Beautiful, lush gardens waiting for you to stroll through them. Relaxing and quiet despite being…read moreamongst a busy neighborhood. The tea house was amazing! Nicely set up with the finest English dishes and excellent hot teas. A perfect selection of afternoon tea scrummies, calm and peaceful. A love story behind the property told nicely by the servers as you sip. Highly suggest you try this if you're not in the mood for the main garden attraction offered in town! Gorgeous.

The gardens were fantastic! Well maintained with close in trails that give it a very close in…read moresecret garden feel. There is also a trail suitable for wheelchairs and other assistive devices. This is not a really large garden, but very well designed and laid out. The variety of species is fantastic and the flowering blossoms are everywhere. The tea itself is a different story as I'm a bit of a tea snob. There are no menus or choices for sandwiches or type of tea. I found the tea sandwiches to be dry and stale bread. Being a tea snob, I also prefer private seatings instead of 8 strangers at a table all reaching into the same tower of sandwiches for choices you didn't get to make. Non Europeans just don't understand the finer points of tea. This 'European seating' of strangers sharing a table works for western ideas of pubs, not for an afternoon tea. Five stars for the garden. 2 stars for the stale sandwiches and tepid unknown tea with no cozies or leaves strainers or spoons or choices...

A well established staple, I knew I had to have tea here on my recent trip to Victoria. The hotel…read moreis an architectural gem, and and even though the tea is in a lobby, it still achieves a polished feel. The tea selection is compelling and my choice, the rose congou emperor, was stellar. The sandwhiches and pastries were all quite high quality. However, where the tea really raises the bar is in the service itself. Our server was friendly, welcoming, and informative. It really lent an extra level of special to the whole experience.

Good experience to try one time but I don't see myself doing it again. This is the iconic tourist…read moreactivity to do in Victoria - afternoon tea at the Fairmont Empress. It can be a bit spendy as it starts at CA$109 per person before tax and tip - at least for me I allocated the entire $100 USD dining credit with the Amex fine hotels and resorts benefit on this. Reservations are almost mandatory for weekend and I'm glad I made one just in case, although it was rather risky due to the 48 hour cancellation policy if I fly in the morning of, but it worked out. They're strict on time - I made a 12pm reservation and they refused to seat me even though it was not busy at all at 11am opening and made me wait until exactly 12pm. A bit harsh when I contacted the hotel and made a note to the restaurant for my arrival details. I got the traditional afternoon tea for 1 so just tea and 3 tiers of scones, small bites, and desserts. It was quite nice of them to refill the entire tier of savory small bites even though I only requested 3, so that was a nice touch that somewhat made up the poor first impression. You can request more of certain items for free, just don't abuse the system basically The food with the 1 tier refill was more than enough food for me - the service was decent as they checked up on me during the meal. I nicely asked for the tea gift box that is only reserved for anniversaries and they accommodated, but this will almost unlikely happen in many situations so your mileage may vary. I did wait 20 minutes for the gift box as it wasn't a priority for them, so do what you will to see if it is worth the time (I at least was not in a rush)

An amazing amusement park full of tea!…read more I've never seen so many teas offered, with such an outstanding variety and creativity of tea blends. Even if tea is not your cup of tea you can't help but be amazed with Murchies. There's plenty of coffee varieties as well as very nice accessories and gifts...and that's just the retail area. The tea, coffee, bakery treats, plus breakfast and lunch items are extensive. The specialty tea and coffee drink creations are truly inspired. Deliciousness awaits you at Murchie's.

A charming tea and coffee shop in the heart of Victoria. The first thing that caught my eye was the…read morevintage "tea granny" machine out front, a fun and unique touch that makes you want to stop and check the place out. The coffee was good, but if you're visiting Murchie's, get the tea. This is clearly where they shine. The selection is impressive, and the tea is fresh, flavorful, and expertly prepared. Whether you're a tea enthusiast or just looking to try something different, it's worth it. A great spot to take a break while exploring downtown Victoria.

We had the high tea as an early lunch and it was a really fun experience. They have a set menu so…read moreall you need to choose is your type of tea and any cocktails or extra drinks you'd like. The ambience is amazing, we sat outside in the shade overlooking the rose garden. It was tranquil and really beautiful. Our server was extremely friendly, she explained everything on the menu and was attentive and friendly throughout the service. I definitely recommend this as an experience if you're coming to visit the gardens. A few fyi's: Reservations are a must, and outdoor/indoor seating is by preference first come first served.

Back for another high tea after more than 10 years. The service and ambiance are still amazing as…read morebefore. Lovely way to spend an afternoon after visiting the gardens. Food is still very good and even after trying high tea in London, I still much prefer this one. However, having to pay admission to the garden in order to come here is a bit silly imo. I'd come way more often if this wasn't the case. I highly recommend trying the afternoon tea here if you've never tried it!

