Looking for the best high tea in Victoria, British Columbia? Skip past the capital city’s scenic harbour and enjoy a memorable afternoon sipping and nibbling the award winning Empress High Tea.
At Vancouver Island’s historic luxury hotel you’ll find a parade of tea lovers relaxing over steaming pots of high quality loose leaf. Point your pinkies up to the ceiling while enjoying the relaxing mid-afternoon British tradition with friends and family.
We know you’ll love indulging in the romantic and luxurious Fairmont Empress Tea experience! It’s the best high tea Victoria has to offer!
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Best High Tea in Victoria at Fairmont Empress Hotel
Fairmont Empress High Tea is considered one of Vancouver Island’s most sought after culinary experiences. Sitting perched over Government Street, British Columbia’s landmark luxury hotel offers visitors beautiful views overlooking the city’s scenic harbour.
The hotel officially opened its doors in 1908. Its construction started at the behest of Cornelius Van Horne, renowned manager of the Canadian Pacific Railway. Van Horne had developed a series of grand hotels (including Banff Springs Hotel in Alberta, Royal York Hotel in Toronto, and Le Château Frontenac in Quebec) at different points of the railway amid the height of the Gilded Age, in order to encourage passenger travel along the length of the track.
The Fairmont Empress, known by locals as simply “The Empress,” was among the last buildings that Van Horne completed. Famed architect Francis Rattenbury was commissioned to design the hotel after his success in designing the nearby legislative buildings in the relatively new Canadian province of British Columbia.
Like with many of Canada’s other grand railroad hotels, Rattenbury designed the hotel’s exterior to resemble that of a spectacular historic manor from France’s Loire Valley. Fairmont Empress was meant to serve businesspeople and tourists, but after the Canadian Pacific Railway discontinued service to the area, it was successfully marketed as an urban resort.
The hotel has been visited by celebrities and royals alike, including the Prince of Wales (1919), Winston Churchill (1929), King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (1939), and Queen Elizabeth II.
In June 2017, Fairmont Empress completed a $60 million restoration that celebrates its proud history while moving the hotel into a new era of modern luxury.
Today, the postcard-perfect hotel, along with its wildly popular Fairmont Empress Tea, is now arguably Victoria’s most visited tourist attraction.
What is High Tea?
High Tea, also known as Afternoon Tea, is a royal ritual, introduced in Britain in the early 1840s. The culinary tradition evolved into a mini meal to help stave off hunger pains before the evening meal at 8pm.
British High Tea was initially launched as a private social event for ladies looking to climb the echelons of high society. It wasn’t until Queen Victoria embraced the Afternoon Tea ritual that it became a more well known, larger scale “tea reception.” These historic receptions often included over two hundred guests who would drop in between the hours of 4pm and 7pm.
Across the United Kingdom today, Afternoon Tea is typically enjoyed on special occasions. It’s a posh indulgence for piping hot tea or iced tea lovers looking to celebrate a birthday, baby shower, pre-wedding party, Christmas or Mother’s Day.
Empress High Tea in Downtown Victoria
High tea offered in the Empress Hotel’s 138-seat luxurious Lobby Lounge has been a fixture of Victoria’s tourism offering since the hotel first opened its doors.
The classic Fairmont Empress Tea experience features quality loose leaf tea paired with a 3-tiered service. It arrives at the table filled to the brim with dainty sandwiches and sweet pastries made from locally grown ingredients from across Vancouver Island.
Some of the ingredients are hyper-local, sourced from the hotel’s rooftop garden and honeybee apiary, which produces approximately 1,110 kg of honey a year.
The tea is served with a china pattern custom-made in 1914 and used at the hotel since the visit by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in 1939.
Step inside the hotel’s gorgeous Lobby Lounge and enjoy Empress High Tea accompanied by live classical music played on a baby grand piano.
During the busy summer months, the Fairmont Empress Hotel serves more high tea than most hotels in London, England. More than 400 people each day visit the hotel to indulge in a tradition that has been an important part of Victoria for more than 110 years.
Best High Tea in Victoria Hand Crafted At The Empress
Tony Velinov is the Executive Pastry Chef responsible for overseeing the Empress High Tea menu.
Velinov began his career in 1999 as a pastry cook in Sofia, Bulgaria. He was a prominent Chocolate Demonstrator before immigrating to Canada in 2008.
Chef Tony settled in Newfoundland and spent time working at Vault Restaurant & Champagne Bar and Gipsy Tea Room Restaurant in St. John’s. He later worked in Montreal (Bistro Sofia at The Franklin Hotel) and Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise in Alberta before landing at the Fairmont Empress in 2021 as Executive Pastry Chef.
