now all you need to do is choose what type of afternoon tea experience you want the next time you are in Vancouver!
