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- Hours:
Mon-Fri 10 am - 7 pm
Sat 10 am - 6 pm
Sun 12 pm - 5 pm
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
4 reviews for Tao Tea Leaf
4 reviews in English
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Review from Kristina J.
North York, ON
1/19/2012
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 :-) -
Review from Renata R.
8/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
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! -
Review from Jennifer K.
Markham, ON
11/12/2010 3 photos
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!Listed in: You can get EVERYTHING you…, Loose Leaf Teas!
Comment from Tao W. of Tao Tea Leaf 3/30/2011
Hi Jennifer, I am Tao, the proprietor of Tao Tea Leaf, I am… More » -
Review from Sanita M.
7/6/2011
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.
