This is honestly my favourite place in the city to get all kinds of teas. My favourite one they sell is the Japanese Kukicha tea. This is also the spot where I can buy decent quality and affordable-ish relative to other really expensive brand, Matcha powder. I really hope they don't raise prices when people catch on to the fact that this place has really good Matcha for the price. If I can't go in the store, I will order online and it usually comes in within a day and they will even give free samples if you order online. I've tried their Jasmine tea as well. It is so fragrant and so delicious. My partner was looking for a gift for his mother and wanted a special kind of tea that is a flower and basically blooms when you steep it, and this place that had it. So if you're looking for something niche or just something nice and easy drink this is the place! read more

High quality tea located in Union Station! The teas aren't too sweet and the tapioca pearls are fresh. The cup design looks aesthetic and the stoppers are awesome too. Service is friendly and quick so it's an ideal spot if you're looking to grab tea on the go. read more

Tao Tea Leaf - two iced drinks on a table - Tea Rooms Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Being a big fan of tea, I've had this place earmarked for a while...but without my knowledge, my dad actually beat me to it! He had ordered a whole package of a type of black tea called lapsang souchong (which I've actually never heard of) because he had it on good authority that this store was the most reliable at providing high quality tea leaves. Fortunately, we were both right. :) This particular tea had a rich, slightly smoky flavour that was smooth but not bitter or overwhelming at all. The aroma and colour (a translucent red) smelt and looked great, and per my subsequent research are basically what they should be. Prices also seemed to be reasonable on their website, which is easy enough to navigate, and of course there were no issues with the delivery. We will continue to order from here for our tea needs - hopefully can also pay a visit in person to the store soon too. read more

Tao Tea Leaf Ltd. has this awesome website! The best tea website where one can get all you want to know about tea. And you can order anything you can imagine to make your perfect cup of tea from their website. Free shipping for order over $50. (Now I sounded like one of those Spam yelp reviews!) +3 stars But visiting the Tao Tea Leaf shop itself is kind of an anti-climax. Walk in on a Sunday afternoon and it is dead with no customers... that's fine but it is so uncomfortable when the lady followed us all over the store.... I am scared to touch anything afraid I might break them! Note to lady: It will be nice if you would offer us some tea sample to try, which is a common practice at most tea shops... This is the only teashop place that I would rather shop online then in person..which is quite unusual for me since I love to touch and smell what I buy! read more

Tao Tea Leaf - Tea Rooms Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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SALE ALERT: They have two huge 50% off sales throughout the year: Canada Day and Boxing Day! I have been looking for an independant loose-leaf tea shop for a while. Tao Tea Leaf has an amazing selection of oolong and green tea, as well as herbal and black tea. They also do free shipping on online orders of $35+ (and they give you free samples in your package so you still get to try new tea!). They package the tea very well so it remains fresh for a long time. They also put stickers on each package with information on how to brew the specific tea that was purchased. On their website, they explain where exactly each tea comes from, with photos from the farms. The lady at the store that helped us pick our tea was very knowledgeable and patient. You can sense that they are passionate about what they do. I will be ordering tea from Tao Tea Leaf on a regular basis. Love this shop! read more

Tao Tea Leaf - Sample of ginseng oolong tea. This is my favourite so far - Tea Rooms Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Tao Tea Leaf is my go to and favourite tea shop in Toronto. I am very passionate about tea and tea culture. I am a bit of a tea snob (heheh) I only want to drink the best quality teas and I am so so happy that there is a tea shop in Toronto carrying top grade, premium quality teas from China. The owners and staff at the tea shop are also super friendly and informative. Always love visiting Tao. They also carry the best quality Chaga Tea which has been helping me throughout the winter to boost my immune system. read more

