Kat Harlton
Photos: Tiffany Shum
September is here, and we decided to celebrate the end of summer with the indulgent Orchard themed afternoon high tea in the lobby lounge at Toronto’s Shangri-La Hotel.
Soaring high above the city in one of Toronto’s tallest buildings, Shangri-La Toronto offers guests a distinctively urban escape. Just a 6-minute walk from Queen Street West on University Avenue, the hotel is surrounded in all directions by the best the city has to offer. The nearby Art Gallery of Ontario, the vibrant waterfront and the non-stop energy on Yonge Street are just a few of the great city hotspots within easy reach.
An exceptionally unique gastronomic experience, “The Orchard” offered the chance to explore a taste of summer, inspired by Ontario’s abundance of in-season fruits, with a French boutique-pastry twist. Our afternoon tea included a selection of hand-sculpted trompe-l’oeil fruits, decadent savoury treats, their famous Shangri-La scones, and we added a glass of prosecco.
We really enjoyed their version of classic, reimagined french tea sandwiches, which were a nice treat from usual afternoon tea offerings.
For those with a sweet tooth, the summer fruits collection included individually hand sculpted Trompe L’Oeil Fruit Desserts, fashioned in appearance as their flavours. We also loved the Raspberry Entremet (raspberry, vanilla whipped ganache, olive oil sponge macerated red berries, confiture).
For more information on Shangri-La Hotel’s tea experiences or to book a reservation, visit: https://www.shangri-la.com/toronto/shangrila/dining/bars-lounges/lobby-lounges