Alina M.

I've dropped by here for snacks, teas, and meals a few times now. Personal favourite is their milk tea - it's super simple and so worth the price. It's simple and it's a classic especially since they use evaporated milk. Their food choices can be a hit or miss. I've found their full meals of rice or noodles to be wonderful. Even as takeout, their rice meals come in relatively large portions and are well balanced meals. The one thing I would avoid on their menu is their dimsum platter which was a definite disappointment. It tasted like the frozen packets of dimsum, lots of salt and pepper added masking any other taste. Their service is amazing though and the owner is incredibly nice and helpful with explaining the menu and walking through different options. While there is free wifi, there aren't too many outlets for working for extended periods of time.

Lasagna M.

Not what I was expecting, but a pleasant surprise. I was just looking for a cafe while I waited for my friends. The menu is really simple, with only a few options for food and tea. I quickly realized this was a good thing, as the owners have clearly mastered these recipes. When I asked for a recommendation for tea, the man at the counter actually read my palm. He also let me taste each of the five different pu-erh teas before I chose one. His recommendation (the black pu-erh tea) was spot-on.

Arshile K.

Crimson Teas has become one of my all-time favourite establishments in Toronto. This is entirely due to its owner - Philip. Philip is one of the most knowledgeable, generous, and friendly people I've ever met. I'm by no means a discerning tea aficionado. I like it and I appreciate its health benefits, but I've rarely craved it. Don't know where to begin when it comes to tea? No problem - Philip does all the work for you, and brings you an experience you're unlikely to find anywhere else in the city, especially at this price. His passion and knowledge of tea is unparalleled and infectious. Just hearing him talk about Pu'er tea is enough to at least pique your curiosity. At that point, he'll probably ask you to open your palm, feel your pulse, and recommend a specific option he thinks you'll like best. To show you he's no joke, he'll probably then let you try all the varieties for free, and let you decide which you like best. Chances are he'll have correctly recommended your favourite. And the teas are amazing. Philip is very health focused, and this is reflected in everything on his menu. He'll add a natural sweetener if you ask, but unlike all the bubble tea shops on Spadina that add an ungodly amount of sugar, sweet is by no means the standard here. Instead, you get the deeply natural and earthy taste of very high quality tea. Then there's the food. Crimson Teas is hands down my favourite lunch place in the city. Adopting a similar approach to his cuisine as he does his tea, Philip only serves the best and most nutritious meals he can imagine. Don't let that scare you though - this healthy consideration exponentially improves the taste instead of mellowing the flavour. For example, he only serves top quality black rice and green tea infused noodles, so that even the starches pack nutritional benefits. The portions here are very generous and the flavours are deliciously complex, but you never leave feeling gross or too full. I usually get the Tofu & Mushroom option with no rice or noodles (I come here often enough that I have to watch my carb intake). The dish is comprised of slices of premium tofu, a combination of shiitake and button mushroom, roasted sweet potato, steamed Chinese broccoli and tomato, and caramelized onions. Everything but the tomato and Chinese broccoli are marinated in a delicious, very subtly sweet soy based sauce that's robust in flavour but not on grease or oil. Really a stellar dish. All in all, this is a must-try spot. It easily beats out the competition just by virtue of the fact that Philip not only deeply cares about what he serves, but who he serves. Philip wants you to be happy and healthy, and does his best by offering drinks and foods you'll want to come back for. Often. The decor is reflective of Philip's spirit - open, communal, tasteful, and thoughtful. A long wooden table runs along the interior and matches the wood aesthetic that the restaurant is built on. Very calming and natural. The only thing I'd note is that if you're in a big rush, maybe stick to a drink. The food does take time to make as everything is super fresh - I like to come here with my laptop and work for a few hours around lunch. If you do have time though, ask him about his life's journey. It's worth it.

Robecca M.

Just wow! The BF and I had wanted to come here for a while and finally got a chance to drop by on a weekday. When we entered, we were the only one there. We were greeted with a warm welcome and was walked through the entire menu! We were also offered a sample to try their milk tea and ying yang. Both DELICIOUS. The milk tea is not the typical type you get from BBT places; this is legit HK style milk tea and it's is only $2.50!! What?! For such a huge size I still can't believe it. In the end my BF got the Red Pu-erh tea while I got the Milk tea with honey ginger ($5). I fell completely in love with my drink. I'm a big fan of ginger teas and milk teas separately and this drink was literally the best combination I've ever had!! My BF also got a BBQ pork tea rice which was quite filling, I stole a bite and it was pretty yummy! I got the sesame balls (tong yuen) in milk tea! SO yummy!! The place had a sort of hipster feel with a beautiful long communal table in the middle. The seats were cute little tree stumps. There are also a few extra tables around. During my stay there, I watched the host make each of our teas and other customers' teas with such care! I really appreciate seeing someone care so much about serving the best tea :) Overall, I will definitely come back again!!