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I was looking for another place to get straight tea other than DAVIDsTEA. I came across Tao Tea Leaf based off of reviews online and decided to go check it out. They are located a little south of Rosedale station as part of a larger commercial building. The establishment is small since they only sell tea and not a cafe. My friend and I were greeted by the owner and he was very nice and knowledgeable about tea. The shop is very clean and tidy with tea canisters behind the counter. A bit of history about the owners: he came to Canada and enjoyed tea a lot but Canada at the time wasn't really big into tea drinking. He decided to open up a tea shop after seeing some other shops open like Teaopia. His shop offers tea from his hometown in China: which I thought added a unique charm to his shop that no one else has. He is very knowledgeable about tea and can give you suggestions based on what you are looking for. He offers a selection of straight teas with few flavoured ones. I think if you want to get into straight teas, this is the place to go: especially if you are planning on getting into oolongs. If you aren't 100% certain on a tea and don't want to commit, they offer sample sized that you can take home to try. He also offers a 17 day trip to China to understand growing and processing of tea. Overall, I had a really great experience with this shop. The owner is very nice and super knowledgeable. I will definitely come here again (or order online) for my tea. read more

Nice shop with an excellent variety of teas. They have a huge selection of straight and blended tea. Some of their blends are custom blends created and blended by their team. They also have several award-winning teas. read more

A hidden gem in downtown Toronto! Tao Tea Leaf will probably go unnoticed by many, until you take the brilliant decision to enter - you will be amazed by their collection of chinese teapots (for sale, control your wallet!) and delicious teas. Make sure to HAVE A TEA THERE. It's like a ceremony, no other tea house in this city has ever served me like them. They will explain every single detail about each tea and serve you like you were the one and only customer they have. I've tried a premium green tea, and bought the acclaimed Milk Oolong (100g, will last forever) - a must have for fall/winter season, especially if you like lattes. I'd like to be able to buy the tea in cans, instead of bags, and to have more seating in the tea shop - as the way they serve tea is their differential. It's a beautiful, amazing place and I can't wait to come back! read more

I still have much to learn about Tea but I'm really starting to like this establishment. The tea proprietor is a very friendly, unassuming fellow who is very patient. With him there are no stupid questions. I purchased 2 Tea types: Milk Oolong and Yellow. I have yet to try the Yellow but the Oolong is truly fantastic. Even when I'm done with drinking I keep it in a mug as I love the smell of the steamed Oolong leaves. While I have yet to purchase any Black Teas I smelled some and I was able to tell that they weren't as strongly flavoured as the Indian & Sri-Lankan based teas of "House of Tea", which admittedly is my preference. But for East-Asian grown teas, I'm really starting to believe that this is the place to go to. I was a little thrown off by the price--the cost is rather high-end, but the proprietor has a personal relationship with Chinese growers and he selects them for the store himself! There's no middleman here--so you know beyond doubt that you're getting what is labelled. Also worth noting is the packaging; smaller portions come in conveniently resealable bags and the 85g portions can be packaged in wonderful airtight canisters that are of course reusable when finished with the tea, which I prefer to the bags packaged by "House of Tea". "House of Tea" is much more generous with free samples, however. In summary, I would say "Tao Tea Leaf" definitely deserves a look, although you probably should brace yourself for sticker shock. I'm no expert on Chinese grown teas but if the Oolong Teas are any indication this is the place to buy all East-Asian Teas. I still prefer "House of Tea" for the Indian and Sri-Lankan Black Teas and wonderful Orange-Eucalyptus Rooibos, and for the generous assortment of free sampling, but I'm also liking the great value for the reusable, nicely designed airtight canisters of "Tao Tea Leaf". Why limit yourself to one Tea-store anyway? read more

I really like their teas.... I have purchased amazing Organic Cononut Oolong tea (didnt see that anywhere else), they have very nice and interesting Milk Ooolong tea (smells like milk and also tastes creamy).. The lady I buy the teas from is so friendly and nice and she takes time to explain about each tea, love it. Plus, its never crowded, so.. I take my time too :) My only wish - they could have more selections of Earl Grey Teas.. They have only regular and Cream Earl Grey tea which is still nice but I would like to see more options. Prices are also affordable. read more

Excellent choice of Chinese teas. Amazing quality. I always shop online. Delivery is fast and accurate. There are two big 50% off sales - Canada Day and Christmas. read more

