Tea at the Empress

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#42 of 710 Restaurants in VictoriaCafe, British, $$$$

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Tea at the Empress

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About

A grand tradition for over a century, the world renowned Fairmont Empress has served England's most beloved ritual of afternoon tea to famed royalty, celebrities and dignitaries alike. Reinvigorated in our timeless, sophisticated Lobby Lounge, Tea at the Empress will continue this quintessentially Victoria experience. Home of the Empress cake, which showcases an extra special customized chocolate developed by our Executive Pastry Chef AJ Thalakkat and experts in France, Tea at the Empress is among the world's best unique tea experiences. To complement our house-made signature Empress scones, pastries, clotted creams and strawberry preserves with fresh lavender from our rooftop herb garden, are 21 of the finest loose leafs teas available. Featuring our original blend of The Empress Tea and the exceptionally rare Tong Mu Phoenix Lapsang Souchong blend, the tea list is completely ethically sourced and certified by the Ethical Tea Partnership. Tea at the Empress is an absolute must-do event in Victoria.

Features

CUISINES

Cafe, British, Canadian

Meal types

Lunch, Drinks

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options

FEATURES

Accepts Credit Cards

American Express

Discover

Free Wifi

Full Bar

Highchairs Available

Live Music

Mastercard

Parking Available

Reservations

Seating

Serves Alcohol

Street Parking

Table Service

Valet Parking

Visa

Wheelchair Accessible

Wine and Beer

Location

721 Government St, Victoria, British Columbia V8W 1W5 Canada

Parking Available, Street Parking, Valet Parking

Can a vegan person get a good meal at this restaurant?

Yes

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Hours

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Closed now

• Opens at 11:00 AM

Sunday

11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Monday

11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Tuesday

11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Wednesday

11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Thursday

11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Friday

11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Saturday

11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

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4.1

1,352 reviews

Excellent

656

Very good

323

Average

214

Poor

105

Terrible

rlmptl

Lloydminster1289 contributions

Unique experience, be sure to dress up to enhance it

Sep 2024 • family

this was a once in a life time experience for us. We were 2 adults and a child age 5. Made a reservation for 1 pm on a Sunday and got the window side table we asked for by making sure we went earlier than our reservation and made the request. I am eating keto and that was accommodated with a bowl of fresh tasting berries with creme as well as lettuce wrapped sandwiches of smoked salmon, curry chicken and turkey with cucumber. It was all delicious but not quite enough to eat i was still hungry after 109.00 each. my daughter and granddaughter had a nice selection of filling sandwiches and treats. we all got to pick a nice pot of tea. it was overly warm for me in the room and others have mentioned the noise which i agree but it was not too bad and we were seated a decent distance from others. I noted our service was good with a very friendly and cheerful waiter. Because we had a young child we needed to get her food and drinks quickly to her and it was frustrating that i noted our service was very very slow compared to some of the other tables who sat down after us and had their tea and food almost right away while we waited well over 20 minutes. I never said anything cause i could see our experienced server was working very hard there were a lot of tables. my observation was more wait staff would have been better for a much improved experience. I am aware i had other food requests but we did ask for the little ones food promptly. i had to get up at least twice to ask other waiters to locate ours to bring things. We dressed up for the event which was really fun with pearls, gloves, hats a fancy dress and Tiara. With a price tag of well over 300 for the three of us we would not do this again but it was a very unique fun experience that you must try

Written September 19, 2024

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Dorset_Solo_traveller

Dorset2213 contributions

Lovely afternoon tea in the morning!

Mar 2025 • solo

Once I got my head around the concept of an ‘afternoon’ tea service that runs from 11 a.m. to 2.30 p.m. I decided to book for 11 a.m. and make it a late breakfast / early lunch meal! It’s not a cheap option at $110 but you are paying for the whole experience, and you are encouraged to take at least two hours for tea. I booked for 11 as the restaurant opened and as it was March and there were no cruise ships in, it was not at all busy during my tea. The service was excellent, I think my server was called Yusip and he was very attentive. I am quite traditional with tea, being very British and fussy - I like a strong tea with milk and he recommended the Empress blend which was excellent. Although when I have had afternoon tea in the UK they do usually offer to refresh your tea - here you are encouraged to remove the tea bag and the tea pot sits on a tea warmer which is not that effective. The tea arrived with two lavender shortbreads which were not mentioned on the menu but were very tasty. Then the food arrived on a tier of three plates, sweet at the top, savoury in the middle and a scone on the lowest tier. Although the cakes were excellent (particularly the bergamot macaron) my favourite thing on the plate was the smoked salmon mousse - my only complaint was that it was also the smallest thing on the plate, but so very tasty. I was seated at a window seat with a good view of the boats and harbour on a very sunny day and had a very lovely relaxing couple of hours. Although locating the restrooms when I left was a challenge - there were signs directing you upstairs but no signs suggesting there were more accessible restrooms which there were, located in the small shopping mall adjacent to the tea room.

Written March 6, 2025

JGJ

Columbia127 contributions

Go ahead and live a little!