Emily C.

I didn't know that this place had just moved into their new location until I got here; apparently the day I dropped by was their first day open! FYI, the milk tea here is only $2.50! That's such a good deal compared to some places, and you get a big mug of it! Plus, if you consider yourself a tea connoisseur, the tea here is actually really strong and flavourful, instead of being watered down. It came unsweetened though, so if you want sugar, you'll probably have to ask. They also have food if you get hungry! I had a really good first impression of this place. It looks really nice inside and their giant front windows let in a lot of light. It's a great place to study/work while being in an open space. The seating forces you to sit near or with others, which I like because it gives it a more friendly atmosphere. The chairs are actual blocks of wood and pretty comfortable. The workers here are all really nice! It was raining the day I came in, and one of the workers (Marian) was constantly mopping and sweeping the floors to keep it clean. When I came in, she smiled and welcomed me. I've never met workers this genuinely nice and who cared so much about their customers. The owner (I think), Phillip, came over to talk and introduce himself. It was a nice gesture! I left feeling pretty great. I think I may have found my new favourite place to come and study! 10/10 would recommend this place.

C. K.

Have been there a few times. Very nice and efficient services. They also offer 20% off discount for students. Most importantly, the owner is definitely a master of teas!

Marcella L.

My husband brought me to this place and told me he loved how the milk tea was flavourful yet light. As a milk tea fanatic, I was so excited to check it out. This place is amazing because of its owner. The man is so down to earth and genuinely wants to give you the best experience he can. He gave me a thorough run through of the different types of teas, and gave me a taste test for all of them. He even guessed which one was my favourite. He is also a huge advocate for the extensive health benefits Chinese tea brings to the body. I got a pu-erh milk tea - 16 Oz in a beer mug for only $4! It was a tasty and educational experience. Please do check it out! Absolutely worth it.

Kin K.

The owner is very passionate about his tea! Milk Tea sample tastes very good. Students get 18% discount!

Xiaoying S.

I had the tomato egg rice dish. The rice has a tea flavor and the mushrooms are a bit salty. The decor is artistic, and I like its chairs. The owner of this place, who I guess is also the cashier and the chef, is not friendly, and it did take a long time for the food to be served. Although the dish reminded me of homemade food, I probably won't go there again.. WiFi is available. There is discount for students. Price is not expensive.

Bryce H.

Great tea hosted by a very knowledgeable and passionate host. Come here for pints of pu-erh and interesting coffee-tea blends!

Christine X.

Came in on a Sunday early evening wanting to try this place since it was on College street but haven't gotten a chance to until now. They close at 7 pm on Sundays fyi. I loved the wooden communal tables and chairs made of square wooden tree blocks of various colours and height. When you walk in you get a smell of herbs and tea. We ordered the Yin Yang (milk tea + coffee) and the honey milk tea with ginger. Both drinks were light and delicious and not sweet which I like, some of you would probably want to add some sugar if you like things sweet. The owner made sure to double check our order to make sure they dont make a mistake which I appreciate rather than get the wrong dish altogether. I was surprised to see that he also cooks the dishes as well. I like that they have a small menu 3 rice dishes and 4 noodle dishes and all made with some sort of tea. My bf ordered the homemade bbq pork with veggies and multigrain tea rice and I got the homemade bbq pork with veggies and green tea noodles. The dishes came out after about 10 minutes to prepare and drinks came out right away. The bbq pork was very good and balanced out together with the rice and veggies. The tomato sauce with the green tea noodles was light tasting yet very rich in flavour. I felt very healthy and light eating the noodle dish and I tasted the tea in the noodles. We also ordered the black sesame balls in milk tea to end our meal even though I was very full, and that was great as well not too sweet the tea balanced out the sweetness from the sesame balls. Service was pleasant and quick, drink and food was great as well as the price and portion size. I definetely would recommend this place both my bf and I really enjoyed it here.