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Tea-Time in Montreal: Two Tea Houses to Try

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at McGill chapter.


Camellia Sinensis Tea House
Tucked away in Montreal’s Latin Quarter, this cozy little Tea House is totally worth a visit. Although not snobby about tea, the team at Camellia Sinensis changes their menu each year to include new favourites from their most recent travels. These visits to tea gardens give them direct access to “white teas, high-mountain oolongs from Taiwan, hand-made Chinese classics, Himalayan black teas, and many, many more.” Servers will gladly explain the flavour profiles of any of the 200+ varieties as well as the pouring rituals of the tea. The shop also offers a wide range of tea workshops and professional tea tastings. The atmosphere inside is inviting, yet serene; no cell-phones or laptops are allowed, and if the noise-level gets too high, a gong is sounded. To accompany your tea, a mouth-watering range of cakes, biscuits, and other treats all made by local bakers, and all very affordable.

Camellia Sinensis Tea House
351 Emery
Latin Quarter
(514) 286-4002
www.camellia-sinensis.com


Cha Noir Tea House
Although admittedly a bit of a trek for tea, a trip to Cha Noir Tea House in Verdun is one you won’t forget. This shop is unique: decorated by local artists, there are handmade and hand-painted tables that compliment the overall “Bombay-meets-Bohemia” vibe that infuses the pillow-filled room. Verdun is also an interesting city to see; just a little south of downtown Montreal, it has a growing artistic community that is worth checking out. Inside Cha Noir Tea House, you will be invited to turn off your cell phone. There are nearly eighty teas to choose from in addition to “numerous chocolate, fruity, salty, exotic, or local treats,” such as cheese plates from the fromagerie next door. Ones to definitely try include the hot chocolate tea (with 70% cocoa) and the big cuppa Chai Noir. There is also a Tea Boutique with “infusers of all kinds, books, insulating tumblers, fine chocolates, and gift packages.”

Cha Noir Tea House
4646 Wellington
Verdun
(514) 769-1242
www.cha-noir.com

Olivia Lifman is in her final year at McGill University, where she is completing an Honours BA in English Literature with a minor concentration in International Relations. Passionate about writing, reading, and the Arts, she is the Editor-in-Chief of both Her Campus McGill and McGill's English Department's Undergraduate Academic Journal, The Channel, as well as a literacy tutor. She has coached tennis for five years and is an avid haf-marathon runner. Olivia is very much looking forward to extending McGill's campus beyond its university borders and into the city of Montreal at large as she works more closely with Her Campus this year.
Sofia Mazzamauro, born and raised in Montreal, is majoring in English Cultural Studies and minoring in Communication and Italian Studies. Along with being the editor-in-chief of Her Campus McGill, she is a writer for Leacock’s online magazine’s food section at McGill University and the editor of the Women’s Studies Undergraduate Interdisciplinary Journal. After graduation, she aspires to pursue a career in lifestyle magazine writing in Montreal.