Sep 2024 • couples

Yes, this is a crazy price to pay for tea and sandwiches, but I think it was worth it because of the experience. As a true tea lover, I reveled in the delicious tea options and landed on Empress Rose. It was sublime! The servings are quite ample (both food and drink), and you will leave stuffed. The sandwiches aren't anything to write home about, however the scones and pastries are quite tasty. We enjoyed champagne along with our high tea, but be prepared for a lofty charge for it. Oh well --- we had to experience it all!

Written September 27, 2024

Marbles20

Calgary299 contributions

So fun! Beautiful surroundings & delicious tea

Sep 2024 • friends

So much fun! The food was beautifully presented on classic China (read the story of the China in the gift shop) and the tea was phenomenal. There were a few of us in the group, and therefore we were able to order a few flavors of tea. Have fun with it – explore all the different flavors, we found them all to be delicious! The food was beautifully, presented, and quite delicious. In addition, our server was phenomenal… She had great recommendations for the tea and provided the high-level of service you would expect at high tea. It is expensive, it might be a one time experience - but would highly recommend for the afternoon. One tip would be to allow enough time, we found it took about 90 minutes from start to finish.

Written September 29, 2024

Rand S

Winnipeg20 contributions

Empress Tea…A Waste

Mar 2023 • couples

Save your $$$$…place is grossly overpriced . My wife and I were the in March 2020. $187.00 plus tip for one pot of tea and a tower of little sandwiches that had the physical mass of less than two McDonald’s Happy Meal cheeseburgers. We left the place starving. The pianist was so loud that we couldn’t hear each other talk. Walked through there again yesterday (Feb 2024) and saw that nothing had changed except for the pianist. He’s older and still noisy. We’re going to try the tea at the Bouchard Gardens…a way less expensive….with other options for those looking for more than the tea sandwiches.

Written February 15, 2024

Leilani A

8 contributions

Sadly Disappointed

Jun 2024 • family

: The afternoon tea experience at the Empress was disappointing. The atmosphere was crowded and noisy, making us feel like we were being rushed out. Our waiter only asked for our tea selection and nothing more, leading to confusion about our daughter's order. We had to track down the waiter to clarify and were never asked if we wanted additional drinks. We had to request water, which was not refilled throughout the meal. While the tea and food were good, they were not worth the high price. We expected more from the service and atmosphere. It was disappointing that there was no information about the history of the Empress on the menu or in the hotel. We were told to Google it, which was not the experience we were hoping for. Overall, the Empress afternoon tea fell short of our expectations. The lack of attention to detail and the subpar service made it a forgettable experience. We would not recommend it to others looking for a special and memorable afternoon tea experience.

Written June 19, 2024

Dear Virginia

Tacoma185 contributions

Beautiful tradition to relax and unwind, but do your homework to make sure this is the one you want!

Sep 2024 • couples

"Afternoon tea" starts at 11, so schedule at the start if you want to enjoy a very light brunch. It is a set menu of offerings which is a bit frustrating at the price, and would not be helpful for a family with picky eaters or high allergen concerns (though they do ask and meet diet restrictions). A large selection of unique teas and you get 2 choices at the table... but the real hit is the mimosas though they are a separate charge. Piano playing, relaxing, and a great "tradition" to experience... However, there are other places to have this traditional experience so do your homework better than I did on what is served at each. Highly professional staff though and everything was delicious!

Written September 18, 2024

DJB05

Toronto52 contributions

A better server would have made for a better experience

Sep 2024 • couples

I'm glad that we had the classic experience of High Tea at The Empress, but it's not something we'll be doing again. The lounge is lovely. The tea was excellent. The food was mixed, with a couple of excellent items, some that were good but average and some I'd give a pass on. What can make or break the experience is the server, and unfortunately we had a server who had no personality and showed no interest. He came by to take our order and to bring the tea and we never talked with him again, although he walked by our table many times. The sandwiches and pastries were served by someone else who brought them from the kitchen and explained what was what. I saw other servers who were clearly much more engaged with their customers than the person who served us; I guess we just got unlucky. It was later in the day so maybe he was tired and wanting to end his shift, but as customers, we shouldn't be wondering if that's what his problem is. So, as a result, the experience didn't feel warm or inviting - quite the opposite in fact. And the price... much too high for what you get. You are paying for the experience as much as for the food and tea, and when the experience is lacking, well....

Written October 14, 2024

Alan S

Santa Cruz174 contributions

not as good as in the past

Jul 2023 • couples

We have always loved Afternoon Tea at The Empress and we felt that it was worth the splurge. We have been there a number of times over the years, but this time is probably the last time we will go there. The room is lovely, I appreciate that they will accommodate to a number of different dietary restrictions, and overall the food is tasty. Where they are falling short lately is service. We have always enjoyed the gracious service and the formality of it, that no longer seems to be the case. Our server came back to our table 3 times to ask what our choice was for tea, not a big deal but not how it used to be. Usually the server would pour tea for us at times during the meal and ask if we needed more tea, that did not happen this time. No one brushed the crumbs from the table after we finished the food while we were still sipping tea. Yes, these are all small things, but those small things are what used to make the high cost of the meal worth what we paid. For tourists who are not concerned about the price, it might be worth going once just to say they did it, but I miss the old days when it was a really lovely experience.