I recently discovered Tao Tea Leaf after a friend told me I had to check them out. I am grateful for the product knowledge, hospitality and amazing teas they offer. During each visit I am greeted and assisted by the same gentleman who has a very warm personality. My heart goes out to him, he truly is a wonderful representative of this gem. He has recommended many teas to me based on my preference, ones that are popular, his personal favourites and even some from his home town. I have yet to try one I didn't like. Thank you Tao for being so good to me! See you again soon :) read more

I rarely give 5 stars to anyone, but Tao Tea Leaf is by far my favourite tea shop in Canada. Tao, the owner, is one of the most knowledgeable and helpful person I know in the tea world. The shop is the best in Canada for Chinese tea. A nice assortment of authentic yixing teapots are also offered. This is the tea shop to which I compare all other tea shops. read more

I love the teas here. It doesn't get better! The owner is very knowledgeable. One day I'll go on his annual tour of tea gardens around Asia. The shop was renovated very recently, so everything is crisp and white, and super clean. I love the cubby shelving that lets you focus on each display item individually. My favourites so far are his Yunnan teas, and White Moon Puerh. Every time I go, I discover something new, so that may change :) read more

I was excited to find an authentic Chinese tea shop in the area and read that the shop owner(s) are very knowledgeable about tea. I don't deny that but the shop itself feels small and not too welcoming. They do have a moderate selection of tea and teaware -- including tea trays and even "tea pets"! (which are stone "status" that will serve as a decoration and companion when you are having tea, the "proper way"). Service was not bad, but there's no sampling of tea which I am used to (I must confess, San He tea shop at Yonge and Eg spoiled me in that regard). I will probably be back there for their tea pot and teaware collection, and possibly their green teas. read more

Without doubt one of the best tea shops in North America. If you like Chinese teas, this is the place to go to in Toronto. If you are visiting Toronto, it is worth checking out. Tao Tea Leaf will not disappoint you if you have been to great teashops in Asia - their quality is great and Tao (the tea master) really knows his stuff. This is the only place I would have confidence in buying traditional Asian tea ware. A gem of a shop in a city not known for its food or beauty. read more

Excellent customer service both online and in-store. They have a wide selection of teas complete with a nice description and how to best prepare the tea. read more

Likes: 1) You should try their tea workshop. They have "Intro to Tea" on Wednesday nights and he shows you how to sip tea (3 ways), smell tea, and explains for 1.5 hours how the Chinese people do it. And he is a third generation tea growing family from Fujian, which is a large tea growing region of China, so he really knows his stuff! It's a real cultural and history lesson about tea, completely different from the Canadian type of tea appreciation. Once you attend the class then you're ready to buy the good Chinese stuff! 2) Excellent selection of tea brewing pots, Yixing pots, tea pets (clay pets for the traditional tea pouring tables), etc. stuff you have a hard time finding anywhere else outside of TenRen tea. And Tao Tea Leaf has their own special selection. 3) I bought the organic pearl jasmine and Silver-Needle White (award winning one from International Tea Expo). I got my co-workers to try it, and they said it was some of the best tea they have ever had in their life. Myself, being Chinese and having tried many teas from China and Taiwan, i found the tea amazing. Dislikes: 1) Shop doesn't bustle with activity like a tea shop should. But it's not a cafe like Starbucks, it's more of a tea shop where you buy tea, like the ones they have in China. It's dedicated to tea education. You don't really sit around and chat for hours and drink tea. Ideally, if they had more space, I think it would be great, but in their Yorkville location, the rent probably expensive so the store is modestly sized. 2) Tea is on the expensive side. The organic jasmine pearl was around $25 for 50g and the White Tea (premium) was $35 for 50g. :-O Get your wallet ready for a bit of a splurge. But you should have some good stuff for some occasions. 3) Once you've tried the best, you will think less of the other tea you've been having :-) read more

The best tea shop in Toronto! Both shopkeepers, Ming and Tao, are very friendly and the shop is always updating and getting better! Now, there is frequent tea tasting workshops which I plan to attend... frequently. As far as I know, this is the only shop in Toronto where you can actually sit down and have tea with a true tea master! You get the whole Chinese Gongfu tea ceremony experience. Not to mention they have the best quality Yixing teapots and teaware I've ever seen. And the tea is all top quality... it doesn't get any better than this. read more