There's something about afternoon tea in Toronto that strikes a different chord than other culinary experiences. Spending a leisurely weekend afternoon nibbling your way through little bites and sipping different flavours of tea is one of those simple pleasures that feels luxurious, indulgent and elegant, especially in as sultry a space as Writers Room Bar.
Writers Room: The vibe
Set on the 17th floor of the Park Hyatt in Yorkville, the Toronto bar blends moody decor with pops of colour from graphic portraits and dangling pendant lights. Dark wood panelling, rich maroon banquettes and a fireplace draw guests into the cozy space, while the sweeping views of the distant downtown skyline lock eyes on the horizon.
At 3 p.m. the hotel bar is quiet, with only the portraits of famed writers to keep us company, but as the day turns into evening, Writers Room starts to fill with a lively mix of hotel guests and locals.
After checking our coats, we settle in at a large round table and are greeted with a hot towel to wipe the commute from our hands. A tart and herbal mixture of hibiscus tea, yuzu and berry shrub is served chilled as a welcome cocktail to keep our mouths engaged while we wait for the tower of tiny treats to be placed on our table.
Writers Room Afternoon Tea: The sweet and savoury bites
I'm expecting to see a familiar assortment of sandwiches, but the scones are the only bites that I recognize. Instead, the tower is topped with creative takes on the flavours you usually see at tea. A crunchy rosette is piled with a refreshing mixture of labneh, pickled onion, mint and ribbons of cucumber, while sausage rolls are seasoned with fennel and thyme. Delicate smoked salmon éclairs are savoury, sweet and briny, stuffed with cream cheese, dill and lemon. Each dainty bite is full of flavour, putting those bland sandwiches that are synonymous with afternoon tea to shame.
Even the scones don't settle for being basic. There's a savoury zucchini and feta iteration served with rosemary butter, and a buttermilk one with clotted cream that kicks off the sweet portion of the tower.
The desserts drive it home. The Bailey's Cheesecake and pecan tartlette are good, but a wobbly black sesame parfait steals the show with a citrusy interior full of yuzu, matcha and white chocolate.
Writers Room Afternoon Tea: The sips
The selection of loose leaves comes from Sloane Fine Tea Merchants, owned by local tea-sommelier Hoda Paripoush. Each guest can choose two, which sounds easy, but with flavours like Masala Chai, Marrakesh Mint and Citron Calm, it's incredibly difficult. I settle on Heavenly Cream, a velvety soft steep that's full of bergamot and vanilla — no milk or sugar needed. For my second pot, the Jasmine Snow Dragon is a green tea with a whole bouquet of floral aromas. Since the pots are large enough to share, I also get to taste the smooth and sweet Vanilla Rooibos and a beautiful Darjeeling, dubbed the "champagne of tea."
If you're in the mood for something a little stronger, a $50 cocktail flight pairs three tea-infused creations with the tower of treats. Herbal notes of ginger, green tea and cucumber mingle with rose-infused Don Julio in the Green Leaf, while the Chai Silk is a spiced, creamy concoction of its namesake tea with Baileys and savoury notes from brown-butter Hibiki. My favourite sipper is the Warm Brew, a boozey blend of Hennessy VSOP and Disaronno balanced by Earl Grey tea and vanilla-bergamot syrup. Each one is spirit-forward and herbal in its own way.
Between the bites, sips and views, Writers Room Bar's new Afternoon Tea is a beautiful way to spend a weekend afternoon that feels both light and luxurious.
Afternoon tea, $65 per person, hyattexperiences.com