I have never had tea like this before and I felt like I had to come in proper attire but they do…read morenot scrounge you in your leggings and fleece sweater at all! The place is super cute. It's a old Victorian style house that has been turned into a tea party spot. Our server Keira was super patient and sweet. We ordered the afternoon tea for two. I opted for the peach tea and it was so tummy satisfying as it was a cold day too. It hit the spot! We got our tower of decadent sweet and salty treats. My favorite was the beef pot pie and the potato mash. That paired very well together. As far as sweets, the tart and chocolate cake were delish! Make sure to come with an empty tummy. We were not able to finish half of the goodies we were served but you can always take it to go.

At the Pendry Tea House, one does not merely have afternoon tea; one boards a doomed vessel,…read morecrosses the boundary of good sense, and descends, Virgil-less and increasingly dehydrated, into a minor but memorable circle of Dante's Inferno. More specifically, the experience recalls Canto XXVI, when Dante encounters Odysseus in Hell: the great voyager whose final journey is not wisdom, but overconfidence, misdirection, and wreckage. Pendry offered much the same voyage, except the sea was tannic tea, the ship was a sun-blasted room without air conditioning, and the wreckage cost 167 Canadian dollars. The setting was the first sign that we had passed through the gates. Rather than being seated in a calm or elegant space, everyone seemed shoved into the same glaring, sunlit room, where the lack of air conditioning turned afternoon tea into a slow roast. It was less refined Victoria tea service and more waiting room in the eighth circle: hot, crowded, and airless. If Dante had needed a modern architectural metaphor for Hell, this room would have done nicely. Then came the vegetarian meal, each course another island on the journey, each landing bleaker than the last. The bread was dried past redemption, as if abandoned on shore long before we arrived. The scones were burnt in a way that suggested not rustic charm, but open hostility. The cucumber sandwiches were the most haunting stop of all: barely two slices of cucumber, no discernible spread, and all the lushness of a moral allegory about scarcity. As for the vegan option, it was so dry that the Sahara might have sent a cease-and-desist for reputational damage. With each bite, another member of the culinary crew seemed to be left behind. The tea itself was somehow worse, which is especially impressive at a tea house. Silk Road should strongly consider pulling any association they have with this establishment, because the staff appeared not to know the steep times for the teas on their own menu. At a tea house, steeping guidance is not ornamental; it is the rudder. Without it, the whole voyage is already lost. The jasmine green tea tasted less like jasmine flowers and more like someone had steeped the dirt from beneath a jasmine bush. The tannic overload was so severe that I had to order a Coke simply to exorcise the taste from my mouth. It was the kind of bitterness Dante might have reserved for fraudulent counselors: those who know the language of refinement but use it to lead others into suffering. The masala chai, meanwhile, was so weak that I do not think even someone with IBS would have found it threatening, though perhaps that is too generous, because visually it resembled the brown water left behind by data farms in AOC's mason jar. The rich golden color one expects from chai was nowhere to be found. To their credit, they did swap it for a breakfast blend, but that tea, too, arrived with no instructions, no steeping guidance, and no follow-up. No one came by to ask whether the teas were good. We had to inquire ourselves. The service completed the allegory. When the trays of pastries were brought to the table, they were not presented so much as dumped upon us, as if they were refuse--which, surprisingly, they largely were. No one explained what anything was. At other tea services in Victoria, such as Butchart Gardens, there is pride in presentation. There, the staff arrived equipped with a baton and explained each item with care and ceremony. Here, our questions seemed to be treated as trespass, as if curiosity itself had violated house rules. We were not guests being guided through a service. We were passengers who had made the mistake of asking the captain where exactly he was taking us. The finale was fittingly infernal. After removing the first of two trays, the staff disappeared for over thirty minutes and only returned with the bill after being prompted. For two people, an 18% gratuity had already been included, which perhaps explains the total absence of incentive to provide anything resembling attentive service. Like Odysseus urging his crew onward while knowing only his own ambition mattered, the house had already secured its reward. The rest of us could drift. Hell may have no fury like that of a woman scorned, but should you wish to experience the particular fury of being packed into a hot, sunlit room without air conditioning, then served dried bread, burnt scones, cucumber sandwiches without dignity, tea brewed beyond recognition, and service conducted as though hospitality were an imposition, by all means book a table at the Pendry Tea House. At 167 Canadian dollars, it is less an afternoon tea than a guided descent: a voyage past taste, past comfort, and past the last known boundary of hospitality.

We walked by this little gem and saw a line so of course we had to check it out. The folks in…read morefront of us said they were regulars and the line moves fast so we waited. We got 1 of the front tables in the front window area and it was just soo quaint! Loved it. We ordered Sourdough Tartine-2 poached eggs, Fol Epi sourdough, cashew cheese, broccoli, romesco, served with greens and added homemade sausage. It was really flavorful and delicious!! Great combo!! The sausage was also very juicy and tasted yummy. We also got the honey rooibos vanilla latte and sweet and salty latte. And both drinks were great!! I also had a carrot muffin to go and it was moist and very tasty! Soo charming when you are in the area!

