Afternoon tea for a bridal shower - help!

[Sandybandy]

Looking for a place to hold an afternoon tea for a bridal shower, that won't be too expensive in terms of cost per person.

I am currently checking in with the King Eddy (approx. $27 per person) and the Old Mill (approx. $20 per person). Does anyone have any other suggestions?

Has anyone had any experiences good or bad that they could share? We are expecting maybe 10 to 15 people. Could use the help of my fellow Chowhounders for more info!

[designergirl]

Try the WHITE HOUSE in Oakville...the scones are just heavenly and the other finger foods are divine. They do have a website- so, you might want to take a peek before you wander that way.

[mayaishi]

I went to several catered parties in Rosedale last season and they had been catered by "foods only Natural". The food was very original, fun and scrumptious. The chef/owner brings everything and even cleans up afterwards! His email is [e-mail]

[furhead]

Friends of mine were at a tea at Madeleine's Ice Cream and Cherry Pie shop and said it was really nice. http://www.madeleines.ca/. I love that space!!

[TOchowgal]

I like La Tea Da. It is in the Beaches area. It is a small space so maybe you can call ahead. It is very charming and the tea is comparable and even a bit better than the Old Mill (the Old Mill would have been my other suggestion).

http://www.torontolife.com/guide/rest...

[always_eating]

La Tea Da is no longer around. The Pie Shack is in its place now. I would suggest Annona @ The Park Hyatt for afternoon tea though since this was posted in June, I'm thinking you have already done your shower! Where did you end up having it?

[TOchowgal]

I liked the afternoon tea at both the Old Mill and La Tea Dah.

[lynng]

There's a place in the west end at Burnhamthorpe and Martingrove - I think it's called Victorian Tea Garden.

[blue bike]

Has anyone tried this place - Victorian Tea Garden? I have known about it for a while but it's quite a trek to get there.

[Rabbit]

I can't vouch firsthand, but there have been some posts on Moroco that suggest it might suit... although their online menu seems a little pricey.

www.mororcochocolat.com

[tygrr_lily]

i did moroco's tea with a gf a few weeks ago. it was really good, but a bit pricier at $45. we thought it was really worth it though, and the setting is PERFECT for a bridal shower/bachelorette... very girly

[Sandybandy]

Thanks everyone for the info - I really appreciate it. Will call in to some of the places mentioned above for sure.

Unfortunately, I will have to pass on Moroco Chocolat - went there for tea a few months ago and was left with a bad taste in my mouth. They took my friend's credit card for the booking (totally acceptable) and when I got there I was a bit full from breakfast still and asked about ordering only the "cream tea" on the menu, instead of the full tea. The response I got was basically "Since you booked for afternoon tea, you now cannot have the cream tea. All of the food has already been prepared for you". Huh? Seriously? No one EVER told us that when we booked.

Oh well, I let it go and figured fine, I will have a relaxing afternoon of great tea with my friends...no worries...will find room in my tummy for all the goodies. Lo and behold, the tea tray arrives with either 1 or 2 only of some of the pastry items (there were 3 of us in total). Knowing we were spending a fair bit of money, I asked our server why they would do that and that we deserved to all be able to try each pastry. She came back with an extra plate of some of the missing items. We were not really impressed with the pastries at all. Overall, the food was okay, the hot chocolate was really tasty, but the service was lacking in general. Look, I understand that maybe when I went there, they had just opened and they were still "new". However, I believe that is the time when you need to try the hardest to please your customers as you will want them to come back again. I really wanted to like Moroco Chocolate but I really don't think we will be going back there - I hope the rest of you had better luck there!

[Arcadiaseeker]

Are you looking for a lower cost than the places you've had quotes from? If not, you might try Red Tea Box -- it's a tiny place but quite lovely and they might do a fun/funky tea for that many people. Could be worth a try.

[auberginegal]

a chef friend of mine (whose taste in food i trust) highly recommended RTB as well, i've never been in, but there's more room in the back of the store (the front part looks tiny for seating). of the standard afternoon tea places, i'd throw my vote in for Windsor Arms as well (if you are looking just for cream tea and going on a weekend, maybe ask to see if they'd make an exception about their M-F only for that?!)

[tempest in a teapot]

I'm glad to see that RTB is still open. I had a really magical lunch there in 2004, just before the blackout. The carriagehouse was cool and shady, the food was delicious, and the service was perfect, which hasn't been everyone's experience there, I know.

I still dream about it sometimes. Sigh.

[chililime]

My daughter's godmother held a bridal tea for her recent wedding at the Windsor Arms, for about 15 women (and a couple of little girls). It was lovely, very elegant. Everyone loved it.

They have at least a couple of different priced tea menus.

If you have the time, suggest you go for tea yourself and try it out.

[torontofoodiegirl]

The Windsor Arms would get my vote, hands-down - a lovely place for a bridal shower - though I can't recall the cost and it might be a bit byond your price cap.

[jlunar]

I went a few weeks ago - full tea is 38 on weekends, 30 M-F. They also offer a "cream tea" which is just desserts and scones, I think for under $20. Also M-F. My flickr set is up for it if you want a closer look at the goods - http://www.flickr.com/photos/jlunar/sets/72157620143714416/detail/

If you're a party, there's a purple/black/white room in the back which looked really lovely. You may want to request that space specifically. the front area is more yellow-lit and traditional, but it's also just divided by a curtain/screen type thing (well done, mind), from the main lobby, as it used to be part of the lobby. The purple room in the back is what used to be the proper tea room, but it was small.

---
http://www.foodpr0n.com/ -- food. is. love.

[Apple]

My bridal shower was held there and it was really elegant and lovely. We were in the purple room and it seemed a little funky and fun. the food and service was very good and what you expect of the Windsor Arms.

Have also done tea the Royal York... excellent as well... a little more stuffy than the Windsor Arms... because of the room - but the food and service was nevertheless delicious and memorable.

[merlot143]

The tea at the Old Mill was good but not great or even very good. It's less expensive than many places around the city, and the view of the garden is lovely.

[Mitzimouse]

I keep this in my car for when we're on an Ontario country drive:

http://www.teaguide.net/tearoomsontar...

A directory of all the tea places in Ontario.

[canadianbeaver]

Oh! And they have nice afternoon tea at DT Bistro as well.

[Mitzimouse]

Have you thought of having it catered? There are a number of good caterers who can give you a nice tea menu and then you won't have to feel hurried to leave so others can be seated.

Truthfully, the best high tea I've ever had was Tea at the Whitehouse in Waterdown. True, a schlep but it can be a bridal adventure!

[canadianbeaver]

I went to a bachelorette party (very tame, so basically a bridal shower) for about that many people at the Four Seasons. It was about $30 a person. It was great but not great if you are a vegetarian or have a dairy intolerance. I like the King Eddy as well, the desserts are really good, but I liked the Four Seasons better.