Written July 11, 2023

Hawaiian Canuck

Vancouver2074 contributions

Expensive, but you just have to do it.

Dec 2023 • solo

I am writing this while I am sitting down for tea at the Empress. It’s December 23rd and i decided to treat myself to a seaplane flight over to Victoria for the day to finish Xmas shopping. You just have to do Empress afternoon tea…it’s a local tradition. Everything is great. Lorne my server is chatty and fun, the teas offered are creative and seasonal ( I had their Xmas Plum spice and Roobois marizipan teas), the scone was warm and the clotted cream thick, and the sandwiches tasty and sweets delicious. My only fault is that for the price, you don’t get as much as other teams that I have done all over (especially in the UK). Only one scone instead of two. Again, afternoon tea is not a full meal, and you do feel full after leaving. Maybe I am being overly critical but this service isn’t cheap and I expected a bit more.

Written December 23, 2023

33MAL

Old Basing26 contributions

Brilliant afternoon tea

Sep 2024 • couples

Outstanding afternoon tea . One of is lactose intolerant and the waiter immediately offered a completely lactose Free afternoon tea . Every element was a clever item . The sandwiches were well based on the standard items. The cakes all delicious and dairy free Wonderful service and as we are from England , “home of the afternoon tea “. We have pleasure in saying it was the best we had ever had .

Written September 5, 2024

Leo M

728 contributions

Good but not great high tea in delightful surroundings

May 2024 • couples

My wife and I have enjoyed many a high tea over the years and the one at The Empress was no exception. That said, it was something of a mixed bag. The scones were wonderful. Seldom have we had their equal and only once have we had better. And the jam and clotted cream were on point. Next, the cucumber and coronation chicken sandwiches were literally the best we've even tasted - the cucumber a delightful vegetable forward creation reminiscent of a mille feuille and the coronation's curry extraordinarily flavorful without being overwhelming. And the other sandwiches were quite good as well except for the smoked salmon which was oddly thick cut overwhelming the other elements of the sandwich. And for whatever reason, there was no egg and 'cress - its presence was missed. Which leads us to the dessert tray, which was unfortunately a staggering disappointment. We nibbled at all of them but found none that we enjoyed - most were absurdly sweet and none particularly bright, luscious, or flavorful. And the tea itself was merely fine. I had the Empress Blend and my wife the much vaunted Rose tea. Perhaps in the search for 'alternative' teas (of which there were many) they lost their focus on providing a truly excellent black. I suppose I should have gone with the Earl Grey but I had hoped and expected the house blend would be best. Lastly and despite all the other flaws, the service went above and beyond and the atmosphere was truly delightful. But I also find that I simply can't avoid mentioning the issue of price...even compared to that of some of the finest teas in London. All in all if you are visiting Victoria and you have the opportunity, of course you should go to High Tea at the Empress. But I don't know that we would return anytime soon.

Written May 17, 2024

Kate P

1 contribution

DISAPPOINTING!!!

Aug 2023 • family

Huge disappointment. Was supposed to be a special treat for our granddaughter’s 10th birthday. Made reservation 3 months in advance, spoke with concierge on arrival about the 6 of us wanting a specific space for this special high tea and stopped by the reception for high tea at the Empress two days before our reservation reiterating the importance of making it special event. Arrived on the 3rd of August to be seated at a small low round table with not enough space to even hold the food trays and tea warmers at the same time. Could only pick three teas because there was not enough room on the table!!! $600.00 dollars for two kids and four adults. This was supposed to be a memorable experience for our granddaughters birthday…. It sure was…. squashed together in the middle of the room with not enough room to even eat and drink our tea properly. So disappointing horrible experience. Total waste of time trying to organize what was supposed to be a very special event. 👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻

Written August 4, 2023

Dave T

Tracy832 contributions

Pricy, but truly an experience NOT to miss.

May 2024 • couples

Elegance in an era where that’s hard to find. From a page of tea selections to another page of mimosa choices, even the menu was a delight. Scones with clotted cream and fruit preserves started the stacked tray (right after the tea and mimosas were served), then the finger sandwiches, topped by some desserts that were both tasty and filling. The service matched the quality of the food. On the pricey side but again, this is an experience that all should try at least once - we tried MORE than once and have NOT been disappointed.

Written May 30, 2024

HHagens

2 contributions

Meh

Oct 2023 • couples

I really wanted to enjoy this time. We last enjoyed afternoon tea at the empress in 2012. Snagged a reservation two months in advance as I knew we’d be in Victoria to celebrate our wedding anniversary. We were seated promptly and our waitress was so kind. But the ambience of being seated with a giant plant between us and in our faces as close to the exit of the room was far from enjoyable. We did our best to move it but it felt silly rearranging the decor at the empress so we folks see each other and not have leaves touching our heads. On top of that, the food is just very overpriced. Ham and cucumber and egg salad and chicken salad sandwiches. At $100 per person, it felt extremely overpriced for the quality of the food and the ambience didn’t match the experience I remember.

Written October 8, 2023