Such a wonderful place! We had the pork dinner and a lingcod dinner - pork belly and tuna tataki…read morewere our starters. We tried all the desserts - cheesecake, chocolate cake and lemon tart. Everything was perfect. Service was the best. Our server helped us choose wisely. The inside of the restaurant is beautiful. If you're looking for a lovely night out I don't think you could do better than this restaurant.

i'd been really looking forward to checking out jaga silk, and finally got the chance on a friday…read morebetween noon and 4:00 pm, their only open hours each week. tucked away in nootka court at 633 courtney street, just steps from the victoria bug zoo, this café has a reputation for its maccha milled right here in victoria. they also supply their teas to other cafés, host tastings and workshops, so there's clearly a strong focus on the craft and quality. i got there around 12:05 pm, and there was already a couple seated at the bar with two more people ahead of me. not surprisingly, a steady stream followed soon after, the kind of quiet rush you'd expect from a place that opens just four hours a week. the space feels warm and rustic, shelves lined with teacups, maccha bowls and brewing gear. it has that quiet charm that makes you observe and appreciate their maccha making technique and process. one side of the café displays neatly arranged maccha tins, ceramic bowls, and starter kits, each item speaking to the care that goes into their craft. three baristas were behind the counter, focused, but clearly stretched thin. the café was busy, someone was in training, and a bit of confusion at the register made things feel a little chaotic. i ordered the oku shimo maccha latte ($12) with oat milk and a black sesame daifuku ($5), my second maccha latte of the day, because apparently moderation doesn't apply when it comes to tea. the latte took a while and came out lukewarm, having sat while they sorted an overcharge. the foam art had already blurred by the time it reached me. my daifuku was forgotten until i asked about it about nine minutes later, when it finally arrived, with an apology, it was filled with red bean instead of black sesame. it tasted fine, just not what i was expecting. for $17, the quality and service didn't feel worth it. i left wishing it had matched the story i'd built up in my head, of a serene, intentional tea experience, steeped in care and ritual. everything about the space suggests harmony and mindfulness, but the execution didn't quite land. it's the kind of place you want to fall in love with, the kind that promises quiet beauty and reflection, but sometimes, even the most beautiful rituals can lose their rhythm.

Extremely friendly and helpful. I came in with a bit of a sour stomach ache, and the barrister made…read morea suggestion for something I would not have tried on my own-really wish I could tell you what it was, but it was fermented and a little bubble in it. Served in a chemistry beaker and a rocks glass-which I thought was clever. I didn't really 'love' the taste-but it did do the trick! Made my stomach feel much better. My daughter ordered a green frothy thing that she at first did not like ...and then it grew on her and she loved it. (served in a mason jar with a metal straw to be environmental-which I absolutely LOVE and will try and find one to buy for myself here in the states) Comfy little funky seating area with an old couch and chair

Staff is very friendly and accommodating. Nice modern looking bake shop. Bread pudding is very…read moreyummy. Must be served warm!

i really wanted to like this café, and honestly, i'd still recommend it for the aesthetics alone…read more the interior is beautiful, with glossy black and white checkered floors, soft white paneling, and a chandelier that adds a touch of elegance above the counter. natural light pours in from the tall front windows, illuminating the pastry case and giving the whole space a serene, gallery like feel. it's a calming spot to step into, and would be an ideal setting for a proper afternoon tea service. i ordered an almond croissant, french bread pudding, and the gateau du jour, green tea and vanilla, along with a yuzu maccha (sourced from jagasilk), all to go. the drink was the biggest disappointment, the yuzu flavour was absent, and the matcha itself was weak. on top of that, there's a small surcharge for ice (.50, which i did not expect) and oat milk (.50). the almond croissant looked promising with its golden shell and slivered almonds, though the nuts themselves weren't fully toasted, which made the topping feel a little underwhelming. the interior leaned more dense than the airy, flaky layers i'd been hoping for. this sometimes happens when the lamination doesn't quite hold or the proofing isn't ideal, not unusual with croissants, but still a letdown in contrast to its appearance. the green tea cake was beautifully presented, with neat layers of sponge and green tinted buttercream, but leaned on the sweeter side, with only a subtle whisper of green tea. the bread pudding, reheated at home, was the highlight, soft, custardy, and lifted by the vanilla cream sauce it came with. seating is limited but cozy, with a handful of small tables inside and a couple more out on the sidewalk. their selection is broad: whole cakes, slices, macarons, crème brûlée, tarts, cookies, all arranged neatly in the front window to tempt passersby. the café's charm lies in its design and atmosphere. it's worth a visit if you're nearby and want a chic spot to sit and relax, and i'd go back to try their other cakes, the display alone makes it hard not to.