Dobbernationloves had an opportunity to chat with Chef Tony, “If you are in Victoria you must come to the Fairmont Empress and live like a King or Queen for the day. Join us for High Tea in the Lobby Lounge for an elevated culinary experience steeped in tradition. Pun intended,” he said.
The Fairmont Empress strives to ensure their iconic tea experience is the perfect balance of classic and modern, a reflection of the hotel itself.
“Although many of our tea items remain the same, to preserve the tradition, we like to innovate and flow with the season. Some of my favourite festive winter items are Roast Alberta AAA Beef Striploin and Chocolate Jasmine Tea Tart. In the warmer months, we switch it up and we have served hand-peeled Baby Shrimp Tarts and Cherry Hazelnut Gateaux,” said Chef Tony.
Yogesh Patel, General Manager for Tea at the Empress added, “I am originally from India and tea is an important part of my culture.”
Having high tea at the Empress isn’t just about the items on the plate or the tea in your pot. It is a fully immersive experience from the moment you walk through the doors of this 114-year-old hotel, draped in history, stories and grandeur.
Patel explained, “We offer Lot 35 Tea and my favourite changes with the season. In the Winter, my preferred pot is Grand Bazaar Spice, I believe it has just the right amount of sweetness, spice and fragrance to create a juxtaposition of the earthy flavours of the tea sandwiches, without overpowering them.”
As the seasons change, so do the Empress High Tea menus. “My tea preference changes from warm and spicy to light and sweet. The Butterfly Pea tea is light and floral and each leaf hand-rolled. We offer this premium tea, along with a few others for a small upcharge, and in my opinion, well worth the experience,” said Patel.
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Fairmont Empress High Tea Pricing
The Empress offers a high tea experience at various price points.
If you’re celebrating a special holiday like Christmas, Mother’s Day or Valentine’s Day we suggest upgrading your high tea to include a glass of sparkling champagne!
- High Tea is $89 per person
- Prince & Princess Afternoon $45 per person. Available to “tiny travelers” aged 5 to 12 years old.
- Champagne Tea featuring a glass of Veuve Clicquot Brut $122
- Royal Champagne Tea featuring a glass of Veuve Clicquot Rose $129
Fairmont Empress High Tea Menus
Three separate seatings are offered daily at 11am, 1pm and 3pm. Reservations are highly recommended, especially during the high season in the summer.
So what will you find on the three-tiered tea service? Flaky freshly baked scones with clotted cream and housemade preserves, an assortment of seasonally inspired pastries and dainty sandwiches.
The hotel’s pastry chef and culinary team do their best to cater to common diets and food allergies. In order to accommodate dietary restrictions, guests are required to notify the reservations team 24 hours in advance.
The Empress is currently able to cater to the following dietary restrictions: vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, lactose & dairy free, peanut and tree nut free, seafood and shellfish free, and diabetic friendly. They are unfortunately unable to cater to combinations of more than one of these dietary restrictions.
If you’re unable to book a reservation or are looking for a fancy picnic option in Victoria we recommend ordering an Empress Tea To Go Box.
Here is an example of a typical Empress High Tea Food Menu:
- Cold Smoked Pacific Sockeye Salmon: chive creme fraiche on blini
- Roasted Alberta Beef Striploin: horseradish creme fraiche, pickled red onion, seven grain
- Coronation Chicken Salad Sandwich: roasted farmhouse chicken, curried sweet onions, brioche
- Warm Leg Ham and Cheese Tartelette: savory free run egg royal, rooftop thyme, rathtrevor gruyere
- Sun Wing Farms English Cucumber: dill whipped cream cheese, fennel pollen and pink peppercorn on dark rye
- Freshly Baked Empress Raisin Scones: house made clotted cream, strawberry vanilla preserve
- Red Velvet Citrus Cheesecake: red velvet cake, candied lemon and orange peel
- Chocolate Jasmine Tea Tart: jasmine tea ganache, chocolate sable, caramel praline crunch
- Banana Caramel Financier: caramelized banana cake, dulce mousse
- Almond Florentine: caramelized roasted almonds, dark chocolate
- Cranberry Shortbread: crispy buttery cookie, white chocolate, preserved cranberries
Fairmont Empress Tea Menu
The Empress has created its own unique tea collection called LOT 35, curated by the Metropolitan Tea Company. The quality loose leaf teas are ethically sourced from the top tea producers in the world and are 100% traceable from tea garden to cup.
- 1907 Orange Pekoe: Bright, brisk and lively tea from Sri Lanka and Kenya.
- Imperial Breakfast: Burgundy depth and malt highlights. Bold and robust with a bright golden cup.
- Rose Congou Emperor: Five times layered with rose petals. A favourite of Princess Diana.
- Kyushu Japan Sencha: Deliciously vegetative green tea with buttery smoothness.
- Bella Coola Organic: Orange notes and highlights of velvety sweet pineapple.
- Creamy Earl Grey Organic: A heady Earl Grey with a delicious cream flavour.
- Borengajuliassam: A flavory, bright and full-bodied tea with superb malty highlights.
- Gingia Assam Gtop: Classically thick, juicy and deliciously malty.
- Blue Suede Shoes: Opens with smooth sweetness and finishes with mild noisette notes.
Best High Tea in Victoria Hotel Getaway
Whether you’re planning a fun vacation to explore Vancouver Island or a work trip to Victoria, booking a stay at the Fairmont Empress is an unforgettable experience!
The hotel offers a special package for loose leaf lovers. The Sleep & Steep Package combines accomodation with High Tea at the Empress.
- The Fairmont Empress Hotel overlooking Victoria’s scenic harbour offers 464 elegantly appointed guest rooms and suites.
- Enjoy rest and relaxation at the hotel’s Willow Stream Spa, offering signature West Coast beauty treatments.
- Q at the Empress Restaurant offers elevated Pacific Northwest cuisine and an award-winning wine list.
- Q Bar is Victoria’s go-to craft cocktail bar. We recommend arriving to high tea an hour early to enjoy a cocktail before being seated. Be sure to try locally produced Empress 1908 Gin as it is the world’s most famous violet coloured gin!
- Upgrade to Fairmont Gold to enjoy a unique “hotel-within-a-hotel” experience. Enjoy exclusive first-floor reception and concierge to the private guest lounge as well as complimentary hot breakfast, afternoon snacks, cocktail canapés and sweet treats.
High Tea is a popular tradition in the United Kingdom as well as the British colonies and beyond. These are our favourite afternoon tea experiences from around the world:
- Best Romantic High Tea in Downtown Toronto
- Balmoral Hotel Afternoon Tea in Edinburgh
- Afternoon Tea at The Langham Hotel in Chicago
- Afternoon Tea at the Shangri-La Hotel in Toronto
- Afternoon Tea at the Prince of Wales Hotel in Niagara
- Afternoon Tea at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Mumbai
- Afternoon Tea at Fairmont Chateau Laurier in Ottawa
- Afternoon Tea at the Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong
- Afternoon Tea at the Fairmont Empress in Victoria
- Afternoon Tea at The Plaza Hotel in New York City
- Afternoon Tea at Langdon Hall in Cambridge
- Afternoon Tea at Four Seasons Hotel Hampshire
- Afternoon Tea at Metrodeco in Brighton
- Afternoon Tea at Pettigrew in Cardiff
- Afternoon Tea at The Bermuda Perfumery
- Afternoon Tea at Urban Tea Merchant in Vancouver
- Afternoon Tea at Boh Tea Estate in Cameron Highlands, Malaysia
- Afternoon Tea at Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui
- Afternoon Tea at St Regis Resort in Bali
- Afternoon Tea at The Strand Hotel in Yangon
- Best Romantic High Tea in Downtown Toronto
- Balmoral Hotel Afternoon Tea in Edinburgh
- Afternoon Tea at The Langham Hotel in Chicago
- Afternoon Tea at the Shangri-La Hotel in Toronto
- Afternoon Tea at the Prince of Wales Hotel in Niagara
- Afternoon Tea at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Mumbai
- Afternoon Tea at Fairmont Chateau Laurier in Ottawa
- Afternoon Tea at the Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong
- Afternoon Tea at the Fairmont Empress in Victoria
- Afternoon Tea at The Plaza Hotel in New York City
- Afternoon Tea at Langdon Hall in Cambridge
- Afternoon Tea at Four Seasons Hotel Hampshire
- Afternoon Tea at Metrodeco in Brighton
- Afternoon Tea at Pettigrew in Cardiff
- Afternoon Tea at The Bermuda Perfumery
- Afternoon Tea at Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui
- Afternoon Tea at St Regis Resort in Bali
- Afternoon Tea at The Strand Hotel in Yangon
Fairmont Empress Hotel Reservations
721 Government St, 250-384-8111
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